Introduction

This Good To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto review features one of the best packaged backpacking meals I’ve ever eaten.

I recently spent a few winter nights in Moraine Park (Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado) in my camper, and experimented with this Good To-Go meal. (Aside: My camper was winterized and had limited supplies in it. Seems the lighter went missing, so I had to rely on what I had in my backpacking gear (sparker) to light the camper stove. I needed three hands, because the gas valve needs to be depressed in order for the stove to light!)

I’m not a serious DIY connoisseur of backpacking foods. I own and use a terrific dehydrator, but it’s not a passionate hobby or anything. (That said, I would get pretty excited about owning a lyophilizer!) I used to be an ultralight backpacking foodie-type, but I’ve decided to give up that lifestyle for one that is simpler, easier, and faster.

However, I do care about food quality, so backpacking nutrition is something that I study a lot and it intrigues me. I’m not known to write too many packaged backpacking meal reviews. However, I recently tried Good To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto, which is a packaged backpacking meal worth writing a food review about.

Good To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto Review Video

Youtube video

Ingredients

  • Arborio rice
  • Cremini mushrooms
  • Onions
  • White wine
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Garlic
  • Sweet rice flour
  • Walnuts
  • Basil
  • Kosher salt
  • Thyme
  • Black pepper

Interestingly: I can pronounce all of these ingredients.

Nutrition Facts

good to-go herbed mushroom risotto review: nutrition factsIn the video, I reported the nutrition facts on a per-serving basis. There are two “servings” in one 6.6-oz package. I never found “serving sizes” very useful, so I’ll report nutrition facts as per package here:

  • Package weight: 6.6 oz
  • Calories: 820 (Calories from fat: 90)
  • Total fat: 20 g (Saturated fat: 3 g)
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 840 mg
  • Total carbohydrates: 128 g (Dietary fiber: 8 g; Sugars: 6 g)
  • Protein: 26 g

In the video, I add a 4-oz filet of smoked sockeye salmon. This added an additional 180 Cal, 8 g of fat (2 g saturated), 75 mg of cholesterol, 1210 mg of sodium (!), and 26 g of protein.

Cooking Instructions

  1. Boil two cups of water.
  2. Add boiled water to package and let sit for 20 minutes.
  3. Eat.

Twenty minutes is too long for me, especially on a cold winter night. By the time 20 minutes goes by, even in the Reflectix {link} insulating cozy that I made for my packaged meals, my food is no longer hot. I like hot food.

This isn’t necessary a recommendation for improvement, because high quality dehydrated ingredients require longer reconstitution times. But it does change the way I choose to cook.

Instead of boiling water and adding it to the bag, I prefer to add the package contents to my cook pot and simmer the meal. For the Good To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto, the meal was ready to eat after about 12 minutes of simmering on very low heat at an elevation of 8,000 feet.

Nutritional Observations

  • Gluten-free
  • Vegetarian
  • Low in sugar
  • Moderate sodium levels (high if you add salted meats like I did in the video)
  • High caloric density (124 Cal / oz)
  • High protein

Cooking & Tasting Notes

  • The rice and mushroom base gives the Good To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto a hearty body that makes for a filling meal.
  • Spice mix is very satisfying – garlic, onions, basil, thyme, black pepper, and salt.
  • Some unique ingredients add nutrition and boost calories without overwhelming the palate – olive oil, walnuts, and nutritional yeast.

Recommendations for Improvement

  • Reduce the salt – it’s not needed. There are so many other good flavors in this meal that salt could easily be cut in half.

TL;DR

  • The Good To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto is one of the best packaged backpacking foods I’ve ever eaten.
  • This meal has high protein (26 g), high caloric density (124 Cal / oz).
  • Gluten-free, vegetarian, low sugar.
  • My favorite way to make Good To-Go Mushroom Risotto is to add a handful of fresh sauteed mushrooms and a filet of sockeye salmon.

Where to Buy Good To-Go Herbed Mushroom Risotto

  • MSRP $12.50 at REI

Disclosure

This product was purchased by the author and has no affiliation with Good To-Go. This review may contain affiliate links to a retailer that carries this product. If you follow one of those links and end up making a purchase, we make a small commission on the sale, which helps us maintain the site for our community – and we appreciate that a lot!