Unlike car camping, backpacking requires you to take everything you might need for camp and day use in (or on) your backpack. This means being selective with what you bring on your trip in order to minimize the weight of your load. Water is one of the heaviest components of a mochilero/backpacker's load, so an easy way to save on weight and volume is by bringing pre-packaged dehydrated or freeze-dried meals like Itacate meals! All you need to do is rehydrate and you have a complete plant based, protein-rich meal ready to eat in the backcountry!
How are meals dehydrated?
One of the oldest methods of preserving food is dehydration. Dehydration is the process of removing water from food and it can be done in two ways: 1) via evaporating the water out of the food by elevating the temperature and making the moisture in the food go from liquid to gas or 2) by freeze-drying, which works via sublimation by taking the ice in frozen food from solid to gas.
Dehydrated food is light and easy to carry since it takes up less storage space than canned or fresh goods and it doesn't require any type of refrigeration, which makes it perfect for traveling outdoors on the trail. Itacate meals contain a mixture of freeze-dried and dehydrated ingredients for the tastiest, most nutritious, and fastest rehydrating experience.
* Fun fact; The Incas were the first people to develop freeze-drying techniques aided by freezing weather and the high elevation in the Andes!
Shelf life:
Microbes are primarily responsible for food spoilage and most need water to live. By removing the moisture from food, shelf life is extended significantly and the need for refrigeration is eliminated. These meals can still spoil over time, which is why it is important to pay attention to the “best by” dates prior to your trek and use your best judgment before consuming.
Itacate meals have been tested in a lab and have been confirmed to have a one year shelf life, but always keep them in a cool, dry storage location if you do not plan on using them right away.
Rehydration:
Each meal and brand differs in their rehydration time for meals. Always read the back of the package to follow proper rehydration methods.
Itacate meals:
Choose from any of our bold Mexican flavors from Salsa Verde Chilaquiles to a rich and hearty Lentil Soup, available in vegan and vegetarian options
These are the steps needed to successfully prepare your Itacate meal:
Step 1. Tear pouch open and remove oxygen absorber
Step 2. Pour contents into a heat resistant container and add XX cups (XX ml) of boiling water. Read each individual meal package as you eat to know how much water is needed for your specific meal as they all vary slightly.
*Please note that our pouches are not yet heat safe and unable to withhold the water necessary to rehydrate your meal
Step 3. Cover container and allow food to rehydrate for X mins stirring halfway through. Our meals have a very quick rehydration time of 5-10 minutes, always read the package to know how long you need to wait before eating and add additional time at higher altitudes.
Step 4. ¡Enjoy! Buen provecho
JUNTOS OUTDOORS
Your purchase of this product supports organizations doing the work to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the outdoors
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¿Qué son las comidas deshidratadas para mochileros?
A diferencia de acampar en automóvil, ser mochilero requiere llevar todo lo que pueda necesitar para el campamento y el uso diario en (o sobre) su mochila. Esto significa ser selectivo con lo que llevas en tu viaje para minimizar el peso de tu carga. El agua es uno de los componentes más pesados de la carga de un mochilero/mochilera, sin embargo, una manera fácil de ahorrar peso y volumen es trayendo comidas deshidratadas o liofilizadas como las comidas Itacate. ¡Todo lo que necesitas hacer es rehidratar un paquete y tendrás una comida completa a base de plantas y rica en proteínas lista para comer en el campo!
¿Cómo se deshidratan las comidas?
Uno de los métodos más antiguos de conservación de alimentos es la deshidratación. La deshidratación es el proceso de eliminar el agua de los alimentos y se puede hacer de dos maneras: 1) evaporando el agua de los alimentos elevando la temperatura y haciendo que la humedad en los alimentos pase de líquido a gas o 2) por mediante liofilización, que funciona a través de la sublimación al tomar el hielo en los alimentos congelados de sólido a gas.
Los alimentos deshidratados son ligeros y fáciles de transportar, ya que ocupan menos espacio de almacenamiento que los productos enlatados o frescos y no requieren ningún tipo de refrigeración, lo que lo hace perfecto para viajar al aire libre en el camino. Las comidas de itacate contienen una mezcla de ingredientes liofilizados y deshidratados para la experiencia de rehidratación más sabrosa, nutritiva y rápida.
*Sabías que: ¿Los incas fueron las primeras personas en desarrollar técnicas de liofilización, ayudadas por el clima helado y la alta elevación en las montañas Andes?
