Take a minute to watch the video and pass it along to your favorite scout troop, hiking club or other outdoor organization.
And don't forget! All Leave No Trace members get 10% off all Packit Gourmet products as a part of your membership benefits!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Leave No Trace Video
We all know how important it is to Leave No Trace when we're in the backcountry, especially when we're in a more heavily-used area. The National Park Service has developed a very well done video complete with beautiful images and useful tips, reminding all outdoor enthusiasts of the importance of Leave No Trace ethics.
Take a minute to watch the video and pass it along to your favorite scout troop, hiking club or other outdoor organization.
And don't forget! All Leave No Trace members get 10% off all Packit Gourmet products as a part of your membership benefits!
Take a minute to watch the video and pass it along to your favorite scout troop, hiking club or other outdoor organization.
And don't forget! All Leave No Trace members get 10% off all Packit Gourmet products as a part of your membership benefits!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
BackpackGearTest reviews Packit Gourmet
BackpackGearTest.org has posted three comprehensive reviews of Packit Gourmet meals done by independent testers. Check them out and let us know what you think!
- Review #1 : Bob Sanders, 51. Meals tested in Colorado
- Review #2: Carol Crooker, 50. Meals tested in Arizona & New Mexico
- Review #3: Thomas Vickers, 41. Meals tested in Southeast Texas
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Lowly Lentil
Looking for ways to use our pre-cooked lentils on the trail? Read up on a few recipes and learn
about the nutritional content of lentils as it applies to active people.
Our lentils are pre-cooked, so these recipes (and others) can be prepared even more quickly than directed!
about the nutritional content of lentils as it applies to active people. Our lentils are pre-cooked, so these recipes (and others) can be prepared even more quickly than directed!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
The Everlasting Tortilla
Tortillas are an incredibly versatile and easy-to-pack bread. They hold up well in your pack and can be used for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We’ve dined on tortillas with everything from breakfast tacos to ‘sandwich’ wraps to quesadillas – not to mention the more traditional tacos and burritos. But which tortilla holds up best on the trail?
We tested out three types of flour tortillas to find out which one would make the grade: freshly made tortillas (made the same day that we purchased them), Mission Brand tortillas and Tia Rosa Brand tortillas.
We placed two sets of tortillas from each package in a freezer bag. We then placed one set outside in 100° weather, and left the other set inside where the temperature was about 75°.
Here is what we learned...
*Neither the Mission nor the Tia Rosa brand tortillas showed any signs of mold after more than one month! After 35 days we discarded the tortillas and ended the test.
These tortillas lasted a surprisingly long time! Over a month on the pre-packaged varieties. A few things that we learned during our test:
For more extended trips, we've also tested out a second type of storage - vacuum packing! We vacuum-sealed several tortillas using a FoodSaver for extended trips.
We packed ten tortillas to a vacuum-pack with pieces of parchment paper between each tortilla to prevent them from sticking together. Although this creates a super hard package in your backpack; it also prevents the tortillas from bending and breaking apart. Using this method, we were able to open a couple of days worth of tortillas at a time, and feel confident that our remaining stash was well-kept.
When vacuum-sealing tortillas, remember to always place a layer of wax paper or bakery paper between each tortilla. This will prevent them from sticking together and forming one large 'tortilla cake'.
We tested out three types of flour tortillas to find out which one would make the grade: freshly made tortillas (made the same day that we purchased them), Mission Brand tortillas and Tia Rosa Brand tortillas.
We placed two sets of tortillas from each package in a freezer bag. We then placed one set outside in 100° weather, and left the other set inside where the temperature was about 75°.
Here is what we learned...
 Fresh Tortillas |  Mission Brand Tortillas |  Tia Rosa Brand Tortillas | |
| Purchase Date | 08/20/2009 | 08/20/2009 | 08/20/2009 |
| Sell By Date | 08/26/2009 | 09/06/2009 | 09/03/2009 |
| Mold Date | |||
| 90° - 100° weather | 8/23/2009 | 09/25/2009* | 09/25/2009* |
| 75° - 80° weather | 8/23/2009 | 09/25/2009* | 09/25/2009* |
| Manufacturer Stated Shelf-Life | Flour tortillas: 14 - 35 days Tortilla Wraps: 60 days Low Carb tortillas: 25 - 35 days Corn tortillas: 8 - 35 days | ||
| Website | N/A | www.missionmenus.com | www.tiarosa.com |
*Neither the Mission nor the Tia Rosa brand tortillas showed any signs of mold after more than one month! After 35 days we discarded the tortillas and ended the test.
These tortillas lasted a surprisingly long time! Over a month on the pre-packaged varieties. A few things that we learned during our test:
- Make sure that your package of tortillas stays out of the sun at all times. If you leave package out in the sunlight, condensation will form inside the plastic packaging and speed the molding process.
- Keep your tortillas inside of their bag at all times. As long as they stay away from the air, your tortillas will remain soft and pliable otherwise, if left outside it won't take long before they become hard and brittle.
For more extended trips, we've also tested out a second type of storage - vacuum packing! We vacuum-sealed several tortillas using a FoodSaver for extended trips.
We packed ten tortillas to a vacuum-pack with pieces of parchment paper between each tortilla to prevent them from sticking together. Although this creates a super hard package in your backpack; it also prevents the tortillas from bending and breaking apart. Using this method, we were able to open a couple of days worth of tortillas at a time, and feel confident that our remaining stash was well-kept. When vacuum-sealing tortillas, remember to always place a layer of wax paper or bakery paper between each tortilla. This will prevent them from sticking together and forming one large 'tortilla cake'.
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