AAWT-How long will dehydrated meals last?

[andyszollosi]

Hi,

How long do dehydrated meals last (eg: risotto, chicken curry, fried rice, spag bol) if vacuum packed and kept cool(not frozen)?

I am planning on placing food drops for my AAWT walk in mid May for an early September start(since some of the access roads may be still closed in September).

Is food I've dehydrated myself likely to keep for up to five months? (I will finish the walk in mid November, with a 76 day itinerary, allowing for plenty of side trips).

Would it be a good idea to place some commercially freeze dried meals as back-up?

Thanks,

[icefest]

I doubt you will have any problems. Most problems with dehy'd food is the fat going rancid, which the cool and vacuum packing should limit.

I've eaten dehy'd soup and jerky a year after making, when it was stored at room temperature. YMMV

[Mark F]

I agree with icefest. Main thing is to make sure they are in a vermin proof, waterproof container. If worried keep the carbohydrates (pasta, rice, couscous) separate from the sauces if possible. If anything goes off it will be the sauce, not the carbs so dinner will not be quite as tasty but there will be something to eat.

I would have thought that early September was a bit early to start unless you have snow shoes or such.

[Nuts]

I steer clear of chicken. The good folk at sunbeam say 3mths meats, 6mths veg these double if stored in a freezer.
Think of it this way, food starts to degrade straight away- levels of bacteria build. Drying, freezing won't stop this, they simply slow the process.
If just for small quantities, do them as close to leaving as possible (esp. chook)

[jjoz58]

If you vacuum pack it with a moisture and oxygen absorber, preferably in mylar to avoid light then they should last quite some time.

[andyszollosi]

Thanks everyone, I figured there shouldn't be any problems but now I will rest easy over the winter! I still might place some extra rations, just in case.

ps: Mark F, I will have snow shoes and full winter gear. Let the blizzards come.

[icefest]

ps: Mark F, I will have snow shoes and full winter gear. Let the blizzards come.

So heavy... That's at least 5kg extra, it's more than doubling my base pack weight.

[Jaala]

Yep just seal and leave in the freezer until you leave. Because you won't be hiking in the middle of summer you can have even more confidence. Make sure your meat is lean, dry meat separately from sauces where you're concerned about fat content and a little forward thinking will allow you to eat like a king. You can have that stroganoff if you like, just chuck in some powdered sour cream when rehydrating! Or that tasty carbonara, powdered everything! A few days out you'll lose any apprehensions, and you'll find you will be bolder with your menu come the next trip.

[Snowzone]

I have used home dehydrated meals up to 7 or 8 months old. I store them in my fridge in zip lock bags and have had no problems. So I would think if you vac sealed and kept them cool then you should be fine. I like Marks idea of keeping the sauces seperate just in case. I get more concerned when my food is exposed to temperature changes like being in my pack for a week or so getting hot through the day, cold at night, then hot again, etc.