Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Backpacking Dinners (Gear Guide)

by Ryan Jordan on May 25, 2018 Gear Guides, New Features

Introduction

Pre-packaged, dehydrated and freeze-dried backpacking dinners might be a good option for you to consider if you don’t have the time, skill, or supplies to make your own.

I own and use some meal preparation equipment (e.g., a dehydrator and a vacuum sealer) and enjoy making my own backpacking meals with ingredients that I source myself. However, I also appreciate having the option to grab a few pre-packaged backpacking meals when I’m short on time.

My favorite pre-packaged meal is the GOOD TO-GO Herbed Mushroom Risotto, which I reviewed here recently.

This gear guide features several dozen options for dehydrated and freeze-dried backpacking dinners from many different brands. Numerous sortable data tables are included in this gear guide to provide a plethora of nutrition data and metrics for comparison purposes.

Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Backpacking Dinners: Category Description

Freeze-dried and dehydrated backpacking dinners included in this gear guide met the following criteria:

They can be “cooked” by pouring boiled water into the food pouch and waiting a set amount of time (defined by the manufacturer) for the food to rehydrate. Meals that require cooking on a stove (e.g., simmering), or transfer to another container for eating, are not included. In addition, this gear guide does not include so-called self-heating meals (e.g., OMeals), which are neither dehydrated nor freeze-dried.
All meals in this gear guide are generally considered to be evening entrees. Snacks, desserts, appetizers, and breakfast foods are not included.
They are available in either 1- or 2-serving sizes (in a few cases, manufacturers have specified 1.5 or 2.5 servings). When multiple serving size options are available, the larger serving size is included, since that more closely represents the amount of food for a hearty meal for one person. Smaller people, older people, or youth may find some of the meals to provide too much food for a single serving meal.
The food brands are actively distributed through specialty outdoor retailers, so there is a high likelihood that you’ll actually find them if you need to make a last-minute run to pick up food for a trip!

I settled on a selection of five brands that cover a diverse array of both dehydrated and freeze-dried ingredients. Some meals are organic, some are vegetarian, some are vegan, and some are gluten-free. The meat dishes include beef, chicken, turkey, and seafood as ingredients.

It’s worth noting that cooking times vary wildly but tend to be similar within each brand and food type:

Mountain House: 8-9 minutes
AlpineAire: 10-12 minutes
Mary Jane’s Farm: 10-12 minutes
GOOD TO-GO: 10-12 minutes (15-20 minutes for some)
Backpacker’s Pantry: 15-20 minutes

Many brands offer meals with a potato flake base. These meals are ready to eat in about 4-5 minutes.

Cooking times depend on the volumetric quantity of ingredients that are freeze-dried vs. dehydrated and the size of the ingredient pieces and granules (e.g., potato flakes require less time to rehydrate than noodles).

Most meals contain a mixture of both types of dried food. Freeze dried ingredients usually require less cooking time than dehydrated ingredients.

The longer a meal takes to cook, the higher the probability that you won’t have piping hot food by the time the meal is rehydrated and ready to eat. Cooking times are estimates only. Cooking times will be even longer at higher altitude (because water boils at a lower temperature), or in cold temperatures where heat loss out of the bag is faster. You can mitigate some of these effects by inserting the package into a bag cozy of some sort while it’s cooking.

When I started backpacking, only Backpacker’s Pantry and Mountain House dehydrated and freeze-dried backpacking dinners were worth considering. Back then, during the 1980s, they were only marginally worth considering. Texture and taste left a lot to be desired. Advances in food drying technology and ingredient processing, along with several more big brands entering the market, makes freeze-dried and dehydrated backpacking meals much more palatable! Some of them are downright gourmet.

The following table provides a summary of the packaged meals included in this gear guide.

(Using the Table: This table is sortable, searchable, and consists of multiple pages of data. Scroll right to see all data columns on small screens. Try a search for “Mountain House” if you want to filter for a particular brand!)

Brand	Meal Name	MSRP	# Servings	Weight (oz)
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles	$9.00	2.5	4.8
Mountain House	Italian Pepper Steak	$10.00	2.5	4.6
Mountain House	Chicken and Dumplings	$8.00	2	4.7
Mountain House	Lasagna with Meat Sauce	$9.00	2.5	4.8
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles Pro-Pak	$8.00	2	4.1
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef Pro-Pak	$8.00	2	4.1
Backpacker's Pantry	Pad Thai Veggie	$5.99	2	8.0
GOOD TO-GO	Pad Thai	$9.99	2	6.6
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Bare Burrito	$9.75	1.5	5.4
Backpacker's Pantry	Chana Masala	$5.99	2	8.8
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Black Beans and Rice	$9.25	1.5	5.6
Backpacker's Pantry	Chicken Picatta with Tagliatelle Pasta	$10.79	2	6.1
AlpineAire Foods	Himalayan Lentils and Rice	$5.19	2	6.0
GOOD TO-GO	Mexican Quinoa Bowl	$9.99	2	6.8
AlpineAire Foods	Three Cheese Chicken Pasta	$5.99	2	5.0
AlpineAire Foods	Black Bart Chili with Beef and Beans	$6.79	2	6.0
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Lentils, Rice, and Indian Spice	$8.00	1.5	4.0
GOOD TO-GO	Bibimbap	$5.59	1	3.4
GOOD TO-GO	Herbed Mushroom Risotto	$5.59	1	3.4
GOOD TO-GO	Indian Vegetable Korma	$9.99	2	6.7
Backpacker's Pantry	Pesto Pasta with Salmon	$11.99	2	8.7
AlpineAire Foods	Mountain Chili	$5.19	2	6.0
GOOD TO-GO	Thai Curry	$5.59	1	3.4
AlpineAire Foods	Santa Fe Black Beans and Rice	$5.19	2	6.5
AlpineAire Foods	Thai Style Chicken with Noodles	$5.99	2	5.1
Backpacker's Pantry	Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken	$8.79	2	7.5
Backpacker's Pantry	Cincinnati Style Chili with Beef	$7.59	2	8.0
AlpineAire Foods	Spicy Sausage Pasta	$5.99	2	5.0
GOOD TO-GO	Smoked Three Bean Chili	$9.99	2	7.0
GOOD TO-GO	Marinara with Penne	$9.99	2	7.0
Backpacker's Pantry	Vegetable Lasagna	$7.19	2	7.0
AlpineAire Foods	Cheese Enchilada Ranchero	$5.19	2	6.3
GOOD TO-GO	Double Chicken Gumbo	$9.99	2	6.8
Backpacker's Pantry	Cuban Coconut Beans and Rice	$5.99	2	8.7
Backpacker's Pantry	Shepherd's Potato Stew with Beef	$8.79	2	5.8
Backpacker's Pantry	Three Cheese Mac and Cheese	$7.59	2	7.1
Backpacker's Pantry	Baco Cheddar Mashed Potatoes	$3.59	2	3.5
Backpacker's Pantry	Beef Pho	$7.19	2	4.6
AlpineAire Foods	Indian Style Chicken Curry	$5.99	2	6.0
Backpacker's Pantry	Mexican Cowboy Beans and Brown Rice	$5.19	2	8.3
Backpacker's Pantry	Chiang Mai Coconut Curry with Beef	$8.79	2	6.6
AlpineAire Foods	Southwestern Style Masa with Beef	$6.79	2	6.0
Backpacker's Pantry	Kung Pao Rice with Chicken	$8.79	2	7.8
Backpacker's Pantry	Jamaican Style Jerk Rice and Beans with Chicken	$7.19	2	6.2
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken Gumbo	$5.99	2	5.5
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowl	$6.79	2	6.0
AlpineAire Foods	Creamy Potato Cheddar Soup	$3.59	2	3.5
AlpineAire Foods	Mesquite BBQ Seasoned Chicken with Beans and Rice	$6.79	2	7.0
AlpineAire Foods	Beef and Rice Burrito Bowl	$6.79	2	6.0
AlpineAire Foods	Vegetarian Burrito Bowl	$5.19	2	6.0
AlpineAire Foods	Honey Lime Chicken	$5.99	2	5.8
AlpineAire Foods	Pepper Beef with Rice	$6.79	2	6.0
AlpineAire Foods	Pineapple Orange Chicken	$6.79	2	7.0
Mountain House	Chicken Fajita Bowl	$9.00	2	4.2
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef	$9.00	2.5	4.8
Mountain House	Grilled Chicken Breasts and Mashed Potatoes	$11.00	2	3.7
Mountain House	Spaghetti with Meat Sauce	$8.00	2.5	4.5
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Shepheard's Meat Pie	$12.00	1.5	4.0
Mountain House	Chicken Teryaki with Rice	$9.00	2.5	5.0

