| Josh Kirchner |
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WHY HEATHER'S CHOICE
Growing up, the thought of eating out of a bag was never something I thought I'd be passionate about. But here we are. If you're a backpack hunter especially, you are all too familiar with digging into a bag via spoon at the end of the day. There are many choices regarding freeze-dried/dehydrated foods; not all are created equal. My go-to for years has been the meals from Heather's Choice, and several reasons exist.
Small/Packable
Space inside a backpack is a factor on backpack hunts, and it's limited. The more food I can fit in my bag, the more days I can stay in the field. One of my favorite things about Heather Choice meals is that they are pretty small compared to others on the market. I would even say that they are half the size. Each bag can easily be stuffed down into the narrows of a backpack, leaving you even more room for more food or gear.
Less Water
Another factor in the backcountry is water. And what flies under the radar is how much water we use for cooking. To put it black and white, the more water we use for cooking, the more often we will have to go on water missions to filter said water. Heather's Choice meals only use about 8-11 ounces of water, which is excellent compared to many other products requiring 16 ounces. So, these meals are more efficient. Efficiency is everything in the backcountry.
Good Ingredients
As I've gotten older, I've started paying way more attention to what foods I put in my body and how those foods make me feel. To make a long story short, I feel like garbage when I eat like garbage. Fueling myself with good food out there makes me feel better. Heather uses quality ingredients in her meals. Don't believe me? Please read the ingredient list and tell me how often you don't know how to pronounce something. You'll see things like wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef, and organic chicken, to name a few. There's no "What is that?"
Here are a Few of My Favorites
I love most of Heather's lineup, but these are a few of my favorite meals. Aside from the dehydrated meals, check out her famous Packaroons. They are basically a macaroon for your backpack. Delicious is the only word I can think of there. They are also tiny, so they pack well.
SHEPHERD'S PIE
Who doesn't love a good Shepherd's Pie? It's wholesome, filling, and straightforward. This meal is made from grass-fed beef, potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn, and onions to cover the brunt. Each meal has 510 calories and 38g of protein. They are delicious and require 11 oz of boiling water to cook. Shepherd's Pie in hunting camp? Yes, please.
SPINACH CURRY WITH CHICKEN AND RICE
Another meal in my regular rotation is the Spinach Curry with Chicken and Rice. I didn't think I would like this based on the title, but now it's one of my favorites. This entree has 36g of protein and will give you 540 calories. It's got organic chicken breast, vegetable stock, spinach, onion, and rice, among some other goodness that leaves me satisfied time and time again. Again, this meal will take 11 oz of boiling water to cook.
MORNING GLORY OATMEAL
Some folks are not breakfast folks, but that's not me. I like a hearty breakfast to start the day, and Heather's Morning Glory Oatmeal is one of my favorites from her menu. These bad boys have 480 calories and 13g of protein to start your day. It's made of rolled oats, pecans, pineapple, raisins, carrots, and powdered whole milk, to name the main ingredients. A Morning Glory Oatmeal breakfast only uses six ounces of boiling water.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Eating healthy is generally associated with foods that don't taste good. And more than a few folks out there complain about the palatability of freeze-dried/dehydrated meals. Heather puts all that logic to shame, which, in my eyes, is a breath of fresh air. Backpack hunting is about as demanding as it gets. And how I look at it is if you want to feel good and perform out there, you need good fuel. Heather's Choice has your back in that arena and puts a smile on my face every time I reach that spoon into another bag of food.
