Top 10 best dehydrated camping foods (and how to make them)

After going on our first few canoe camping trips, Ross and I were rudely awakened by how heavy our food was. It was at that time that we decided it was best to invest in a food dehydrator and start researching the best dehydrated camping food options that would satisfy our appetites.

Why bring dehydrated food camping?

Besides being an incredible way to save weight and space, bringing dehydrated food camping is generally safer because it has a much more stable shelf life. Because all of the moisture has been sucked out of it, it doesn’t spoil as easily, so it doesn’t necessarily need to be kept refrigerated. This is a big deal if you camp in warm weather and/or go on long trips.

Dehydrated food is also much more cost effective than purchasing prepackaged freeze-dried meals marketed toward backcountry campers and hikers. In most, cases, you can expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $30 per meal if you rely entirely on these prepackaged meals.

The 10 best dehydrated camping foods

Now that we’ve covered the basics of dehydration, it’s time to get into the best dehydrated camping food options. These are all foods that we’ve personally dehydrated and enjoyed on our camping trips over and over again.

1. Dried fruit

Dried fruit is an excellent option for camping because it makes a great standalone snack, can be added to other meals, doesn’t require any refrigeration, and provides a good source of natural sugars, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Fruits like bananas, apples, mangoes, and pineapple dehydrate well and taste great.

Our personal favourite is dried pineapple because it tastes just like candy. In addition to snacking on dried fruit right out of a plastic bag, you can add it to your morning oatmeal (dry or rehydrated), homemade trail mix, or even use it as a dessert topping.

Try these dehydrated fruit ideas:

• Cut fresh pineapple into small chunks and dehydrate at 135ºF for 8 to 16 hours or until pliable.
• Cut thin slices of apple, lay them flat, and dehydrate at 135ºF for 5 to 6 hours or until pliable.
• Peel and thinly slice a mango, lay the slices flat, and dehydrate at 135ºF for 6 to 16 hours or until pliable.

2. Fruit leather

Fruit leather is a great way to take your favourite fruits with you on the go. It’s made by dehydrating fruit purée, and then rolling it out into a thin sheet. Once it’s dried, you can cut it into strips or pieces for snacking—kind of like homemade fruit rollup (but without all the added sugar).

Fruit leather is really easy to make and doesn’t require any special equipment. Just blend up your favourite fruits, spread the purée out onto a dehydrator tray or baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and dry at 135ºF for 8 to 12 hours.

Try this easy fruit leather idea:

1. Spread thin layers of apple, banana, or strawberry puree onto a dehydrator tray or baking sheet and dry at 135ºF for 8 to 12 hours or until leathery.
2. Halfway or so through dehydrating, peel the fruit leather off of the tray or sheet and turn it over to ensure even drying.

3. Ground beef, chicken, and turkey

Dehydrated ground beef, chicken, and turkey are all excellent meat options for camping because they add some much needed protein and flavour to favourite dishes like pastas, soups, stews, and more. The best part is that because they’ve been dehydrated, they can last for a while without being refrigerated.

When it comes to dehydrating ground meat, always go for the leanest types you can find to reduce the amount of fat that will be rendered out in the dehydration process. You should also consider mixing one cup of bread crumbs per pound of raw ground meat to help it rehydrate better.

Once mixed, brown the meat (without adding any oil) until fully cooked and break it up into the smallest chunks you can.

Some people repeatedly boil and drain or rinse and drain their cooked ground meat to eliminate any excess fat. But if you’re working with extra lean ground meat, this probably isn’t necessary.

Try dehydrating your own ground meat:

1. Lay the cooked and cooled ground meat out onto dehydrator trays or baking sheets lined with parchment paper and dry at 165ºF for 4 to 6 hours or until completely dry.
2. Every 1 to 2 hours, pull out the meat and break up the bigger chunks into smaller ones using a fork to help prevent what’s called “case hardening.” Case hardening is when the outside of the meat dries out while the inside remains moist, which can lead to spoilage.

4. Pasta and rice

Pasta and rice are both great options for camping because they’re carbohydrates that will help give you energy, they have a super long shelf life, and they make a great addition to so many different meals.

Although pasta and rice are typically cooked in water even without dehydration, you can speed up the cooking process during your camping trip by dehydrating them first.

We’ve done it with lasagna noodles, penne, elbow macaroni, ramen noodles, and brown rice.

Try dehydrating your own pasta or rice:

1. Cook the pasta or rice according to the package directions and then spread it out onto dehydrator trays or baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
2. Dry at 135ºF for 6 to 8 hours or until completely dry and brittle.
3. Rehydrate by adding boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes to be used in soups, stews, casseroles, pasta dishes, and more.

5. Pasta sauce

Pasta sauce includes any tomato-based sauce that doesn’t have any added oils, dairy, or other types of fat. (Alfredo sauce wouldn’t work because of the added butter and cream, but marinara sauce would be perfect.) It’s a great way to add some much-needed flavour to your camping meals, and it’s really easy to dehydrate.

Once rehydrated, pasta sauce can be used in pasta dishes, pizzas, calzones, and more.