Duracion de vida:
Los microbios son los principales responsables del deterioro de los alimentos y la mayoría necesita agua para vivir. Al eliminar la humedad de los alimentos, la vida útil se extiende significativamente y se elimina la necesidad de refrigeración. Estas comidas aún pueden echarse a perder con el tiempo, por lo que es importante prestar atención a las fechas de expiración antes de su viaje y usar su mejor juicio antes de consumir.
Las comidas Itacate se han comprobado en un laboratorio y se ha confirmado que tienen una vida útil de un año, siempre mantengan las comidas en un lugar de almacenamiento fresco y seco si no planea usarlas inmediatamente.
Rehidratación:
Cada comida y marca difiere en su tiempo de rehidratación para las comidas. Siempre lea la parte posterior del paquete para seguir los métodos de rehidratación adecuados.
Comidas Itacate:
Elija entre cualquiera de nuestras comidas de camping veganas y vegetarianas disponibles en nuestro sitio web para comenzar.
Sigan estos pasos necesarios para preparar con éxito su comida Itacate:
Paso 1. Abra la bolsa y retire el absorbedor de oxígeno
Paso 2. Después de ya abierto, vacíe el contenido en un recipiente resistente al calor y agregue XX tazas (XX ml) de agua hirviendo. Lea cada paquete de comida individual antes de prepararlo para saber cuánta agua es necesario para cada comida, ya que todas varían un poco.
* Tenga en cuenta que para reducir la cantidad de desperdicio, nuestras bolsas aun no son seguras contra el calor y no pueden retener el agua necesaria para rehidratar su comida.
Paso 3. Cubra el recipiente y deje que los alimentos se rehidraten durante X minutos revolviendo a mitad de tiempo. Nuestras comidas tienen un tiempo de rehidratación muy rápido de 5-10 minutos, siempre lea el paquete para saber cuánto tiempo debe esperar antes de comer y agregue tiempo adicional a altitudes más altas.
Paso 4. ¡Disfrutar! Buen provecho
JUNTOS OUTDOORS
Su compra de este producto apoya a las organizaciones que hacen el trabajo para aumentar la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusión en el aire libre.
- Outdoor Afro celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature The network connects Black people with our lands, water, and wildlife through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Some examples of Outdoor Afro’s year-round activities range from fishing, hiking, biking, kayaking, gardening, skiing and more!
- Black Girls Run: There's a huge misconception that Black women don't run, the goal of this organization is to encourage and motivate Black women to practice a healthy lifestyle. Serving as a fitness resource for runners and gym rats alike, this organization provides many tips and advice for staying healthy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Checkout their website at blackgirlsrun.com
Individuals making a difference in the outdoor community:
Jocelyn Rice -
Designer, Mother, Outdoor Futurist and Founder of Black Earth United, Jocelyn has been changing the narrative of who an outdoorist is and what they wear. Through her business she has created pieces that speak to her culture in hopes to inspire Black women to consider a career in design and/or entrepreneurship in the outdoor industry. Follow her journey and find her pieces at Blackearthunited.com
Manny Almonte -
Entrepreneur, Co-founder, President and CEO of Camping to Connect - a collective of men of color who are striving to fully embrace the essence of becoming the best versions of themselves. Manny is an avid outdoors and cycling enthusiast with a passion for community advocacy. Manny has been such a strong force in the industry and has been able to empower black youth to take the outdoors as theirs, we hope to see so much more from Manny in the future!
Sam DeJarnett -
Sam has been such a lovely person to see in the outdoors! Through her Podcast: Always Be Birdin’ she aims to change the narrative of birding. How we bird, where we bird and who is bridging. Join her as she goes out into the field with BIPOC birding experts, novice baby birders and nature enthusiasts through her community outings(if you’re located in Portland) or join her by listening to her podcast.
Chrisha Favors -
Naturalist, Gardener, Educator, Land Steward, Adventurer, these are just a few words to describe all that Chrisha Favors brings to the outdoors. Featured in Sagezine, she is passionate when it comes to outdoor recreation and mushroom foraging and educates others on a hobby that is not as widely known and that can cause serious damage if done incorrectly. Remember! Never eat a mushroom that you may not be knowledgeable about! She is consistently providing content through social media and other platforms, changing the narrative each and every day she is out in the outdoors and we love her for that!
