Many travelers try to take food with them when they go hiking. This helps save a lot, as food can be expensive. For the products not to spoil, they need to be vacuumed. In this article you can read more details on how to prepare vacuum sealed meals.
What are vacuum sealed meals?
Vacuum sealing is also often referred to as cryovac. These are options for packaging products, during which sealed plastic bags are used, from which air is removed. The packages are then vacuum sealed.
This is a great solution if you need to preserve vegetables, meat products, or nuts for a long time. This inhibits the development of fungi and bacteria. The vacuum-sealing food is fresh and fit to eat, even if it takes a long time.
Vacuum sealed food allows you to reduce the volume of products, so you do not have to lug a huge backpack with food on a hike.
If you prepare vacuum sealed meals after opening, it significantly reduces the cooking time on your trip. It is only necessary to defrost the package and season the dish with your favorite spices.
How to prepare vacuum sealed meals: process
Many people ask, how do you vacuum seal food? To do all the work, you need to prepare special polyethylene bags in advance, as well as a special packer. The cost of materials is small, and you can find them in any store.
Many people enjoy working with the popular NutriChef Vacuum Sealer. Its cost is only $50-60. At the same time, it is very reliable and serves for a long time. The FoodSaver vacuum cleaner is no less in demand. It is slightly more expensive; however, it is of excellent quality.
As soon as the vacuum sealer and bags are prepared, you can proceed to the main stages of work. More about them, I describe below.
Careful selection of food products
Not all food products are suitable for vacuum sealing. The exact list of permitted and prohibited products is presented later. At this point, you need to pay special attention. After all, some products, without access to air, can become hazardous to health.
Some foods contain anaerobic bacteria. They develop more actively if air does not get inside the bag. Their use can cause food poisoning. Some vegetables that are classified as cruciferous may give off some types of gas. If placed in closed containers or bags, they spoil.
Once you decide on the products, proceed to the next step.
Pre-cooking
Often, campers cook food before vacuum sealing it to cut down on camping cooking time. That is why it is better to start cooking all the dishes at home. You can cook vegetables, stews, pasta, cereals, and meats at home. You can cook in large portions at once.
It’s better to do that on the day you plan to leave. However, the products should cool at room temperature first. Only then can you start packing vacuum seal food.
Preparing packages
It is very important to prepare bags in which the products are stored in advance. You can use special options that have a zipper.
There are other package options on the market, and the choice depends only on your preferences and capabilities. It is better to take vacuum sealing made of polyethylene.
If you only have ordinary plastic bags at home, you can also use them. Pack cooked food into bags. However, you do not need to fill them to the very top. Put as much food in one bag as you can consume at one time.
That is, after opening the package, you eat, and you do not have to vacuum seal it again. First, you need to make sure that the bags are clean and do not have holes.
You need to fill the bags carefully, so it is better to use spoons or spatulas in the work. Once the bags are filled, proceed to the next step.
Package vacuum sealing
Then proceed to vacuum sealed meals. The ends of the vacuum seal must be placed inside the vacuum sealer, and follow the instructions.
This closes the open side. It is important to note that all devices work differently. Therefore, you need to carefully read the operating instructions from the manufacturer.
The buttons on the vacuum sealer are quite clear, and you do not have to figure them out for a long time. After starting the vacuum seal, all air is removed from the packages.
After that, the thermal bonding of the two layers begins so that they are securely sealed. To be safe, it is better to do the work twice. This prevents damage.
Vacuum sealing process for freezing
Once the bags are securely sealed and nothing leaks out of them, place them in the freezer. As you know, only a small number of anaerobic bacteria can develop when there is no oxygen. Placing vacuum sealed meals in the freezer can help prevent the growth of these bacteria.
This is because low temperatures are detrimental to them. When you are already at the campsite, all that remains is to cut the packages and pour the contents into the pan. In a few minutes, you can enjoy a delicious hot dish.
What products can be vacuum sealed?
Some products can be vacuum sealed. Many believe that this list is quite limited. The choice is quite extensive, so you won’t have to go hungry while camping.
All types of meat can be used for vacuuming. However, it is better to cook it in advance. This is because the campsite may not be able to cook raw meat.
It is okay to cook pasta at home and pack it in bags. Some tourists even prefer to vacuum seal cooked food in liquid form as soups.
Various sauces and gravies can be vacuum sealed. If necessary, spices can be vacuum sealed in separate packages, including salt, sugar, and pepper. Some take coffee, rice, and flour with them. If there is a need and desire, even nuts can be taken in such packages.
