Pre-packaged Backpacking Food

Backpacking meals are a great option for quick, no-mess meals on the trail. However, they do have a reputation of being less than appetizing, and after a long day of hiking, do you really want to sit down for a bland meal that doesn’t even look like food? Daily Hiker put a few brands to the test; read on to see how they stacked up.

Natural High: Classic Three Cheese Lasagna

Natural High has been making lightweight backpacking food since the 1950s. One package provides two 260-calorie servings, however, most of the calories are carbohydrate-based from the pasta, as the Classic Three Cheese Lasagna does not contain meat. Simply add 2 cups of boiling water, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes and you have a meal. However, after 12 minutes the meal still had a very soupy consistency, and did not resemble anything like lasagna. While it smelled appetizing, the flavor was bland, and was only superficially filling. After a long day of hiking, this would probably not quell hunger or provide lots of energy.

Mountain House Pro-Pak:  Pasta Primavera

We added the Mountain House Pasta Primavera to the list because of it’s smaller, vacuum-sealed packaging, a nice feature for longer trips where space is at a premium. However, the packaging makes reading instructions and nutritional information difficult until it is opened. One package provides one 470-calorie serving. After opening the package, you can see a variety of bright, freeze-dried vegetables. Preparation is simple, just add 1 ½ cups boiling water, stir, and let sit. The consistency was thicker than other brands, and was very flavorful. The vegetables cooked up nicely and gave lots of variety of flavor and texture and the one serving provides a very full meal.

Backpacker’s Pantry: Katmandu Curry

Backpacker’s Pantry is usually the first brand that people think of for backpacking food. Unlike other meals available, we chose the Katmandu Curry because of its simple ingredient list, containing only dehydrated whole foods. One package makes two 330-calorie servings and has a considerable amount of protein and fiber. Vegetarian and dairy-free, the lentils and rice are hearty and filling, and the meal has lots of flavor and spice. After a long day of hiking, this would fill you up and fuel you for more hiking the next day.

Mary Jane’s Farm Outpost: Organic Sweet Red Bell Pepper Pasta

This was brand that we had not heard of before, and slightly more expensive than other brands available, but we thought we could give it a try. USDA Organic ingredients and a wide variety of meal choices make it a nice alternative. The package is slightly smaller, providing only 1.5 servings per package. Preparation was simple, add ¾ cup boiling water, stir, and let sit. Unlike other backpacking foods, after the designated wait time, all the water had been absorbed. The red bell peppers added a bright color and texture to the meal, and the flavor was quite good. The only downside to the preparation of the Sweet Red Bell Pepper Pasta was that the package was not resealable, making it a little more difficult to seal up while waiting for the water to be absorbed.

Backpacker’s Pantry Chef’s Recipe: Cajun Salmon Inferno

At first glance, the Cajun Salmon Inferno packet looks promising. The ingredients are all natural and it contains no MSG. It also has the added addition of a smoked salmon filet with oil, a welcome addition to the rice and spices. One package makes two 370-calorie servings. However, it’s high in sodium, at 1300 mg per serving.

Preparation is a little messier than the other brands, as the separate smoked salmon pouch requires scissors to be able to open it but be careful not to spray oil all over. But other than the added addition of the salmon filet, prep is the same as other backpacking foods—add the desired amount of boiling water, stir, close the package, and wait for the water to be absorbed. It helps to break up the salmon when stirring the contents, to spread it out over the two servings. As for flavor, the ‘Inferno’ is definitely and indicator of flavor—it’s spicy. Overall, it’s a little spicy, but the salmon adds a nice texture and flavor.

While a first choice for meals on the trail is always combining your own ingredients, pre-packaged backpacking meals are a great lightweight easy-prep alternative. We especially liked the Mountain House Pasta Primavera and the Backpacker’s Pantry Katmandu Curry, and we will probably try more meals from those brands in the future.