FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cold soak all of the meals?
You can cold soak most of them! Keep in mind that some ingredients rehydrate better than others so the hydration time may vary. Here is co-founder Henry's list of preferred meals to rehydrate stoveless according to both time and quality of rehydration. Note that not all of our meals rehydrate with cold water to a fully :
Zesty Miso Broccoli Slaw - Rehydrates in 15-20 minutes
Triple Peanut Slaw - Rehydrates in 15 minutes
Coconut Rice And Cuban Black Beans - Rehydrates in 20-25+ minutes
Lentil Walnut Pilaf - Rehydrates in 45+ minutes
Ratatouille With Nutty Quinoa Pilaf - Rehydrates in 30 minutes
& any of the energy oats Blueberry Banana Crunch (personal favorite), Pumpkin Apple Pecan, and Coconut Mango Macadamia all should hydrate within 45-minutes to an hour.
It sounds like a long time to wait, but here's a quick tip for you:
If possible, estimate the amount of time until you will be ready to hungry and stop to prep your food. Fill the bag up according to instructions with cold/lukewarm water, then zip up the bag to ensure no leakage occurs and store the meal back in an outside pocket of your backpack and hike the designated amount of time until you find a nice place to relax, and the meal is ready to eat!
For the energy oats, I add water to these right as I leave camp in the morning (or maybe before I get out of the sleeping bag because, you know, it's warm and cozy inside the bag but once you're out... you gotta get moving!), then I find a nice spot down the trail to chow down once I've warmed up.
If a meal isn't on
What is the shelf life on your food?
All of our products are best used 18 months from the date of production (as stated on batch code of each bag). Our production to ship time is short, so you will be able to utilize most of this shelf life if you need to!
What do I do with the bag once I've finished the meal?
We use a zippered bag for a couple reasons; you can safely rehydrate the food without fear of leakage, and you can use the finished meal as a trash receptacle to store the remaining food wrappers from your trip!
Don’t you mean Food For The Soul?
Perhaps, but that wouldn’t be as fun! We think of ourselves as whimsical people and whenever the opportunity arises to sneak in a play on words, we take it!
Hint: See if you can find some fun wordplay on our packages ;)
Do you have a return policy?
Great question, head on over to this link to learn all about it!
Do you ship internationally?
Hopefully some day soon! For now, we only ship to the 50 states within the U.S. If you're visiting our site from abroad, we recommend you head on over to our friends at www.garagegrowngear.com - Not only do they do international orders, but they specialize in outdoor startup brands just like ours!
How do I prepare the meals?
Most of our meals are hot-rehydratable, and you can add boiling water directly to the bag to rehydrate! For best results you want to use an insulated cozy or a down jacket or similar to wrap around the food. We also have a couple of cold-rehydratable salads - the Triple Peanut Slaw and Zesty Miso Broccoli Slaw. These only need room-temperature water to hydrate!
Can I rehydrate my food in the bag?
Absolutely! Our bags are designed to hold your meal when you rehydrate it. You can then eat directly out of the bag or empty the rehydrated meal into a container to eat from.
What is a cozy (or koozie)?
Cozies are an insulated soft container that keeps your hot meals warmer while the meal is rehydrating. This shortens the hydration time a bit and ensures that your meal is hot when you eat it! If you don’t have a cozy you can use a puffy coat or anything else you have that is insulating.
How many calories are in the meals?
Our entrees are single serving and range between 510 calories for the Roasted Sweet Potato with Kale and Quinoa all the way up to 670 for our Coconut Rice and Cuban Black Beans
Are the meals Gluten-Free?
Yes! We operate in our own dedicated facility where we prohibit all gluten from entering to ensure no cross-contamination occurs. **It has come to our attention that some older package labels in the mix still say our food was made in a facility that also processes wheat, we can assure you this has not been the case for at least 2 years now and any meals you order will be celiac safe :)
Are the meals Vegan?
Yes! All of our products are vegan :)