Prices represent current sale prices at REI as of the time of publication.

Food Types

All meals in this gear guide were categorized based on the major food types of interest to those who aspire to follow a particular diet strategy, including:

Meals with meat (these include beef, chicken, and turkey)
Vegetarian meals (may contain dairy products)
Vegan meals (no meat or dairy)
Gluten-free meals

These types are noted in the table below.

(Using the Table: This table is sortable, searchable, and consists of multiple pages of data. Scroll right to see all data columns on small screens. Try searching for “chicken” or “vegan” as examples of how to filter the entries for various search terms.)

Brand	Name	Type	Gluten-Free?
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles	beef	no
Mountain House	Italian Pepper Steak	beef	yes
Mountain House	Chicken and Dumplings	chicken	no
Mountain House	Lasagna with Meat Sauce	beef	no
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles Pro-Pak	beef	no
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef Pro-Pak	beef	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Pad Thai Veggie	vegan	yes
GOOD TO-GO	Pad Thai	seafood	yes
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Bare Burrito	vegetarian	yes
Backpacker's Pantry	Chana Masala	vegan	yes
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Black Beans and Rice	vegetarian	yes
Backpacker's Pantry	Chicken Picatta with Tagliatelle Pasta	chicken	no
AlpineAire Foods	Himalayan Lentils and Rice	vegetarian	yes
GOOD TO-GO	Mexican Quinoa Bowl	vegan	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Three Cheese Chicken Pasta	chicken	no
AlpineAire Foods	Black Bart Chili with Beef and Beans	beef	yes
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Lentils, Rice, and Indian Spice	vegan	yes
GOOD TO-GO	Bibimbap	vegan	yes
GOOD TO-GO	Herbed Mushroom Risotto	vegan	yes
GOOD TO-GO	Indian Vegetable Korma	vegetarian	yes
Backpacker's Pantry	Pesto Pasta with Salmon	seafood	no
AlpineAire Foods	Mountain Chili	vegetarian	yes
GOOD TO-GO	Thai Curry	seafood	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Santa Fe Black Beans and Rice	vegan	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Thai Style Chicken with Noodles	chicken	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken	chicken	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Cincinnati Style Chili with Beef	beef	no
AlpineAire Foods	Spicy Sausage Pasta	beef	no
GOOD TO-GO	Smoked Three Bean Chili	vegan	yes
GOOD TO-GO	Marinara with Penne	vegan	yes
Backpacker's Pantry	Vegetable Lasagna	vegetarian	no
AlpineAire Foods	Cheese Enchilada Ranchero	vegetarian	no
GOOD TO-GO	Double Chicken Gumbo	chicken	yes
Backpacker's Pantry	Cuban Coconut Beans and Rice	vegetarian	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Shepherd's Potato Stew with Beef	beef	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Three Cheese Mac and Cheese	vegetarian	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Baco Cheddar Mashed Potatoes	vegetarian	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Beef Pho	beef	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Indian Style Chicken Curry	chicken	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Mexican Cowboy Beans and Brown Rice	vegan	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Chiang Mai Coconut Curry with Beef	beef	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Southwestern Style Masa with Beef	beef	yes
Backpacker's Pantry	Kung Pao Rice with Chicken	chicken	no
Backpacker's Pantry	Jamaican Style Jerk Rice and Beans with Chicken	chicken	no
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken Gumbo	chicken	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowl	chicken	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Creamy Potato Cheddar Soup	vegetarian	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Mesquite BBQ Seasoned Chicken with Beans and Rice	chicken	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Beef and Rice Burrito Bowl	beef	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Vegetarian Burrito Bowl	vegetarian	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Honey Lime Chicken	chicken	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Pepper Beef with Rice	beef	yes
AlpineAire Foods	Pineapple Orange Chicken	chicken	yes
Mountain House	Chicken Fajita Bowl	chicken	yes
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef	beef	no
Mountain House	Grilled Chicken Breasts and Mashed Potatoes	chicken	no
Mountain House	Spaghetti with Meat Sauce	beef	no
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Shepheard's Meat Pie	beef	no
Mountain House	Chicken Teryaki with Rice	chicken	no

Product Nutrition Considerations

Calories

Calories = fuel. Generally, most hikers will consume 400-800 Calories during their evening meal, which helps replenish glycogen stores, repair muscles, and provide metabolic fuel until morning.

Macronutrients

Most backpackers who are students of their own nutrition will attempt to dial in a particular macronutrient ratio, defined as carbohydrates:fats:protein. One common ratio is 50:35:15, which simply means that 50% of your calories are coming from carbohydrates, 35% of your calories are coming from fats, and 15% of your calories are coming from protein.

Some backpackers try to increase the caloric density (e.g., expressed as Calories per ounce) of their food by increasing the percentage of fat in their diet (which has a caloric density of 9 Calories/gram vs. proteins and carbohydrates, which have a caloric density of 4 Calories/gram). A typical high-fat backpacking diet may have a macronutrient ratio that looks something like 35:50:15.