Try dehydrating your own pasta sauce:

1. Pour the pasta sauce (homemade or store-bought) onto dehydrator trays or baking sheets lined with parchment paper in a thin layer and drying at 135ºF for 6 to 8 hours or until completely dry.
2. A few hours into dehydrating, peel the pasta sauce off of the tray or sheet and turn it over to ensure even drying.
3. To rehydrate, just add 1/4 cup of water per every 1/2 cup of dried pasta sauce, bring to a boil, and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Add more water as needed, stirring occasionally, until the desired consistency is reached.

6. Chilli

Chilli is the perfect camping food because it’s hearty, flavourful, and can easily be made in large batches. Plus, it’s one of those dishes that only gets better with time, so you can make it ahead of your trip and enjoy it all week long.

You can even turn regular chilli into “chilli mac” by adding macaroni noodles to it, like we did.

We recommend making your own chilli from scratch, which is super easy to do. All you need is a a can of crushed tomatoes, a can of tomato paste, a diced onion, some minced garlic, a cup or two of vegetable broth, a diced green pepper, a can of black beans or kidney beans, and a few spices (chilli powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper).

Add any extra veggies you like—we often like to add multiple types of beans, corn kernels, and mushrooms.

Try making and dehydrating your own chilli:

1. If you’re sautéing your veggies first, do it in water instead of oil.
2. Add all of your other ingredients into your chilli pot, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 30 minutes or longer.
3. Once it’s done cooking, let it cool completely and then transfer it to dehydrator trays or baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
4. Dry at 135ºF for 8 to 10 hours or until completely dry, remembering to peel the chilli off of the tray or sheet and turn it over a few times during drying to promote even drying.
5. When you’re at camp and ready to eat, rehydrate your chilli by adding water (1 part chilli to 1.5 parts water), bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add dehydrated ground meat if you like. Enjoy with some shredded cheese on top and some garlic bread or nachos at camp.

7. Shepherd’s pie

This is a classic comfort food that’s perfect for camping. It’s made with a tomato-based sauce, ground meat, veggies, and mashed potatoes, and it’s simple to make ahead of time and then just rehydrate when you’re ready to eat.

The secret behind dehydrated shepherd’s pie is to pair it with instant mashed potatoes. Instant mashed potatoes only require adding hot water to rehydrate, so they’re perfect for camping. Like the chilli recipe mentioned above, you can also add ground meat to the sauce mix for some additional protein.

Try making and dehydrating your own shepherd’s pie:

1. Make your shepherd’s pie sauce by adding a can of tomato sauce, tomato paste, vegetable broth, minced garlic, chopped carrots, chopped celery, chopped onion, peas, and corn kernels to a pot or skillet.
2. Add a tablespoon of worcestershire sauce and some herbs and spice like rosemary, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes or longer, stirring every so often.
4. Then, let it cool completely and pour it onto dehydrator trays or baking sheets lined with parchment paper in a thin layer.
5. Dry at 135ºF for 6 to 8 hours or until completely dry, remembering to peel the sauce off of the tray or sheet and turn it over a few times during drying to promote even drying.
6. When you’re ready to eat at camp, rehydrate your shepherd’s pie sauce along with any dehydrated ground meat of your choice by adding water (1 part sauce to 1.5 parts water), bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes or so.
7. For the mashed potatoes, just rehydrate by adding hot water according to package directions.
8. Assemble your shepherd’s pie by layering the rehydrated sauce and ground meat with and mashed potatoes in a container or on a plate. Enjoy!

8. Veggie curry

This is another great option for vegetarians or people who just want something different from their regular camping meals. It’s a flavourful, hearty, and healthy dish that’s loaded with veggies. It’s also a nice change from having tomato-based pasta sauces all the time!

Like the other recipes mentioned, this veggie curry recipe is loaded with healthy vegetables and can have ground chicken or turkey added to it for some extra protein. We particularly love using a generous mix of red lentils and chickpeas in our curry, but feel free to use any type of bean you like.

Try making and dehydrating your own veggie curry:

1. Start by sautéing some vegetables like chopped onion, celery, and carrots in water (rather than oil) in a large pot, adding some minced garlic and stirring until fragrant.
2. Next, add everything else. In addition to red lentils and chickpeas, we also like to add chopped zucchini and sometimes mushrooms with a mixture of vegetable broth and water.
3. Add a variety of spices like curry power, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes or longer, stirring every so often.
5. Then, let it cool completely and pour it onto dehydrator trays or baking sheets lined with parchment paper in a thin layer.
6. Dry at 135ºF for 6 to 8 hours or until completely dry, remembering to peel the sauce off of the tray or sheet and turn it over a few times during drying to promote even drying.
7. When you’re at camp and ready to eat, rehydrate your curry sauce optionally with dehydrated chicken or turkey by adding water (1 part curry mixture to 1.5 parts water), bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes or so.
8. Optionally add some powdered coconut milk for a creamier texture and a boost of flavour.
9. Enjoy with some (garlic) naan!

9. Beef jerky

Making your own beef jerky is a great way to have a high-protein, low-carbohydrate snack on hand while camping. Not only is it healthy and delicious, but it’s also much more affordable than buying prepackaged varieties.

