"pouch" meals for kayak camping

[gyork]

I'm in the habit of preparing easy meals for supper while kayak camping. I use a simple (denatured) alcohol "cat" simmering stove for cooking some kind of grain (Kashi pilaf, bulghar, millet, or quinoa) that has been soaking since daybreak. I've tried various "Indian Fare" pouch meals from various vendors, combined with grain and perhaps some chopped "fresh" root vegetables. The beauty of the meal is the "one-pot" cooking, simmered for 20 minutes, without fussing. The ugly is the pouch portion-too much for me. Labels indicate 2-2.5 servings for these 10 oz. foil pouches.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS WHERE I MIDE FIND A TASTY READY-TO-(H)EAT VEGETARIAN POUCH MEAL THAT SERVES 1?

gary

[PeterB]

Gary,

if you 've already fixed on food packet types you like ( i agree that Indian food packets are yummy) but the main problem is that its too much, can you just repackage in zip lock bags in just the portions that work for you, then freeze the rest at home for later use?

[gyork]

Gary,

if you 've already fixed on food packet types you like ( i agree that Indian food packets are yummy) but the main problem is that its too much, can you just repackage in zip lock bags in just the portions that work for you, then freeze the rest at home for later use?

My only concern is how this will "keep" on a multi-day safari?

[brambor]

Hi Gary,

Try these: www.hawkvittles.com/order

They have them available in one or two person servings.

[Lbeale]

Hi Gary,

I go to two places: Trader Joes and "whole paycheck" Whole Foods. First Trader Joes

:single packet rice (frozen foods section). Don't bother with the cooked brown rice packet -that is not frozen --ugh.

The Indian packets -- eggplant is the best, chick peas - second best.

They also have dried string beans that I crunch up on my Indian meal. When you and I camped Marshall, you liked those string beans.

Go to the Asian section of TJ -- they have noodles you just soak in hot water - cellophane noodles. You don't need to use the whole package at once.

Italian section -- they have packets of dried pasta -- chive and spinach pasta,basil, etc -- a little more than one person serving but not by much. Depending on my paddling day, I have been know to eat my fair share of that pasta with little or no waste.

The dried fruit section has packets of strawberries, blueberries, etc to put on your cereal as well as individual packets of oatmeal.

They have individual packets of nuts and berries.

Then off to Whole Foods --

Go to the soup section --look for" Food Co" brand -- they have vegetarian soups in pouches as well a chick peas and other beans.

"Pacific" brand also has small containers of soups and dips.

There are also tubes of pesto sauce that are reusable.

For breads -- I just get the dark rye crackers from Ryvita or any hard tack bread for PB & J

I drink almond milk -- they have small packets of this milk as well.

Hope this is helpful --

Les

[gyork]

Hope this is helpful --

Les

VERY! Thanks Les! I'll tuck this info away until this landlocked paddler next visits the big city!

Edited July 14, 2014 by gyork

[cfolster]

Janice Cotton introduced me to rice ramen - Comes in a couple different 'flavors'. I like the black rice because the noodles come out purple.

The bricks of noodles are a good portion for one person with some sort of topping/accompaniment.

http://www.lotusfoods.com/Rice-Ramen/c/LotusFoods@Ramen -- can buy at whole foods

[EEL]

Gary:

I'm sure your question is based upon the realization that the bane of those who go solo is easy to prepare small portion sized packaged food. While Kate is no doubt the authority among NSPN kayak campers and she has given you great ideas (Pinkpaddler's ramen suggestion is spot on too), since I don't live anywhere near a TJ or Whole Foods store ( you too I believe) so I must wander about a Shaws or Hannaford's and the local health food store in search of things to take.. In doing so I have found smaller packages of ramen, small packets of tuna or salmon, but most of the foil stuff is too big unless you really want to pig out. OTOH it is easy to package up small portions of couscous or orzo and a variety of root veggies. I suspect most of us are accustomed to big evening meals, but while on trips it might be better to consume most of the day's dietary needs during the day and leave the breakfast and evening meals as small, light and simple meals. Eating nutritionally dense foods during the day is easy and requires no cooking and maintains energy levels when needed. It also makes preparing and cooking evening meals much easier so that a small ramen or couscous portion with some veggies easily suffices. Of course we are all out there as we see fit and to each his own, but I have found the above approach solves the portion size problem when I am going solo. The good news is all those just a bit too big packages are really nice when it is two or three.

