Going cold (and cold soaking)

Wanderlust073 said:
Wonder how much easier the clean-up is as well. Seems like they'd have to add oils/sauces for both calories and flavor, and that's the stuff that always seems to leave the mess behind in any dish.
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Seems the most common cleanup strategy is to just add a little water into your container, mix it up, shake it, and drink it. Without burnt on cooking residue should clean up pretty easy. Without animal products like dairy and meat, I don’t have to worry about rancidity quite as much if I were to miss some residue.
 
Okay so here’s the first mini review...

Meal - Breakfast
Outdoor Herbivore-Toasted Sunburst Muesli
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595 cal in a 5oz package, let’s test that..

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So i’m guessing their claimed 5oz is the food weight without the packaging . OH double bags these which I don’t like. I really wish they put the sticker on the thinner inside bag so I could ditch the thicker outside bag.

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You just add a cup of water and go to town, no soaking.. looks okay.

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It tasted pretty good. Comparable to something I would eat at home but without fresh fruit on top. Lots of seeds and nuts so it felt really filling. No weird taste of preservatives or anything. Went down really easy for 600 cal. I could easily eat 2 if I was hard up for calories and had 2 of these on me. Not too sweet which I like, but you could always add a stevia packet or something if you wanted.

Overall I guess i’d give it an 8 on taste and a 10 on ease. Nothing sticky in there so it would rinse clean with a quick shake and drinking the watery residue wouldn’t be gross at all.

You could definitely make this on your own for cheaper but if you want to keep close track of your macros and stuff and are looking for ease, this is perfect.

I know I said i’d test that salad later but I’m probably only going to test one of these a day since they are packed with fat and calories.
 
I think I am with Wanderlust on this entire topic. If I am too lazy (or looking to shave weight) by leaving the stove behind, then I know of so many "cold" options that evoke a much more appetizing thought than cold soaking ramen or other things. I definitely agree it is a "to each his own" kind of topic, but to me it just does not sound appealing and in some ways I wonder if it would take more work. Even my hot meals I create and cook are more of ones I put together ahead of time and just require an "add hot water and boil" tactic. Cleanup is easy and I can chill sooner with my book, or some adult refreshments, etc.
I have never done something like an extended thru trail experience like the AT where you are out there a long time. Longest hike I have done is 5 days so perhaps it is something for those longer trips.... who knows.
 
I don't have a problem stoveless on long trips. I just did a month on trail stoveless and was perfectly happy. The only thing is the social aspect. I'm about to start a trail that has a few more hikers - perhaps I'll miss a stove more when everyone else around me is coming delicious smelling dinners.
 
Just to be clear, I’m not trying to convert anyone or anything. I’ve always carried a stove myself but the idea interests me so I was looking to glean info from others who have done it. Since i’m stuck in NJ with crap weather and a sprained ankle I thought I might tinker with my setup until Spring hits and share some info on the food I’ve been testing. Definitely not trying to tell anyone they shouldn’t carry a stove.
 
Vegan.Hiker said:
Seems the most common cleanup strategy is to just add a little water into your container, mix it up, shake it, and drink it. Without burnt on cooking residue should clean up pretty easy. Without animal products like dairy and meat, I don’t have to worry about rancidity quite as much if I were to miss some residue.
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I get the concept of drinking grey water, but...gawd the thought of doing it makes me gag. More power to those who can drink it down though!
 
Vegan.Hiker said:
Just to be clear, I’m not trying to convert anyone or anything. I’ve always carried a stove myself but the idea interests me so I was looking to glean info from others who have done it. Since i’m stuck in NJ with crap weather and a sprained ankle I thought I might tinker with my setup until Spring hits and share some info on the food I’ve been testing. Definitely not trying to tell anyone they shouldn’t carry a stove.
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https://pmags.com/hike-my-hike-damn-it-hmhdi
 
Miya said:
That was hilarious! Didn't realize someone could be sarcastic for an entire short story haha
But also made me kinda sad that there are people out there who take so much effort to judge others and how they do things. Bummer. I will keep being a combo gram weenie / pack sniffer lol
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Most backpacking forums are not BCP. And by that, I mean they're insufferable. Check out WhiteBlaze if yuou want a taste.
 
