I find that in the back country all my snacks are carbs, so protein heavy meal averages out the day for a good balance. When going on 5+ days, I prefer the high sodium in the high country, I sweat a lot and do a lot of exertions so the sodium help with preventing cramps and retaining hydration. What you need in the back country and what you need for your every day is totally different. So High Protein and high sodium for 2 meals a day , plus snack high in carbs and we have the perfect balance, for me!
For me the absolute top 2 deciding factors for freeze dried meals are (1) Taste, because if a meal does not taste good then you won’t want to eat it and nutritional value goes out the window and (2) Digestibility, because if your meal leaves you with rot gut or diarrhea then you won’t eat it and nutritional value goes out the window. Always do a dry run with your back country meals at home before taking them to the back country to sort 1 and 2 out and never forget your water and fire/stove/pot setup 😬.
I find all these very expensive and went heavier on my cook set so now I can cook complete meals with fresh vegatables and meat. I freeze my meat then wrap it in tin foil and can go 4 days - 3 nights with all fresh food. I am still testing to go 7 days.
Great info! I would look into the sodium content and varying depending on sweat output …if it is a hot weather environment or a high endurance/intensity day I may increase my sodium to 4-5k mg/day as long as you have enough water to help reduce any cramping but this also depends on intake of electrolyte drinks (packets/tabs).
