Best Backpacking Meals of 2023

It almost goes without saying: dinnertime is one of the best parts of any backpacking trip. There’s just nothing quite like warm, filling food after a long day on the trail. In choosing the best backpacking meals of 2023, we focus on taste, nutritional value, packability, preparation time, and cleanup. In addition, weight, calories, and price certainly matter to most backpackers, so we calculated handy “calories per ounce” and "calories per dollar" specs for each. For more background information on choosing the right meal, see our comparison table and buying advice below the picks. To complete your mealtime toolkit, see our article on the best backpacking stoves.
 

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Our Team's Backpacking Meal Picks

• Best Overall Backpacking Meals: Backpacker’s Pantry
• Best Budget Backpacking Meals: RightOnTrek Adventure Meals
• Best Backpacking Meals for Foodies: Heather’s Choice
• Best Calorie-Dense Backpacking Meals: Peak Refuel
• Best Marketplace for Backcountry Chefs: Harmony House Foods

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Best Overall Backpacking Meals

1. Backpacker’s Pantry ($10 - $13)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 15-20 minutes
Calories per ounce: 115
What we like: Great bang for your buck and incredible selection.
What we don’t: Long cook time; other brands have more interesting and/or healthy menus.

Choosing a top pick is never easy, especially when it comes to something as subjective as food. Everyone has their own taste and dietary preferences, caloric needs, and budget, and we’re not here to tell you what to like. What’s more, in 2023, there’s no shortage of incredible mom-and-pop companies serving up delicious and nutritious backcountry meals (don’t worry, we’ll get to these below). All that said, we’ve reserved our best overall pick for a reliable standby that offers a large and diverse menu—including many gluten-free, vegan, and organic options—and great bang for the buck: Backpacker’s Pantry. Their Pad Thai, which comes complete with a small package of peanut butter and handful of separately packaged peanuts, is one of our all-time favorites.

If you visit the food aisle of just about any outdoor store, you’ll see Backpacker’s Pantry, Mountain House, and AlpineAire compete for the title of most ubiquitous backcountry meal. All three are reasonably priced and come in flat, packable pouches, large serving sizes, and a plethora of special diet options. But we think Backpacker’s Pantry meals taste better than the competition, and at 58.8 calories per dollar on average, they offer excellent bang for your buck, too (Mountain House and AlpineAire meals average 52.7 and 48.5 cal/$, respectively). For value alongside great flavors and recognizable ingredients, Backpacker's Pantry puts it all together better than most. And if you're willing to spend up for gourmet, organic, or all-natural menus, check out options like Heather's Choice and Good To-Go below.
See Backpacker's Pantry Meals

 

Best Budget Backpacking Meals

2. RightOnTrek Adventure Meals ($9 - $15)

Cooking method: Pot
Average cook time: 10 minutes
Calories per ounce: 118
What we like: Affordable meals and the option of convenient custom meal planning.
What we don’t: You’ll need to dirty a pot.

Food is expensive in 2023, and backcountry meals are no exception. For the most affordable option on the market, take a look at RightOnTrek. Checking in around $9 for calorie-loaded single servings ($15 for double servings), they’ll save you anywhere from $3 to 6 per meal compared to many options here. What’s more, RightOnTrek’s custom meal plans (including snacks, breakfast, hot drinks, and more) make trip planning easy. Simply fill out the online form—designating trip length, dietary restrictions, desired calories per day, preferences for sweet versus savory, and much more—and their generator outputs a meal plan, which you can then add to your cart and purchase. All told, it’s a quick process and a practically effortless way to maintain good nutrition in the backcountry.

RightOnTrek’s custom meal plans use their own breakfasts and entrees, which can also be purchased separately in one, two, or four-person quantities. These meals are made with mostly natural ingredients and include a decent selection for those with dietary restrictions. We think they’re pretty darn tasty, too. But they do come with one major caveat: RightOnTrek’s meals must be cooked in a pot over a stove, which is a lot less convenient than a just-add-water pouch. On the other hand, they’re faster to prepare than many of the just-add-water meals here (10 minutes from start to finish) and significantly more affordable to boot. 
See RightOnTrek Adventure Meals

 

Best Backpacking Meals for Foodies

3. Heather’s Choice ($13 - $16)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 20 minutes
Calories per ounce: 130
What we like: Ethically sourced food that tastes really good.
What we don’t: Expensive; not a ton of options.

After dehydrating her own backcountry food for years, Alaska-based Heather Feather launched Heather’s Choice via a Kickstarter campaign in 2015. Now, this small and growing company is one of our favorite choices when it comes to taste, ingredients, and gluten-free options. Heather takes care in putting together her meals, using high-powered foods such as coconut, maple syrup, wild-caught Alaskan Sockeye salmon, and 100%-grass-fed bison and elk. Impressively, many of the dinner options contain a whopping 35 to 40 grams of protein per serving and average out to 130 calories per ounce. And the cherry on top: each meal comes in an impressively tiny package (kudos to Heather for conserving materials), which is great for small packs and spoons alike.