LarryBoy said:
Most backpacking forums are not BCP. And by that, I mean they're insufferable. Check out WhiteBlaze if yuou want a taste.
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No thank you, judgement gives me anxiety. Lol that is why I am scared of humans haha
 
Miya said:
I get the concept of drinking grey water, but...gawd the thought of doing it makes me gag. More power to those who can drink it down though!
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I was very gorssed out by the idea of drinking grey water also, and never did until I started packing freeze dried meals in the desert (the Grand Canyon 2 years ago was the first time I really did this). I repackage all the Mountain House or other brands of freeze dried meals in ziplocks, which makes it pack much smaller, and carry just two empty MH bags for cooking (one for backup, sometimes one will fail after a while). To clean the MH bag after eating the meal, I save a little hot water and swish it around then drink it. I was shocked that it's really not all that bad, taste wise, and especially in dry areas it helps me be a little more efficient with water. Seems the key is using hot or warm water for the rinse for me. Think of it as, say, lasagna flavored tea.
 
Vegan.Hiker said:
Yeah the phrase “cold soaked” evokes imagery of something soggy and nasty .
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Thanks for verbalizing what I was thinking as I began reading this thread.

@Nick I've studied a bit on the cold shower thing.
Haven't worked up the courage to try it myself, at least not on purpose.
Maybe when it's a little warmer in the morning.
What's your experience been?

@LarryBoy Are you primarily eating bars, etc?
 
DrNed said:
Thanks for verbalizing what I was thinking as I began reading this thread.

@Nick I've studied a bit on the cold shower thing.
Haven't worked up the courage to try it myself, at least not on purpose.
Maybe when it's a little warmer in the morning.
What's your experience been?

@LarryBoy Are you primarily eating bars, etc?
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I basically just eat normal backpacking food, whatever you'd normally eat for breakfast or lunch. I just don't have a hot meal at dinner, instead opting for, say, another peanut butter tortilla.
 
Nick said:
I should start an entire new thread on the cold shower thing. It's very applicable for people who spend a lot of time outdoors. Gimme a few.
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I took cold showers when I was deployed... does that count?? Not that we had an alternative lol... plus in some locations, you only wanted the cold water cause it was hot enough as it was lol.
 
b.stark said:
I was very gorssed out by the idea of drinking grey water also, and never did until I started packing freeze dried meals in the desert (the Grand Canyon 2 years ago was the first time I really did this). I repackage all the Mountain House or other brands of freeze dried meals in ziplocks, which makes it pack much smaller, and carry just two empty MH bags for cooking (one for backup, sometimes one will fail after a while). To clean the MH bag after eating the meal, I save a little hot water and swish it around then drink it. I was shocked that it's really not all that bad, taste wise, and especially in dry areas it helps me be a little more efficient with water. Seems the key is using hot or warm water for the rinse for me. Think of it as, say, lasagna flavored tea.
Click to expand...

I just did the exact same thing last weekend. Used the Ziploc Bags.
I am sure I will try it one day, I am just...not at that point yet. Haha baby steps!
 
Some cold soaking mini reviews..

I tested two cold soak meals last night, I’ll give a quick review of each one.

Outdoor Herbivore - Pacific Crest Vinagrette
Ingredient, Cal, weight info below..
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This is what it looked like dry. Just add the olive oil packet it comes with and half a cup of water and alet sit 5 min.
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What it looks like reconstituted.
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Impressions.. I would definitely eat this on the trail. I would probably get the double sized portion to make this a 760 cal meal (at 6 oz) My wife is a picky eater and she thought it was really good and couldn’t believe the broccoli had been rehydrated. It comes with a salt and pepper packet which I don’t think it needs since the powdered vingarette sauce is good on its own.


Outdoor Herbivore Cool Down Gazpacho
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This was an interesting one. As per directions you can either add a cup of cold water and make gazpacho (a cold soup) or add just a half a cup of water and make a salsa. It also came with an olive oil packet to add. I made it as a salsa.

The directions were a little off in my opinion.. it said to let soak for 8-10 minutes but if I were to make this one again i’d let it sit for longer as I found a few spots were still crunchy.
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We ate this bowl using 4 flatbreads. I would have really liked it but I made the mistake of adding the salt packet that was included making it way too salty. I would eat this on the trail (without the salt) but i’d have to factor in the weight of the additional flatbreads which would weigh an additional 5.25 oz if I were to use 3 of them. With 3 flatbreads the total cal would come out to 737 and a total weight of a tad over 8oz.

1 flatbread (Mission flour tortilla - 140 cal)
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So far i’m thinking i’ll have no problem ditching the stove.
 
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