I had an email yesterday from a reader who asked “I’m wondering about the storage part, I would like a sustainable option - i’ve saved a few of the bags from bought hiking meals... wondering your thoughts on vacuum sealing... Can the normal ziplock bags work ok?”

This sent me down a rabbit hole. And it’s a question I’ve been deliberating since I started producing my own dehydrated meals for sale a few years ago. In the early days, I wanted to get away from the single use plastic that every other manufacturer was using. The rational: shouldn’t our food (and food packaging) choices reflect our appreciation for the environment and the places that inspire these adventures in the first place? The current outdoor industry approach to food packaging is so contradictory to me in this regard.

Since developing my own meals, I’ve realized what a minefield this packaging question is. I started off using biodegradable / compostable materials for my packaging, thinking I was doing a good thing. But here’s the rub:

Most “biodegradable” or “compostable” pouches need industrial composting conditions — sustained heat, moisture, and microbial activity — to actually break down. A landfill won’t provide that, so in practice they often behave exactly like ordinary plastic once discarded, just without the reuse value of something built to last.

There’s a second problem that’s less talked about: these materials generally aren’t as good a barrier against oxygen as true food-grade plastic or mylar, which means dehydrated food stored in them has a shorter shelf life. If you’re relying on these bags for anything beyond a few weeks, that’s worth knowing before you commit a batch of meals to them.

IMPORTANT: Compostable and biodegradable plastics are not recyclable! And often contaminate the recycling process. This happens when consumers get confused with recycling and place the wrong materials in their recycling bin. Like I said, this packaging stuff is a minefield!

So I’ve moved towards using food-safe kraft pouches, which doesn’t feel right either. Although they have a zip top and are technically reusable, I question who would bother reusing the baggies. And worse still, not all recycling centres accept them: a food-safe kraft pouch is typically kraft paper laminated to a plastic or foil film — that lining is what makes it food-safe and heat-sealable in the first place — and that mixed-material laminate generally can't be separated by standard recycling equipment.

Still, this is the best solution I’ve found for producing something I can actually sell. I would love to know if there’s a better way.

I deep dived into this topic over on the blog, covering various options including mylar bags, bulk storage, and boring ol’ ziplock baggies (which I admit to returning to time and time again). I’d love to know your thoughts on this, especially if you have more know-how than me on food-safe, long-term packaging options!

Eco-Friendly Food Packaging - Or not?!

August 1st is Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh, the first harvest festival in the pagan calendar (not that we’re pagan, or even remotely religious, but we do find their system a handy way to celebrate life by the season). It’s the halfway point between summer solstice and autumn equi…

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Thanks for bearing with me on this absurdly long “through hike” series - I know some of you are just here for the food! But hang tight as thanks to this long trek I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and DEVELOPING. New recipes, resources, and more are in the pipeline - and as always I’d be sooo grateful if you could share what YOU’D like to get out of thi…

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Day 14: Glen Douchary to The Schoolhouse Bothy (near Oykel Bridge)

17km - 263m ascent - 6h17m (including rests)

This was a shorter day and on…

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Carrying on from the Fisherfields (see Part 7)…A hallmark stage of the trip, 226km in and almost 10,000m of ascent (a big chunk of which was done on this day). This stage took me into familiar territory, near Ullapool and towards Ben More Assynt. I’m very close to home now, an interesting feeling of a familiar place but from a totally unfamiliar perspec…

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My Cape Wrath Trail journey continues into one of the most beautiful - and most remote - parts of Scotland, The Fisherfield Forest. A deservedly popular destination for hill walkers, though you’re unlikely to bump into anyone unless you pay a visit to Shenevall Bothy. Here’s my recap… catch up on the rest of the series here and if you enjoyed this post,…

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Thought I’d interrupt my Cape Wrath Trail series to bring you an easy recipe that has been a favourite of mine on this trip. You don’t need a dehydrator for this one - it can all be made from off-the-shelf ingredients. (And if it sounds remotely tasty to you, please give this post a like which helps it get seen b…

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I’ve reverted my title of this series from “West Coast Wander” to “Cape Wrath Trail” because, as the journey has progressed, I’m realising this is no “wander” at all. I see this especially in the bothy visits and reading the bothy visitor books. This is very much about the Cape Wrath Trail, not a trail in itself but more a concept shared but a few of us…

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Day 8: Morvich to Maol Buidhe Bothy

14.4km - 1122m ascent - 9h10m (including rests)

This was a superb section and one of my favourite days of the trip so far. For starters, there’s a good path most of the day - a little boggy bog towards the end but otherwise great tracks thr…

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Day 7: Shiel Bridge to Morvich (via eateries, an honesty box and even bric a brac)

5.8 km…

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Day 5: Barrisdale to Kinloch Hourn

12.73 km | 388m ascent | 5h37m time (including rests, there were quite a few!)

Summer solstice! I didn’t have the best night’s sleep having pitched my tent on a slight angle without realising it. I woke …

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My West Coast wander continues, exploring the remote Knoydart peninsula, easily one of the wildest, most remote, and most beautiful parts of Scotland. I absolute loved Knoydart, and I hope this post reflects why it was so hard to leave. Here’s a link to Part 1 in case you missed it.

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Day 3: Gleann Meadail to Gleann Meadail (via Inverie)

11.5 km | 180m asc…

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I’m writing to you from Inverie today, a remote village on the Knoydart Peninsula. I’m out on a 2-3 week long distance trek inspired by the Cape Wrath Trail, an increasingly popular 230-mile trek across the northwest coast of Scotland. It’s unmarked, and there’s numerous ways you can approach it. I’m planning my trip with the expectation that plans will…

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Last week I spent five days in the hills with Sam Armstrong and her crew from WALX Derwent and Dales, a walking group from England focused on whole body fitness and longevity, two virtues I can naturally get on board with. I spent the week with them climbing some of NW Scotland’s best h…

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Despite its relatively small status at just 731m high, Suilven has developed cult status in these parts. It’s undoubtedly one of the most popular mountains in the area. Even non-walker types can’t deny it’s striking shape, no matter what direct…

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Fair warning: this one’s for the data nerds. And if yo…

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I’ve been trying to build some order into life in recent weeks - the whole concept of routine has become increasingly elusive as life revolves so much around things I don’t have control of - particularly the weather! But I’ve been making headway. I spotted a Facebook post the other week offering desk space in Lochinver, so I snapped it up. It’s right ne…

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Nearly 20 years ago I made a full on vegetarian moussaka for Christmas. Delia Smith’s recipe — separate pans for every component, a luxurious ricotta and parmesan topping, the works. It took most of the day and the result was, genuinely, legendary. And then I never made it again, because who has time for that on a regular Tuesday?

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