Instant Potato question

[TheYoungOne]

I heard some hikers eat instant potatoes on the trail. I recently looked at a box of instant potatoes and noticed that to make them you need boiling water, 1 1/4 cup of milk and butter.

Is there a trick to making instant potatoes on the trail, or do you just not add the milk and butter, or am I looking at the wrong brand of instant potatoes?

[Spokes]

Nope, just use water.

Cheers!

[One Half]

you can also add instant gravy (in the powder packets) directly into the water with the potatoes. it gives it some flavor that might be missing without butter and milk.

[Tuckahoe]

There are many brands tht simply call for boiling water. For any that you may prefer that calls for milk, you can use powdered milk such as Nido.

[ATSeamstress]

It's more expensive, but the Idahoan brand in the pouch comes with the milk, seasoning, etc. all added in. You just add boiling water. Or take powdered milk, butter buds, and whatever seasoning for the boxed kind.

[ocourse]

My favorite meal! I like Idaho brand. Throw in some green peas, a foil pouch of tuna or chicken, a bunch of black pepper....

[Creek Dancer]

I recently found the Idahoan brand in the single serving size at Kroger. Comes in a box of 8 (or maybe 6) in a variety of flavors. Just add water.

[sarbar]

Easy enough to do:
Just add in any dry milk (non-fat is fine). You can add from 1 Tbsp and up, depending on how rich you like it. As for butter, you can use butter powder or just add in a drizzle of oil.
If the box calls for milk, add that milk amount to your water amount.

[thattallguy44]

Idahoan is the best! only water is needed and you get all the flavor right in there. ^Gravy! i havent tried that yet..new plan.

[garlic08]

You don't even have to heat the water. It works OK with cold water, too, for an ultra-simple meal.

[beakerman]

yuck cold instant mashed taters...garlic you are strange. i don't even like cold real mashed taters and find hot instant mashed taters just passable with plenty of butter and gravy.

[bullseye]

Idahoan with a 1/2 pouch of gravy and some chicken from a pouch. MMM, MMM!

[Wise Old Owl]

Garlic is correct, by the look at his trail name he also eats cattails, and so do I...

[topshelf]

find ones that just use water, i dont remember the brand but it's not knorr

i eat these all the time on the trail

[Wise Old Owl]

knorr is full of nasty salt.

[MedicineMan]

instant potatoes + hot water + stir in pepperoni slices=yummy/instant/fat/protein/carbs and you can't mess it up.

[Alpine Jack]

Try adding a chicken bullion cube, gravy packet, and pepper. Extra calories = score!

[Iceaxe]

You don't even have to heat the water. It works OK with cold water, too, for an ultra-simple meal.
This trick works with instant oatmeal, lipton sides, and minute rice as well.
I started going cookless and eating cold meals to simplify trail meals. Yea it saved the weight of a stove, fuel and a metal pot but the real reason I like it is it frees me up to hike.
I like to rehydrate my dinner while i hike then pick a spot to chow down and get right back out hiking for a few more miles before dark.
Just carry a ziplock container and add water to the lipton sometime at a break early in the afternoon. A couple of hours later pull it out of the pack and it's ready to eat.
Rice based dishes take an hour or more no-cook and it helps if you leave some air in the container and put it high in the pack where it gets agitated.
The instant taters are the best because they are ready to eat within seconds. I accidentally mixed my oatmeal and instant taters once when a ziplock broke open. Turns out this combination works well.
As for eating cold taters I just think of it as Thanksgiving left overs.
The only gross cold flavors I have found is Alfredo.
The middel of the road cold flavors are spanish rice and curry.
The best cold flavors are Teriyake, garlic and herb, and of course butter.
Anyhow.. YMMV and all that.

[Skidsteer]

knorr is full of nasty salt.

Eh. About the same as instant mashed potatoes, actually.

[Miner]

I heard some hikers eat instant potatoes on the trail. I recently looked at a box of instant potatoes and noticed that to make them you need boiling water, 1 1/4 cup of milk and butter.

The milk makes it creamier and the butter adds flavor. But, you can make it without the milk and butter with no problem. It still tastes fine though I usually add olive oil to mine.

[beakerman]

Garlic is correct, by the look at his trail name he also eats cattails, and so do I...

cattails are good but cold instant mashed taters...nope I'll warm mine up thank you.

[TheYoungOne]

Thanks for the help folks. I will definately try the Idahoan instant taters, I also remember to pick up powder milk if I cannot find Idaho stuff.

I also got to try the instant potatoes with the instant gravy. That sounds awesome.

