Originally Posted by Doug64

I have used freeze dried's extensively while backpacking and mountaineering, but hardly ever on bike tours. We carry a couple of freeze dried meals as backups (on tours) for the times when we miss a food stop or get stuck out some place. Simmering them, while it may make them taste better, takes away the one advantage that I like-- not having to clean the pot. The cookset that I use for mountaineering is about 35 years old and it has not had anything (that I can remember) but boiling water in it. Well Ok maybe a little tea or coffee. I do have a small titanium pot that does get some cooking use on bike trips. All freeze dried meals are not the same. Shop around for some of the different brands and try them. Also, a few condiments like pepper flakes, tobasco sauce etc. spice them up a little. While climbing, only one meal a day is freeze dried or needs any cooking. most are non cook items or things like oatmeal or cold cereal w/ powdered milk. That is probably the reson that I think they are tolerable for short periods. I'm doing the "cooking".