ration packs

[william#]

any one got any top tips on putting together ration packs -
i am finding that most things i want to take come in tins which is too heavy and i think the camp meals you buy in the shops are frankly over priced not big enough to fill you up and generally taste like ****

 

[Shewie]

One of my favourites has to be a tin of Stag Chilli from the supermarket - I usually empty one into a boil-a-bag (from Lakeland) and take a bit of rice or bulgar wheat to accompany it.

Mmmmm lovely

 

[Motorbike Man]

One of my favourites has to be a tin of Stag Chilli from the supermarket - I usually empty one into a boil-a-bag (from Lakeland) and take a bit of rice or bulgar wheat to accompany it.

Mmmmm lovely

Just had a quick google for those boil-a-bags. What a blimmin great idea!! Thanks for the tip

 

[Batfink]

What a blimmin great idea!! Thanks for the tip

Ditto!! I'll be recommending them to our fussy DoE & Adventure Training People!!!

 

[Shewie]

They`re really thick aswell and will stand a days punishment in your backpack - provided your tie them well enough.

 

[Brendan]

I use the dehydrated pasta meals found in most supermarkets and chuck in some weight watchers tuna which comes in a foil packet not a tin,lovely with added mushrooms,olive oil and garlic.

 

[Celt_Ginger]

I've not coma across Boil-a-bags before. where can they be got from?

 

[bothyman]

I've not coma across Boil-a-bags before. where can they be got from?

Try here

http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/product.aspx/populardemand!1405

MickT

 

[buffalobill]

i had a look at these boil-a-bags today and was disapointed that they weren't self sealing.

do you use clips with them or just tie a knot in the end?

 

[Batfink]

Didn't there use to be electric heatingbag sealer things (that is perhaps the most lame description of something ever!)? I heated metal bar thing which squishes down over the bag and seals it?

EDIT: Found one! God bless evil-bay!
12" Catering Heat Sealer

Alternatively there used to be little bag clips which would probably be brilliant for this... provided they are heat tollerant (which is likely, although until I test them I won't know!).

 

[SCOMAN]

Have a stack of the Lakeland bags but when I tried them on the stove at home as a "dry run" they melted if they touched the sides. Any hints/tips?

 

[Nemisis]

how about two chopsticks fastened together with a couple of rubber bands clamp the top of the bag between them and suspend in centre of pan/billy?
Dave.

 

[Shewie]

Scoman

I can honestly say I`ve never had problem with them bursting on contact with the sides of the pan - please don`t shoot me down in a ball of flames but were you boiling them in water or using a dry pan. I usually rest a smaller pan on top of the boilbag with the bulgar wheat in and I`ve never had any probs.

Buffalobill

It`s a bit of a shame they don`t have seals but I suppose you can`t have everything - I ususally use those twisty metal/paper things you use for the freezer bags.

Hope this helps

 

[British Red]

any one got any top tips on putting together ration packs -
i am finding that most things i want to take come in tins which is too heavy and i think the camp meals you buy in the shops are frankly over priced not big enough to fill you up and generally taste like ****

William,

For what its worth, I make up my own ration packs. I have tried to model these on a British Forces ration pack, but make it lighter and more to my taste. The aim was to increase the food carried for the same weight. Here are the details of what’s in each pack (menus vary but items are the same)

Ration Pack in large plastic ziplock

Meals
1 Dehydrated Breakfast
1 Dehydrated Main Meal
1 Dehydrated Desert

Sundries
10 tissues (plastic wrapped)

1 box all weather matches sealed in ziplock

Snacks pack (sealed in ziplock)
1 muesli bar
2 chocolate bars
3 small fuit bars
1 small sugar free chewing gum

Drinks pack (sealed in ziplock)
1 isotonic sports drink powder
4 Sugar sachets
2 Drink whitener
1 vegetable stock drink
2 sachets instant white tea
2 sachets coffee
1 sachet latte
1 sachet cappuccino
2 sachets sauce
1 sachet salt
1 tea bag
10 puritabs

Net weight of ration pack 750g (as opposed to 1600g for MRE rat pack). This means I can carry twice as much food dehydrated (although 1 days worth of MREs (Meal Ready to Eat) is useful). Therefore 72hr bag contains 2 dehydrated meal and 1 MRE based.

I also do make my own similar to those described earlier, although I use US Mylar bags (identical to MRE silver bags).

I hope thats some help. If you want sources for any of the material shown, just shout - Red

 

[innocent bystander]

Batfink, the bag sealers are a great idea, but the ideal for this kind of thing is the vacuum sealer :
You can get them here. This is the Foodsaver one. Allthough pricey, it really works a treat. The bags that come with it are the 5 ply variety, and are bombproof. Freeze em, boil em, microwave em. They stand up to it.

The first thing i tried it on were some home made cookies, not long out of the oven. The suction was so great that it sucked the oil out of the cookies. I kid you not.

Another handy addition is the home dehydrator. They work particularly well with veggies and meat. Not so well with fruit though. You can also dehydrate liquidy foods as well with them.

 

[ozzy1977]

There are a few foodsaver type gizmos on fleabay at the mo

 

[Neil Mac']

Hi folks,

I think you are as well taking some of what you eat at home. Unless you've got to carry several days rations a long distance it's no real problem to take some vegetables, bread, butter, cheese, bacon (Dry cured decent stuff - the curing is so that it keeps), smoked /dried meats such as kabanos sausages or other dried continental sausage and so on. Even if you don't smoke or preserve your own food at home all of this is readily available.

I've found that for drinks, a wine box is the best solution as the packaging weighs next to nothing. Clearly I take a water bottle too!
I'd take powdered milk and (at a push) dried potato but otherwise stick with unprocessed stuff unless I was attempting some feat of mountaineering.

Other things to consider:
Flour
Lard (in a small tupperware box - there are some great sealing boxes called "lock-n-lock" available now)
sugar
Raisins
herbs and spices
black pudding
apples
scots oatcakes (Nairns) instead of bread.
Tea bags

oh and :
Fishing tackle,
Rifle.

Just because you're living outdoors is no reason to eat junk.

Best wishes,

Neil.

 

[maddave]

I'm lucky, One of by buddies at work has a hubby that owns an army surplus shop, and I get current UK issue 24hr ration packs for a fiver a pop

 

[Doc]

British ration packs are not bad. One good thing is that they contain materials to make 5 litres of hot and cold drinks. I got some for £4 each and they are not bad value at that price. Also they have about 4000 calories if you eat/drink everything. Probably more than you need even for backpacking.

However, if you are walking and have more than 48 hours food than dehydrated is good. Dehydrated meals from outdoor shops are expensive.

For a weekend a single ratpack supplemented with dehydrated cous cous etc works well.