You don’t get a ton of options with Heather’s Choice, especially if you’re a vegetarian (although each dinner is gluten, soy, egg, and dairy-free). Further, the one-serving meals will run you as much as $16, and at around 500 calories per entrée, you get a lot less bang for your buck than with Backpacker's Pantry above (34.2 calories per dollar vs. 58.8). But we think Heather’s Choice is the best-tasting food around, and the tradeoffs could be well worth it for those who don’t want to compromise enjoyment or nutrition while on the trail. And to complete your kit, we also recommend looking at Heather’s Choice’s breakfast options ($9) and her popular cookie-like Packaroons, which offer 170 calories of healthy fats and sugars in a 1-ounce package.
See Heather's Choice Meals

 

Best Calorie-Dense Backpacking Meals

4. Peak Refuel ($14)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 10 minutes
Calories per ounce: 153
What we like: Packed with calories and protein. 
What we don’t: Dishes are noodle-heavy and only come in two-serving pouches.

Peak Refuel might be relatively new to the backpacking scene, but they’ve hit the ground running with a competitive lineup of high-powered meals for your next adventure. Their dinners pack a serious punch with an average of 153 calories per ounce and one of the highest protein counts of any option on our list (about 22.5 grams per serving). And like Mountain House and Bushka's Kitchen below, Peak Refuel’s entrees are freeze-dried, meaning that they rehydrate in just 10 minutes and with less water than dehydrated pouch meals. If you’re looking for an easy and quick way to replenish after a big day on the trail, Peak Refuel is a solid choice. 

All that said, there are some tradeoffs to going with such a power- and calorie-packed option. Unlike companies like Heather’s Choice that prioritize creative and quality ingredient lists, Peak Refuel’s offerings are fairly traditional and noodle-heavy. Further, we’ve found that the double service sizes aren’t ideal for solo adventures—with close to 1,000 calories per pouch, many hikers will end up sharing or having to save some for later (which can be a process). On the flipside, that means you can have dinner for two for just $14, which is more affordable than most options here. A notable honorable mention here goes to Pinnacle Foods, a small but mighty High Point, NC-based brand that uses fresh and natural ingredients to create their high-powered, 164-calorie-per-ounce entrees (although tasty, we’ve found these meals to be very heavy on sodium).
See Peak Refuel Meals

 

Best Marketplace for Backcountry Chefs

5. Harmony House Foods

Cooking method: Pouch/pot
Average cook time: 10-15 minutes
Calories per ounce: N/A
What we like: Extensive selection of nutritious staples for DIY backcountry meals.
What we don’t: Vegetarian and gluten-free options only. 

Harmony House’s website is reminiscent of the bulk foods aisle of your local grocery co-op, with a large assortment of dehydrated and freeze-dried offerings. Ambitious backcountry chefs can stock up on the staples—dried vegetables and beans, meat-flavored TVPs (short for textured vegetable protein), fruits and berries, soup blends, and more—and save a good deal of cash in the process. You can pre-pack your meals at home (Harmony House sells a few different sizes of just-add-water zip pouches) or bring the pantry to the field so you can improvise for each evening’s meal.

Unlike most backcountry food brands, Harmony House does not offer pre-packaged entrées, limiting their appeal to seasoned camp chefs or those inclined to DIY. And because Harmony House is completely vegetarian and gluten-free, you won’t find dehydrated meats or many simple carbohydrates, which are an easy way to tack on extra calories and protein in the field. Further, most hikers will simmer these supplemental ingredients in a pot along with instant rice or noodles (easily purchased at your local grocery store), resulting in additional cleanup compared to simple pouch meals. But if you’re on trail for long stretches and looking for an affordable yet healthy alternative to pre-packaged dinners, Harmony House is a great place to start.
See Harmony House Foods

 

Best of the Rest

 6. Good To-Go ($9 - $16)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 15-20 minutes
Calories per ounce: 113
What we like: Great flavors and healthy, real ingredients.
What we don’t: Can be too spicy; slower to cook than many of the options below. 

Good To-Go spearheaded the current generation of backpacking meals, which prioritizes the same whole foods and fresh flavors that many of us eat at home. Designed by professional chef Jennifer Scism, the assortment of all-natural, gluten-free meals have an ingredient list that is short and readable (translation: real food). Their volume of offerings can’t match some of the other big-name brands here—Good To-Go has 13 dinner options to date—but the combination of flavor, quality ingredients, and calorie-to-weight ratio earns this Maine-based company our resounding endorsement.

Good To-Go falls about mid-pack in both our calories per ounce and calories per dollar metric, although their meals are more affordable than much of the all-natural competition. That said, we’ve noticed ourselves reaching for Good To-Go less and less as the market expands: their flavors can be rather harsh at times (on more than one occasion, the Thai Curry has been too spicy for us to finish), and the meals aren’t as tasty as those from brands like Heather’s Choice and Next Mile. Further, their 20-minute cook time is one of the longest here. But if you’re gluten free (or even celiac) or want to eat healthy backcountry meals without deviating too far from the mainstream, it's hard to beat Good To-Go’s combination of quality ingredients, price, and selection.
See Good To-Go Meals

 

7. Firepot ($14 - $16)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 15 minutes
Calories per ounce: 108
What we like: Well-sourced and delicious meals; more affordable than Heather’s Choice.
What we don’t: Supply can be low in the U.S.

Founded in the rural southwest of England, Firepot is fresh on the scene in the U.S., now being sold through the outdoor giant REI. We tested a number of their meals on a recent backpacking trip in Patagonia, and were very impressed with what the small startup has put together. Their entrees represent a positive shift in backcountry cuisine that we’re all excited about: a focus on whole, natural ingredients and thoughtful flavors. Sourcing much of their ingredients from the rural area around their headquarters, Firepot’s meals are some of the best we’ve tasted, and include a number of vegan and gluten-free options as well.