Proponents of ketogenic and other low-carb diets for athletic activity rely upon diets where less than 10% of their total caloric intake is from carbohydrates, where energy is derived primarily from fat metabolism instead of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles.

For most (non-fat adapted eaters), a high load (100-150 g) of carbohydrates during the evening meal helps replenish glycogen stores consumed over the course of several hours of hiking.

Protein (at least 20 g per meal) helps with muscle repair.

Saturated Fats and Cholesterol

In the raw data table at the end of this gear guide, saturated fats and cholesterol numbers are reported as an FYI for those with chronic diseases that require monitoring the dietary intake of these nutrients. Neither one likely has any meaningful impact on short-term backpacking performance.

Sodium

A diet void of sodium is risky for backpacking. High levels of physical exertion, especially during warm temperatures, results in perspiration and sodium loss that can lead to conditions such as hyponatremia. One diet that can be particularly problematic is one that rigidly adheres to plant-based whole foods with no processed foods or ingredients. The extremely low sodium in this type of diet is risky for backpackers, who may expel up to several grams per day of salt through perspiration.

Conversely, some people monitor sodium intake as part of chronic disease management.

Fortunately, for backpacking, we can afford to take in a little extra salt here and there since we are engaging in an activity that expels quite a bit more of it than if we were sitting at our desk back at the office.

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber increases stool softness, volume, and regularity (reduces constipation). High fiber diets (especially common among those who eat plant-based diets) are great for backpacking, but when combined with vigorous exercise, may increase your required toilet paper supply dramatically.

Sugars

The sugar content of these foods is provided in the raw data table at the end of this gear guide primarily for those interested in evaluating the potential glycemic and insulinemic impacts of foods.

Macronutrient Specifications (Per Package)

This table is sortable, searchable, and consists of multiple pages of data. Scroll right to see all data columns on small screens.

Brand	Name	Package Weight (oz)	Calories	Fat (g)	Carbs (g)	% Carbs as Fiber	Protein (g)
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles	4.8	650	28	73	3%	28
Mountain House	Italian Pepper Steak	4.6	450	6	73	14%	33
Mountain House	Chicken and Dumplings	4.7	620	28	62	6%	30
Mountain House	Lasagna with Meat Sauce	4.8	600	20	73	10%	35
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles Pro-Pak	4.1	520	22	58	3%	22
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef Pro-Pak	4.1	460	12	62	16%	24
Backpacker's Pantry	Pad Thai Veggie	8.0	920	36	128	13%	36
GOOD TO-GO	Pad Thai	6.6	860	20	146	7%	32
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Bare Burrito	5.4	555	9	93	24%	29
Backpacker's Pantry	Chana Masala	8.8	860	5	184	10%	26
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Black Beans and Rice	5.6	570	9	98	37%	30
Backpacker's Pantry	Chicken Picatta with Tagliatelle Pasta	6.1	700	18	86	7%	48
AlpineAire Foods	Himalayan Lentils and Rice	6.0	620	7	124	15%	22
GOOD TO-GO	Mexican Quinoa Bowl	6.8	700	16	134	13%	26
AlpineAire Foods	Three Cheese Chicken Pasta	5.0	580	16	68	6%	38
AlpineAire Foods	Black Bart Chili with Beef and Beans	6.0	580	10	84	31%	50
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Lentils, Rice, and Indian Spice	4.0	435	2	90	15%	17
GOOD TO-GO	Bibimbap	3.4	370	8	66	6%	9
GOOD TO-GO	Herbed Mushroom Risotto	3.4	410	10	64	6%	13
GOOD TO-GO	Indian Vegetable Korma	6.7	780	32	104	23%	30
Backpacker's Pantry	Pesto Pasta with Salmon	8.7	640	28	84	5%	40
AlpineAire Foods	Mountain Chili	6.0	540	4	94	28%	42
GOOD TO-GO	Thai Curry	3.4	380	14	56	13%	10
AlpineAire Foods	Santa Fe Black Beans and Rice	6.5	640	3	136	12%	20
AlpineAire Foods	Thai Style Chicken with Noodles	5.1	500	6	90	7%	28
Backpacker's Pantry	Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken	7.5	540	12	102	2%	44
Backpacker's Pantry	Cincinnati Style Chili with Beef	8.0	740	5	140	13%	40
AlpineAire Foods	Spicy Sausage Pasta	5.0	600	22	76	8%	24
GOOD TO-GO	Smoked Three Bean Chili	7.0	680	10	126	24%	32
GOOD TO-GO	Marinara with Penne	7.0	920	26	126	13%	24
Backpacker's Pantry	Vegetable Lasagna	7.0	760	18	110	11%	44
AlpineAire Foods	Cheese Enchilada Ranchero	6.3	760	32	96	10%	30
GOOD TO-GO	Double Chicken Gumbo	6.8	660	16	108	11%	32
Backpacker's Pantry	Cuban Coconut Beans and Rice	8.7	960	14	176	34%	34
Backpacker's Pantry	Shepherd's Potato Stew with Beef	5.8	600	16	82	12%	36
Backpacker's Pantry	Three Cheese Mac and Cheese	7.1	860	28	112	4%	38
Backpacker's Pantry	Baco Cheddar Mashed Potatoes	3.5	420	14	60	10%	16
Backpacker's Pantry	Beef Pho	4.6	460	2	98	6%	16
AlpineAire Foods	Indian Style Chicken Curry	6.0	600	9	118	12%	28
Backpacker's Pantry	Mexican Cowboy Beans and Brown Rice	8.3	800	6	164	16%	32
Backpacker's Pantry	Chiang Mai Coconut Curry with Beef	6.6	540	5	102	8%	22
AlpineAire Foods	Southwestern Style Masa with Beef	6.0	660	16	92	13%	40
Backpacker's Pantry	Kung Pao Rice with Chicken	7.8	740	14	114	11%	48
Backpacker's Pantry	Jamaican Style Jerk Rice and Beans with Chicken	6.2	620	4	116	22%	38
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken Gumbo	5.5	540	4	100	6%	32
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowl	6.0	620	4	116	16%	32
AlpineAire Foods	Creamy Potato Cheddar Soup	3.5	360	12	54	7%	16
AlpineAire Foods	Mesquite BBQ Seasoned Chicken with Beans and Rice	7.0	700	5	126	11%	40
AlpineAire Foods	Beef and Rice Burrito Bowl	6.0	620	5	116	16%	30
AlpineAire Foods	Vegetarian Burrito Bowl	6.0	600	2	128	14%	20
AlpineAire Foods	Honey Lime Chicken	5.8	600	3	160	1%	22
AlpineAire Foods	Pepper Beef with Rice	6.0	620	7	144	3%	28
AlpineAire Foods	Pineapple Orange Chicken	7.0	720	4	140	4%	32
Mountain House	Chicken Fajita Bowl	4.2	560	22	50	12%	40
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef	4.8	575	15	78	16%	30
Mountain House	Grilled Chicken Breasts and Mashed Potatoes	3.7	420	7	44	9%	44
Mountain House	Spaghetti with Meat Sauce	4.5	575	13	83	9%	30
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Shepheard's Meat Pie	4.0	375	9	54	8%	23
Mountain House	Chicken Teryaki with Rice	5.0	550	5	100	3%	25

Macronutrient Density

(Using the Table: This table is sortable, searchable, and consists of multiple pages of data. Scroll right to see all data columns on small screens.)

