I Ditched My Favorite Backpacking Meal For These?

On a recent backpacking trip I took 3 new backpacking meals I had never tried before to eat and share my honest first impressions of. The meals include Alpenfuel, Readywise Outdoor and Pinnacle Foods.
Gear From This Video ⬇️:
- Pinnacle Freeze Dried Meals: geni.us/Pinnacle-Foods
- AlpenFuel Meals: geni.us/Alpenfuel
- Readywise Outdoor Pro Meals: geni.us/Readywise-Outdoor
- Peak Refuel Meals: geni.us/Peak-Refuel
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- Pinnacle Foods Freeze Dried Meals: geni.us/Pinnacle-Foods
- Peak Refuel Meals: geni.us/Peak-Refuel
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[@ultima8250]

It really is hard to go back once you start dehydrating your own meals. Healthier, cheaper, lighter, and you can make exactly what you want!

[@user-vw2lt5fj7x]

Full disclosure. I work for ReadyWise Outdoor. I cannot tell you how much we appreciate you giving one of our meals a try. We worked really hard to create meals that taste good and are as calorie dense as anything on the market. In order to do this we worked directly with athletes and trail organizations…to create meals they would want to eat!

[@Away.Aweigh.A.Way.]

My main issue with a lot of the backpacking meals that aren’t Peak Refuel is the lack of caloric density. Like, even if they taste a bit better, they’re usually lower in calories. PR stuff is usually anywhere from 700-1000 calories per meal which is great. On top of that they taste good and are typically higher in protein than other brands, which means they’re more satiating. I also don’t care for breakfast food options available from basically anybody so I tend to eat the PR Butternut Dal Bhat for breakfast and it’s awesome. All that said, I’m really glad other brands, especially high quality brands like Pinnacle, are out there because I think they push the industry forward.

[@alpenfuel6525]

Caloric density is a big deal! Our breakfasts are around 135-140 calories per oz, and our cookies are over 150 cals/oz. You need fat content to get caloric density up! Fat has 9 cals/g, where carbs and protein have 5 cals/g. We add lots of nuts and coconut oil to help push up calories. 🙏🏻👍🏻

[@scott.the.sailor]

Yeah people think “healthy” backpacking food just means low calorie. Most people are completely clueless when it comes to nutrition

[@user-or3tk9ej5o]

I don’t always agree with caloric density. Yes Important to take in consideration but it’s not a very healthy way especially with all the crap stuff you can’t pronounce in most pouches. Variety and better ingredients are key in me feeling good. I tend to push hard and not on the regular walking path like the big three thru hikes.

[@scott.the.sailor]

oh look, exactly the type of person I was talking about

[@user-or3tk9ej5o]

@@scott.the.sailor really

[@jamesblake8245]

I love Pinnacle Foods Co! Have yet to have one of their meals that isn't delicious... I particularly love their Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits and Herbed Sausage Gravy. I know a ton of people rave about Peak Refuel but for me their meals have really been a hit or miss. I always tend to go back to the tried and true Mountain House Meals. My favorite backpacking dehydrated meals are (in no particular order): • Pinnacle Foods Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits and Herbed Sausage Gravy • Backpacker's Pantry Pad Thai with Chicken • Mountain House Pasta Primavera • Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles • Packit Gormet Poblano Corn Chowder • Mountain House Chicken and Mashed Potato Dinner • Mountain House Chili Mac • Mountain House Spicy Southwest Style Skillet (breakfast) • Peak Refuel Mountain Berry Granola • Packit Gourmet Texas State Fair Chili

[@BackcountryExposure]

Seems like you’ve got the taste buds all dialed in!

[@Fizzyfuzzybignbuzzy]

I love this Devin. So many reviews on gear and really not enough on food. When you pay upwards of 15$ on a meal I really appreciate some insight before hand. I will say the pinnacle burrito bowl is without a doubt the best freeze dried meal that’s ever hit my tongue. I would trust them again

[@BackcountryExposure]

Appreciate the kind words!

[@KamranRazvan]

One of the biggest problems I have with these packages is the waste. Just see how much plastic we waste for such a small amount of food. Where does that plastic go? The ones I have used before end up with so much waste.. Great review.. thank you.