Firepot goes head-to-head with Heather’s Choice as one of the best sourced and healthiest meals here. At 108 calories per ounce, it’s not quite as power-packed as Heather’s Choice, which might be a consideration for those particularly concerned about keeping pack weight low. On the other hand, you get a lot more calories per pouch—ours averaged about 770 calories per meal—which results in a significantly better value overall (especially if you’re sharing your meal or like a healthy amount of food). Heather’s Choice meals are currently a bit easier to find in the U.S., but we expect to see more and more Firepot hit the shelves over time. All in all, they’re a great brand to have on your radar, and if you order online (a bit tricky from the States), you get the option of compostable packaging, too.
See Firepot Meals

 

8. Packit Gourmet ($12 - $13)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 10-15 minutes
Calories per ounce: 105
What we like: Tasty food with all the accoutrements. 
What we don’t: Short shelf life. 

Packit Gourmet isn’t quite a household name, but the small online marketplace boasts an impressively diverse lineup including prepackaged meals, bulk dried ingredients, individually packaged sauces, and even separate Cook-in-Bags for DIY dehydrated food. They offer more than 20 different tasty dinners (with a variety of options for special dietary needs) that are more flavorful than most of the competition. Packit sweats the details too: for example, their Austintacious Tortilla Soup comes with a packet of lime powder, dehydrated jack cheese, and tortilla chips. And although their meals are advertised as one serving, take a closer look at the label: some of them have more calories than two-serving meals from other brands.

Packit meals are packaged in recyclable materials, which is a nice bonus, and their updated pouches are low-profile and disappear easily into your pack. Unfortunately, the shelf life of most entrées is relatively short—only about a year and a half. Some also require you to pack your own ingredients: for example, the Big’un Burrito with Fajita Chicken is BYO tortilla. But for a relatively low cost, Packit offers unique, flavorful dishes, and we’re certainly excited for dinner whenever we pull one out of our pack. And did we mention dessert?
See Packit Gourmet Meals

 

9. Mountain House Adventure Meals ($11 - $12)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 9 minutes
Calories per ounce: 133
What we like: A classic value choice with decent taste and high caloric density. 
What we don’t: Lots of preservatives and sodium. 

The Mountain House name is practically synonymous with freeze-dried food, and for good reason. They may not knock it out of the park in terms of taste, but these meals remain a reliable and lightweight standard for backcountry cuisine. Mountain House’s home-cooked- style dinners—like Chicken & Dumplings and Chili Mac with Beef—cook up quickly (9 mins.) and are great for filling up after a long day on the trail. Importantly, you also get good bang for your buck with a price that undercuts similar two-serving options by around $4 to $5, as well as a high calorie-to-weight ratio. Plus, all Mountain House meals come with a 30-year Taste Guarantee, so you can buy now and eat much, much later. 

Mountain House has been dishing up backcountry meals for over 50 years, but the competition has never been fiercer. Unlike options like Good To-Go and Heather’s Choice above, you won’t find all-natural or organic ingredients here, and those with special diets should look elsewhere. In addition, the pasta-heavy menu hasn’t changed much in years, and each entrée is startlingly high in sodium (which can be a good thing, depending on your needs). And while Mountain House is a relatively affordable standby, Backpacker’s Pantry wins out in terms of calories per dollar. In other words, we think there are a number of better options in 2023, but we certainly won’t fault you for sticking with an old classic.
See Mountain House Meals

 

10. Trailtopia Adventure Food ($7 - $14)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 8-15 minutes
Calories per ounce: 120
What we like: Quality ingredients and convenient packaging.
What we don’t: Doesn’t stand out in any other way.

Like entrées from brands such as Good To-Go and Heather’s Choice, Trailtopia’s ingredient lists are chock-full of all-natural foods with few chemicals or preservatives. Take their Cajun Smack Chicken & Rice, for example, which is similar to a meal you might have at home with long-grain rice, chicken, onion, broccoli, bell pepper, and spices. We’re also big fans of their short and stout packaging (you won’t have to go fishing with your spoon), and sample packs allow you to try out multiple meals at a discount before committing to full serving sizes. Finally, entrées are packaged to feed two (some single servings are available), and you can also pick up meat “side packs” to add extra protein.

There’s no denying that Trailtopia’s meals are healthy and taste good, which is great news at the end of a long day of hiking. What's more, at 59.2 calories per dollar, they offer fairly good value among the competition. That said, the menu is pretty standard and uninspiring, and you’ll have to dig a bit to find the gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options (you can’t filter specifically, but these designations are listed directly on the product pages). Finally, you can pack in more calories at a lower weight with brands like Next Mile Meals and Peak Refuel. But small gripes aside, we’ve enjoyed digging into many a Trailtopia meal, and they get our wholehearted recommendation for those looking for real trail food.
See Trailtopia Adventure Food Meals

 

 11. Next Mile Meals ($15) 

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 7-10 minutes
Calories per ounce: 156
What we like: Incredibly nutrient-dense and generous serving sizes.
What we don’t: Expensive and limited offerings.

Next Mile Meals is a small company that hasn't been around for long, but we took their meals on a recent trek in Chile’s Parque Patagonia and came away very impressed with the flavors, ingredients, and quick cook time. Like Heather's Choice above, Next Mile Meals actually taste like real food, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise after looking at the ingredient labels. These ketogenic entrées cut the carbs and pack in calorie- and nutrient-dense foods like meat, veggies, and cheese. It all adds up to an impressive 156 calories per ounce on average, which is one of the best calories-per-weight specs here.