Jalen Bazile -
Athlete, facilitator, and founder Jalen Bazile is a force in cycling, providing outdoor experiences for youth and community members as a trip leader and outdoor instructor. Jalen is also a part of The Black Foxes as a community leader and activist. The Black Foxes is an international collective of eight unapologetically Black cyclists and outdoorists who are reclaiming their narratives and roles in the outdoors, by connecting fellow riders and outdoor enthusiasts, sharing their stories and providing more representation within the cycling and outdoors.
Jalen recently founded TRVL Wide, which is a bikepacking outfitter for inclusive education, leadership, and adventure. Check out their events in Colorado!
Diamon Does -
Adventure Traveler and Environmental Scientist. Through her career as an environmental scientist and trained aquarist, Diamon has dog sled through snowy forests, rescued and released sea turtles, backpacked through remote wilderness and lived in a van while road tripping across the American Southwest! “Diamon Does'' represents her collection of stories at the intersection of adventure and science. Her goal is to create content that inspires more Black and Brown people to explore nature and to shed light on the most pressing issues affecting the health of our planet.
Lestarya : Fridie Outdoors -
Have you been wanting to get start a new hobby in the outdoors? Lestarya is the founder of Fridie Outdoors an app designed to bridge the learning gap for aspiring outdoor/nature hobbyists. Through offline accessible content for all of your outdoor questions, through her app Lestarya is bringing accessibility for people of all background. Download the Fridie Outdoors app through the Apple or Google play store.
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When camping at the event we recommend that you bring your own food to prepare and eat because while there is food available for sale at Ragnar Trail races, it is not the best idea to fully rely on concessions for all of your nutritional needs. You’ll want to bring plenty of food, snacks, and drinks in the event that the lines are too long or vendors run out of options you like and are able to eat. There’s nothing worse than needing a recovery meal and not having access to the food you need.
We took the time to put together a meal plan and shopping list for you featuring our favorite Latinx food brands that require little to no prep time so you can maximize your recovery time and nourish your body during the big event.
Ready to Eat Meals
Itacate Foods backpacking meals are the fastest and easiest way to have a ready-to-eat meal after your legs. Our meals pack a considerable amount of protein (16-24g per serving depending on the meal) and carbohydrates (55-73g per serving depending on the meal), giving you the needed nutrients to replenish and charge your body, which makes them great recovery meals. Each meal packs almost 500 calories per serving and has a very quick hydration time, all you need to do is add hot water. Did we mention that our trail meals are vegan and vegetarian?
Because our outdoor meals are freeze dried, they are very easy to store and require no refrigeration so you can save that cooler space for your favorite drinks! They're also very lightweight, which comes in handy when carrying all your stuff from your vehicle to your campsite.
To celebrate our first year supporting Ragnar runners we are offering a promo code! Check out Itacate meals here and use promo code RAGNAR2022 for 10% off your order
Simple Prep Meals
Somos Foods makes a variety of healthy Mexican shelf stable products that you can mix and match to make your choice of rice bowls, salads, tacos or tostadas.
Hydration
Hydration is one of the most important parts of the event! You’ll want to hydrate during your run, sure, but the most important time to be hydrating is in between relay legs. Make sure you prepare in advance and take a hydration vest or bottle you can use while on your run. Keeping a larger bottle for camp as well as a refillable jug to use for cooking and refills is beneficial as well. There will be refill stations at Ragnar Village available at the event, so you don’t worry about needing to pack in ALL your water for this trip.
Most folks use Nuun or Skratch Labs mixes for their hydration needs and these are great! However, if you’re a fan of agua fresca flavors like Jamaica(Habiscus iced tea), horchata (rice drink) and limon (lime water), we recommend you give Salud a try.
Itacate Ragnar Food Planner/Packing 2022/23
While preparing for the food portion of your trip make sure to have your packing list and menu planner ready, if you don’t have one yet, don’t worry! Here’s our Itacate Ragnar Food Planner/Packing 2022/23 list to get you started:
Ragnar Camp Kitchen Packing List
Equipment
Ragnar Trail Menu
|
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Breakfast |
|
Pinole chia oatmeal w/nuts and fruit Coffee or tea |
Itacate Charge-up Chilaquiles Coffee or tea |
Lunch |
|
Rice or salad bowl: rice, beans, lettuce and guisado (main) + salsa |
|
Dinner |
Itacate Campsite Lentejas w/avocado + salsa macha
|
Itacate Sunset Caldo Taco de aguacate |
|
Snacks/ Drinks |
Fruit + chili powder Chips and salsa Bean dip Hydration mix Any “fun drinks” that won’t dehydrate you (too much) |
Shopping List
Item Type |
Brands we like |
Camp Meals |
|
Rice |
|
Beans |
|
Guisados (mains) |
|
Avocado |
|
Lettuce or salad mix |
|
Salsa macha (chili oil) |
|
Tortillas |
|
Pinole Chia Oatmeal |
|
Nuts |
|
Fruit |
|
Coffee |
|
Hydration Mix |
|
Snacks |
As always these are our general suggestions and advice. However, the way you choose to fuel is up to you. Just make sure you provide your body with the necessary nutrients needed to withstand the physical exhaustion of the Ragnar Trail races.