[@sueb860]

I re-use the bags the meals come in. I just wash and rinse them really well. I often have oatmeal for breakfast and use a meal bag because when I add water to the oatmeal bag it leaks (you are supposed to be able to pour water directly into the oatmeal pouch). I use them for garbage also because they seal up like a ziplock.

[@HypnoticLasagna]

If you buy Pinnacle foods Omnidegradeable bags (made by Tekpack), they supposedly degrade in landfills back into the raw elements. At least a step in the right direction.

[@BackcountryExposure]

I see more and more brands using degradable bags which is good to see. Borvo Broth as an example with single serve packets are in compostable packaging. Pinnacle as well.

[@MoniqueDiCarlo]

Had my first Pinnacle meal (creamy Tuscan chicken) in June 2022 and it’s been my favorite brand ever (after Packitgourmet). Try the Italian sausage with tomato sauce it’s heaven!

[@WilliamKapes]

I found after awhile that many of Peak Refuel meals taste pretty similar. LIke they dialed in a cream sauce recipe and use that for a lot of the meals. Some of the newer flavors are great though. I did find a new favorite biscuits and gravy and that's the one from ReadyWise. The new Pro one is delicious. The Pinnacle biscuits and gravy is good, the jalapeno is a nice addition but the Readywise is just super good.

[@louspeed1]

Great to see there are other options out there.

[@RAMtrails]

I put beef jerky in my Thai peanut Curry and it was SUPERB

[@trailgoodsco]

B- based on packaging! I worked for months on that! hahah

[@sueb860]

Recently tried that same ReadyWise meal, and I liked it. Never tried RW before because they used to use meat fillers in their backpacking meals. Pleasantly surprised by at least the Pro meals. Likely won't get their other ones (red and white labeled). Love Pinnacle Foods. Never unhappy with their meals.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Yeah the new Pro meals from my understanding had a lot of work put into them to elevate the stigma that readywise has had in the past.

[@flybyguy1450]

I recently had the roasted chicken and white cheddar dumplings by pinnacle foods and I think it's now my favorite backpacking meal!

[@BackcountryExposure]

Taking that one on a trip next week!

[@roselee_explores]

Some other ones to look at trying ... and ones I've tried and enjoyed - Stowaway Gourmet (very spendy/kinda slow shipping ... but their Wild Boar Bacon Bean Stew and Shrimp Curry is something I always have on hand), PackIt Gourmet (Texas State Fair Chili), Sails & Trails (everything I've had has been good unfortunately he's currently out of stock - but he's hoping to have more stock soon!), Trailbound VA (small business/inventory ... but routinely some of my favorite meals), and Outdoor Herbivore (for when I cold soak in summer months - really enjoy their salads). Farm to Summit looks amazing but I haven't tried their stuff yet. 🙂

[@davidsugeno5321]

Stowaway and Packit are my two favorite brands by far. Stowaway, as you say, is a bit slow (they seem to have improved lately), and comically expensive, but totally worth it. My faves are the Doeganoff and the Lamb Bourguinon. They have two new meals that I'm looking forward to trying. For Packit Gourmet, I'm especially fond of the Gumbo. My current favorite breakfast is the jalapeno biscuits and gravy from Pinnacle. Next Mile Meals also has some great breakfasts, and I like their Italian marinara. We are probably living in the Golden Age of dehydrated meals.

[@brycewalburn3926]

I have a hard time getting behind $13-14 backpacking meals. A Knorr rice or pasta side with a packet of chicken or some sausage is at least half as good and about a quarter the price. All the Pinnacle Foods meals I've seen look great, but the price is a big turn off. I had hoped those ReadyWise meals would be more in the Mountain House price range. Oh well.

[@BackcountryExposure]

All that food budget goes out the window when buying dyneema tents! 😬😜 I hear ya and agree to a point. But also many of these meal companies are family owned, small local businesses. So it’s good to support them when possible.

[@azclaimjumper]

Most any commercially produced Freeze-Dried meal is a bargain compared to the fat pills you buy & eat at any fast-food franchise.