Our main gripe about Next Mile is the price: $15 only gets you a one-serving pouch, and at only 37.1 calories per dollar on average, they’re far from a standout value (for reference, Peak Refuel's meals offer almost twice the calories per dollar). You also don’t get many entrée choices—seven at the time of publishing—but we expect more over time. Finally, Next Mile Meals are best within a year of purchase, and the included condiments have a short 180-day shelf life. But they’re a great option in terms of caloric density, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that Next Mile Meals are also all-natural and taste great.
See Next Mile Meals

 

12. Patagonia Provisions ($8)

Cooking method: Pot
Average cook time: 10 minutes
Calories per ounce: 98
What we like: Responsibly sourced, manufactured, and distributed food.
What we don’t: Small selection of side dishes and snacks only.

No, you’re not seeing things. Patagonia—the legendary clothing company—is indeed making an appearance on our list of backcountry meals. Known for their environmental consciousness, the company’s food branch—Patagonia Provisions—fits into the same mold. They responsibly source, manufacture, and distribute fruit and nut bars, buffalo jerky, salmon, hot cereals, dry soup and chili mix, ancient grains mix, and even beer. The food is designed and packaged for the backcountry, but to no surprise, it’s all good enough to eat at home.

We hope to see Patagonia Provisions expand their lineup to include full dinners, but for now, their organic soups, chili, and grain mixes are great side dishes for times when you have a pot available. Soup is a perfect way to hydrate after a long day on the trail with warm, sodium-rich liquids, and many hikers will slurp one every evening alongside their dinner. And paired with salmon, their savory grains almost make a complete meal (but be forewarned, these meals do require more cleanup than usual). Plus, with an average of 98 calories per ounce, it’s not super dense in calories. All gripes aside, many will find the Provisions offerings worth it for the class-leading flavor and nutrition.
See Patagonia Provisions Meals

 

13. Bushka’s Kitchen ($14)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 3 minutes
Calories per ounce: 143
What we like: Nutritious, lightweight, and quick to cook.
What we don’t: Pricey; not the tastiest meals here.

A cottage brand based in California, Bushka’s Kitchen sets themselves apart from many other brands by offering freeze-dried—rather than dehydrated—meals. The freeze drying process involves more complex equipment than dehydrating, but the result is lighter and more nutrient-dense food with a longer shelf life. And the cherry on the top? These meals reconstitute incredibly quickly: While your friends hungrily twiddle their thumbs for 20 minutes, your Bushka’s Kitchen’s entree will be ready in just 3 minutes flat.

When you rip the seal off a Bushka pouch, you’ll see a cornucopia of real, identifiable ingredients. These meals don’t score super high on the taste score (if we had a rating system, they’d get maybe a 7 out of 10), but they're undeniably nutritious and leave us feeling satisfied yet light (unlike many backpacking meals, which leave us feeling heavy and bloated). And they score decently well on our metrics too: 143 calories per ounce is one of the highest densities here, and at 43.7 calories per dollar, Bushka’s is cheaper than brands like Packit Gourmet, Heather’s Choice, and Next Mile (on the other hand, at $14/serving, they’re certainly not the most affordable meals here). It all adds up to a great option for those looking for whole-food ingredients in a lightweight package (with minimal cook time).
See Bushka's Kitchen Meals

 

14. AlpineAire Foods ($10 - $15)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 10-12 minutes
Calories per ounce: 106
What we like: Low price and fun menu items.
What we don’t: Tastes like standard backpacking fare.

We’ll start by saying that AlpineAire meals sound delicious. With names like Al Pastor with Cilantro Lime Rice, Cheese Enchilada Ranchero, and Tuscan Grilled Chicken Alfredo, you practically feel like you’re ordering from a restaurant. They also offer a plethora of special diet options: low-sodium, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, and all-natural. And their eye-catching packaging clearly displays information on ingredients, serving size, and nutrition. The pouches are flat and packable, and the main courses are as speedy to cook as Mountain House meals. With a relatively low price, AlpineAire seems like the whole package. 

Unfortunately, the taste of AlpineAire meals just doesn’t measure up. Perhaps their names and labeling create overly high expectations, or maybe mixing healthy ingredients with a short cook time stresses the flavors. Whatever it may be, we find that AlpineAire dinners are either noticeably bland or so over-spiced that they are hard to finish. If you find one you like, stick with it. Otherwise, the pouch meals above are both tastier and more calorically dense.
See AlpineAire Foods Meals

 

15. Fernweh Food Company ($14 - $17)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 18-20 minutes
Calories per ounce: 124.4
What we like: Plant-based meals in cook-in-pouch compostable packaging.
What we don’t: Expensive and limited menu.

We love a good passion-project-turned-successful-business story, and Fernweh Food Company fully fits the bill. Based in Portland, Ore., the small food brand hand crafts plant-based (vegan) backpacking meals with an emphasis on environmentally friendly packaging. Their collection of breakfasts and dinners come in 100% “omnidegradable” pouches with compostable labels that differ from most biodegradable packaging in one key way: You can still cook in the bag. For those who want to keep both a clean pot and a clean conscience, this counts as a win.

