Repurpose An Insulated Mailer For The Perfect Camping Hack

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When planning a camping trip, your initial instinct may be to opt for the most expensive trail-rated gear you can find. But sometimes you can elevate your camping experience with cheap or free items lying around the house or office. For instance, if you've ever ordered groceries, meal kits, or temperature-sensitive items online, you've probably accumulated a few insulated mailer packets. These containers, often made from insulating aluminum foil and a polyethylene liner, effectively function as a lightweight thermos, While they're designed to keep things cold in transit, they're also perfect for keeping hot foods hot, especially freeze-dried hiking meals on a cold morning or evening. 

At first glance, these mailers don't look like much, but their insulated design makes the perfect housing for a dehydrated meal to come to temperature. To make the best use of the pouches, simply fill a packet of your favorite camp meal with boiling water and pop it into your insulated meal cozy. Then, as you pitch your tent, or settle into a campsite at a national park, your food will rehydrate into a ready-to-eat meal, and stay hot the whole time you're eating.

Unlike pricy commercial thermal packets or bulky insulated food containers, these free, repurposed mailers are lightweight, flexible, and easy to pack. Once you're finished eating, fold the mailer flat, stash it in your backpack, and it's ready for the next meal. Since they're designed to be disposable, you can even use them to pack out garbage or waste as needed. If you're looking for a surefire camp cooking tip to upgrade your camp kitchen without breaking the bank, this might be exactly what you need. 

Using a thermal mailer to elevate your camp meal is simple, but a few small tweaks can take it to the next level. To begin, snag a handful of clean, undamaged mailers with intact lining. Those with thicker pads tend to hold heat the best. If you don't have any on hand, they can be purchased in bulk, like a 30-pack of Zeayea reusable insulation bags. Alternatively, you can buy a roll of the insulating material and customize your own packets, following online tutorials. Once you've acquired your future meal cozy, add a few strips of velcro to the top flap and opposite face of the packet, to seal your meal in, keeping it hot longer. Make certain the dehydrated meal packets or resealable plastic bags you're bringing fit inside the insulated cozy before you head out on the trail.

Using your repurposed thermal mailer meal pouch is simple. Boil water and add it to your food packet. Stir well, and slide it into the thermal pouch. Since you need to wait about 15 minutes anyway for dinner, even if you're eating right away these meals can cool down quickly when it's frosty out. The thermal cozy keeps everything hot and toasty while your meal rehydrates and even a bit longer. You can dine straight from the bag (keeping the food hotter longer), or remove the meal packet and pour the contents into a dish.