Another Dirtbag Thanksgiving!

Not that I am complaining, but there are times when consecutive days of cheap ramen and oatmeal can take a toll. These foods are inexpensive, and filling, and quick, and warm, and lightweight, but sometimes you might just want to splurge!

Now, I happen to like Thanksgiving, it is truly one of my favorite holidays, not because it’s attached to some tradition, but simply because it’s a holiday that is essentially about sitting around with people you care about to eat delicious food. Even more, neither of those conditions are necessary, that is, it doesn’t have to include delicious food, or people you care about. In the end all the is required for a Thanksgiving celebration from my point of view is the acknowledgment of something you are thankful for. People and food are just a bonus.

While I can’t help too much with the people (although if you are reading this, then I consider you my people), I can help you out with some food, and for this Thanksgiving Holiday, I am recommending a splurge.

Yeah, ramen and oatmeal can fill you up without making much of an impact on the wallet, but even for the most frugal dirtbags, you have to admit there is something to be said about dialing things up every once in awhile.

Now, I am not going to go so far as to suggest that anyone go out and purchase a full on tofurkey meal, but there are a few freeze-dried meals that will not only fill your belly, but they will warm the cockles of your heart!

A few self-imposed limitations before we get started.

Each portion of the meal must be:

1. Vegetarian
2. Just add water-able
3. From a different company.

We are going to start off with Nomad Nutrition’s Irish Shepard Pie. All of Nomad Nutrition’s meals are vegan, and the Irish Shepard Pie includes several Thanksgiving staples in one meal including potatoes, corn, and carrots. Whether the main course or a side, Irish Shepard Pie is a must.

Trailtopia doesn’t cater strictly to vegetarians, so if your interested in adding some meat to the meal, they are worth checking out, but this meal is for the veg-heads, and what Thanksgiving meal would be complete without sweet potatoes? Trailtopia comes through with a Sweet Potato Chili Mac that is truly amazing both on and off the trail.

Thanksgiving or not, I am a big fan of Risotto, and Good to Go has us covered with an excellent dehydrated Risotto. And just like that, this meal is coming together as one for the ages!

One of my favorite dishes on the planet is Mango Sticky Rice, and Backpacker’s Pantry just so happens to offer their iteration of this masterpiece of a side dish! They also make a Creme Brûlée, but we’re sticking to one offering per company, so Mango Sticky Rice it is!

Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be complete without dessert, and while I wasn’t able to find freeze-dried pumpkin pie, Peak Refuel makes a delicious Peach Cobbler, and I am a sucker for cobbler, so much so that…

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a 2nd dessert, and Mountain House happens to make freeze-dried ice cream! Freeze-dried ice cream isn’t for everyone, but I for one really enjoy it. Just thinking of dipping a freeze-dried ice cream into a steaming dish of peach cobbler has me salivating!

If there were a career pairing freeze-dried meals for hikers and campers, I’m pretty sure I would excel in that position. As of now I just do it as a labor of love, and I’m pretty sure this meal arrangement could compete with any Thanksgiving feast in the whole of the United States, and probably Canada as well. Let’s recap, just in case you missed the details. Irish Shepard Pie, Sweet Potato Chili Mac, Risotto, Mango Stick Rice, and Peach Cobbler with Ice Cream for dessert. There is no way a meal like that has leftovers, but if there were…oh boy, that would be something to look forward to on the trail!

Before signing off to get ready for Thanksgiving, I just want to say that I am thankful for each one of you who have ben reading our nonsense over here at theDIHEDRAL for all these years, as well as each of you who have recently stumbled upon our little corner of the world. I hope all of you have a great day, and if you ever need any advice about meal prep, I am your guy!!!