Fernweh Foods’ meals are both vegan and gluten free, but the menu is surprisingly tasty, from their Green Tamale Pie to the Red Beans, Greens, & Coconut Rice entrée. The meals are also fairly calorie dense, thanks to ingredients like beans, coconut milk, and potatoes. But Fernweh isn’t for everyone: Their menu is still small—there are four dinner and two breakfast options at the time of publishing—and many adventurers won’t want to cut out luxuries like gluten, meat, and cheese in the backcountry. But if you follow dietary restrictions or just like to eat healthy in the hills, Fernweh Foods Co. is well worth a closer look.
See Fernweh Food Company Meals

 

16. Wild Zora Paleo Meals To Go ($13)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 10-12 minutes
Calories per ounce: 110
What we like: Incredibly nutrient dense.
What we don’t: Steep price tag of $13 for a single serving.

In a world of noodle-heavy backcountry meals, Paleo Meals To Go’s gluten-free and protein-rich offerings are refreshing, and you don’t have to be paleo to enjoy them. The Mountain Beef Stew Pouch we tried had an impressive ingredient list: beef, vegetables, spices, and sea salt. The meat (free range, grass-fed, and 100% natural) especially stood out: it retained the taste and texture of real meat better than other freeze-dried meats we’ve tried.

One notable drawback to these tasty meals is shelf life, which according to the Wild Zora website, is only two years from the date of manufacture. That said, we ordered our meal in April and it came with an expiration date of November 11 of the same year. Paleo Meals To Go also come at a high price: $13 for one serving, to be exact. For that cost, you could have three servings of Backpacker's Pantry. But that price difference shows in the nutrition comparison: for one serving of Mountain House Beef Stew, you’ll get 15% of your recommended daily Vitamin A, 15% of Vitamin C, and 8% of Iron. One serving of Paleo Meals To Go’s Beef Stew Pouch is packed with 320%, 45%, and 90%, respectively. That’s a huge selling point for those who are focused on getting more than just calories from their backcountry meals.
See Wild Zora Paleo Meals To Go

 

17. Nomad Nutrition ($14)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 8-12 minutes
Calories per ounce: 130
What we like: Unique dehydrating process and surprisingly calorie- and protein-packed.
What we don’t: Limited selection and not the best value.

A small company founded by an adventurous foodie from British Columbia, Nomad Nutrition offers nutrient-dense meals with a strong emphasis on whole food ingredients. And despite being mostly plant-based and 100% gluten- and dairy-free, Nomad’s entrées are startlingly calorie- and protein-packed, topping our list with an impressive 130 calories per ounce and 15 grams or more of protein per packet. And Nomad is doing things differently with their unique dehydrating process called REVdry, which cuts out the need for preservatives and keeps the ingredient list both natural and low in sodium (a rarity among the competition).

Compared to Peak Refuel above, Nomad Nutrition’s meals have less calories per ounce, although they manage to pull it off without a single noodle-based dish. But while two hungry hikers can get away with sharing a Peak Refuel pouch, Nomad’s similarly priced meals will likely only feed one (they average about 600 calories per pouch), making them the pricier option by a sizable margin. For some it might be worth it: looking inside a Nomad Nutrition pouch is a clean-eater’s dream, with a colorful rainbow of real food such as potatoes, broccoli, peppers, corn, peas, and more. All told, the company is off to a promising start, and we’re excited to see where they’re headed.
See Nomad Nutrition Meals

 

18. Mountain House Pro-Pak ($12)

Cooking method: Pouch
Average cook time: 9 minutes
Calories per ounce: 126
What we like: Calorie- and protein-rich single-serving meals.
What we don’t: Expensive for one serving and not as tasty as other options above.

Mountain House is known for their standard lineup of Adventure Meals (above), but their Pro-Pak is a great option for intrepid backpackers, climbers, and other committed outdoor-goers. In years past, the Pro-Pak stood out with its vacuum-packed pouch, making it one of the most streamlined meals available (this design also prevented expansion at altitude). But the newest iteration shifted focus completely, forgoing the compressed size and instead placing a premium on protein, caloric density, and cold-weather performance. Reasonably priced at $12, each meal is offered in a single-serving package (520 to 650 calories), making Pro-Paks a nice option for solo adventurers.

That said, we don’t think the changes were necessarily all good. Compared to Peak Refuel above, Pro-Pak meals fall short in calories for the weight (126/oz. vs. 153/oz. for Peak Refuel), are fairly basic in terms of taste and ingredients (there are no paleo, vegetarian, or gluten-free options), and are lower in protein. Finally, the updated Pro-Paks are only guaranteed for 5 years, although this shouldn’t be much of an issue for most adventurers (a long shelf life matters more for emergency preparedness). In the end, if you like Mountain House but want a bit more nourishment for the weight, Pro-Paks are a fine choice. But for a few bucks more, Next Mile Meals or those from Heather’s Choice are tastier and more nutritious.
See Mountain House Pro-Pak Meals

 