For runners looking for nutritional advice this season, follow Olympic Trials marathoner, body and cultural diversity advocate Starla García @starla_shines
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Our three meals available for purchase are:
We chose these meals because they bring us comfort away from home, these are the meals that we craved and fantasized about for years when we were in the backcountry. Below is a description of each for our meals.
We made each of the meals vegetarian or vegan in order to keep our carbon footprint low and we did not compromise on the authentic flavors. We hope to bring more Latin plant based and vegan backpacking food options to the menu in the near future.
What are Chilaquiles?
Chilaquiles are the ultimate comfort food, and a staple in Mexican cuisine. They are deep fried tortillas smothered in a salsa of your choice usually green or red and topped off with a variety of toppings like egg, fresh cheese, sour cream and avocado. They are technically considered a breakfast food… but honestly, we eat them at any time!
Buy them here
Sunset Caldo - Caldo Tlalpeño
Caldo Tlalpeño is a hearty soup that originates in the southern part of Mexico City called Tlalpan. The name itself literally means “Tlalpan soup”. The savory broth is flavored with chipotle and epazote and the soup has rice, garbanzo beans, veggies, and is topped with a squeeze of lime before eating! We chose to make our Caldo Tlalpeño vegan for sustainability reasons, but it is typically made with chicken. Next time you're in Mexico City make sure to try it! Caldo Tlalpeño is served all over the region.
Last but not least, we have our classic Campsite Lentejas which is the Latin version of lentil soup. More similar to a stew, our hearty lentil soup has a tomato and cilantro base, is topped with cubed potatoes and takes no time to rehydrate. This is what we eat when we crave something healthy, satisfying and filling.
Which of our meals are you most excited to try?
A holiday rich in culture and rememberance, Día de los Muertos takes place every year on November 1-2. In this blog post I tell a cross-border story of how my grandmother and I set up our ofrendas at home and remember our loved ones who left us much too soon.
Que descansen en paz nuestros muertitos,
Martha Yolanda Díaz
]]>The candles are left on overnight, even though there has been an accident with the corona de adviento in the past, because we can’t risk our muertitos not finding their way back. In the morning the family gets together, goes to the cemetery to visit the place where the bodies lie, and upon their return home, they feast on the offerings, ó por lo menos lo que dejaron.
Back in California I do my best to replicate my grandma’s ofrenda, but it never seems to look quite like hers. I guess that’s the beauty of these things: no one is like the other and even my own ofrenda changes from year to year. “How many tiers did I make last year?” or “Should I get some of the yellow cempasúchil?” run through my mind. I get my flowers from the Sac LAC Panteón event and some extra from a street vendor on my way home from the commercial kitchen where I make Itacate meals.
I put my small table against the wall of the living room and I make tiers with boxes from deliveries past. I think two tiers is plenty. There’s no santos on my ofrenda so I always wrestle with what to put on the top tier; some years it’s flowers, others it’s bread. I read somewhere that you should also place a petate for your loved ones to rest on, but I don't have one so my yoga mat will have to do. Once the tiers are made and the tablecloth is laid, I place pictures of all my muertitos along with candles, flowers, drinks and food.
Along with the pan de muerto, fruit, and steamed prickly chayotes, this year I’ll be serving my loved ones who have passed Itacate meals. It seemed appropriate since I’ve been working so hard over the last year to bring this project to life and although I’m sad that they are not alive today to see my dream come to life, I can feel their love and support for me and for this project. Itacate represents the best parts of me and I am a reflection of my family and my culture, which makes this a reflection of them too. I’m happy to be able to make Itacate my offering to them on this Día de lo Muertos.
Que descansen en paz mis muertitos,
Martha Y Díaz