Brand	Name	Cal/oz	Fat (g)/oz	Carb (g)/oz	Protein (g)/oz
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles	135.4	5.7	15.1	5.7
Mountain House	Italian Pepper Steak	97.8	1.4	15.8	7.1
Mountain House	Chicken and Dumplings	131.9	6.0	13.2	6.4
Mountain House	Lasagna with Meat Sauce	125.0	4.2	15.1	7.3
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles Pro-Pak	126.8	5.4	14.1	5.4
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef Pro-Pak	112.2	2.9	15.1	5.9
Backpacker's Pantry	Pad Thai Veggie	115.0	4.5	16.0	4.5
GOOD TO-GO	Pad Thai	130.3	3.0	22.1	4.8
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Bare Burrito	102.8	1.7	17.2	5.3
Backpacker's Pantry	Chana Masala	97.7	0.6	20.9	3.0
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Black Beans and Rice	101.8	1.6	17.4	5.4
Backpacker's Pantry	Chicken Picatta with Tagliatelle Pasta	114.8	3.0	14.1	7.9
AlpineAire Foods	Himalayan Lentils and Rice	103.3	1.2	20.7	3.7
GOOD TO-GO	Mexican Quinoa Bowl	102.9	2.4	19.7	3.8
AlpineAire Foods	Three Cheese Chicken Pasta	116.0	3.2	13.6	7.6
AlpineAire Foods	Black Bart Chili with Beef and Beans	96.7	1.7	14.0	8.3
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Lentils, Rice, and Indian Spice	108.8	0.6	22.5	4.1
GOOD TO-GO	Bibimbap	108.8	2.4	19.4	2.6
GOOD TO-GO	Herbed Mushroom Risotto	120.6	2.9	18.8	3.8
GOOD TO-GO	Indian Vegetable Korma	116.4	4.8	15.5	4.5
Backpacker's Pantry	Pesto Pasta with Salmon	73.6	3.2	9.7	4.6
AlpineAire Foods	Mountain Chili	90.0	0.7	15.7	7.0
GOOD TO-GO	Thai Curry	111.8	4.1	16.5	2.9
AlpineAire Foods	Santa Fe Black Beans and Rice	98.5	0.5	20.9	3.1
AlpineAire Foods	Thai Style Chicken with Noodles	97.7	1.2	17.6	5.5
Backpacker's Pantry	Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken	72.0	1.6	13.6	5.9
Backpacker's Pantry	Cincinnati Style Chili with Beef	92.5	0.6	17.5	5.0
AlpineAire Foods	Spicy Sausage Pasta	120.0	4.4	15.2	4.8
GOOD TO-GO	Smoked Three Bean Chili	97.1	1.4	18.0	4.6
GOOD TO-GO	Marinara with Penne	131.4	3.7	18.0	3.4
Backpacker's Pantry	Vegetable Lasagna	108.6	2.6	15.7	6.3
AlpineAire Foods	Cheese Enchilada Ranchero	121.6	5.1	15.4	4.8
GOOD TO-GO	Double Chicken Gumbo	97.1	2.4	15.9	4.7
Backpacker's Pantry	Cuban Coconut Beans and Rice	110.3	1.6	20.2	3.9
Backpacker's Pantry	Shepherd's Potato Stew with Beef	103.4	2.8	14.1	6.2
Backpacker's Pantry	Three Cheese Mac and Cheese	121.1	3.9	15.8	5.4
Backpacker's Pantry	Baco Cheddar Mashed Potatoes	120.0	4.0	17.1	4.6
Backpacker's Pantry	Beef Pho	100.0	0.4	21.3	3.5
AlpineAire Foods	Indian Style Chicken Curry	100.0	1.5	19.7	4.7
Backpacker's Pantry	Mexican Cowboy Beans and Brown Rice	96.4	0.7	19.8	3.9
Backpacker's Pantry	Chiang Mai Coconut Curry with Beef	81.8	0.8	15.5	3.3
AlpineAire Foods	Southwestern Style Masa with Beef	110.0	2.7	15.3	6.7
Backpacker's Pantry	Kung Pao Rice with Chicken	94.9	1.8	14.6	6.2
Backpacker's Pantry	Jamaican Style Jerk Rice and Beans with Chicken	100.0	0.6	18.7	6.1
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken Gumbo	98.2	0.7	18.2	5.8
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowl	103.3	0.7	19.3	5.3
AlpineAire Foods	Creamy Potato Cheddar Soup	102.9	3.4	15.4	4.6
AlpineAire Foods	Mesquite BBQ Seasoned Chicken with Beans and Rice	100.0	0.7	18.0	5.7
AlpineAire Foods	Beef and Rice Burrito Bowl	103.3	0.8	19.3	5.0
AlpineAire Foods	Vegetarian Burrito Bowl	100.0	0.3	21.3	3.3
AlpineAire Foods	Honey Lime Chicken	104.3	0.5	27.8	3.8
AlpineAire Foods	Pepper Beef with Rice	103.3	1.2	24.0	4.7
AlpineAire Foods	Pineapple Orange Chicken	102.9	0.6	20.0	4.6
Mountain House	Chicken Fajita Bowl	132.4	5.2	11.8	9.5
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef	119.8	3.1	16.1	6.3
Mountain House	Grilled Chicken Breasts and Mashed Potatoes	113.5	1.9	11.9	11.9
Mountain House	Spaghetti with Meat Sauce	127.5	2.8	18.3	6.7
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Shepheard's Meat Pie	93.8	2.3	13.5	5.6
Mountain House	Chicken Teryaki with Rice	109.8	1.0	20.0	5.0

Raw Data Table

(Using the Table: This table is sortable, searchable, and consists of multiple pages of data. Scroll right to see all data columns. Try a search for “vegan” or “pad thai” to see how the search-and-filter function works!)

