I don't eat freeze dried food because it is soooo expensive!
It sure tastes good, so it's nice for a weekend backpacking trip.
I usually boil water everyday because I use it for cooking. If I need to do over 30 miles a day, then I won't cook. Just snack. That's what I'll do on the CDT.
However, I don't boil water to purify it. Most places I go are remote and I don't have to purify it. But when it looks questionable, then I use Pristine. Check out www.pristine.ca.
Thanks for the question!