Poor man's mountain house

[Doublelunger]

I'm a cheap skate and started doing this last year in the backcountry after deciding I didnt want to pay an arm and a leg for the fancy freezedried meals.  I'm hoping to start dehydrating my own meals at some point but until that happens here is a decent alternative.

For $1.15 you can get a pouch of starkist tuna and a thing of top ramen and mix them together for a suprisingly decent meal.

Nutrition facts (combined) are around:
Fat- 8g
Carbs - 26g
Protein- 19g

Compare that to MH...For $5.99 you can get youself a single serving of Mountain House beef stew

nutrition facts:                     
Fat- 6g
Carbs-26g
Protein- 13g

Total packaged weight is 116g for the tuna ramen combo and 79g for Moutain house. 

[Fl0und3rz]

How many calories?

This guy has some thoughts on 100 calories per ounce on MH alternatives.

[Stein]

It's super easy to dehydrate ground beef, or even finely shredded meat including turkey, chicken, venison or whatever.  You then pick up a gravy packet, instant potatoes and some dehydrated mixed vegetables and experiment with getting the consistency and taste right (too much gravy = way too salty). 

It takes longer to rehydrate than freeze dried, but it also tastes better, has no mystery ingredients and is a fraction of the cost.

I look at "freezer bag" meal recipes from the hiking crowd, they have done all the work.

[2MANY]

Rib steak, potatos, and beer in the back country for me.

[cougforester]

Tag! Going to start messing around with my own dehydrated meals this year.

[TommyH]

Tag. I’d like to start dehydrating and making more of my meals easy to pack/eat. I usually have a tote stuffed full of various food, but need more ready to go type food options.

[fishngamereaper]

You guys have rich blood...I'm more of a cup a noodles with beef jerky kind of guy. You can fit a weeks worth into a gallon zip lock bag and it weighs about a pound.

[Birdgetter]

Yep I love top ramen in the backcountry! I have added chukar to top ramen at home, it is great. I can only imagine adding grouse to the dish when in the hills. 

[deerlick]

Rib steak, potatos, and beer in the back country for me.

I like your style

[2MANY]

LOL.
It's feeding the stock the rest of the year that sucks.

[deerlick]

that's why I pay the uber mule fee

[baker5150]

I've done the Tuna/Ramen thing and like it.
I toss in some Soy Sauce or Hot sauce to mix it up.

I've packed in a can of SPAM a couple times too, fry it up on a hot rock.

The past couple years I really don't care about food weight though, I'd rather eat a little better, plus it gets lighter the longer your out.  I've gotten dried soup mix from my sisters restaurant and portioned it out.  Man that is some goooood eating right there.

[boneaddict]

that's why I pay the uber mule fee

[Jonathan_S]

My poor mans Mtn House alternative was to buy a $3k freeze drier....may have outsmarted myself on that one

[Fl0und3rz]

How do you like the freeze drier?