Backpacking Meals Comparison Table

Food	Price	Cal/$*	Method	Time	Cal/Oz*	Special Diet Options
Backpacker's Pantry	$10-13	58.8	Pouch	15-20 min.	115	GF
RightOnTrek Adventure Meals	$9-15	76.2	Pot	10 min.	118	GF, vegan, vegetarian
Heather's Choice	$13-16	34.2	Pouch	20 min.	130	GF
Peak Refuel	$14	60.5	Pouch	10 min.	153	Vegan, vegetarian
Harmony House Foods	N/A	N/A	Pouch/pot	10-15 min.	N/A	GF, vegan, vegetarian
Good To-Go	$9-16	49.1	Pouch	15-20 min.	113	GF, vegan, vegetarian
Firepot	$14-18	50.8	Pouch	15 min.	108	GF, vegan
Packit Gourmet	$12-14	41.9	Pouch	10-15 min.	105	N/A
Mountain House	$11-12	52.7	Pouch	9 min.	133	GF, vegetarian
Trailtopia Adventure Food	$7-14	59.2	Pouch	8-15 min.	120	GF, vegan, vegetarian
Next Mile Meals	$15	37.1	Pouch	7-10 min.	156	GF
Patagonia Provisions	$8	64	Pot	10 min.	98	GF, vegan
Bushka’s Kitchen	$14	43.7	Pouch	3 min.	143	GF, vegan, vegetarian
AlpineAire Foods	$10-15	48.5	Pouch	10-12 min.	106	GF, vegan, vegetarian
Fernweh Food Company	$14-17	37.3	Pouch	18-20 min.	124	GF, vegan
Wild Zora Paleo Meals	$13	26.2	Pouch	10-12 min.	110	GF
Nomad Nutrition	$14	38.5	Pouch	8-12 min.	130	GF, vegan
Mountain House Pro-Pak	$12	51.2	Pouch	9 min.	126	None

*These numbers represent the averages of weight, price, and calories per serving for the top five meals from each brand (when available).
 

Backpacking Meals Buying Advice

• About Our Rankings
• Cooking Method: Pouch or Pot
• Cooking Time
• Calories and Serving Size
• Weight (Calories per Ounce)
• Ingredients and Dietary Restrictions
  • All-Natural Options
  • Special Diets
  • Sodium
• Dehydrated vs. Freeze-Dried
• Breakfast and Coffee
• Bulk Ingredients
• DIY Dehydrated Meals
• Stoves, Fuel, and Cooking Supplies
• Shelf Life and Emergency Preparedness

About Our Rankings

Backpacking food is a difficult gear item to rank because taste is highly individualized. Some of us love high-sodium meals in the backcountry, while others crave all-natural ingredients. Some prioritize flavor and nutrition, while others look for calorie-dense meals that pack down small. Our rankings above take all of these factors into consideration: price, weight, flavor, ingredients, packaging, variety of menu, and more. But because we’re all looking for something different to eat, you simply might not agree with our numbering. That’s okay. Using the chart above, you can hone in on what matters most to you and compare the specs for all of the meals we included.

Cooking Method: Pouch or Pot

One way we’ve categorized the meals in this article is by cooking method: pouch or pot. In 2023, many backcountry travelers opt for “pouch” meals like Backpacker's Pantry or Good To-Go due to their ease of preparation and cleanup. You simply add boiling water to the pouch and let it sit for the specified amount of time, and no bowl or pot is required (nor is cleaning said bowl or pot after your meal). Notably, the lack of cleanup also reduces impact on fragile wilderness environments. On the other hand, “pot” meals—like those from RightOnTrek—require that you pour the dried contents into a pot, add water, and most often heat the meal over a flame. Sometimes instructions will require that you simmer the meal for up to 10 minutes (requiring a backpacking stove with good flame control). Of course, when the meal is finished, you have to clean the pot and pack it away for your next day on the trail.

Cooking Time

Depending on the cooking method, the meals in this article take anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes to cook. For pouch meals such as those from Heather's Choice, you simply let the food sit in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes—no need to tend to it. Pitch the tent, collect more water, sit down and work on a crossword with your hiking partner—20 minutes will fly by. We personally don’t mind this waiting time and find the distinction between 8 and 20 minutes almost inconsequential (although this doesn’t mean that we don’t dig in a little early and eat crunchy noodles on the rare occasion). On the other hand, pot meals like those from Patagonia Provisions require that you stir the meal occasionally as it simmers, meaning you’ll need to be beside your backpacking stove for the duration of the cook time.

Calories and Serving Size

We’re not here to provide an equation for calories burned based on mileage, elevation gain, pack weight, altitude, body weight, and metabolism, or give our opinion on whether or not a backpacking trip is a prime time to start a diet. We’ll leave that to the experts and to your own personal discretion. But we will say if you want to stay strong and energetic during outdoor activities, you’ll generally need to eat more than you would on a normal day at home. It’s quite simple: for every calorie out, you want to put at least one in. With that in mind, calories are your friends in the backcountry and the numbering on nutritional labels deserves your attention. 

When you find the calorie number on the back of your food pouch, take note that it denotes the number of calories in a single serving. This is not necessarily the number of calories for the whole pouch: some are single serving, others are double, and some are even made to serve four people. And keep in mind that companies vary significantly on serving size. A standard double-serving RightOnTrek meal, for example, contains over 1,000 calories per serving, while an average Mountain House meal serving contains 264 calories. Speaking from personal experience, on a serious backpacking trip we find that we need a double serving from most brands to satiate our hunger at dinnertime. For this reason, we recommend that you pay more attention to the calorie count than the serving size, and don’t be shy about eating far more than one serving. Not often does food go to waste in the backcountry…

Weight (Calories per Ounce)

Whether you’re a thru-hiker who saws off half your toothbrush and tears completed pages out of your book, or a weekend warrior who enjoys creature comforts on the trail, all backcountry travelers share some level of concern about weight. Because food is such a large portion of your load, the goal is to maximize taste and calories for the least number of ounces. For this, our “calories per ounce” spec can be your guide.

