Home made freeze dried meals

cavemn5050 · May 20, 2016

I'm considering purchasing a home use freeze drier for hunting meal prep as well as food storage. The unit is quite expensive. I'm considering renting it out to help off-set the damage to the bank account.

So here is my question....
So many people diet and exercise to be in tip top shape for hunting season the feed their body crap that they aren't use to eating while out in the field. How many of you would pay $200 to freeze dry all of your own favorite meals? I'm thinking $200 for 7 days - this could provide 40-70 lbs of food.

Not looking to find people to rent this thing, just trying to get a feel for if people might rent occasionally or not.

Thanks.

dillon · May 20, 2016

LAST EDITED ON May-20-16 AT 07:40PM (MST)[p]I was considered buying one from Harvest Right and letting family and friends use it, but then I moved away from Utah were all my family lives.

I would hesitate to rent one because they are so bulky and the bags and sealers are expensive. $200 seems about right honestly for a one week rental. If you live in Utah I bet you could rent it out a lot. They are a hot topic right now. I would not limit myself to hunters if I were in your shoes and thinking about it as a rental item; the prepers are the crowd to target.

Just my thoughts.

Dillon

cavemn5050 · May 20, 2016

Thanks Dillon. That's the company/brand I'm looking at. Not looking to rent it out constantly, just occasionally to help offset the cost. Just trying to get some feelers from some people if I could recoup some of the $$$ before I pull the trigger.

Homer · May 20, 2016

here's a real money maker.....

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/812e8rTdmFL._SL1500_.jpg

...just add 1 qt water....makes one quart

mtnrunner260 · May 22, 2016

South Cox has one and has mentioned several times on his podcast that people are always hitting him up to borrow it.

heartshot · May 25, 2016

LAST EDITED ON May-25-16 AT 12:47PM (MST)[p]They sound great. While listening to their radio adds, I always wonder if the rehydration process would be hard because I would not know how much water to add.

Is there a set way, besides trial and error, of knowing how much water to use when preparing?

Cheater · May 25, 2016

Heartshot, that is my question as well. Anybody know about the re-hydration process?

Triple_BB · May 25, 2016

Weigh it first and then weigh it afterwards. Should be close. I wouldn't pay $200 to freeze dry food. I mean, if you can't carry a few cans of spaghettiO's in yer pack, you need to go exercise some more...

cavemn5050 · May 25, 2016

Triple_bb, i think you missed my point. I spend a good chunk of the year getting lean, hiking, working out, and eating clean to be ready to give it my all during hunting season. If I ate spagetti-O's and mountain houses, i'd be blowing through TP in no time. I eat clean at home, this give me a chance to eat good clean food that i've prepared while hunting/backpacking.

I know its not for everyone, thats cool. Also, its considerably lighter because you remove all moisture from it during the process. Not a big difference for short excursions, but 5+ day backpack trips it adds up.

TLowell02 · May 25, 2016

>Weigh it first and then weigh
>it afterwards. Should be
>close. I wouldn't pay
>$200 to freeze dry food.
> I mean, if you
>can't carry a few cans
>of spaghettiO's in yer pack,
>you need to go exercise
>some more...

Good grief, spaghetti-O's? I would be looking for the "latrine" more than hunting if I ate that stuff every day. An alternative that I use, since a freeze-drier is well beyond my price range, is simply to use the dehydrator! I can dehydrate my own chili and vegetables to make delicious, filling, and perhaps most importantly, low sodium, meals.

trophyhunter · Jun 5, 2016

5050 you might consider preparing a couple meals, rent one to ...do your thing then experiment with the rehydration process. just like mountain house...you have to get the hot water/time ratio right or your food will be dry or turn to mush....good luck...also for the money those things cost I would be concerned with renters damageing it or liability of some else gets sick off their meals and want to blame your machine.....

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