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The Mountain House type of backpacking food is nice because you are able to just pour hot water into the bag and let it set for a little while and then it is ready to eat. Unfortunately I am not able to use backpacking foods like Mountain House due to a preservative that is an ingredient in most all backpacking food that gives me stomach cramps and other intestinal issues. For years I have made my own light weight meals from grocery store items such as mac n cheese,Fettuccine Alfredo, instant oatmeal, dehydrated mashed potatoes, granola, trail mix, etc. This keeps me well fed but I really like the idea of using a cooking bag that I can just add hot water to. That way I only have to use my cook pot to heat water rather than cooking in it which would make clean up a LOT easier.

I got on Amazon and order a few oven bags to try out but would like to know if anyone is using bags like this and what ones work the best for you.

Get some mylar bags. They are available as vacuum bags or ziplock style. Some people even use them to pressure can meat.

Sounds good to me. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

I can't speak to the health risks of doing so, but I've used regular zip-up sandwich bags, Ziploc freezer bags, and even the bag that Sapporo Ichiban comes in.

These bags are very popular and seem to be a go to for many making their own meals.
https://www.amazon.com/GooGou-Resealable-Storage-Aluminum-5-9x8-2in/dp/B075P22FHJ

Have you tried any of the Peak refuel meals or the Pack it gourmet meals? Not sure if they have the preservative that doesn’t agree with you.

I've used plain old Ziplock freezer bags with good success. That's the heavier freezer bags, not the thin storage bags. I've used many of them to freeze garden stuff. I just take one out of the freezer, toss it in the microwave on high, and heat until it's thawed and hot enough to eat. It works fine.

I have not tried either of those brands. I have not tried anything recently. Maybe ingredients have changed. It was about 22 years ago that I was getting sick on freeze dried backpack food. When I got home from a 5 day trip in the John Muir Wilderness I researched online and found where 5% of the population had this problem and this preservative was present in ALL of backpacking food. Maybe it has changed since then.

Freezer Bag Cooking: Trail Food Made Simple
Book by Sarah Kirkconnell
This book will answer all your questions. REI has long handled spoons. I make cozy from Reflectex insulation

Tag for future reference.

Why not try sous vide bags? Seems like they'd do the trick.

I ordered a copy of the book

These would be perfect, but they show on Amazon as no longer available. Alas...

I am looking for a similar product. It is a prepackaged meal similar to MREs with a heating pouch. The brand escapes me but I have seen them at Walmart. Would like to stock my vehicles and packs for emergency hot meals. I think I have seen them at Wal-made in china-mart. I guess my gogglefoo has failed me. TIA Be Well, Rustyzipper.