Cooking in a ziploc bag

[ibike2havefun]

Several years ago I saw @Mellow prepare scrambled eggs by putting all the ingredients in a ziploc bag then chucking the bag in a pot of boiling water. When done, I think he ate straight from the bag so the only cleanup needed was his utensil. Simple, and tidy!

Does anyone have other "recipes" that use the same method? I'm planning a long bicycle trip this summer, which will include many nights of camping, and am looking for ways to minimize my routine.

Thanks!

 

[nicksacco]

Keith,
You can purchase meals like this, some require being frozen/refrigerated until prepared.
Search "cook in bag foods" for some ideas.
Then there are military style meals MRE's and some "survival foods" where some don't require cooking or refrigeration.
Unfortunately most prepared foods contain a lot of sodium so if you're sensitive to that, be careful what you buy.
Are you planning to purchase foods on the way or buy everything and carry with you? I would guess you don't want a lot of weight.

Boil In The Bag Omelets

Homemade boil-in-the-bag omelets are a fun and mess-free breakfast for your next camping trip. Prep at home then simply boil at the campsite.

www.createkidsclub.com

 

[tinboatcapt]

My variation on that is an oatmeal breakfast. I have been cooking the recipe in a pot, but adding water to the bag and boiling the bag is an Idea I will try.
1/2 cut quick cook oatmeal
3 Tbs dried fruit (raisins, apples, etc)
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs powdered milk.
Add cup of water, heat and eat

The dry mix packs easily and is quick to prepare with any camp stove.
Jim

 

[ibike2havefun]

Nick:

This will be about a 93 day trip so there's no way I would be able to (or want to) carry provisions for the duration. Weight and space are both pretty significant constraints on what I'll be carrying routinely. And anything requiring refrigeration is a non-starter.

I'm hoping to find recipes that take dry ingredients, add hot water, stir, and steep for a while. Many pre-made backpacker meals are now of that sort: all you do is open the pouch, pour in a specified amount of water, stir, and let sit for some period of time. But, at $8.95 to $12.95 a pop those are a bit pricey for everyday consumption. Instant rice, couscous, raisins, some seasonings, and the like will probably be the basis of many of my camp meals. And instant oatmeal in the mornings because carrying raw eggs in bicycle luggage is... risky.

MREs are far too bulky and heavy ("Each MRE weighs 510 to 740 grams (18 to 26 oz)" per Wikipedia) to be practical for a long bicycle ride. I'm planning to buy what I need at local grocery stores along the way, hopefully (but not always) for same-day or next-day consumption.

There will be times when I fall back on pre-made frozen/refrigerated pasta or canned foods like Dinty Moore stew, but dry ingredients pack smaller and weigh less per unit volume. I'd rather not carry the water IN the food if I can obtain it at the campsite later on.

And of course, there will be many days where I'm in a place where commercial restaurant / cafe food will be available and I don't have to cook at all.

 

[ibike2havefun]

My variation on that is an oatmeal breakfast. I have been cooking the recipe in a pot, but adding water to the bag and boiling the bag is an Idea I will try.
1/2 cup quick cook oatmeal
3 Tbs dried fruit (raisins, apples, etc)
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs powdered milk.
Add cup of water, heat and eat

The dry mix packs easily and is quick to prepare with any camp stove.
Jim

Thanks Jim- you've just captured my basic breakfast plan! You can even pre-package the lot to eliminate measuring stuff while in camp. Open the bag, add the water, count to 100, and eat.

 

[Mellow]

Honestly, you can cook just about anything that way. You'll need calories so some pasta is essential and some salt is necessary. But, anything in a can can put put in a bag to cook. I think you just walk into the nearest store and see what they have. Always keep some ramen noodles with you for those times when nothing is close or you're just lazy, I do that on the bike and it's gotten me through dinner many times and allowed me to just rest and take it easy when I'm done riding for the day. I never use the flavor packets in ramen.

Beyond that, I think you just play it by ear and see what the nearest store has. Like you mentioned, some stew would go a long way. Hot dogs can be done that way if you don't want them over a fire. Protein is the tough part but if you can buy a small enough portion of ground meat or single chicken breast somewhere, that would be good.

 

[Jim C-G]

Before the tent trailer, cooler, two burner stove and the cast iron pans... when motorcylce camping I could easlly do a weekend on what I could pack. When making homemade chilli I would put a few portions in ziplocks and freeze them. They acted as cold bags on the road, would thaw by the 2nd day and heat up in boiling water or in a pot. I kinda worried about leeching plastic though. I do up zip locks with pre-mix for bannock and cook that at least once a week. Add raisens' dried cranberries, cheddar cheese depending on mood. Dried fruit can tart up almost anything. Nuts are a must. I'm cheap, so I have never gone for the pre-packaged oatmeal but buy at Bulk Barn and carry enough for a couple of weeks, twice a week. I have recently started getting Uncle Ben's prepared rice with lots of flavours available and at 3/9.99 Cdn. they have proved to be great. Heat up the pouch in boiling water and there is enough for 2 meals with chicken or a sausage. I will admit, storing leftovers is a pain without a cooler. I always have some good cheese and crackers in the pack. A tin of smoked oysters in a pinch. Oh, and some red wine lol. I think I've got you overloaded as it is.

