If you’re on the trail a lot, this detailed guide to the best dehydrated backpacking meals should come in handy several times in the future.
Anyone from a semi-functional family understands that some discussion topics are off the table during dinners (no pun intended.) Such issues include, but aren’t limited to, relationships, religion, and politics. While this significantly narrows down possible conversations the family can have, it also considerably narrows down the chances of pointless arguments erupting.
Well, such rules exist in the realm of backpacking as well. Don’t trust me? Try talking about the best dehydrated backpacking meals at a campsite and see how amazingly fast the conversation will transform into a heated argument as everyone tries defending their preferred meal options. That’s why you’ll be hard-pressed to find me discussing meal options around my fellow adventurers.
That said, that doesn’t mean I do not have my preferences and opinions. And would you like to know why I’m comfortable discussing them with you? Because I know that the fact you’ve made it to this guide on the best dehydrated backpacking meals implies our preferences align.
7 Best Dehydrated Backpacking Meals
With that in mind, I’d hate to keep you waiting any longer.
These are the best dehydrated backpacking meals every adventurer should try:
1. GOOD TO-GO Dehydrated Weekender 3-Pack
The award-winning GOOD TO-GO Dehydrated Weekender 3-Pack offers an excellent solution for families and large groups of friends planning a weekend picnic by the river, backpacking, or camping trip. These generous single serving pouches retail in 3 different dishes and have also been packaged in heavy-duty BPA-free plastic buckets for easy storage.
The dish choices include Mexican Quinoa, Granola, and Thai Curry, which, if you ask me, are the perfect ‘dehydrated backpacking meals combination’ required to ensure a fun-packed backpacking trip and relaxing dinnertimes.
If you have several packages remaining at the end of your backpacking trip, you’ll be pleased to know these delicious meals can last up to 3 years. So simply store the unused stock for future hiking trips.
Notable Features
- Gluten-free
- Perfect for Pescatarians
- Easy to prepare
- Made with clean ingredients
- Boasts calorie-dense meal options
- It makes a great gift
2. Food for the Sole Dehydrated 15 Meal Taster Pack
If the weekender 3-pack doesn’t quite cut it for your friends or family, then perhaps this Food for the Sole Dehydrated 7 Meal Taster Pack could be what you’re looking for. This pre-packaged 5-day standard kit houses up to 15 pouches of lunches and dinners that’ll keep you strong on the trails for five days.
Personally, I prefer this dehydrated backpacking meal because it eliminates the headache of creating meal plans for my typical camping, backpacking, or 5-day summit trips. And that’s not the only hassle this Food for the Sole Dehydrated 7 Meal Taster Pack eradicates.
The meals are effortless and fast to prepare, as all you’ll need to do is add warm water to the packet’s contents and enjoy a delicious and power-packed meal 10 minutes later. Flavors you should expect to find inside your package include Lentil Walnut Pilaf with Kale, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Kale and Quinoa, Coconut Rice and Cuban Black Beans, Triple Peanut Slaw, Energy oats, Curried Cauliflower Salad, and Zesty Miso Broccoli Slaw.
Notable Features
- Available in gluten-free and vegetarian options
- Includes a wide array of flavorful dishes
- Weight and space-saving meal kit
- It’s a 5-day worth of food supply
- Easy and fast to prepare
3. Augason Farms Dehydrated Potato Slices
In my experience, Augason Farms is the most trusted dehydrated backpacking meals brand among backpackers and campers, and for good reason. I could go on and on about how consistent the brand has been with its products or how its dehydrated meals have been packed with sufficient nutrients to keep you strong on the trail. But I won’t do that because there are no adequate words to cover all that.
Instead, I suggest you try out the company’s Dehydrated potato slices, which best exemplify everything the company offers.
Augason Farms have already pre-washed, peeled, sliced, diced, and dehydrated the potato slices to ensure you won’t have to hassle in any sense of the word. Better yet, as with all other dehydrated backpacking meals on this guide, all you’ll need to do is open the can, hydrate it, and let it sit for approx. 10 minutes, and it’s ready to go.
These Augason Farms Dehydrated Potato Slices also have an unopened shelf life of up to 25 years, and the recipes on the can label ensure you attain delicious results every time. I prefer to serve these potato slices in my other favorite recipes, like casseroles, stew, stir fry, etc.
