Fresh IS best …. most of the time. Eat the fresh stuff first before it spoils. Forage or hunt for more before you run out of food. Listed under the fresh field rations section [but yet kinda shelf stable] would be eggs, summer sausage and cheeses. Eggs can be shelf stable for up to 6 months if they are kept at least as cool as you are comfortable living. Store bought eggs are most likely a couple of months old before you buy them. Historically summer sausage and cheese was a mainstay with most cultures especially for field work or war.

Jams and jellies occupy that area between fresh and long term food storage. Depending on how they are packaged [glass, metal, plastic] dictates how well they will travel. I like them better for field rations in the individual serving size as there is less waste or contamination chances. Less mess too.

Dehydrated ‘back packing’ meals are good as they are portion controled. They have a longer shelf life but are more expensive than many other options.

The Knorr side dishes are a great option as they are more economical, are portion controlled and something most of us are used to using. You can experiment and make your own similar side dishes / main courses for way less money.

Along this line in history the Indians used parched maze [corn] as a trail food which could be eaten out of hand or mixed with pemmican and reconstituted.

A more modern rendition would be the ‘instants and flours’

Instant potatoes [and pearls] ARE great in the field, just add to hot water and eat. Also, make flour or meal from beans, barley, corn, carrots, rice and wheat and do the same. it cooks faster and you get more nutrients out of it than whole. Prepare it as bread or soup and mix in whatever extra you find ei herbs and meat. For storage / transport you can either premix it and then put in coke bottles or keep the types flour in their own coke bottle and mix it in the field. Look up Ezekiel 4:9-13. We have used this system for many years and it has worked well. IF you can not have a fire for whatever reason you can mix with cold water and drink it down rapidly before it sets up… think Metamucil texture.
Store bought examples of some of this would be cream of wheat [which does NOT come with dairy mixed in so the cream of wheat is referring to the texture being smooth] and grits. A more economical form of these 2 is whole wheat flour and corn meal.

Please share your experiences and thoughts with the rest of us.