In looking towards this year’s backpacking season and what were some of the things I had not tried or added to my meal repertoire yet, yogurt instantly came to mind. I had heard of taking dehydrated yogurt drops on various hiking and backpacking meal blog posts but it hadn’t called to me. Until now. So I set about experimenting with how to dehydrate yogurt for hiking and backpacking meals and snacks.
When I first started following a Paleo lifestyle 8 years ago, yogurt was one of the first things to go. At that time, there were not a lot of options for non-dairy yogurt.
Now, we have so many more options. All kinds of non-dairy milks have been made into yogurt products we can just buy at the store: cashew, coconut, and almond to name a few. You can also find recipes online like this and this if you want to make it at home. The Instant Pot versions are all the rage, too. For my yogurt tips, the milk type is less important than the sugar content as far as what you want to do with your dehydrated yogurt.
I go through spells where I eat more yogurt than other times. If I am working on up my probiotic intake, I tend to bring home more from the store. Also, I am a bargain shopper. That stuff can be pricey! If I am at the store and a large carton of yogurt is on sale or marked down, I will pick it up. Dehydrating is a great way to use up yogurt close to the pull date. So, let me tell you more about how to dehydrate yogurt for hiking and backpacking.
The last year or so, I have also been sampling non-cow dairy milk yogurt to see if it affects me the same way cow dairy does. I have found that full-fat goat or sheep milk does not give me congestion or gastrointestinal problems that cow does. For some of the dehydrated yogurt I tried, I used these too.
Why Take Dehydrated Yogurt Hiking And Backpacking?
I probably don’t have to tell you why being able to enjoy yogurt out on the trail could be a good thing. Not only is yogurt a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, it offers probiotics. That “friendly” bacteria known to help keep our digestive tract working like it should. Some medical experts even believe it can boost your immune system, curb vaginal infections, prevent osteoporosis and reduce our chance of high blood pressure.
Often when out in the wilderness for an extended period of time, the food we bring is lower in probiotics and prebiotics than foods we eat regularly at home. Prebiotics are foods we eat that turn into probiotics once in our digestive tract, like non-digestible carbohydrates. Supplementing with things like dehydrated yogurt while hiking and backpacking can help with that. And the bonus is it adds a punch of tangy flavor, too!
What Kind Of Yogurt Works Best For Dehydrating?
The answer to this depends on what you want to do with your yogurt once out on the trail. If you want to rehydrate it 1:1 to use as actual yogurt, like with granola or fruit, it is best to use yogurt with no added sugar or fruit so you get a drier end result. It won’t be quite as smooth and creamy as fresh yogurt but close enough, especially when added to something.
If you want to make dehydrated yogurt as a snack, like leather, a higher sugar or fruit content will make it possible to pick the yogurt up with your hands in strips or chunks.
Although my experience has been that the source of milk does not matter, if you want your yogurt to last the longest without refrigeration you will want to use non-fat yogurt because of that whole fats-and-oils-will-go-rancid-faster thing. So far my full-fat dehydrated yogurt has been fine on the pantry shelf for over two months but that is just my experience.
How To Dehydrate Yogurt For Hiking And Backpacking
The steps for dehydrating yogurt are pretty straightforward:
- Choose your yogurt of choice.
- Stir well or blend in the food processor.
- Spread it out evenly on a jelly roll tray or plastic wrap in your dehydrator to the depth of 1/8 to 1/4 inches.
- Dry on a low setting, about 115 degrees, for 6-8 hours. The more sugar or fat, the longer it will take. Higher temps will kill the probiotics.
- Flip and break it up as it dries to quicken the process.
- Once cool, break into pieces or process in the food processor to make a powder.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer until you need it.
Dehydrating Yogurt Recipe Ideas For Hiking And Backpacking
Some of the ways I have experimented with dehydrating yogurt has been to add fruit or veggies! With a one to one ratio, I have added things like blueberries and kale. My step #2 above involves adding the mixture to the food processor before spreading on the sheet so it dries more evenly.
Adding fruit to yogurt increases the sugar so I ended up with a much more pliable product. Adding kale on the other hand made for a much drier, flakier product. Don’t be afraid to play around with what you have on hand. Spices could be fun, too.
For the picture above, starting at 2 o’clock, the dehydrated yogurt is: sweetened vanilla cashew milk, unsweetened whole fat with kale, unsweetened whole fat, sweetened vanilla cashew with blueberries.
Ideas For Using Dehydrated Yogurt Outdoors
If you dehydrate yogurt without sugar, the more powdery result makes it perfect for rehydrating alone like for my Paleo Chocolate Granola or Pumpkin Spice Granola. It would add a burst of flavor to meals like my Cashew Curry or Sweet Potato Soup.
You can use dehydrated yogurt that has had sugar or fruit added for a more pliable mid-day snack straight up or broken up in trail mix. Some folks even get fancy and drop it onto the trays as dots or sticks instead of spreading it out in step #3. Use a plastic ziploc bag with one corner snipped, add the yogurt mixture and squeeze out onto the trays. Just know these may take longer to dry because of their tendency to be thicker in depth.
Well, now you know how to dehydrate yogurt for hiking and backpacking. A road map for experimenting with dehydrating yogurt and some of the ways you can enjoy it while outdoors. Whether you want to add more nutrition or just some piquant flavor, yogurt fits the bill. Have fun and don’t be afraid to try different types and add-ins!
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