Making your own dehydrated backpacking meals takes more upfront effort than buying pre-made pouches, but it offers real savings and full control over ingredients for hikers willing to invest the time.
- 1
Get a home dehydrator
A basic home food dehydrator is the core equipment investment; oven dehydration at very low temperatures works too, though a dedicated dehydrator generally produces more consistent results.
- 2
Choose ingredients that dehydrate well
Rice, pasta, beans, ground meat, and most vegetables dehydrate well; high-fat ingredients dehydrate poorly and can shorten shelf life, so add fats separately at cooking time on the trail instead.
- 3
Pre-cook before dehydrating
Most homemade backpacking meals start as a fully cooked dish (a stew, chili, or rice dish) that's then dehydrated, rather than dehydrating raw ingredients separately and combining them later.
- 4
Package and store properly
Vacuum-sealed bags or mylar bags with oxygen absorbers extend shelf life significantly compared to simple zip-top bags, which are fine for shorter-term use but not long-term storage.
- 5
Test rehydration before a real trip
Rehydrate a homemade meal at home first to confirm water ratio and timing work well, rather than discovering an under-hydrated or overly thin meal for the first time on trail.
DIY Dehydrating Basics
| Use Case | Recommendation | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Core equipment | Home food dehydrator or low-temp oven | |
| Best ingredients | Rice, pasta, beans, lean meat, most vegetables | |
| Storage for longest shelf life | Vacuum-sealed or mylar bags with oxygen absorbers | |