Packaging can add a lot to the weight in you food bag and then in your trash baggie. If after a week on the trail, you have more garbage then will fit in a one quart ziplock you probably didn’t slim down enough on the packaging. My favorite re-packaging bags are one gallon size food storage bags; I just tie a lose knot in them. The food storage bags weigh .10 oz. or 2 grams. They can be reused, but are hard to find in a mini-mart, but most mini marts will have ziplock baggies for your repacking needs. Carry a few extra just in case.
Cookies- dump in a baggie and throw the packaging away
Chips- the bag that they come in is fine but let all th air out of the bag and smash them up.
Mac and Cheese- throw away the box, dump the noodles and the whole cheese packet in baggie
Cereal- toss the box and just use the inner bag.
Instant mashed potatoes. and Liptons noodles and sauce. The baggie weighs less then the packaging and since I don’t eat a whole dinner at a time it works better for me to re-package it. If you are carrying more then one packet of either put them both in the same baggie
Ramen noodles- the package they come in is fine.
Instant milk- toss the box and dump milk in baggie.
Instant coffee- empty in baggie.
Corn nuts- empty into baggie and throw away the packaging.
Nuts- re package in baggie
Jerky- the bag it comes in is fine, but it is a little heavy.
Bars- the packaging they come in is fine.
Freeze dried food. – These expensive meals come with heaviest packaging I have ever seen. Toss the package. Either pack it in the inner bag that it comes with or throw contents in a storage bag. It doesn’t make any sense to cook in a bag; it will just leave you with a heavy gooey bag to pack out. Boil the water, dump the dinner in pot, put a cover on the pot, wait, and then eat out of the pot. See my no pot washing system article for a no water, safe, pot cleaning system. I have gone 6 months without washing my pot once.