[mweinstone]

best is to buy plane potatoe flakes or buds and add butter and salt. otherwise your eating an amount of salt and chemichals that are dangerouse. pre flavored bags like idaho make for horrid taste, smell breath, a salt headache and kill appetite for anything else. its basicaly like haveing salty potatoe chips for dinner. plane old flakes with butter and salt. way realer. way cheaper. way more versitile. way more hip. less trash.easyer storage in single bag. bla bla bla im right again!lol.

[Skidsteer]

best is to buy plane potatoe flakes or buds and add butter and salt. otherwise your eating an amount of salt and chemichals that are dangerouse. pre flavored bags like idaho make for horrid taste, smell breath, a salt headache and kill appetite for anything else. its basicaly like haveing salty potatoe chips for dinner. plane old flakes with butter and salt. way realer. way cheaper. way more versitile. way more hip. less trash.easyer storage in single bag. bla bla bla im right again!lol.

Good advice right there.

[J5man]

You don't even have to heat the water. It works OK with cold water, too, for an ultra-simple meal.

........sounds like a meal my ex-wife would do.........at home..........:eek:

[sarbar]

Eh. About the same as instant mashed potatoes, actually.
Plain instant mashed potatoes are usually near sodium free. That is why you gotta add all the extras :eek:

[mweinstone]

actualy other than salt and butter the only things i ever add are
chease
bacon
tomatoe sauce mix
gravy mix
milk powder
slim jims sliced thin
canned peas
tahini
mix veggies
dadylion leaves
ginger
hot sauce
bouillion
tuna
stuffing mix
soy sauce
rice
beans
garlic
ramps
onion flakes
cyanne
paprika
eggs
fryed balogna
dryed beef
pepperoni
pasta
ham
miso
sour cream powder
canned soup

[mweinstone]

you do all know my foodbag contains the knowlage of the ancients right? i would love to show you whats in it but then of course i couldnt be your leader. because i carry simple ingredients bought anywhere. but the combination.....thats my little secret. and the source of my power. by meer bacon pancakes alone i have subdued nations from billville to riff raff. from the harsh conditions of camp delay to the wilds of dryland. my authority over foodworld reaches far and wide.tonight i sleep with my foodbag under my head and my secrets tucked in.

[harryfred]

Instant mash potatoes are a favorite of mine Love the Idahoan reds. Plain old instant made without any milk or butter or substitutes is just fine. light weight and very filling. My favorite to mix in them is Oscar Meyer real bacon bits and or CHEESE:banana

[harryfred]

actualy other than salt and butter the only things i ever add are
chease
bacon
tomatoe sauce mix
gravy mix
milk powder
slim jims sliced thin
canned peas
tahini
mix veggies
dadylion leaves
ginger
hot sauce
bouillion
tuna
stuffing mix
soy sauce
rice
beans
garlic
ramps
onion flakes
cyanne
paprika
eggs
fryed balogna
dryed beef
pepperoni
pasta
ham
miso
sour cream powder
canned soup
Good list.

[Procras108r]

Betty Crocker has a great change of pace with instant sweet potatoes

[Litldube]

I like to put the flavoring packets from roman. Kicks it up a notch.

[Spokes]

yuck cold instant mashed taters...garlic you are strange. i don't even like cold real mashed taters and find hot instant mashed taters just passable with plenty of butter and gravy.

................but cold pizza is a different story especially on the trail!

[Pedaling Fool]

Last night I ate primarily potatoe chips for dinner, just too lazy to cook.

Potatoes are actually pretty nutritious, especially when you but the type in which the ingredients are only: Potatoes, Canola Oil, Salt.

For the trail I dehydrate my own potatoes, very good when thrown into the stew.

[Buffalo Skipper]

As many have said, the Idahoan brand is the best.

Just add water

You can find them in individual serving packs (use 2 or 3) 10 to a box, but these are a variety pack. Garlic, butter, loaded BP, 4 cheese and one other, I believe.

I used to like the Yukon Gold variety, which was INCREDIBLE tasting, but for whatever reason, it is no longer available. But this brand still beats all the others.

[Ewker]

can't believe no one has mentioned adding a can of smoked oysters to the mashed potatoes...yum

[mweinstone]

try adding a can of smoked oysers to the mix. cant belive nobodys suggested it. mmmmm

[sarbar]

Betty Crocker has a great change of pace with instant sweet potatoes
Be wary. They are dyed to look the part. You can though dehydrate mashed sweet potatoes or yams for the real thing.