To come up with this number, we divided the number of calories by the weight of the packaged meal. For example, Bushka’s Kitchen's meals average 612 calories per 4.28 ounce serving: divide 612 by 4.28 and you get 143, the calories per ounce. You’ll want to aim for around 100 calories per ounce, and the larger this number, the better. To illustrate, an average Patagonia Provisions meal contains only 98 calories per ounce, whereas Peak Refuel meals contain 153 calories per ounce. So, if you’re hoping to consume a 700-calorie dinner, Peak Refuel will weigh 4.6 ounces, and your Patagonia Provisions dinner 7.1 ounces. Add it all up over a week-long trip, and with heavier food you’re either carrying a lot more or dealing with an empty stomach.

Ingredients and Dietary Restrictions

 All-Natural Options
Much to the delight of the health-conscious, there are a growing number of all-natural (meaning real food: no artificial flavors, additives, or preservatives) backcountry meal options. In fact, the majority of brands here—including Good To-Go, Patagonia Provisions, Fernweh Food Co., Heather's Choice, Next Mile Meals, and Firepot—pride themselves on using only natural ingredients. Others, such as AlpineAire, have many all-natural options and strive to use only real food ingredients whenever possible.

Preservatives are one of the most common unnatural offenders in backcountry meals, added to increase the shelf life and guard food from being spoiled by microorganisms such as mold, bacteria, and yeast. Although some preservatives are natural (salt, garlic, spices), many are manufactured chemicals. Mountain House’s 30-year guarantee is an extreme example, requiring a good deal of unnatural ingredients and a heckuva lot of sodium for such a long shelf life. On the other hand, if you can read an ingredient label and know where to find each entry in the grocery store, chances are they’re natural.

Special Diets
Most backcountry food brands have adapted their menus to accommodate the growing vegan, vegetarian, paleo, ketogenic, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free (etc., etc.) markets. Generally, it shouldn’t be difficult to find meals that suit your dietary needs. Good To-Go pouches, for example, are fully gluten-free. Fernweh Food Co. only sells vegan and gluten-free cuisine, Heather’s Choice only uses ethically sourced meats, and Next Mile Meals appeals to the ketogenic crowd. Finally, AlpineAire offers a filter feature on their website that allows users to find meals with specific ingredients or special diet options. To help highlight the possibilities, we’ve included the “special diets” spec in our table above.

Sodium
The American Heart Association recommends that adults limit their sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day, and ideally not exceeding 1,500 mg. However, most healthy and active individuals who spend much of the day sweating in the hot sun will need—and thus crave—high-sodium foods to replenish what is lost. With an average of 400 to 800 mg of sodium per serving (and remember, you’re probably eating more than one serving), it’s no secret that most backcountry meals are high in sodium (Pinnacle Foods' meals are among the worst offenders, with up to 1,570 mg/serving). If you’re looking to keep your sodium intake down, pay special attention to the nutritional facts (we see a great deal of variation from meal to meal). Additionally, meals from Fernweh Food Co., Good To-Go, and Nomad Nutrition tend to be lower in sodium than most.

Dehydrated vs. Freeze-Dried

Dehydrating and freeze-drying are two distinct methods of food preservation. In the freeze-drying process, food is placed in below-freezing temperatures and gradually warmed, moving water in the food from a solid to gaseous state. The dehydration process, on the other hand, exposes food to hot and dry air over several hours (smoking and sun-drying are also methods of dehydrating). In the end, the freeze-drying process removes 98-99% of moisture from food, while dehydrating removes 95%. Both processes result in dried food that needs to be soaked in water to regain its size, texture, and edibility, but with noticeably different characteristics.

Due to its lower water content, freeze-dried food is lighter and has a longer shelf life than dehydrated food. Surprisingly, it also rehydrates almost twice as quickly—freeze-dried Mountain House meals cook in 9 minutes vs. the 20 minutes required for dehydrated Good To-Go meals. On the other hand, dehydrated ingredients shrink more (think plum to prune), meaning they’ll take up less room in your pack. They’re also known to keep their original texture better than freeze-dried ingredients. In terms of taste, the two methods go head to head.

While some brands (like Good To-Go and Mountain House) use either exclusively dehydrated or freeze-dried ingredients, most use both. Manufacturers use discretion when choosing which process works best for each ingredient, weighing the pros and cons of flavor, size, and price. In short, the freeze-dried versus dehydrated debate matters little to the everyday consumer. The companies do the legwork to find the best way to dry food, so we can sit back after a long day on the trail and enjoy the outcome. 

Breakfast and Coffee

To complete your meal kit, most backpackers will want to add breakfast and coffee (and snacks) to their shopping list as well. For many of us, breakfast is a lighter, quicker, and simpler meal than dinner, and oftentimes bulk oatmeal or a bar with some dried fruit will suffice. But for those who prefer a more substantial or elaborate start to their day, there are myriad options to choose from. Most brands featured above offer a lineup of breakfasts too, ranging from savory options like the Mountain House Breakfast Skillet to sweet treats like Backpacker’s Pantry Granola with Bananas, Almonds and Milk. Packaged backcountry breakfasts usually land in the $7-9 range and are available in one- and two-serving options.