In addition to making a great snack that’s both portable and convenient when you’re on the go, you can also add beef jerky to certain dishes. For instance, we like adding it to stir fry with veggies and ramen noodles for an extra kick of flavour and protein.

Like ground meat, you want to get the leanest beef you can find to make your jerky. We also like to get beef that’s already been thinly sliced for us, but you can also buy it in large chunks and then slice it yourself at home (safely, of course).

Try making your own beef jerky:

1. Here’s what you’ll need for a basic beef jerky recipe: 1 lb. lean beef (preferably bottom round, flank steak, or top round), 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp brown sugar (or honey), 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2-3 tbsp worcestershire sauce, and 1 cup hot water.
2. Combine all of the spices (garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, salt, and brown sugar) in a bowl and mix well. This is the marinade is what will give your jerky its flavour, so make sure to mix together all of the ingredients above.
3. Let the beef sit in the marinade for at least 4 hours (preferably in a leakproof plastic bag), but overnight is best. If possible, take the bag out every so often and massage the beef to help it absorb the flavours.
4. Preheat your oven or dehydrator to 165ºF and then arrange the beef on wire racks or dehydrator trays in a single layer. Make sure that the beef isn’t too close to each other or it will not dry evenly.
5. Dry the beef for 4 to 6 hours, or until it’s completely dried out and brittle.
6. Since homemade jerky doesn’t have the same preservatives as store-bought varieties, it’s best to keep it in an airtight bag, container, or vacuum sealed packaging in the freezer if you don’t plan on eating it within a week. Otherwise, when you’re on your camping trip, be sure to keep your jerky out of the sun and as cool as possible. Eat it within a week.

10. Extra vegetables for soups, stews, scrambles, pasta dishes, and more

Last but not least, it never hurts to bring some extra vegetables with you when you go camping. These can be added as needed particularly to your cooked meals for some extra fibre and nutrients.

For instance, we really like making a chicken alfredo recipe at camp with dehydrated penne pasta, dehydrated ground chicken, a packet of alfredo sauce mix, and some dehydrated veggies like spinach, mushrooms, and asparagus. We also really like making fajitas by rehydrating a mix of dehydrated tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, onions, and black beans along with some dehydrated ground beef and fajita spice mix.

Try these dehydrated veggie ideas:

• Lay spinach leaves flat on your dehydrator sheets and dry at 125ºF for about 6 to 16 hours or until brittle.
• Slice mushrooms thinly, lay flat, and dry at 125ºF for about 6 to 14 hours or until leathery.
• Peel and slice carrots into thin strips (or use a julienne peeler) and dry at 125ºF for about 6 to 12 hours until slightly leathery.
• Slice onions into rings or chop them into small pieces and dry at 125ºF for about 8 to 12 hours or until brittle.
• You can rehydrate all of these vegetables easily with boiling water—on their own or along with your sauce mixtures and dehydrated meats.

What’s your favourite dehydrated camping food item?

We’re always looking for new recipes and tips when it comes to dehydrated camping food, so please share your best tips in the comments below. Do you have a favourite recipe that you like to take with you on your camping trips? Let us know!

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What’s the difference between dehydrated food and freeze-dried food?

Freeze drying involves freezing food, then removing the ice crystals that form. This process preserves the food by removing up to 95% of the water.

Dehydration, on the other hand, is the removal of water from food using heat. In both cases of freeze drying and dehydrating food, the nutritional content is preserved and the shelf life is extended to months or even years with proper storage.

The difference between the two methods is that freeze-dried food is often more expensive and can be reconstituted with hot water in minutes, while dehydrated food takes a bit longer to rehydrate. This can either be done by boiling water and pouring it over the dried food, or by soaking the food in cold water for a couple of hours.

Dehydration is the typical DIY way to go. This is what most campers and backpackers opt for when they’re looking for an easy and cost effective way to take lightweight, shelf-stable food with them on their trips.

How do you know which foods can and can’t be dehydrated?

The best foods to dehydrate include foods that have little to no fat content. Fat will not dehydrate and, as a result, can cause your food to go rancid. Meats, dairy products, butter, and high-fat vegetables like avocados are not good candidates for dehydration.

Fruits and vegetables make the best candidates for dehydration because they have a high water content and are low in fat. Other foods that dehydrate well include starchy carbs like grains, pastas, beans, potatoes, and legumes.

How do you dehydrate food for camping?

You can dehydrate food in the oven or with a food dehydrator. The process is done by heating the food between anywhere between 95 and 165°F for several hours, until all the moisture is removed.

If you plan on dehydrating food very often, it’s probably best to invest in a food dehydrator so you don’t have to keep your oven running all the time. It’s also much safer—you can keep your dehydrator running overnight.

There are many different models out at different price points, but we went with the COSORI Food Dehydrator, which we’ve been really happy with after many uses.

One thing to keep in mind when dehydrating food is that the smaller the pieces are that you start with, the quicker they will dehydrate. So, if you’re looking to save time, it’s best to chop your fruits and vegetables into small pieces before dehydrating them.