How does freeze-dried food reduce the weight of a hiking backpack?
When preparing for a long hike, most hikers focus primarily on the volume of their backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags. But one of the easiest ways to reduce the weight of your gear is by choosing the right food.
Freeze-dried meals have become an indispensable part of long, ultralight hikes for a reason. They are compact, have a long shelf life, and weigh much less than their fresh or canned equivalents. In the following lines, we’ll explore why they reduce weight so drastically and how to choose them wisely to maintain your energy in the mountains.
What is freeze-drying?
Freeze-drying is a preservation method in which moisture is removed in two stages: first, the food is frozen, and then the ice is removed by sublimation, meaning it transitions directly from a solid to a gas state under low pressure.
Unlike dehydration, which relies on heat, freeze-drying is gentler on the texture and structure of the food. It also preserves the nutrients and flavor of the products very well.
For hikers, this means they have the advantage of not having to carry the weight of water, adding it only when preparing the meal for consumption.
The high water content in food and how it affects the total weight of the backpack
Water weighs 1 kilogram per liter, and many everyday foods consist mainly of water. Cooked pasta and rice often contain about 60–70% water, stews and sauces can reach 70–90%, and fresh fruits and vegetables are usually in the range of 80–95%. That’s why “ready-to-eat” meals can imperceptibly add a lot of unnecessary weight to your backpack.
Freeze-dried meals solve this problem by removing most of that water before you even leave home.
If we take a ready-to-eat meal that weighs 300–400 g and much of that weight is due to high water content, then the freeze-dried version may weigh only 50–100 g, depending on the ingredients and caloric density. On a multi-day hike, this quickly adds up: if you eat two meals a day for three days, that’s six meals. Therefore, saving even 250 g per meal can reduce your backpack’s weight by about 1.5 kg.
Compactness
Weight is only half the problem. Volume matters too, especially if you’re using a smaller backpack or trying to avoid strapping items to the outside. Freeze-dried food takes up less space because it contains less liquid, making the portions more concentrated and lighter.
Plus, ANTARTA foods are packaged in flat vacuum-sealed pouches that stack neatly on top of each other and easily fit into the empty spaces in your backpack. It’s also easier to organize them by day or by meal, making your gear more predictable and easier to pack.
Even if you haven’t opted for an entirely ultralight setup, replacing bulky items like canned goods, jars, or heavy plastic containers can immediately free up space for safety gear, an extra layer of warmth, or simply a cleaner and more organized backpack.
If you’re looking for ready-to-pack freeze-dried products that are truly travel-friendly, we at ANTARTA Space Food offer a wide range of freeze-dried foods that are ideal for hiking and trekking.
Reduces the need for extra luggage
Freeze-dried meals are very easy to prepare: simply add hot water (and in some cases, you can even soak them in cold water), eat directly from the packet, or use a small pot. All you need is a spoon.
Since no actual cooking is required, you can often avoid long simmering over low heat, which means you carry less fuel, as well as extra ingredients, sauces, or oils, and bulky pots or complicated cooking kits. On a multi-day trip, these savings in fuel and gear add up quickly, especially compared to meals that require simmering for 10–20 minutes.
Easier meal planning
One reason backpacks get heavy is uncertainty. To be on the safe side, hikers often carry extra provisions just in case.
Freeze-dried ready-to-eat meals make planning easier because you can select and portion them more precisely based on the calorie density per 100 g listed on the package and whether the meal is intended for one or two servings. When the meal plan is predictable, the likelihood of carrying spare food that will never be eaten is much lower.
As a practical guideline, many hikers on multi-day treks aim for about 2,500–4,500 kcal per day, depending on weight, elevation gain, temperature, and pace. Freeze-dried meals make it easier to meet this daily goal. For example, by starting the day with a breakfast, lunch, and dinner packet, and then supplementing with high-calorie snacks.
Conclusion
Making your backpack lighter isn’t just about upgrading your gear, but about being smarter about what you carry. Freeze-dried food eliminates the heaviest component in most meals: water. This means less weight, less bulk, easier preparation, and easier planning of the exact number of calories you need for each day on the trail.
If you’re looking for ready-to-eat, packaged freeze-dried meals designed for convenience on the go, it’s worth checking out the range of products we offer at ANTARTA Space Food and including them in your hiking menu.