If you’re anything like us, breakfast just isn’t complete without a hot cup of coffee. You have a lot of options when it comes to a backcountry brew, ranging from lightweight and portable pour-over setups to disposable drip coffee kits from brands like Kuju. The most lightweight solution is instant coffee, which we’ve found to be perfectly sufficient for our morning cup of joe. A number of options are available, from Trader Joe’s to the ubiquitous Starbucks Via. Our personal favorite is Alpine Start, a small start-up out of Boulder that specializes in making fantastic coffee for the trail. Alpine Start can be made with hot or cold water and is good enough that we’ve even been caught drinking it at home a time or two.

Bulk Ingredients

The pouch meals predominantly featured in this article might be your most convenient option for backcountry dining, but they aren’t the only way to eat dehydrated or freeze-dried ingredients. Maybe you’re pinching your pennies, cooking for the masses, or just enjoy channeling your inner chef in the wilderness. You can find bulk dehydrated and freeze-dried ingredients from a number of online vendors, including Harmony House Foods, HQ Organics, and Packit Gourmet. And recipes aren’t hard to come by: with a simple Google search you can find tasty meal ideas like this Beef and Barley Stew. 

DIY Dehydrated Meals

You’re paying a pretty penny for convenience when you opt for the prepackaged meals above. A one-stop shop at your local gear store (or even online) can save you hours in meal planning for your next backcountry trip. That said, if you’re inclined to DIY, you can save yourself a great deal of money by dehydrating your own meals. You can even do so in your oven, although most will find an actual food dehydrator works better. You’ll usually want to cook your ingredients before dehydrating (a raw onion, dehydrated and then rehydrated, is still a raw onion). Many online guides provide the temperature and time specifications for different types of food. And take note: if you’re dehydrating food and planning to store it for months or years, make sure that it’s properly dehydrated and fully sealed.

Other Meal Options

The prepackaged meals and dehydrated ingredients we’ve mentioned above are the most convenient and lightest way to eat in the backcountry. That said, there really are no rules here and plenty of “real” options. Macaroni and cheese, couscous and canned chicken, a frozen burrito bought the morning of, Tasty Bites, even fresh vegetables: the sky is the limit. For some, food preparation (rather than simply pouring water into a pouch and waiting 10 minutes) can even be a fun way to relax at the end of the day. There’s no denying that dehydrated meals are the easiest, but don’t let this article lull you into thinking that they are the only way to go. Be creative and have fun out there.

On the other end of the spectrum, enterprises like RightOnTrek take the legwork out of food planning and packing with their made-to-order meal kits. All you have to do is specify the size of your group, number of days, and a bit about your food preferences, and they'll prepare your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the entire trip. Essentially, it's like a Blue Apron for backpacking food. For first-timers who find themselves intimidated by the process of packing food for the backcountry, this might be a really good way to go.

Stoves, Fuel, and Cooking Supplies

Many of the meals in this article rehydrate in their pouch, making them popular options because they only require adding boiling water. For these meals, we recommend bringing an all-in-one stove system such as the Jetboil Flash. It’s compact, boils water quickly, and is reasonably priced. For “pot” meals, you’ll probably want a more traditional stove with a simmering function, like the MSR PocketRocket 2 or Dragonfly. For more information including our top picks, check out our article on the best backpacking stoves. If you want to leave the stove behind, consider bringing pre-cooked dinners (like MREs or Omeals) or meals that can be hydrated with cold water.

The amount of fuel you’ll need on your next backpacking adventure depends largely on whether you’re eating “pouch” or “pot” meals. For pouch meals, you simply boil the water, turn off the stove, and pour the water into the pouch. For pot meals, on the other hand, you might need to boil or simmer the food for up to 10 minutes. If you’re out for a week, this cook time can certainly add up to a lot more fuel. Keep in mind that altitude, temperature, and wind are also factors in how much fuel you consume. 

If you’re eating only pouch meals, chances are you won’t need to pack a pot. For meals that require cooking over a flame, take your pick from a wide assortment of pots and pans, from ultra-lightweight titanium to more durable stainless steel or aluminum. When cooking for more than one, we recommend bringing a lightweight bowl or mug/bowl combo along. If you’re traveling solo, you can save weight and just eat straight from the pot. Finally, keep in mind you might want a second pot or kettle to use exclusively for boiling water for hot drinks.

Shelf Life and Emergency Preparedness

A meal’s shelf life denotes the amount of time that it retains its flavor, nutrition, and edibility. Looking at the brands above, the shelf lives vary from 1 to 30 years, depending on the preservation method (dehydration, freeze-drying, or pre-cooking) and type/amount of preservatives used. This information is easy to find on the packaging or manufacturer website. To guarantee their shelf life, backcountry meals should be stored fully sealed in a cool and dry environment (no refrigeration needed). 

Most backcountry enthusiasts are buying for their next adventure, meaning that shelf life shouldn’t be a concern for most. But backpacking food, as it turns out, is also ideal for emergency preparedness—it takes up less space on your shelves than canned goods (the benefit of that calorie-to-weight ratio), lasts for a long time, and is easy to prepare. For stocking up in case of an emergency (or if you’re buying in bulk for trips well into the future), the shelf life is a specification worth considering. And if food storage is your main intent, we do recommend buying in bulk. Companies like Mountain House offer their meals in cans and even buckets, which will take up significantly less space and save on both packaging and money.
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