ready cooked meals

[poor but proud]

has any one tried any of the current crop of ready cooked long life meals , a lot of them coming on the market, they look good for a long stay menu, but he price seems up there, on screen they look good but are they worth it, lots of different offerings freeze dried ,ready to heat and eat etc.

 

[Drover]

Ive tasted some of the freeze dried stuff over the years and reckon its emergency rations only stuff .... Rat packs left them for dead ................... Hasn't changed much ..... Its really only for those who travel by foot ..............

 

[Boots in Action]

has any one tried any of the current crop of ready cooked long life meals , a lot of them coming on the market, they look good for a long stay menu, but he price seems up there, on screen they look good but are they worth it, lots of different offerings freeze dried ,ready to heat and eat etc.

Hi @poor but proud , I would like to agree with @Drover regarding freeze dried rations. Had them issued to me whilst on exercises. They were initially tried out to reduce the weight and volume of rations carried in the field and to avoid the problems of disposal as is needed with the standard "rat packs". However, it was found that whilst they were tasty enough (when there is nothing else to consume) they had a few problems. Firstly, they needed water - lots of it - to hydrate the dehydrated/freeze dried remains and water is bluddy heavy to carry, and you also need it to drink. 20 litre plastic jerry cans are too big to strap on back!! And also, being freeze dried, you had to let the dinner choice soak in WATER in the aluminum packaging for hours to soften the hard lumps before heating the gruel. All this defeated the purpose of having a quick meal in the field before having to move again. Not the best idea for constant movement. Much better to drop "rat packs" by air or other means of supply.. So, if you have the time and the water, they can have their place. Have not tried the latest "civvie" type as yet so they may now be satisfactory with all facilities available. Certainly easy to store and light to carry, and no need for refrigeration.

 

[poor but proud]

i agree with you about the freeze dried stuff,have been seeing a number of adds for some ready to just heat meals in satchel packs, they look interesting but are quite expensive in my opinion, i will do some more snooping. have a look at ----- ON TRACK MEALS ----

 

[Drover]

One of my boys has done a few desert runs over the years and reckons they are expensive cardboard as a few of the fellas with him used them and wanted to swap for his normal food, he carried packet stuff and frozen, couldn't see the sense as he had a fridge in his truck while the daughter in law who does big walking treks in and around the Brindabellas uses them, says she puts up with them as they are light weight in her pack and only for 3 or 4 days .....
If your wearing out the show leather then its the way to go really ..... the old Rat Packs I would mix most of it together to make a feast and it was yum where in single bits was yuck, that was 40 yrs ago now I hear they haven't improved really....