However, it is best to choose fresh fruits and vegetables for camping. This is fairly healthy food that fills you with the necessary amount of energy during a hike. You can pack both whole fruits and pieces. Some tourists prepare vegetable side dishes to eat with meat afterward.
As you can see, there is a large variety of products that can be vacuum sealed. Some of them can be vacuum sealed in just a few minutes, while others take a bit longer time.
If your goal on a hike is to enjoy the views and relax, and not starve to death, you don’t have to stand by the stove for a while. Products are stored for several days. Therefore, you can safely stay overnight and not worry about the products spoiling.
What products are not suitable for vacuum sealing?
There are certain types of products that are not suitable for vacuum sealing. Many are interested in the question, what foods should not be vacuum sealed? Often this list includes foods that can breed bacteria and fungi if oxygen does not get inside.
Considering that during the vacuum sealing, all the air is removed from it, you should consciously approach the choice of products. The list of prohibited products is small. The hot food cannot be vacuum sealed because of this way it spoils much faster.
Vacuum sealing is not suitable for mushrooms and onions. If you prefer to use these products to complement other dishes, this idea is best abandoned during the camping period. You can only use such products at home, upon returning from camping.
Vacuuming raw vegetables such as cauliflower, turnips, broccoli, radishes, and white cabbage is not recommended. These foods spoil quickly even if packaged in bags. So don’t even waste your time.
Advantages of vacuum sealing
Scientists have been doing research for a long time and came to the conclusion that a little less than half of the food in America is thrown away. In monetary terms, $162 billion worth of food is thrown into the trash every year.
If you vacuum seal your food, you can reduce the amount of waste. At the same time, this has a positive effect on your financial situation. The main advantages of vacuum sealed meals are discussed in more detail below.
Shelf life extension of the vacuum sealed food
The vacuuming process helps to preserve food for a long time. This is because they practically do not come into contact with air. This ensures that bacteria and fungi do not develop inside.
Takes up little space
If you remove the air from the bag, it is quite compact. Therefore, you can take much more with you on a hike or camping trip than you planned.
This is a pretty big advantage for the home as well. After all, you can stock up on vegetables and fruits from the summer to please yourself with compotes and vegetable salads in the winter.
In this case, the place in the freezer does not take up much. You can prepare 2-3 times more food for the winter than usual.
Minimum cooking time
If you’re heading out into the wilderness, you don’t have to worry about how to make a fire, get food and water, or find the best spot. At the same time, after a long hike, you do not have to wait several hours for the food to be cooked.
If you take the prepared dishes out of the bag, they are ready in 10-15 min. Therefore, you can safely take with you not only a full vacuum sealed meal, but also snacks.
Reduced fuel consumption
To save money, you can cook food at home and reheat it with minimal fuel consumption. Also, you do not have to cook food in the oven for a long time, and do lengthy cleaning and washing dishes.
Food safety
Considering that you put food prepared at home in portions in bags, you can save food. If you are planning a fairly important event, or you are planning to go camping, you must not throw away a large amount of food after.
As you know, a person is not able to immediately eat a large amount of food. Therefore, the leftovers do not spoil, all packed in portions.
Eating healthy food
As you know, homemade food is more nutritious and healthy. However, if you are planning to cook food on an open fire during a hike, there may be some problems. If you pack food in vacuum bags at home, it stays fresh and hygienic much longer.
Disadvantages
It is important to note that vacuuming is fraught with several disadvantages. Many people ask, what are the disadvantages of vacuum sealing food? The first disadvantage is that you have to spend time preparing the products and then packing them.
The second disadvantage is that you have to buy everything you need. And for some people, it is quite expensive to buy groceries, a vacuum cleaner, and bags at the same time.
Is it safe to eat vacuum packed food?
As mentioned earlier, vacuuming allows you to suppress the development of bacteria that provoke food spoilage. Therefore, food that has a high rate of spoilage stays fresh longer.
If the rules of cleanliness and safety are ignored in the process of work, the products may be contaminated. They can get certain types of anaerobic bacteria, which increases with a lack of oxygen. Therefore, food does not be consumed so as not to provoke food poisoning.
Basic recommendations
To ensure the safety of products, you should follow a few basic recommendations, namely:
- cook food in advance to destroy all bacteria and harmful microorganisms;
- wash your hands several times while cooking. Especially when taking clean vacuum sealed bags or cooked foods;
- use new vacuum sealed bags that are not contaminated. If there are packages from the last time, they need to be disinfected;
- freeze foods that have been deflated. This destroys the anaerobic bacteria.