 

[sgio]

If you check out what hikers eat, I assume camping off a bicycle has similar constraints. Dehydrated meals are available but expensive. Knorr side dishes or ramen are very inexpensive and widely available. For protein - tuna, chicken and even spam are available in soft packs and can be added to ramen of what ever Knorr side you start with. Also, hard cheese, summer sausage or pepperoni will keep unrefrigerated for a day or two. Another hack is to use a "cozy". Basically an insulated bag you can put your zip lock into while you food re-hydrates. Keeps it a little warmer. These can be purchased or easily made from reflectix.

 

[ReSTored]

There are a few issues with heating ziplock bags past a certain temperature + you have to use the right type of bag.

Is It Safe to Heat Food in Ziploc Bags? | What to Know

Plastic containers and packaging play an important role in the kitchen. Plastic containers help to protect food from spoiling, preserve its freshness, and reduce waste. Ziploc plastic bags and containers are very popular for their

survivalfreedom.com

 

[Tedbrogden]

I hear there are still restaurants out there.......

 

[SMSW]

Survival biscuits, aka hardtack. You will need strong teeth to chew them, however. Crumbled, they can be added to soup made with bouillon cubes. Pemmican - lasts forever and is nourishing. If you are going to depend on water from campsites, consider a roadkill cookbook.

More seriously, I like a small camp stove and basics like oatmeal. Food is important and its easy enough to buy staples at supermarkets in most towns larger than a postage stamp. A box of energy bars is about all I'd need as an emergency meal.

 

[nicksacco]

Wow, lots of great ideas, Keith!
93 days is a long time for sure and I didn't really understand your goals for eating and such.
This will be interesting and having you blog along the way will be interesting if you've a mind to.
I wish you the best of luck on this!

 

[ibike2havefun]

I hear there are still restaurants out there.......

Yes and I plan to use them when I can. But there will be days that is not an option, and where I have to be self-sufficient.

 

[ibike2havefun]

Wow, lots of great ideas, Keith!
93 days is a long time for sure and I didn't really understand your goals for eating and such.
This will be interesting and having you blog along the way will be interesting if you've a mind to.
I wish you the best of luck on this!

I have already started my journal about the trip.

Rejuvenation? Or Last Hurrah? - CycleBlaze

www.cycleblaze.com

In eastern Oregon, along with parts of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota there will be days when the biggest town I encounter has 200 souls. There is a 150 mile stretch without much of anything, and which will take two days of pretty hard riding to get through. So, in those places in particular I will have to rely on my onboard provisions.

 

[ibike2havefun]

There are a few issues with heating ziplock bags past a certain temperature + you have to use the right type of bag.

Is It Safe to Heat Food in Ziploc Bags? | What to Know

Plastic containers and packaging play an important role in the kitchen. Plastic containers help to protect food from spoiling, preserve its freshness, and reduce waste. Ziploc plastic bags and containers are very popular for their

survivalfreedom.com

Thanks. I have seen that same link. Keeping the bag below about 190°F seems to be key. Sous vide bags may be a solution.

 

[amorley]

Cooking meals in a plastic bag was a skill we taught all our boy scouts. In particular when camping in bear country it is a great skill as it minimizes the odors that surround cooking which attracts the bears. After eating the meal there is no food residue on the pot. The plastic bags can be resealed with the dirty cutlery and put in a bear bag for hoisting into a tree.

 

[flyfisher]

You might want to figure backwards....ie how much protein and how many calories are required for a day's ride...then figure what you need to eat...powdered protein works but not terribly tasty.....have fun

 

[Obo]

A pack of matches, a sharp knife and a stick. All you need other than that is to keep your eye peeled when riding for some tasty roadkill.

 

[Stump]

check out stuff like Indian meals (Tasty Bite) meal / sauce in a bag. Trader Joes has some also. I just boil up some water in the jetboil and then clip a vent hole in the bag and put it in the boiling water. Turn off the jet boil and wait 5 minutes. Eat as is, or boil up some minute rice or quick noodles and have together.. add meat by keeping some bagged fish, chicken on hand. Breakfast is oatmeal, sometimes with an egg in it.

I regularly keep food for 3 days when I travel. Supermarkets are everywhere and regional food is fun.

 

[STRider]

In my camping excursions with scouts and on my own, I've really enjoyed the recipes in this book by Christine and Tim Connor.

Lipsmackin' Backpackin': Lightweight, Trail-Tested Recipes for Backcountry Trips

I got inspired by the use of things like dehydrated milk, dehydrated vegetable mix, etc which can be combined in a variety of ways to make interesting meals. Many are best done in a pot, but I can't see why cooking in a bag couldn't be a viable alternative.