Brand	Meal Name	Type	Gluten Free?	MSRP	Cooking Time (minutes)	Weight (oz)	Servings	Calories	Fat (g)	Sat Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carb (g)	Dietary Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	Protein (g)
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles	beef	no	$9.00	8	4.8	2.5	260	11	4	45	800	29	1	3	11
Mountain House	Italian Pepper Steak	beef	yes	$10.00	8	4.6	2.5	180	2.5	0.5	25	590	29	4	2	13
Mountain House	Chicken and Dumplings	chicken	no	$8.00	8	4.7	2	310	14	4	35	970	31	2	7	15
Mountain House	Lasagna with Meat Sauce	beef	no	$9.00	8	4.8	2.5	240	8	3.5	30	390	29	3	6	14
Mountain House	Beef Stroganoff with Noodles Pro-Pak	beef	no	$8.00	8	4.1	2	260	11	4	45	800	29	1	3	11
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef Pro-Pak	beef	no	$8.00	8	4.1	2	230	6	2	20	780	31	5	3	12
Backpacker's Pantry	Pad Thai Veggie	vegan	yes	$5.99	15	8.0	2	460	18	3	0	480	64	8	15	18
GOOD TO-GO	Pad Thai	seafood	yes	$9.99	15	6.6	2	430	10	1.5	105	340	73	5	15	16
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Bare Burrito	vegetarian	yes	$9.75	10	5.4	1.5	370	6	2.5	10	720	62	15	4	19
Backpacker's Pantry	Chana Masala	vegan	yes	$5.99	15	8.8	2	430	2.5	0	0	1,340	92	9	15	13
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Black Beans and Rice	vegetarian	yes	$9.25	10	5.6	1.5	380	6	2.5	10	680	65	24	2	20
Backpacker's Pantry	Chicken Picatta with Tagliatelle Pasta	chicken	no	$10.79	20	6.1	2	350	9	2	40	1,450	43	3	2	24
AlpineAire Foods	Himalayan Lentils and Rice	vegetarian	yes	$5.19	10	6.0	2	310	3.5	1.5	10	180	62	9	3	11
GOOD TO-GO	Mexican Quinoa Bowl	vegan	yes	$9.99	15	6.8	2	350	8	1	0	390	67	9	9	13
AlpineAire Foods	Three Cheese Chicken Pasta	chicken	no	$5.99	10	5.0	2	290	8	4.5	35	570	34	2	4	19
AlpineAire Foods	Black Bart Chili with Beef and Beans	beef	yes	$6.79	10	6.0	2	290	5	1.5	35	750	42	13	7	25
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Lentils, Rice, and Indian Spice	vegan	yes	$8.00	10	4.0	1.5	290	1.5	0	0	520	60	9	9	11
GOOD TO-GO	Bibimbap	vegan	yes	$5.59	20	3.4	1	370	8	1.5	0	670	66	4	11	9
GOOD TO-GO	Herbed Mushroom Risotto	vegan	yes	$5.59	20	3.4	1	410	10	1.5	0	420	64	4	3	13
GOOD TO-GO	Indian Vegetable Korma	vegetarian	yes	$9.99	20	6.7	2	390	16	6	0	690	52	12	17	15
Backpacker's Pantry	Pesto Pasta with Salmon	seafood	no	$11.99	15	8.7	2	320	14	4.5	30	140	30	3	9	18
AlpineAire Foods	Mountain Chili	vegetarian	yes	$5.19	10	6.0	2	270	2	0	0	590	47	13	9	21
GOOD TO-GO	Thai Curry	seafood	yes	$5.59	20	3.4	1	380	14	8	0	500	56	7	8	10
AlpineAire Foods	Santa Fe Black Beans and Rice	vegan	yes	$5.19	10	6.5	2	320	1.5	0	0	370	68	8	8	10
AlpineAire Foods	Thai Style Chicken with Noodles	chicken	no	$5.99	10	5.1	2	250	3	0.5	15	420	45	3	5	14
Backpacker's Pantry	Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken	chicken	no	$8.79	15	7.5	2	270	6	3.5	45	850	36		12	18
Backpacker's Pantry	Cincinnati Style Chili with Beef	beef	no	$7.59	15	8.0	2	370	2.5	0	20	540	70	9	9	20
AlpineAire Foods	Spicy Sausage Pasta	beef	no	$5.99	10	5.0	2	300	11	5	25	440	38	3	3	12
GOOD TO-GO	Smoked Three Bean Chili	vegan	yes	$9.99	20	7.0	2	340	5	0.5	0	360	63	15	13	16
GOOD TO-GO	Marinara with Penne	vegan	yes	$9.99	20	7.0	2	460	13	1.5	0	360	63	8	15	12
Backpacker's Pantry	Vegetable Lasagna	vegetarian	no	$7.19	15	7.0	2	380	9	5	25	690	55	6	11	22
AlpineAire Foods	Cheese Enchilada Ranchero	vegetarian	no	$5.19	10	6.3	2	380	16	6	25	700	48	5	6	15
GOOD TO-GO	Double Chicken Gumbo	chicken	yes	$9.99	15	6.8	2	330	8	1.5	45	420	54	6	3	16
Backpacker's Pantry	Cuban Coconut Beans and Rice	vegetarian	no	$5.99	15	8.7	2	480	7	2	0	810	88	30	12	17
Backpacker's Pantry	Shepherd's Potato Stew with Beef	beef	no	$8.79	15	5.8	2	300	8	3.5	45	1,340	41	5	8	18
Backpacker's Pantry	Three Cheese Mac and Cheese	vegetarian	no	$7.59	15	7.1	2	430	14	7	45	610	56	2	5	19
Backpacker's Pantry	Baco Cheddar Mashed Potatoes	vegetarian	no	$3.59	5	3.5	2	210	7	3.5	15	690	30	3	3	8
Backpacker's Pantry	Beef Pho	beef	yes	$7.19	15	4.6	2	230	1	0	20	1,080	49	3	3	8
AlpineAire Foods	Indian Style Chicken Curry	chicken	no	$5.99	10	6.0	2	300	4.5	2.5	20	380	59	7	14	14
Backpacker's Pantry	Mexican Cowboy Beans and Brown Rice	vegan	no	$5.19	15	8.3	2	400	3	0	0	1,090	82	13	8	16
Backpacker's Pantry	Chiang Mai Coconut Curry with Beef	beef	yes	$8.79	15	6.6	2	270	2.5	0	20	650	51	4	4	11
AlpineAire Foods	Southwestern Style Masa with Beef	beef	yes	$6.79	10	6.0	2	330	8	4	35	770	46	6	10	20
Backpacker's Pantry	Kung Pao Rice with Chicken	chicken	no	$8.79	15	7.8	2	370	7	1	30	1,070	57	6	10	24
Backpacker's Pantry	Jamaican Style Jerk Rice and Beans with Chicken	chicken	no	$7.19	15	6.2	2	310	2	0	25	1,440	58	13	9	19
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken Gumbo	chicken	yes	$5.99	10	5.5	2	270	2	0	30	630	50	3	8	16
AlpineAire Foods	Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowl	chicken	yes	$6.79	10	6.0	2	310	2	0	20	300	58	9	5	16
AlpineAire Foods	Creamy Potato Cheddar Soup	vegetarian	yes	$3.59	10	3.5	2	180	6	4	20	640	27	2	3	8
AlpineAire Foods	Mesquite BBQ Seasoned Chicken with Beans and Rice	chicken	yes	$6.79	10	7.0	2	350	2.5	0	30	460	63	7	15	20
AlpineAire Foods	Beef and Rice Burrito Bowl	beef	yes	$6.79	10	6.0	2	310	2.5	0.5	15	400	58	9	5	15
AlpineAire Foods	Vegetarian Burrito Bowl	vegetarian	yes	$5.19	10	6.0	2	300	1	0	0	280	64	9	5	10
AlpineAire Foods	Honey Lime Chicken	chicken	yes	$5.99	10	5.8	2	300	1.5	0	20	480	80	1	6	22
AlpineAire Foods	Pepper Beef with Rice	beef	yes	$6.79	10	6.0	2	310	3.5	0	25	580	72	2	2	14
AlpineAire Foods	Pineapple Orange Chicken	chicken	yes	$6.79	10	7.0	2	360	2	0.5	25	410	70	3	13	16
Mountain House	Chicken Fajita Bowl	chicken	yes	$9.00	9	4.2	2	280	11	1	60	690	25	3	4	20
Mountain House	Chili Mac with Beef	beef	no	$9.00	8	4.8	2.5	230	6	2	20	780	31	5	3	12
Mountain House	Grilled Chicken Breasts and Mashed Potatoes	chicken	no	$11.00	4	3.7	2	210	3.5	1.5	55	810	22	2	2	22
Mountain House	Spaghetti with Meat Sauce	beef	no	$8.00	8	4.5	2.5	230	5	2	20	600	33	3	5	12
MaryJanesFarm	Organic Shepheard's Meat Pie	beef	no	$12.00	5	4.0	1.5	250	6	3.5	20	780	36	3	5	15
Mountain House	Chicken Teryaki with Rice	chicken	no	$9.00	8	5.0	2.5	220	2	0.5	25	660	40	1	12	10

