Re-Using Freeze Dried Meal Bags?

[Nozmo King]

Anyone re-use the bags their freeze-dried meals come in while on the trail? Wondering how well they clean up/rinse out & whether there are any adverse impacts on subsequent meals cooked/hydrated in the bags?

[FrankPS]

Yes, to cut bulk in my pack, I bring one packaged dehydrated dinner, then put the rest of the dinners in quart-sized Ziplok bags. I use the manufacturer's package for the first dinner, rinse it out when I'm done, then reuse it for the following dinners. Works fine.

[Nozmo King]

Thanks! Glad to hear it works. I’d heard of it & wondered if there were any negatives from re-using bags.

[shawnterustic]

Yep, I do it on just about every trip where I'm bringing at least one pre-made meal. Swish some water around, drink it, and then pop the bag back in the bear can for the next meal. You might have a few morsels leftover, but eh, I don't really care!

[mkbgdns]

my partner and I did that often years ago. use hot water=after-dinner soup.

[astrogerly]

We do it all the time. On long trips, we repackage all meals in quart ziplocks and shove one or two of the actual empty packages in the bear can. When it’s time to make dinner, just slip the ziplock meal in the package and viola! No messy cleanup either.