[@BigFuzzyGuy11]

I will literally fight anyone who doesn't love Alpenfuel- granola or cookies.

[@alpenfuel6525]

😂😂 appreciate the dedication 🙏🏻💪🏼 hopefully you don't find anyone to fight and they all line up for Caramel Apple Granola and Monster Cookies.

[@DaveOffGrid]

Devin, "I hate almonds", me watching this vid literally eating almonds lol. Can't wait to see the trip vid if there's one comin'! Jeesh, 5 yrs?! Long time to stick with Peak. Glad to see ya branching out. Next Mile Meals is my fav being a low-carber. Lookin' to try some Packit Gourmet and Right on Trek soon. Sweet vid!

[@BackcountryExposure]

Oh yeah, trip video coming for sure. It was an awesomely awesome slog! Eric is good company. Pack It Gourmet needs to be on my list after all this time.

[@obristimagery]

Just finished a trip with my wife and had the Alpen Fuel Cranberry White Chocolate. Holy Cow it was amazing! I usually do warm stews and stuff but this was great and I loved the fact that the calories were so high so I didn't have to pack a huge meal. And I can have it hot or cold! Gonna try the cookies on my next trip they are sitting there telling me to come eat them:)

[@alpenfuel6525]

Thanks Craig! 🙏🏻

[@BackcountryExposure]

Just ordered the cranberry to try! Ha

[@iceman857]

I love seeing the KZbinr collabs and you guys hiking with each other. The Pinnacle brand has a lot of good options but dang it's so expensive (and it's made near me). $10 per meal is reasonable, but $15? It's just too much for me. The Pinnacle jalapeno cheddar biscuits are the exception; I'll gladly pay the extra.

[@BackcountryExposure]

It was awesome to hang out with Eric! Solid dude! I totally get that from a price standpoint. I guess I also look at it as supporting local, family owned and small businesses. And in a lot of cases, what I am buying has more calories and tastes better than what I could make myself for the same weight/space. But there's also dehydrating all your own stuff too, which I haven't yet made the dive into.

[@rodoutdoors]

Those look pretty good. ReadyWise is horrid but I only tried their bottom of the barrel emergency bucket meals. Freeze dried meals are like a fancy gourmet meal for me at this point. That sounds really sad in a way. I've been doing the dirtbag way and putting together cheap meals. Haven't use a long handle spoon in a while. I might try cold soaking and have been looking up recipes.

[@mikedidomenico1]

Pinnacle Foods make some amazing meals.

[@Yomamma100]

Pinnacle is the best one I’ve tried so far. Cleanest ingredients with great texture and taste.

[@BackcountryExposure]

I’ve since also now tried the jalapeno biscuits and gravy and that was 🔥🔥🤌🏻

[@Yomamma100]

@@BackcountryExposure Absolutely! It’s another favorite. Thank you for doing this video

[@davidcooper8390]

How does it compare to the Peak Refuel biscuits and gravy?@@BackcountryExposure

[@BackcountryExposure]

Honestly, both are excellent. I like the flavor of the pinnacle biscuits being cheddar jalepeno. But with the Peak one, you get more gravy.

[@Yomamma100]

@@BackcountryExposure Agreed. However in my opinion Pinnacle gets the win just due to the clean ingredients you get with that taste. Yes though, the Peak refuel might be a bit more gravy-ish

[@MoosebearAdventures]

Very nice video 😊

[@josiebones1]

That chicken pot pie looked to be about 50% peas and I despise them so much I'll go to great lengths to pick them out. The Pinnacle Tuscan is by far my favorite backpacker meal and their Italian sausage with farfalle a close second. In my experience the granola/cereal type breakfasts are way overpriced. I think you can get 90% of the flavor with your favorite granola from the supermarket and a little powdered milk. Jazz it up with some freeze dried fruit, nuts, etc... and you have a real good breakfast for 1/4 the price.

[@HuckOutdoors]

Tried one of the Pinnacle meals before, and it left me desiring more flavor. Time to get yourself some Packit Gourmet and Outdoor Pantry!

[@BackcountryExposure]

Rad! Yeah, pack it gourmet I know has been a favorite of yours for a while.

