Backpacker Magazine – Online Only

How To: Dehydrate Your Own Trail Food

Make your own dehydrated trail food with these simple techniques.

by: Susan Newquist

Whether you have a top-notch home dehydrator or just a plain old oven, it's easy to transform fresh food into waterless, lightweight trail chow.

• Shred the food or chop it into small pieces so it will dry thoroughly at home and rehydrate quickly in camp.
• Line your dehydrator trays with parchment paper; use plain cookie sheets in the oven.
• Select the appropriate temperature. For dehydrators with temperature settings, choose "fruits and vegetables." For the oven, use the lowest possible setting (such as "warm") to keep the temperature at or below 145 degrees F.
• Rotate the food often so it dries evenly, and check frequently to monitor drying.
• Package the dried ingredients in zipper-lock bags. For more tips on dehydrating food for the trail, plus the pros and cons of ovens and dehydrators, see Moveable Feast in the April and May 2001 issues. Both articles are available at www.backpacker.com/moveablefeast, or order reprints by calling (800) 967-8296.