I Taste Tested Popular Backpacking Meals!

*Get yourself a pair of the most comfortable do-anything shoes from Giesswein! Use the code MIRANDA20 for 20% off your entire order at serv.linkster.co/r/OB9MEIoM70
I taste tested, and ranked, the most popular backpacking meal from backpacking food brands! From big brands like Mountain House and Backpacker’s Pantry, to smaller cottage brands like Itacate and Pinnacle Foods, I chose the ten bestselling backpacking meals from each brand to see which one would come out on top. The meals tested include vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and keto options, as well as classic omnivore options as well! Dehydrated backpacking food has a reputation for being overly salty, weird textures, or just plain icky - but some of the food I taste test in this video was stunning delicious, even at home! Which popular backpacking meal is best, and which is worst? Watch the video to see!
Intro: 00:00
Rating system: 0:51
Good-to-go Mushroom Risotto: 1:02
Backpacker’s Pantry, Farm to Summit, Heather's Choice: 2:08
Trailtopia, Mountain House, Pinnacle Foods: 8:33
Why I adore Giesswein shoes (sponsor): 15:37
Icatate Foods, Packit Gourmet, Peak Refuel: 16:41
Conclusion: 23:11
Outro: 24:15
Backpacking Meals I Taste Tested -
Good-to-go Mushroom Risotto: alnk.to/bPcMOxz
Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai with Chicken: alnk.to/aeXXZcY
Farm to Summit Green Chile Mac and Cheese: alnk.to/7BeBgX6
Heather’s Choice Bison Chili: alnk.to/2uGCPjP
Trailtopia Pesto Chicken Pasta: alnk.to/3ngpJpB
Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings: alnk.to/cSHkHtz
Pinnacle Foods Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits and Herbed Sausage Gravy: alnk.to/eDQUvyH
Itacate Foods Charge-Up Chilaquiles: alnk.to/9T8s1Ck
Packit Gourmet Polenta with Pork Sausage: alnk.to/4MAtzT7
Peak Refuel Chicken Alfredo Pasta: alnk.to/5jkKwpD
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The Miranda Goes Outside crew:
Director, Producer, and Videographer: Rainer Golden
Sr. Editor and Videographer: Abby Hagan
Videographer and Editor: Chelsea Newton
Videographer and Editor: Kyle Roof
Editor: Katie Van Fleet
Editor: Doug Linstedt
Dog: Tucker
Cat: Oscar
Miranda: Miranda
This video was filmed by Rainer and edited by Doug Linstedt!
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Taste Testing Backpacking Meals!
#backpackingfood #backpackingmeals #tastetest #backpacking #hiking #camping #adventure #mirandagoesoutside #mirandainthewild

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

I have read some comments asking to see a list of each meal just based on the price, and so here you go! Listed by price, low to high - Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings: $10.25 Packit Gourmet Polenta with Pork Sausage: $10.49 Trailtopia Chicken Pesto Pasta: $10.99 Itacate Foods Charge-Up Chilaquiles: $12.50 Backpacker's Pantry Pad Thai with Chicken: $12.95 Farm to Summit Green Chili Mac and Cheese: $13.50 Peak Refuel Chicken Alfredo Pasta: $13.95 Good To-Go Mushroom Risotto: $15.50 Heather's Choice Bison Chili: $15.95 Pinnacle Foods Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits and Herbed Sausage Gravy: $15.99 In terms of value for the price, I gotta say the Farm to Summit and Itacate foods meals represent a truly great value of great taste to relatively low price! The Packit Gourmet polenta too. I hope this helps!! Love y'all 💚

[@RottenlyMoodyChild]

Hi, Miranda. Another great video by you and the team (shout out to airplane hanger mouth Rainer 😂)! Loved this video, and I'm certainly not hating. I understand it is the only viable option for many people. But just seeing all the packaging and waste that went into this video made me think about your zero waste backpacking adventure video you guys did back when you were with REI. Any chance you'd ever consider doing another one of those adventures? That was an amazing trail along the beach and I also seem to remember you really enjoying your polenta and split pea soup mix supper. After eating all these dehydrated meals from different companies, and with all your years of experience hiking, do you think you could come up with any other good "zero waste" type meals like the polenta and split pea soup? That's something I'd really love to see in a future video. Just my thoughts and wanted to share. Thanks for another fun video. Have a beautiful week 💚🌍

[@sarayuki8540]

What is the name of the brand of dehydrated meals Rainer boasted about in one of your lives/vid. It was a vegetable dehydrated meal. I haven't been able to find it.

