When I first got into backpacking, I asked a salesman at the local REI what backpackers ate. He pointed to the huge display case of freeze-dried backpacking meals, and said “if we can afford it, we eat these, but most of us make our own.” At the time, six or seven dollars per meal didn’t seem like much, and making my own meals seemed crazy. Here’s the story about how I changed my mind and started making my own home made backpacking meals.