FAQs


What is dehydrated food?
Dehydrated food is the process of removing water from food in order to prevent bacteria, yeast and mold from spoiling it. This process slows down the action of enzymes, but does not inactivate them. Since bacteria and mold can only grow in the presence of moisture, drying is a great way to preserve food. Foods can be dried in several ways – air, sun, sublimation (freeze-dried).  Dried foods are perfect for camping since they are lightweight, take up little space and do not require refrigeration.

Where is your operation?
We operate a state licensed food facility located in Charlotte, NC.  The operation is 100% vegetarian and is inspected and licensed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Does Outdoor Herbivore use any chemical additives or preservatives in any of its foods?
No. All products we sell contain only natural ingredients.  We do not use or add chemical preservatives, synthetic flavors, or food coloring agents. Note: The citrus liquid from lime/lemon (citric acid) is used as a natural preservative for some fruits in lieu of chemicals.  We dip fruits in lemon juice before drying to retain the fruit’s natural vitamins and prevent oxidation.  We do not use corn derived citric acid.

How do you test your products?
We test all products in the field using our two preferred backpacking stoves, a 20 year old Coleman Peak 2 and a newer Coleman Exponent Feather.  We have tested a few products with a home-made alcohol stove, but we are too impatient to wait for water to boil with these.
Products are tested throughout the season in various climates. We test at elevations of 1,000 – 6,000 feet. Our instructed hydration times are based on an average time from these calculations.

What is Citric Acid?
Citric acid is an organic substance found in many bitter citrus fruits: lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, and other acidic fruits.  It is a natural preservative and works as a chelating agent to remove poisonous metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead from the bloodstream. This is comforting for those of us that have to drink from questionable water sources when outdoors for an extended time.

Why is eating organic food so important?
Many factors of a highly industrialized lifestyle contribute to a diminished quality of health, incidence of disease, and digestive distress.  Besides the prevalence of chemical toxins in our natural environment, any processed foods you eat is likely to contain a variety of pesticides, artificial flavoring and color agents, unnecessary additives, intentional fillers, preservatives, and other intentional modifications to condition the food for cheaper manufacturing, a longer shelf life, and altered taste. All of these non-natural substances function as just extra toxins for the body to remove.  Organic farming practices prevent the use of unnatural chemical agents that destroy soil and crop vitality.  For instance, conventional farming will spray chemical herbicides to kill weeds, while organic farming will use traditional crop rotation and mulch to control weed.  Therefore, consuming organic food lessens your exposure to unnecessary toxins. Organic food is not only healthier for us, it is also beneficial to the environment.

Are all foods certified organic?
Approximately 75 percent are certified organic by USDA NOP certifiers or QIP.  A few products such as spices and nuts, are not certified organic, even though they are grown and processed in the traditional manner and are the finest we can source.  We are constantly looking to expand our organic ingredients, eventually to become completely organic.  We feel organic farming practices are the most responsible way to nurture our land and body.

Do any of your foods contain Beet Sugar?
No, we do not use beet sugar. We only use Cane Sugar.

You have many ethnic dishes.  Do any of these contain MSG?
There is no MSG contained in any of our products.  We do not use hydrolyzed soy or hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) either.  HVP is a processed food which is high in salt and glutamate.  It is a low-quality protein and is frequently added to food products to enhance their flavor or to provide a meat-like texture.  It is popular in many “vegetarian” entrées.  We are concerned about the consumption of this product and do not support it.

Are all foods vegetarian?
Yes.  All of our Outdoor Herbivore varieties are vegetarian, made with 100% meat-free ingredients. We also offer many vegan options. Vegan backpacking food is our specialty.

How long can the food be stored?
Each product is stamped with a “Best Before” date.  In general, most product shipped has a minimum 1 year shelf life.  For highest quality, all food products should be consumed before this date.  It is recommended that you seal the food product in a sealed bag (such as a freezer bag) and freeze, refrigerate, or store in a dark, cool location if you plan to store it for awhile.  Once the food is prepared, cover and refrigerate the unused portion and eat within 3-4 days.

Can you describe your packaging?
We use light weight, non-gusseted LDPE packaging for our products instead of poly-laminated foil pouches. Our packaging is meant to save on weight and space. It is not suited for adding boiling water and consuming from. We recommend purchasing your own reusable zip-top pouches or freezer bags for this purpose.

 How do I prepare your dehydrated meals?
The method depends if the meal is a cold-prep or hot-prep meal. All of our meals fully hydrate within 5 – 15 minutes.

For cold-prep,

1) Tear open the packaging at tear notch and pour ingredients  into a cup / bowl.
2) Measure the amount of water as directed on the package. Stir water into the ingredients
3) Allow meal to hydrate for the amount of time stated on the package. Bon Appétit!

For hot-prep,

1) Boil water as directed in a pot of water.
2) Tear open packaging at tear notch and pour ingredients into the pot of water. Stir well.
3) Cover stove tightly with a lid to retain heat.
4) Turn off the stove and allow the ingredients to hydrate in the pot of hot water. Use a pot cozy for faster hydration. Bon Appétit!

Note: Our packaging is not intended to be used as an eating vessel or for adding boiling water to, so please pour the meal ingredients into a pot / cup / bowl.

How do you ship food?
Most shipments are made via USPS – Priority Mail. Large volume orders may be shipped more economically, such as UPS or FedEx. Please check our shipping page for detailed information.

What is your return policy?
Due to Federal Law, we cannot accept returns or reimbursements on purchased food items. If you are not satisfied with the quality of the product you purchased with Outdoor Herbivore, you may Contact Us and we will try to accommodate you in some manner.

How can I get my local store to carry Outdoor Herbivore food products?
We encourage you to speak with the store manager and request they carry our products. Please let them know you are looking for Outdoor Herbivore’s food products. You can print this letter and bring it to the store manager. Once you’ve done that, please send us a quick note telling us the name of the store. We will follow up with them to get Outdoor Herbivore in the store where you shop. Thank you for helping us to provide healthy dried meals for you and others to enjoy!

 

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