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kcol27
02-21-2010, 23:32
I have read that many people bring chicken and tuna pouches along the trail add to dinners. While I see tuna all the time in the supermarket, I haven't been able to come across any pouches of chicken (aside from refridgerated ones). And the staff I have asked about it seem to have no idea what I am talking about so just wondering where people typically find these pouches of chicken? Thanks!

Hyway
02-21-2010, 23:47
walmart has chicken pouches

BrianLe
02-21-2010, 23:56
You can order them online, for example a set of 4-oz packets (http://www.amazon.com/Bumble-Bee-Chicken-Southwest-Packages/dp/B001CAR1PE/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1266810683&sr=1-8) via Amazon.com.
But if you're resupplying on the trail as you go, indeed I rarely see chicken packets in even good sized grocery stores, at least in the area that I live.

An alternative is to buy canned chicken (in bulk, on sale if possible), dry it on a food dryer, vacuum seal the results in small packages and freeze those until needed. A lot of work, but this has worked for me. More recently I've become lazy and tend to go with TVP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textured_vegetable_protein) instead.

Kerosene
02-21-2010, 23:57
Hard to believe that Massachusetts grocery stores wouldn't have chicken in foil pouches, probably right next to the tunafish. Hard to believe that Michigan supermarkets carry a broader selection than other parts of the U.S. Try a higher-end grocery store, or perhaps just pick up a pouch on your way to the Trail!

bullseye
02-22-2010, 00:34
It's usually in the same spot as the canned chicken if they have it. Some places you can get a 3oz pouch, some have the 7oz size. Good stuff mixed with stove top (or Idahoan mashed potatoes)and instant gravy. I also throw it in my spaghetti.

bullseye
02-22-2010, 00:37
This is the stuff I usually get around my way:

http://www.tyson.com/Consumer/Products/ViewProduct.aspx?id=101

Dogwood
02-22-2010, 00:55
You don't need to go online to buy chicken in pouches. Look for it in the canned chicken and tuna area. It looks just like the foil packaged tuna. You probably just overlooked it. Keep looking.

Dogwood
02-22-2010, 00:58
BTW, while I don't normally direct folks towards Wally World, the best deal I've come across on foil packaged fish are the 4 oz Wild Salmon packets at WalMart for 88 - 99 cents each.

roy_hiking
02-22-2010, 01:22
Last year a brand was recalled and a lot of stores stopped carrying it.

Rockhound
02-22-2010, 01:27
This thread is ridiculous. Chickens don't have pouches. They're not marsupials.

Father Dragon
02-22-2010, 01:46
I used to use Bumble Bee brand ... they have the bbq chicken, the southwest chicken, the garlic herb... I find none of these great things anymore where I live...:( ...

Mountain Wildman
02-22-2010, 01:49
I used to use Bumble Bee brand ... they have the bbq chicken, the southwest chicken, the garlic herb... I find none of these great things anymore where I live...:( ...


Amazon.com has them.
Search under Bumble Bee Chicken

sarbar
02-22-2010, 01:58
Stores can be weird. Many carry chicken products in the tuna/salmon/canned fish aisle. Others carry it in another aisle. Just wander. Most likely it is there and the employees have never seen it. I often check out with unusual items in grocery stores to the checker asking "Ooh, what is that? Where did you find it? How do you use it?" :p

On the subject of canned versus pouch it is about equal. You can find 3 and 5 ounce cans of chicken with pop top lids (no can opener needed) in most stores. A 7 ounce pouch of chicken is equivalent to about a 10 ounce can of drained chicken. Pouched chicken weighs less as it is "dry" - no broth. You can use the broth though in cans in any cooked meal and it adds flavor, just buy a good brand with less junk in the broth. When it comes to empty containers the cans and pouches are very similar in weight. You can crush a can with your shoe heel easily - the cans are very thin these days.

As well, try places you don't think of for food - I always score great finds at Walmart and Target for food.

Father Dragon
02-22-2010, 02:32
Amazon.com has them.
Search under Bumble Bee Chicken

I've seen them advertised there but I've never seen them available

Mountain Wildman
02-22-2010, 02:40
I've seen them advertised there but I've never seen them available

You're right, Didn't even notice that. Sorry.