Recommendations

Ultralight Performance: Best Calorie-to-Weight Ratio Meals

The meals in this gear guide have an average caloric density of 107 Cal/oz, with a range of 72-135 Cal/oz.

The following meals have caloric densities exceeding 130 Calories per ounce:

Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles (135.4 Cal/oz)
Mountain House Chicken Fajita Bowl (132.4 Cal/oz)
Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings (131.9 Cal/oz)
GOOD TO-GO Marinara with Penne (131.4 Cal/oz)
GOOD TO-GO Pad Thai (130.3 Cal/oz)

Trying to Lose Weight? Lowest Calorie-to-Weight Ratio Meals

Low-cal meals may be of interest to those who are trying to lose weight.

The meals that had the lowest caloric density were:

Backpacker’s Pantry Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken (72.0 Cal/oz)
Backpacker’s Pantry Pesto Pasta with Salmon (73.6 Cal/oz)
Backpacker’s Pantry Chiang Mai Coconut Curry with Beef (81.8 Cal/oz)

Low Net-Carb Options

If you are looking to minimize your carbohydrate intake, look for meals that have a low net carbohydrate density (total carbs minus dietary fiber, per weight unit).

Backpacker’s Pantry Pesto Pasta with Salmon (9.7 net carb (g)/oz, i.e., net carb density of 34%).
Mountain House Chicken Fajita Bowl (11.8 net carb (g)/oz, i.e., net carb density of 42%).

The average net carb density for all meals in this gear guide is 15.2 net carb (g)/oz (net carb density of 54%).

High Net-Carb Options

For those who do not eat a ketogenic or other fat-adapted diet and need a very high carb meal after a particularly long day of hiking, consider these high net-carb density options:

AlpineAire Foods Honey Lime Chicken (27.5 net carb (g)/oz, i.e., net carb content by weight = 97%).
AlpineAire Foods Pepper Beef with Rice (23.3 net carb (g)/oz, i.e., net carb content by weight = 82%).
GOOD TO-GO Pad Thai (20.6 net carb (g)/oz, i.e., net carb content by weight = 73%).
Backpacker’s Pantry Beef Pho (20.0 net carb (g)/oz, i.e., net carb content by weight = 71%).

Best Value: Calories per Dollar

The meals in this gear guide have an average cost of $1.30 per 100 Calories, and range from $0.62/100 Cal to $3.20/100 Cal. Prices represent current backpacking dinner sale prices at REI as of the time of publication. Some items are on sale during REI’s Anniversary Sale, others remain listed at their MSRP.

Average cost by brand:

AlpineAire – $0.99/100 Cal
Backpacker’s Pantry – $1.15/100 Cal
GOOD TO-GO – $1.36/100 Cal
Mountain House – $1.68/100 Cal
Mary Jane’s Farm – $2.10/100 Cal

The following meals give you the most calories per dollar spent:

Backpacker’s Pantry Cuban Coconut Beans and Rice ($0.62 per 100 Calories)
Backpacker’s Pantry Mexican Cowboy Beans and Brown Rice ($0.65 per 100 Calories)
Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai Veggie ($0.65 per 100 Calories)
AlpineAire Foods Cheese Enchilada Ranchero ($0.68 per 100 Calories)

Acknowledgments

I’d like to say thank you to Stephanie Jordan for performing the data research for this review!

Disclosure

Some links in this review may link to our affiliate merchant partners. If you click on a link and subsequently make an online purchase with that retailer, Backpacking Light receives a small commission on the sale at no extra charge to you. This helps us maintain the website and create valuable content – thank you for supporting us in this way!

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May 25, 2018 at 6:25 am #3538267

Ryan Jordan
Admin

@ryan
Locale: Central Rockies

Companion forum thread to: Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Backpacking Dinners (Gear Guide)

This gear guide features several dozen options for freeze-dried and dehydrated backpacking dinners from many different brands and provides nutritional information on each one for comparison purposes.

May 26, 2018 at 12:06 am #3538443

GK Lott
BPL Member

@gklott
Locale: Texas Hill Country

Thanks for the details and the quantitative comparisons.

I can highly recommend these two brands as the best I’ve found for variety, content, preparation ease, various sizes, taste, and availability – with emphasis on the taste.
Packit Gourmet https://www.packitgourmet.com/
Mary Jane’s Farms https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/Food

I really like Mary Jane’s organic products and ingredients. They make it easy to customize nutrition. Packit Gourmet has such neat, tasty items – especially Mom’s Banana Puddin’. Using these two brands, I look forward to meals on the trail – even when arriving late and worn out.

Enjoy your walking!

May 26, 2018 at 1:55 am #3538466

Brad Rogers
BPL Member

@mocs123
Locale: Southeast Tennessee

I will second Pack-It Gourmet – the best dehydrated food I have found.