Food storage time
Many people wonder, how long does a vacuum sealed meal last in the fridge? As already mentioned, thanks to vacuuming, you can increase the shelf life of products. The exact shelf life depends on what kind of food you used. If you are preparing vacuum bags for home use, it is important to increase their shelf life.
Outdoor cooking was easier, and you could enjoy healthy homemade food. If you store food in the freezer at home, then the food is stored for a few shelf lives.
Hiking food
If you go hiking, then the task changes a little. It is important to process months. Meat that has gone through the vacuum process can be stored for up to 3 years.
If you take food on a hike, there is no freezer with you. Therefore, the shelf life of dishes is reduced to 2-3 days.
How to vacuum seal meals if there is no special vacuum sealer and vacuum seal?
If you are almost ready to go on a hike, and there was no vacuum sealer at home, you should not immediately get upset.
There is a fairly simple method how to prepare vacuum-sealed meals without a vacuum sealer. The process of vacuum sealing is not so effective, however, useful in emergency cases.
The essence of the method of home vacuum sealing is that you need to displace the water. This requires high water pressure.
Step-by-step instruction
The principle of operation for vacuum sealing food is quite simple. First, you need to fill the pan with water and put the products that need to be vacuumed into the vacuum seal.
Close the vacuum seal with a zipper and leave a small gap in one of the corners. Its size should be about 1 inch. Dip the vacuum sealed food into the water, and keep the open gap above the surface of the water.
The pressure forces air out through the hole in the corner. Close the hole before the vacuum seal is completely submerged in water.
After that, it remains to remove the vacuum seal from the water, and enjoy the sealed food. If in doubt, you can repeat the process to make sure there is no air left inside.
Will food go bad if the vacuum seal is not of good quality?
If the vacuum seal is not of good quality, the products may deteriorate. After all, air remains inside, which provokes the development of bacteria and fungi. In this case, you have to use the products on the first day. After all, on the second day, they are a danger to your health.
Meat and cheeses should always be vacuum sealed in high-quality bags, and then the air should be drawn out of them. This is because in such products there is little water, however, high content of fats. Therefore, bacteria grow faster.
You need to constantly clean the vacuum sealer and packages as soon as you return from a hike. This prevents the development of bacteria that can then harm you. If air gets inside the bag, the food may rot. Therefore, over time, it loses nutritional value and taste.
What else can be vacuum sealed?
Vacuum seals can be used for more than just food preservation. This is a great option if you need to save space. You can pack whatever you want. Especially if you need to save space in your backpack.
Personal items
You can use the vacuum sealer to pack personal items. Firstly, they do not take up much space in the backpack. Secondly, it provides reliable protection against water. If rainy weather is expected during the hike, personal items should be placed in vacuum sealed bags.
This list includes documents, tablets, phones, money, and keys. This protects your belongings from getting wet. You can pack documents. Especially if you plan to relax near the water reservoir. The packages make sure that even if they get into the water, the documents do not get wet, and you do not have to change them for a long time.
Accessories
You can pack accessories that kindle a fire. As you know, if they get wet, they do not work. You risk being left without a fire. Therefore, the packages help keep the accessories intact and operable.
You can vacuum the first aid kit, namely medicines, bandages, and ointments. This prevents contamination, and also, the first aid kit does not take up much space. You can also pack toilet paper. This makes sure that it does not take up much space.
How do you defrost vacuum sealed meals?
To unfreeze the package, you do not have to spend a lot of time. You can use the microwave at home. But in nature, it is enough to dip the bag into a container filled with cold water. Every 2-3 minutes you need to change the water. Within 10-15 minutes, the contents of the package are ready for use.
Conclusion
As you can see, vacuuming food is pretty easy. If you prepare meals in advance, as well as all the necessary materials, the process does not take much time. At the same time, you are sure that the food is safe and does not take up much space. This is a great solution for those who like to go hiking.
Hope you found all of the tips useful. Enjoy!
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My name is Olivia Kellison. I have been camping with friends and on my own for a long time. For me, camping is a great way to escape everyday life’s chaos. I started this blog because I have always had a passion for the great outdoors, and here I am gladly sharing what I know with other outdoor enthusiasts. It does not matter whether you are an experienced adventurer, or just planning your first trip, my blog will be of great help to you.