I suspect if kept in the bottom of a kayak during the day any of the heat and serve foil packets will last at least 24 hours after opening. After many fresh foods will last a few days if kept reasonably cool in a kayak.

Ed Lawson

[kate]

That was actually Leslie who gave you great ideas. And I basically do what she suggested (adjusting for my personal preferences in food). I buy packets of dry stuff and spend an evening before the trip portioning everything into 1-meal baggies. Haven't used the Indian packets in awhile for the same reason you point out - too much food. A box of mac and cheese can be pared down (I like to use less pasta but all the cheese sauce, with some dried veggies added). You can portion out bisquick plus dry milk plus whatever additives (wheat germ, flax seed, corn meal, etc), to make a single-meal serving of steamed dumplings for over dry soups (not ramen, something more nutritionally substantial. the ones that come in cups, ready to add water, heat and eat). I do sometimes take along pre-cooked rice or beans from Trader Joe's. Also, red lentils cook much more quickly than other beans, no soaking needed, so they are a good additive for protein. Of course, oatmeal for breakfast is my standard. I just pack a single big sack of old-fashioned rolled oats with dried fruit and sunflower seeds and other such goodies. I heart me some oatmeal in the morning.

No big secrets to impart, just perusing the grocery store to see what might serve, and then breaking it down to single servings.

Ed, I don't know how you can eat a big meal at lunchtime. I feel sick afterwards while kayaking, if my lunch has been bigger than crackers and cheese....

Kate

[EEL]

Kate:

As usual I was not making myself clear. I don't eat a large, heavy lunch. Instead I tend to snack on dense food several times over the paddling day and perhaps a little more during a lunch break. Such stuff as almond butter or hummus and bread/crackers, nuts, maybe cheese or a meat product. Just a little a few times. They help provide long term energy levels/nutrition needs while Stinger waffles and Cliff Shot Bloks every hour or so keeps the energy level up. Of course if you are only doing 10 miles plus or minus a few then you are done by noon anyway. I think you are likely doing something similar as you mentioned crackers and cheese for lunch.

I really want to know more about how you make the steamed dumplings.

Ed Lawson

[kate]

Ah, okay Ed, that snack regimen makes more sense to me.

Dumplings are easy! I start the soup cooking. Meanwhile I add just enough water to the baggie with the dumpling mix to make it gooey but not runny. When the soup is boiling, I add dollops of dumpling dough to the top of the soup, then cover and simmer for 10 min or so. That's it! You can do the same for cobblers - a baggie of dry fruit with some cornstarch (to thicken the sauce), cinnamon and/or nutmeg and sugar, heated with water to boiling. Stir until it begins to thicken (not too thick or it will burn during the simmer - add more water if needed), then add the dumpling mix (a sweeter mix, if you wish, with a touch of sugar) softened with water, to the top in dollops. Cover and steam until done. Pure heaven in a single pot.

k

[PeterB]

If a packet you like (sauce, Indian food whatever) is too much for a one- person serving, can you divide into a few one- serving portions and then vacuum bag each portion for travel? If one does that (presumes that you own a vacuum bagger ), how long should a once-opened (e.g. Tasty Bites Indian food) packet that's then vacuum- bagged last on a multi- day trip?

[EEL]

Since the Tasty Bites are not vacuum packed I wonder if a gas with something to prevent spoilage has been added. By opening the package that would be lost and even if repackaged using a vacuum bagger the contents might spoil. Just speculation. I believe the contents once opened would easily last 24 to 48 hours if kept at the bottom of the kayak during the day. So my thought is it might be better to leave packaging intact and put unused portion in a container on the trip for use the following day or so.