May 26, 2018 at 3:00 am #3538482

rubmybelly!
BPL Member

@sleeping
Locale: The Cascades

Love Packit Gourmet. Also fond of Heather’s Choice, though her meals are expensive (and she’s only got two entrees on the site right now, there are usually half a dozen – the Dark Chocolate Chili, Chipotle Cherry Chili and Doro Wat are quite good). Some Outdoor Herbivore is also pretty good for veggie/vegan meals, but it can be a bit of hit or miss. And Patagonia actually has a couple of nice veggie meals now.

Would love to see another article of this type that features the smaller, ‘cottage’ meal makers instead of the big guys (and gals).

May 26, 2018 at 3:19 am #3538484

matthew k
Moderator

@matthewkphx

I don’t cook much these days but when I do, I prefer Packit Gourmet’s meals as well. I’m also a big fan of their “grocery” items which I’ve used to dress up potato flakes, couscous etc.

Honeyville Farms is another good source for this approach to making meals.

May 26, 2018 at 1:30 pm #3538523

Jerry Adams
BPL Member

@retiredjerry
Locale: Oregon and Washington

I don’t do meals, but I dry my own pinto beans, add dried onions, peppers, and tomatoes from packit gourmet which are pretty good.

Sometimes I dry my own, but the ones from packit gourmet are probably better and don’t cost much more

May 26, 2018 at 1:52 pm #3538527

Ken Thompson
BPL Member

@here
Locale: Right there

Just placed an order myself,

https://www.packitgourmet.com

But in the scope of this guide even my local Winco carries some Mountain House. I like to buy on sale and stockpile so I don’t have to think much about food.

May 26, 2018 at 5:10 pm #3538543

Karen
BPL Member

@granolagirlak

Is Packit Gourmet available at retail stores or only online?

REI does tastings for their employees of the brands they sell; wish they’d do that for the public.

May 26, 2018 at 5:16 pm #3538545

Ken Thompson
BPL Member

@here
Locale: Right there

PG is online only

May 26, 2018 at 5:35 pm #3538550

Gary Dunckel
BPL Member

@zia-grill-guy
Locale: Boulder

Many FD meals have good amount of salt. But if you know that you’ll be sweating a lot on a couple of days of your trip, you might want to take along 1-2 ProPacks of Mountain House’s Beef Stew – each one contains a whopping 2390 mg of NaCl (the other ProPacks contain 570-820 mg).

When our local meet-up group hosted Backpacker’s Pantry (a local Boulder company), I asked the speaker just why their foods all contained so much salt, and was it because it was needed during the freeze drying process. She answered that no, it isn’t for the FD process, but that backpackers need more salt. I mentioned that their products are also marketed toward those that want to stock a “ready food supply” in case a disaster (eg, a hurricane) happens. I also suggested that so much salt wouldn’t be good for the elderly with high blood pressure that was in a sedentary environment (when I volunteered with a Federal disaster response team, I spoke with a Red Cross person about this very thing, and she definitely concurred). The Backpacker’s Pantry speaker’s reply, was something like, “Um…I see…well… Now, are there any other questions, people?”

I was rather bummed that most FD meals have so much salt, until I realized that my own concoctions (which I dehydrate and then vacuum seal) contain far more salt than Mountain House ProPacks. My favorites contain between 1000 mg and 1600 mg of NaCl.

May 27, 2018 at 6:36 am #3538663

Eric Blumensaadt
BPL Member

@danepacker
Locale: Mojave Desert

Thanks very much for this article Ryan. Very helpful.

But as one who has been on a low sodium diet since 1977 (tinitus problems) I gotta say that most of the foods you listed are “salt bombs” that I have to avoid. That’s why Freezer Bag Cooking and home dehydration is my mainstay.

Let’s be honest here regarding high sodium content of freeze dried foods. We do NOT need 3 to 4 times the maximum daily recommended salt content in EACH mealbecause we sweat a lot from the exertion of backpacking! If more freeze dried food makers would use more spices for flavoring I feel they could greatly lower the sodium content in their foods. But of course substituting spices for flavoring is more expensive than sodium…

May 27, 2018 at 12:46 pm #3538671

Arthur
BPL Member

@art-r

Eric is right on and the main reason I cannot stand this stuff. Getting hyponatremia outside the US desert southwest in the summer on a backpacking trip is about impossible with the food we eat. And, if you eat about anything that comes in a bag every day or two you will have tons of sodium unless you have some sort of water drinking compulsion. My take on all this food is that it inherently tastes so bad that the only way to make it editable is to douse it with salt. BTW, I am no health food nut nor do I have any bent on “eating right”. I just think this type of food is terrible, but it is fixable if the manufacturers choose.

May 27, 2018 at 4:06 pm #3538700

JAMES CALL
BPL Member

@conductor
Locale: Sierra Nevada

A huge thank you to the Jordan’s! This is why I’m a member of BPL.

May 27, 2018 at 4:08 pm #3538702

GK Lott
BPL Member

@gklott
Locale: Texas Hill Country

Agree on many being salt bombs. This quantitative detail is one of the benefits of BPL.

NaCl is the one downside to PackIt Gourmet. One of my favorites, Mary Jane’s Shepherd’s Meat Pie, has 1170 mg NaCl, 375 calories, 114 g, 3.3 cal/g per pouch. The excellent Shepherd’s Cottage Pie from Packit Gourmet has 2320 mg NaCl, 680 calories, 155 g, 4.4 cal/g per pouch. Ideal to me would be <750 mg NaCl and > 4 cal/g.

May 27, 2018 at 4:39 pm #3538710
Lance R
BPL Member

@trekkingpoles
Ryan, your article is extraordinarily detailed and well done. Thank you. I have some thoughts here.
1. I didn’t see any references to monosodium-glutamate (MSG) or any of its hidden derivatives. MSG is a neuro-toxin and used in many processed foods. It fools your taste buds into thinking that the food tastes better. When you see “natural flavors” or “natural seasonings” listed as an ingredient, you can bet that there are hidden forms of MSG. To learn more about the dangers of MSG, you can do your own research or start with this article on Mercola.com: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/21/msg-is-this-silent-killer-lurking-in-your-kitchen-cabinets.aspx Even so-called health food products or “natural foods” have their share of MSG hidden in them. A good example are “natural” potato chips found in health food stores. Food companies add MSG because it’s a cheap way of making something bland having a more piquant flavor.
2. For a person looking to diet or lose weight, you want to increase the fat content of your food, not reduce it. It’s the abundance of carbs, particularly refined carbs, in the Western diet is why we have alarming rates of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance which leads to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, strokes, hypertension, cataracts, etc.
3. I’m glad to see you made a non-issue about saturated fats. The entire demonization of saturated fats and cholesterol was a plot hatched by the sugar industry in the 1960s. It goes like this: If we make fat, particularly saturated fat, the bad guy, then we have to replace it with something else. And what do you suppose the something else is? You guessed it, sugar! I might add, even if you think that you backpack, run, and burn a zillion calories per day and think you can get away with eating junk food, it will catch up with you. Just try asking Jimmy Fix!
Yes, you want to do everything possible to prepare your own back-country meals. I have used my dehydrator quite a bit. Getting a vacuum sealer sounds like a terrific idea. Thanks Ryan for that one. I’ve had an interest in a home freeze-dryer. Has anyone had experience with such a unit for meal preservation?