10-K
02-22-2010, 05:52
www.minimus.biz (http://www.minimus.biz) has individual/small sized servings of just about everything you can imagine.

Old Grouse
02-22-2010, 07:33
I get mine at Target.

LimpsAlong
02-22-2010, 08:28
This thread is ridiculous. Chickens don't have pouches. They're not marsupials.
LOL, keep 'em on task bro!

58starter
02-22-2010, 08:51
Tyson Fully Cooked Chunck White Chicken 97percent fat free 7 oz packs. They are not cheap usually $2.74 each. Publix in Fl has them 2/$5 this week. I bought several. They are very good when mixed with rice and spices added. Cheaper that a Mountain House meal and only 9percent sodium

Roche
02-22-2010, 09:03
This thread is ridiculous. Chickens don't have pouches. They're not marsupials. HA - that's were the Massachusetts chickens hide their foil pouches.;)

Old Grouse
02-22-2010, 09:25
My chicken hikes on a leash, not in a pouch.

RollingStone
02-22-2010, 10:29
Taking the cans isn't so bad. The cans are light and crush easily. For those that don't have pull tops you can use a P38 or P51 can opener. Only thing you have to be careful of with the cans is that they dont tear up your garbage bag.

Deadeye
02-22-2010, 11:12
I've been meaning to check the full/empty weights of pouches & cans to see which is lighter. I suspect there isn't much weight difference, and cans are cheaper, easier to clean (before you pack out) and more durable. There's also a huge difference in what's available in cans - I can always find tuna pouches, but rarely chicken.

sarbar
02-22-2010, 12:48
I've been meaning to check the full/empty weights of pouches & cans to see which is lighter. I suspect there isn't much weight difference, and cans are cheaper, easier to clean (before you pack out) and more durable. There's also a huge difference in what's available in cans - I can always find tuna pouches, but rarely chicken.

I was bored once and weighed them empty :p It was minimal in difference. I don't mind carrying the cans on shorter trips - I like to carry the cans of minced clams for making a clam sauce pasta (use the clam juice in it!) and yes, as Rolling Stone mentions you can use one of the tiny can openers. I usually take the label off at home and recycle it, write on the can with black marker what it is. A person can also recycle the can when they get home if they fish it out of the bag.

BrianLe
02-22-2010, 12:54
Another alternative for a long-distance hiker is to open the can in town and move the contents (minus perhaps some liquid) into a small ziplock bag.

Dogwood
02-22-2010, 12:56
Another alternative for a long-distance hiker is to open the can in town and move the contents (minus perhaps some liquid) into a small ziplock bag.

I'll have to remember that!

Dogwood
02-22-2010, 13:02
IMO, the TUNA cans have a great water/broth content wt than the pouches. And, for all those gram weenies, let's not forget the wt listed on the outside of these various packaging ideas is the food wt inside the package. It doesn't include the packaging wt. Same with things like propane/isobutane tanks. Those 4 oz or 8 oz lwts isted on the outside of the canisters does not include the wt of the canister.

Roche
02-22-2010, 13:29
Using current inventory and a Pelouze SP5 digital scale:

CAN......................... NET OZ...CARRY WEIGHT
StarKist SolidLightTuna 4.5.........5.7
Kroger ChunkLightTuna 6............7.2 / 7.2 / 7.2

POUCH
ChixofSea Albacore......3...........3.2
ChixofSea LightTuna....3...........3.3 / 3.2
SeaBear Wild Salmon.. 3.5.........4.2 / 3.8 - measured 7 times?

JustaTouron
02-22-2010, 13:30
Another alternative for a long-distance hiker is to open the can in town and move the contents (minus perhaps some liquid) into a small ziplock bag.

Once you take it out of the can its gonna start going bad. It would be fine to do that for that nights dinner so you don't have to carry the empty can to the next down for garbage disposal but I would not recommend that approach for chicken you plan on eating in three days from now. Of course for the first nights dinner you could get fresh chicken from the butcher's isle instead.

