Freeze Dried Meal Calories

[Buck Sage]

Most of the freeze dried meals that I've found have less than 300 calories. It seems to me that if you are hiking all day you are probably going to burn 3000 to 4000 calories or more. The freeze dried meals seem like a lot of work and are a little expensive for only 300 calories. Any suggestions?

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Welcome to the forum, finding that right calorie to cost ratio on freeze dried meals is definitely something to consider. Most of the time when looking at freeze dried meals I try to target meals that are 500 calories or more which usually works pretty well for me on most days. If needed, one can boost the calories by way of adding some olive oil, putting the contents of the meal into tortillas, using the freeze dried meal as a component with other items, etc. for those long hiking days.

Here's a list of some of my favorites in this department with a few higher calorie options included:

https://www.trailgroove.com/blogs/entry/132-10-best-freeze-dried-and-dehydrated-backpacking-meals/

[Dogwood]

As Aaron said start of with at lest 500 cals. Add to it or combine say two 2 p meal packages  making it 3 meals. I look to  add hemp hearts, pepitas, and sunflower seeds and a 1/2-1 oz  oz of EVOO or flax seed oil packet to chili to raise the wider nutritional profile and cals/oz ratio. To an Indian or Jamiacan styled entree I may add coconut milk powder, coconut flakes,  coconut oil or nut butter packet not just peanut butter) or peanuts, sliced almonds, dried mango or pineapple bits, etc To an Italiian inspired entree go EVOO, basil, garlic and pine nuts. To oatmeal go walnuts, walnut butter packet, powdered coconut milk powder, dried blueberries, crystalized ginger, chia seed, etc I tend to ficus on nuts seeds, and oils, and sometimes dried milks( PEAK brand cow(more creamy than NIDO), Meyenberg goat, vanilla soy, etc) There's a way to make powdered almond milk too if that's your thing which has become so non dairy 'milk' poular)    https://blog.outdoorherbivore.com/vegetarian/powdered-milk-alternatives-for-the-trail/