Lance
May 29, 2018 at 3:28 pm #3539056

Chad Lorenz
BPL Member

@chadl
Locale: Teton Valley, Wydaho

For me this read like a thinly veiled attempt at affiliate marketing, hence the exclusion of smaller brands. I hope BPL can figure out their revenue stream so we can read comprehensive reviews without being bombarded with links to REI.

May 29, 2018 at 8:34 pm #3539116

Nick Gatel
BPL Member

@ngatel
Locale: Southern California

Let’s be honest here regarding high sodium content of freeze dried foods. We do NOT need 3 to 4 times the maximum daily recommended salt content in EACH mealbecause we sweat a lot from the exertion of backpacking! If more freeze dried food makers would use more spices for flavoring I feel they could greatly lower the sodium content in their foods.

Really? Which ones? Did you research it?

Here’s the data and note it is for 2.5 servings. Granted most will eat the entire 2.5 servings, but even then, none exceeds the RDA of 2300mg of sodium per day.

Granted, the sodium content is high but the RDA is for the average person, not someone who is hiking 10-20 miles per day with a pack on their back. I hike in the desert a lot and often need more salt, which is pretty easy to figure out… I start craving salty food. I’ve been eating Mountain House meals almost exclusively for dinner while backpacking for almost 50 years. My vital signs and blood workup is always normal or better than normal.

May 29, 2018 at 8:35 pm #3539117

Nick Gatel
BPL Member

@ngatel
Locale: Southern California

For me this read like a thinly veiled attempt at affiliate marketing, hence the exclusion of smaller brands. I hope BPL can figure out their revenue stream so we can read comprehensive reviews without being bombarded with links to REI.

You noticed too?

May 29, 2018 at 10:04 pm #3539131

Kevin B
BPL Member

@newmexikev
Locale: Western New Mexico, USA

The title says it all:

(Gear Guide) = products at REI

State of the Market (SOTM) Report = the best gear from large manufacturer down to a sewing machine in a dude’s garage.

BPL’s SOTM reports were the reason many of us used to pony up the full membership fee.

Anyway, back to the salt debate. Too bad they don’t pack half the salt in a tiny paper package where users could add more if they need it, or just skip the 2nd 1000mg of salt in the meal if they desire less.

May 30, 2018 at 4:32 am #3539205

Nick Gatel
BPL Member

@ngatel
Locale: Southern California

Anyway, back to the salt debate. Too bad they don’t pack half the salt in a tiny paper package where users could add more if they need it, or just skip the 2nd 1000mg of salt in the meal if they desire less.

The shelf life of Mountain House meals is 30 years. Salt is important to make that happen. Humans have been using salt to preserve food since before history.

May 30, 2018 at 11:09 am #3539222

Rob
BPL Member

@grubbster

Using salt for preservative worked fine when the human life span was 40 years. Now that it is a bit longer salt usage in the body works a bit differently. There are other ways to preserve food. Just not as cheap.

May 30, 2018 at 2:12 pm #3539229

Gary Dunckel
BPL Member

@zia-grill-guy
Locale: Boulder

The shelf life of Mountain House products is indeed 30 years (or a bit longer) IF is packaged in a #10 tin, which they flush with nitrogen to remove as much of the ambient oxygen as feasible. I believe this type of packaging was devised for the U.S. Government, to vastly increase the shelf life for long-term storage. These foods are stocked in the high tech Cheyenne Mountain complex near Colorado Springs where they would safely house the political heavyweights (President, his/her cabinet, the full Senate, and all the other key people) in the event of a protracted nuclear war. This was the mindset in the 1960s, and Oregon Freeze Dry (parent of Mountain House) obtained one of the first contracts to supply the Government.

Mountain House told me that most of the meals packaged in the foil envelopes have an average shelf life of 10-12 years from the date of production (these are not flushed with nitrogen).

Interestingly, the Government rotates their stock of the #10 tins, and often they send it to TheEpicenter.com to sell at a discount to the public (TheEpicenter is based in Eugene, OR, just down the road from Albany, so maybe they are in cahoots with the mother company somehow). Sometimes I have scored some foods that aren’t generally available to the public, like FD jumbo shrimp, at a 20-30% discount. It’s worth checking out TheEpicenter.com web site from time to time for good deals. These Gov’t returns always have 15-20 years left on their original expiration dates.

May 30, 2018 at 5:47 pm #3539267

Scott G
BPL Member

@sgrimm

Who gives a crap about the salt content!! Its a lightweight backpacking meal meant for your typical weekend to week long excusion. It is not meant to be eaten on a daily basis as your normal dietary lifestyle. You guys need to lighten up. A few days of higher sodium in your diet your body will readily piss it out and have no consequences long term to 99.9% of the population. And a long hot day of hiking with excess sweating would likely offset the additional sodium intake. Is it palatable, does it have calories to re fuel my body, is it light and convenient? It’s freeze dried food!! Don’t get your panties in a wad about it. Jeez

May 31, 2018 at 8:29 pm #3539461

Eric Blumensaadt
BPL Member

@danepacker
Locale: Mojave Desert

Scott, are you a “young whippersnapper” in your 30s?

If so you need need to “listen up” B/C many of us are going out for 5 to 7 days at a time. For me at least, with Menier’s syndrome, a high sodium diet results in not only an increase of the damnably annoying tinitus noise in my right ear but after 2 days of that crap it begins to affect my balance.

Even without that affliction you need to understand that some backpackers have hereditary higher blood pressure and high sodium intake is the “First Sin” for those with that problem.

Backpackers like their healthy pastime and they also like to eat healthy. They are well within their rights to demand much less sodium in their freeze-dried food. Remember, it is the FREEZE DRYING that does the preserving, not the sodium.

It’s far more important to eat low sodium food than it is to eat only non-GMO food (IMHO). The ill health side effects of high sodium food are more detrimental than eating GMO food.

So Scott, we are not whining, instead we are rightfully protesting a stupid and unhealthy practice in the freeze-dried food industry.

May 31, 2018 at 8:41 pm #3539467

Jeff McWilliams
BPL Member

@jjmcwill
Locale: Midwest

@Eric, aside from your Menier’s / tinnitus, I’m not convinced that even 5 days of eating high sodium freeze dried meals, when you are hiking each day and drinking a considerable amount of water, is going to make any sort of difference to a person with high blood pressure.

Until you point me to a study or a medical professional that says otherwise, this just sounds like uninformed opinion to me.
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