[@HuckOutdoors]

I thought ti was Pinnacle food before, turned out it was trailtopia! Oops! Steer clear of trailtopia

[@TheSJCieply]

Why do you need special "backpacking" cookies? Most regular cookies are shelf stable.

[@BackcountryExposure]

I just happened to get them with the other AlpenFuel meal and thought they were worth trying. Arguably better ingredients and supporting a small, family owned business.

[@alpenfuel6525]

Good question! Ours are gluten free and are super calorie dense. They are essentially a meal replacement. They are very durable as well. You won't have a bag full of crumbs on day 3 of your trip!

[@jon27d]

A meal that I tried for the first time this past year that I absolutely loved was the chicken larb from backpackers pantry. Highly recommended!

[@BackcountryExposure]

I've had Backpackers Pantry in the past and didn't love it. But willing to give it another go. Thanks!

[@jon27d]

@@BackcountryExposure That's the only meal I've tried from backpackers pantry so I can't speak to the rest but I definitely enjoyed that one. It's one that has a fairly complex taste so if that's not your thing it's probably worth skipping. If that doesn't scare you then definitely worth adding to the list at some point

[@BackcountryExposure]

Always willing to try new things!

[@JarradShaw]

Eric? ERIC!

[@JarradShaw]

So glad you two are doing anything together. Both have a common friend who lives near me, and you two just live too close to not do more colabs. What? Maybe 5-ish hours from each other? So great🤗❤️

[@blackibex]

"Rumspringa" seems to originate from the German term "Rumspringer" which isn't 100% correct but more colloquial. The correct term would be "Herumspringer" which is someone "jumping around". Which then in turns fits the description of the Amish word's meaning. 🙂

[@davidcooper8390]

Other than the Homestyle chicken with rice I have loved the Peak Refuel meals. my only complaint about Peak Refuel are the bulk of the packaging. Eric's off camera commentary was awesome....."you don't like almonds I give you a B-" Pinnacle Foods was already on my list to try for this year to see if the hype was real.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Yeah the Homestyle Chicken kind of messes with my stomach. I have to be careful with cream based meals. Eric is awesome!

[@dmn3773]

Because of caloric density I tend to go with PR if I have to take a freeze-dried meal. However, I find that more often than not I am taking the extra weight and just taking real food. An added benefit of going UL is you can afford to take heavier items to munch on while at camp.

[@BackcountryExposure]

Yes, I've always loved the calorie density of the Peak meals. The Pinnacle meals from what I've seen so far also have good calorie density.

[@dmn3773]

@@BackcountryExposure I probably will give those a shot, thanks!

[@53nd4k]

Man, you are missing out if you don't try the Alpen Fuel Caramel Apple Granola. Yeah, I've had the Chocolate Strawberry, had the Lemon Berry, had the Cranberry White Chocolate. All yummy. But the Caramel Apple is in another league IMO. (Also, I love almonds so that might skew our grades)

[@BackcountryExposure]

Nice! Yeah, Shaun messaged me saying I needed to try the Carmel Apple as well. So adding that to the cart!

[@alpenfuel6525]

Thanks for the caramel love! We sell 2x of that flavor relative to our other flavors. It's made with locally sourced caramel that has won 9 national awards. Maybe that's part of the reason why 👍🏻

[@pleok08]

Wednesday, February 28th: Under perfect operating circumstances with additional spices, most meals can be made edible and tasty. IMHO. Happy Trails! Ross08

[@azclaimjumper]

I add pre-cooked bacon & a shot or two of Tabasco sauce to most any freeze-dried meal.

[@lukeflynn7025]

❤ From 🇮🇪

[@wmlaw98]

When are you doing a review of what I think is a Nemo Moonlight Elite chair you are sitting on?

[@BackcountryExposure]

Soon, soon. Only had it out on one trip. Need more time with it.