Notable Features
- Retails from a reputable brand
- Easy and fast to prepare
- Allows for long-term food storage
- Certified Gluten-free
- Great for all outdoor situations
4. Alpine’s Dehydrated Meals
Available in multiple dish options, Alpine’s dehydrated meals are one of the best dehydrated backpacking meals in the market today, with a gourmet twist. From the brand’s savory Mountain Chili and Mac & Cheese flavored options to the strawberry granola and Pepper Beef delicacies, these meals will offer you a mouthwatering experience even when you’re backpacking out in the wilderness without accessibility.
For added nutrition and better taste, these delicacies only constitute USDA-certified real and natural ingredients, be they vegetables or meat. Also worth noting, Alpine has considered your adventure-packed activities and ensured that all these meals are packed with high protein.
Notable Features
- All USDA-certified real and natural ingredients
- Premium dehydration process used to lock in nutrients and flavors
- You have a wide assortment to pick from
- Source of High Protein
- Retail from a reputable brand
5. Augason Farms Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Fruit Variety Pail
If you’re scouring the internet looking for the healthiest dehydrated backpacking meals assured to replenish your lost energy as you hike the mountains of the Costa del Sol, this Augason Farms Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Fruit Variety Pail could be what you’re looking for.
The top-rated dehydrated backpacking meal offers an assortment of fruits with mouthwatering flavors like blueberries, raspberries, bananas, and apples. The dehydrated fruit varieties have been packaged in a 4-gallon, rodent-resistant pail that’ll keep them safe at all times.
Augason Farms cares for your health as well, and that’s why they’ve taken all the natural fruit slices through no heat, chemical-free dehydration processes. Note, though, that the fruits inside have been individually packaged in air-tight, heavy-duty pouches.
Notable Features
- Shelf life of up to 30 years
- Perfect for backpacking, camping, survival, and emergencies
- Includes a recipe booklet
- Healthy to consume
- Chemical-free dehydrated meals
6. GOOD TO-GO Dehydrated Kale and White Bean Stew
Reward yourself with this GOOD TO-GO Dehydrated Kale and White Bean Stew after every milestone you score while out on the trail (be it a successful first day of backpacking or your catch of the year.) As evident from the product’s image above, this dehydrated backpacking meal retails in an inviting and attractive package that’ll ensure the bursting flavors are the only thing running through your mind all day.
What’s more? With this dehydrated camping and backpacking meal, you are guaranteed healthy 100% real vegetables that’ll load you up with sufficient proteins your body requires to keep pushing. The pouch’s chemical-free fabrication and sturdy nature also permit you to eat from it directly. Simply add hot water, wait approx. 10 minutes, and enjoy your hearty kale and white bean stew.
Notable Features
- 3-year shelf life
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- The white beans are a plant protein powerhouse
- Kale is a fantastic source of antioxidants
7. Backpacker’s Pantry Santa Fe Chicken And Rice
The Backpacker’s Pantry Santa Fe Chicken and Rice dehydrated meal combines vegetables, green chilli, cheese, and beans with rice and chicken to make it the ultimate go-to dehydrated backpacking dinner for one or two backpackers.
If you’d like to boost the number of calories on this delicacy, I’d suggest adding an olive oil packet. Better yet, if you’d like to go the burrito approach, all you’ll need to do is bring a hot sauce packet with you. The meal goes exceptionally well with tortillas.
Notable Features
- Contains traces of tree nuts and/or peanuts
- Extremely nutritious
- Easy and fast to prepare
- Made in the USA using all real and natural ingredients
Best Dehydrated Backpacking Meals – Conclusion
There you have it, my detailed guide on the best dehydrated backpacking meals available.
Note, though, that even with the best dehydrated meals, there is nothing worse than eating the same mush every evening when you’re on a multi-day backpacking trip. As such, ensure you invest in the broadest array of dehydrated meals possible.
Also, if you prefer meals packed with a mixture of flavors, take a cheeky bottle of Tabasco, several sachets of your favorite sauce, or dried herbs. All of these weigh next to nothing. Finally, ensure you extensively read all the ingredients before investing your hard-earned dollars.
However good a dehydrated backpacking meal tastes, the last thing you want is to suffer an allergic reaction alone out in the wild.
That’s all. HAPPY BACKPACKING!!
Related: Are Terriers Great Hunting Dogs?