I find one advantage of the foil pouches is they greatly reduce the amount of water needed for meal prep.

Ed Lawson

[Suz]

Sorry to be such a spoil sport. Really not a good idea to save food from one meal to the next while camping. Imagine this, you open your brand new package of Tasty Bites (BTW, they sell these in bulk at Costco...) you decide to eat half now and eat the other half tomorrow night. So you carefully use the spoon you rinsed off from the previous meal and divided your package by putting half in a bowl to eat now and the other half you carefully folded down the lid and put into a clean zip lock and then put back in your boat.

(Of course if you eat out of the bag and reintroduced your spoon each time into the bag THEN closed it up, you are definitely asking for trouble.)

The bag has been opened and assuming your spoon was clean, you may not have introduced anything other than air to the package. The problem comes from the fact that when the bag of stuff was produced, if the producers were not 100% in their processing, you now have air that will allow something that was already there to start growing. You have an environment that you are not able to bring food to a temperature that will slow or prevent growth. Either super cold or super hot. Food that has been brought to high temperatures is less likely to have active or growing but most people who eat those bag meals are usually just warming them up.

My husband will sometimes eat the leftovers from dinner camping for breakfast. If we had sautéed onions/peppers at dinner, I would reheat those and use for an omelet for breakfast (if I still ate eggs). Personally I wouldn't eat last nights meal for dinner the next night.

Saving the best info for last:

http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm103263.htm

The above link is a really great chart for food poisoning. It shows time of onset, symptoms, duration of symptoms and likely food source. Note that NONE of the typical food borne illnesses are typically less than 6 hours from ingestion. That is why people usually don't know where they got sick from. Review the symptoms and you can see why people don't always attribute the symptoms to food poisoning and think they have the "touch of a summer cold or stomach bug"...

Tasty Bites: http://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Bite-Channa-Masala-Pouches/dp/B002JF61XO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406293952&sr=8-1&keywords=tastybite

1 pouch costs about $3.00 on Amazon. 2 servings per pouch - 168 calories per serving. I say eat the whole thing! That is a low calorie meal - 6 g of protein per serving.

So, in short, plan your meals so that you are consuming all, of what you have made or bought, once it is open. Really not worth the risk of food poisoning ESPECIALLY when camping alone.

[EEL]

Suz:

You are not being a spoil sport, you are being prudent. Tasty Bites are a bit spicy for me so I use them infrequently, but since I find no need to add additional stuff, a Tasty Bites makes a big (but manageable) one person portion after a long day on the water. With the pre-cooked rice pouches I tend to add stuff and then it is too much for just me.

Ed Lawson

[gyork]

Though it didn't resemble the package picture at all, the taste was very good, not too hot, and would benefit from some additional steamed veggies or whathaveyou. 8 oz size more to my liking. Found this at my local "basket". Stuck out from the surrounding empty shelf space. Forgot that I was supposed to be boycotting instead of searching for camp meals!

http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=775129&storeId=10052&langId=-1

Edited July 30, 2014 by gyork

[Suz]

Gary - that looks like a good find. You don't so often see tofu in ready to eat packets. I might pick up some of those up for an emergency meal.

[gyork]

Field tested this on a recent trip. To simmered grain and root veggies, I carefully opened an Indian pouch, squeezed out 1/2 contents, heated, and savored. Carefully roll the pouch top down after expressing excess air, seal with a clip, then zip-lok. Store in bottom of kayak. Repeat up to 2 days later, but bring to a boil.

Disclaimer: The above observations are by no means considered to be RECOMMENDATIONS.

[jason]

Another potential kayak food: http://trailbutter.com/

[gyork]

Found these delicious looking choices at Ocean State Job Lot:

[EEL]

Gary:

Though expensive, relatively speaking, I have found these to be excellent and satisfying.  I tend to have one or two along on most trips now.

http://www.patagoniaprovisions.com/pages/soup

The small rice noodle packages found at local health food store remain my go to solo base food.

Ed Lawson