Its the can that keeps it fresh.

Symbol
02-22-2010, 13:37
Tyson Fully Cooked Chunk White Chicken 97percent fat free 7 oz packs. They are not cheap usually $2.74 each. Publix in Fl has them 2/$5 this week. I bought several. They are very good when mixed with rice and spices added. Cheaper that a Mountain House meal and only 9percent sodium


Sweet Sue Premium Chicken Breast 98% fat free comes in the 3 oz packages and 7 oz packages. One 3 oz package is 90 cal, 1.5 g fat, and 260 mg of sodium. I like the smaller size for mixing in with other things. They are around a dollar a pack.

Sweet Sue is a company out of Georgia. http://www.castleberrys.com/brands_sweetSue.asp

BrianLe
02-22-2010, 13:57
"Once you take it out of the can its gonna start going bad."

Indeed, hopefully most hikers are smart enough to eat first those things that are heavier, fresher, don't keep as well, etc. So eat repackaged chicken (or whatever) the first night, dried meat or TVP or whatever added to your meals for subsequent. Or maybe, repackaged chicken the second night, with foil-wrapped cold left-over pizza the first night ...

How long it keeps is, of course situational too. In part just squeezing the air out but mostly keeping it as cool as possible. I start on the trail 3 days from now (!), and anticipate pretty good refridgeration just from ambient temperature.
Doing this in August is a bit different than in February. Even in August, however, food buried inside a pack can stay surprisingly cool.

Dogwood
02-22-2010, 14:02
Tppreston, WOW, you actually have a spread sheet comparing the canned and foil packaged wts!!! I think you and me may have way too much time on our hands.

Blissful
02-22-2010, 14:46
I dry canned chicken - then soak while setting up camp and use in your dishes.

Roche
02-22-2010, 14:49
Tppreston, WOW, you actually have a spread sheet comparing the canned and foil packaged wts!!! I think you and me may have way too much time on our hands.Correct you are sir. But at least were putting our time to good use.

beakerman
02-22-2010, 15:06
Has anyone ever seen foil packed beef?

I've seen canned beef but never foil packed. My understanding of the technology is that if it can be put in a can it can be put in a foil pack. I don't mind the wt of a can it just bulk by comparison and darned some things just taste better with beef.

Roche
02-22-2010, 15:09
Has anyone ever seen foil packed beef?

foil packed beef - didn't they open for Iggy Pop a few years back?

JustaTouron
02-22-2010, 15:37
Indeed, hopefully most hikers are smart enough to eat first those things that are heavier, fresher, don't keep as well, etc.

Then why bother with chicken from a can? The reason to get pouch/canned chicken is because is it can be used day 3 or 4. If you are gonna eat it right away why not go with fresh chicken.

Old Hiker
02-22-2010, 17:10
Has anyone ever seen foil packed beef?

I've seen canned beef but never foil packed. My understanding of the technology is that if it can be put in a can it can be put in a foil pack. I don't mind the wt of a can it just bulk by comparison and darned some things just taste better with beef.

Saw and tried some a while back - don't remember the brand, but IT WAS NASTY! I wouldn't give it to a day-hiker.

walkin_in_2010
02-22-2010, 18:55
I bought mine from Amazon.com. While the grocery stores out here (in CA) carry it ... it's way more expensive. I'm a Prime member on Amazon (so my orders ship for free) ... but I think if your order is over $25 or $50, it will ship free too.

PS: The pouch chicken is a trail staple for me! I love the stuff. Can be eaten straight from the pouch or cooked up with other goodies for a healthy, filling, meal.

gunner76
02-22-2010, 20:29
This thread is ridiculous. Chickens don't have pouches. They're not marsupials

Since Spam is avaialble in a pouches, I guess we know know what its made of......

BrianLe
02-22-2010, 20:48
"Then why bother with chicken from a can? The reason to get pouch/canned chicken is because is it can be used day 3 or 4. If you are gonna eat it right away why not go with fresh chicken."