[@michelstronguin6974]

There has to be a more natural way to eat on the trail. Like for the first two days you pack 2 avocados for lunch (along with a tortilla wrap and a few other things, and an orange or apple for dessert, it’s great). Then for dinners you pack 2 white onions, one garlic clove, dehydrated grass fed beef jerky, a pound of olive oil, some nuts, and a bunch of dehydrated ramen noodles. A couple of packets of whatever sauce you like. Make yourself a real food ramen, the idea is that if you get a lot of real vitamins and minerals from real food, you will feel so much better, that your body will be happy to carry those extra couple of pounds. Then on day 3 and 4 you could go with no fresh foods whatsoever unless you could get an unripe avocado at the start of your trip which should ripen by day 3 or 4. I believe it’s insane to go the whole 4 to 5 days without any real food. These dehydrated meals contain no bio available nutrients other than basic carbs and a tiny bit of fiber.

[@BackcountryExposure]

You can certainly take all that fresh stuff. But to say all of these freeze dried meals are not made with real, nutritious ingredients just isn’t true. There is certainly a spectrum of quality. But brands like Alpenfuel and Pinnacle are using real food that is absolutely good for you to fuel your body.

[@michelstronguin6974]

@@BackcountryExposureSure, it has some good stuff in it. But many micronutrients are water soluble, this is why fresh food is needed for at least the first half of the trip - when fresh maintains its freshness.

[@azclaimjumper]

I always have a pouch of pre-cooked Bacon I munch on during the day & add to most any freeze dried meal.

[@johnphillips3526]

Nothing to do with meals…in Escalante, should you plan to use a wag bag or is it possible to dig a proper cat hole?

[@BackcountryExposure]

In general yes. Depends on the area you’re visiting. But a Wag bag would be best practice.

[@3top5]

“It’s not 😊that bad.”

[@bertman4]

I don't like almonds either. Also, almonds are causing California to sink. They are such a water intensive crop. Sucking the water out of the aquifer is causing the land to sink.

[@andreikaAF]

Why don't you make a comparison video of sleeping pads with R value over 6?? I'm having problems in choosing the one ))

[@BackcountryExposure]

It's on a video idea list. Just haven't had it as a priority. Honestly, give the Exped Ultra 7R a good look. Very very happy with that pad.

[@andreikaAF]

@@BackcountryExposure Not too heavy for backpacking??

[@BackcountryExposure]

@@andreikaAF no, not at all!

[@andreikaAF]

@@BackcountryExposure Ordered Ultra 7R, but shipping to Ukraine this days might take up to a month (

[@SuperdutyExplorer]

I like these meals for the weight/calories... however, don't think my body gets many calories out of the food in the 9 hours it takes the food to go through me... don't look much different coming out either... I don't eat much of a breakfast, and force myself to snack while hiking... big dinner n candy at night haha

[@azclaimjumper]

My taste buds seem to want all commercially produced Freeze-dried meals to want bacon which I add & with a shot or two of Tabasco sauce, for added flavoring. Bacon, bacon, good anywhere, anytime, with or without anything else. I'll stick with Peak Refuel Meals because they are tasty (with added bacon & Tabasco sauce), there is so much food/calories & Protein in a Peak Refuel foil pack I actually get 2 separate & filling meals out of it Everyone has different taste buds, personal likes & dislikes - meaning I seldom watch any video that is a product review of food, freeze-dried or otherwise. Most any Freeze-Dried Meal is a bargain compared to the fat pills you buy & eat from any fast-food franchise. Warm Regards from nearby Reno, Nevada.

[@user-or3tk9ej5o]

You ate the same crap for five years?!!! Holy smokes man!

[@BackcountryExposure]

Peak Refuel meals are delicious and great. Far from crap.

[@user-or3tk9ej5o]

@@BackcountryExposure but seriously there is so much more out there! Man sorry for the harshness but I get tired of repetition i guess

[@BackcountryExposure]

@@user-or3tk9ej5o yeah I totally get that. I also was an ambassador for Peak for 5 years. So it was time for a change, and to try a lot of other options out there. Do you have a favorite?

[@user-or3tk9ej5o]

@@BackcountryExposure I do ! Right now packit gourmet So tasty and you don’t feel bogged down after. Also her in Canada there are some good ones - fuel your feat is pretty honest

[@michaelfrymus]

Bring real food and cook it yourself. More satisfying, better tasting, healthier, and cheaper.