Where buying a modest quantity of boneless fresh chicken is an option --- sounds like a fine choice. I'm pretty sure that the cans are more commonly available, plus I can defer opening the can, whereas the fresh stuff is "going to start going bad" as soon as it goes into my shopping basket ...

I guess the other issue is that I'd never considered asking for a small quantity of already-cooked, boneless fresh chicken! I tend to think of the meat department in grocery stores as having uncooked meats. Maybe I'll give it a try sometime, though perhaps only in a trail town where I have a refrigerator available.

sarbar
02-22-2010, 22:59
At one point, about 3 or so years ago one could get pouched ground beef. It was HORRID. Think it was Jack Links? Or someone else. The issue was how greasy it was. And it was the equivalent of 1 lb so it was huge.

On repacking meat: only and only do this for same day eating. Meat goes fast in the hot days of summer. You really don't want to deal with food poisoning in the wilds!

Scoout Hiker
07-27-2011, 12:59
I know that I am a late comer to this thread, but I stumbled on it during my search of the internet looking for help finding "chicken in a pouch" that I needed as an ingredient for a recent receipe that was in Backpacker magazine. Based on the info in this thread I finally completed my quest for what I was searching for. Although I had no luck finding it at a local Walmart I did manage to find the Tyson brand at the local Target. I had visited dozens of different food stores looking for the item, but thanks to all of your help I finally found what I was looking for. Now lets hope that the Backpacker mag recipe for "Farmer's Mash" was worth it all .

chiefduffy
07-27-2011, 22:26
This stuff was easy to come by a few years ago, now is getting scarce. Dam shame....was a versatile main ingredient for many, many trail meals for me...

Hangman
07-28-2011, 19:44
Bumble Bee used to carry 4oz packsI think they had like 4 flavors,South Western. Barbecue,lemon pepper and something else. I called them 2 weeks ago when I couldn't find it for an up comimg JMT hike .Customer service said they stoped offering it. Tyson is the only one that I know now. Most Super Wallmarts carry that.

4Bears
07-28-2011, 22:17
If you want beef for meals something that works is to buy the Jacks Links "Kippered Steak" it is much more moist and thicker than traditional jerky, just cube it up and stir it in. It is a bit on the peppery side so keep that in mind and it is packaged way less than a pound.

WingedMonkey
07-28-2011, 22:44
Bumble Bee used to carry 4oz packsI think they had like 4 flavors,South Western. Barbecue,lemon pepper and something else. I called them 2 weeks ago when I couldn't find it for an up comimg JMT hike .Customer service said they stoped offering it. Tyson is the only one that I know now. Most Super Wallmarts carry that.

Sweet Sue still makes, at least plain chicken. It's owned by Bumble Bee.

Sir-Packs-Alot
07-28-2011, 23:08
I agree about stores being "weird" - not just in different placement of items store to store (even the same chain of stores a few miles apart) ... but it's regional too. Here in Atlanta the chicken pouches are all over - both major supremarket chains, Walmart and probably more - BUT -you might not be so lucky in a smaller metro or rural area - or even in big towns in other states. Some types of Pop Tarts and Hellmans Mayo can be sold in one state - but not in a neighboring state - even in 2011! The same goes for the chicken. I like the pouches (7oz) myself. My favorite chicken pouch recipe combines it with a pack of stovetop stuffing and a cup of craisins called "Backcountry Thanksgiving".

Rocket Jones
07-29-2011, 06:08
My favorite chicken pouch recipe combines it with a pack of stovetop stuffing and a cup of craisins called "Backcountry Thanksgiving".

I just jotted that down. Sounds excellent. Thanks!

deeddawg
08-30-2011, 15:47
My favorite chicken pouch recipe combines it with a pack of stovetop stuffing and a cup of craisins called "Backcountry Thanksgiving".

My version is a half-box of stovetop stuff, 7oz pack of chicken, plus a packet of chicken or turkey gravy mix (and the add'l 1C water). Keep meaning to add craisins or bring a stalk of celery but haven't done either).

Doc Mike
08-30-2011, 16:08
amazon has several available now if you don't mind buying 12-18 packages