[@sunshinebabe1188]

Try the Peak Fuel biscuit and sausage gravy its so good!

[@Applejack1396]

You guys should consider doing the foothills trail over here near Asheville NC.

[@thomgizziz]

You mean chili mac is good? It is pretty much the easiest because it hard to screw up... you shouldnt be tasting a bunch of different things it should all be the same meal from different companies. All we got here is what foods do you like best, not what brands are best.

[@FluxApex]

Idea for next time. Maybe a direct meal head to head. Several brands have the same meals. i.e. Beef Stroganoff is made by Peak Refuel, Mountainhouse, Trailtopia and Backpackers pantry.

[@RainerGolden]

Ooh I love this idea!

[@CoffeeMugTwentyFive]

oh... "The Stroganoff Face-Off" !

[@IronmanV5]

Yes, yes, oh he'll yes

[@jeffhartman5166]

And make it a blind taste test to remove any preconceived brand bias.

[@Brett_S]

​@@jeffhartman5166Yes! That is the best idea....no bias.

[@juniper1girl]

You know you are a backpacker when even at home you measure water in a nalgene.

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

☠️ literally did not think about that until you mentioned it

[@nicoleymotion]

I figured she was trying to be accurate to the backpacker experience haha!

[@erindewhirst2044]

😂

[@johku7638]

But they are my only containers with measurements on them 😂

[@hanskloss1331]

who carries a Nalgene those things weigh a TON

[@RainerGolden]

Of the ones airplaned into my mouth I would say the best was the Farm to Summit green chili mac and cheese, second was the Itacate chilaquiles, third was the Mountain House (stunner!), fourth was the Pinnacle Foods biscuits and gravy, and fifth was the Peak Refuel chicken alfredo! Never been a fan of that pad thai meal. I think it's popular simply because pad thai is popular. The greatest backpacking food company of all time sadly went out of business this year. Bushka's Kitchen was the greatest, but they are gone and I may never recover!

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

Thanks for letting me airplane food into your mouth and only being *slightly* weirded out 🕺

[@vincentvega5686]

i never understood the hype for pad thai. it's ok but i would never order it at a restaurant. plus it is so cheap to make at home.

[@Azelial]

Mountain House is so consistently solid, where even their just ok meals are still way better than other brands' ok meals. The Mexican Chicken Adobo is my favorite and their breakfast Skillet is actually so solid, especially with a little hot sauce.

[@stitch3163]

YAWWWHHH! Rainer, I also like Farm to Summit meals. They taste good and I appreciate how they use produce that would be chucked by grocery stores for discoloration or shelf life.

[@RainerGolden]

@@stitch3163 YAAWWW!! That mac and cheese was a life changer. I immediately ordered some! And I had no idea they used ugly produce!! I love that! Even more reason why they rule. Thanks for sharing!

[@MrChrisPietrzak]

I wanted to give special props to the editor. So many little touches, and it was fun and energetic while still holding back to not overdo anything. Great job!

[@candisscott6267]

Yea!

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

Yes, major props to Doug on this one!! Rainer and I were cracking up watching through some of his edits 😆

[@alexandercatlin2130]

..weeee!...

[@Jaypher]

We need this video on loop in the aisles at REI.

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

Omg I think we’d sell them out of some these meals 😋

[@strangerous1313]

I get the notion, but REI doesn't carry several of these...they are available online only. And, the vid would have to be edited, or else you'll stand there for 25 minutes to watch it all.

[@MarianaGarcia-sv2hh]

I'm mexican and you're my favourite backpacker in KZbin. If you loved Itacate chilaquiles you can't even imagine how the real chilaquiles are here in Mexico. Love your channel and your personality. ❤

[@amynapier3551]

Thanks for highlighting cottage company brands. We don't always hear about them. I tend to gravitate towards buying meals with vegetables. It's hard to get enough on trail. Keep shining bright.

[@MariekaJackson]

Buy some freeze dried veggies online and add them to meals! I do that with both veggies and chicken. I also take fresh kale and spinach and add those on the last few minutes of hydration. The steam in the bag cooks them.

[@amynapier3551]

@@MariekaJackson Thanks for the tips. Hope you have many, happy trails ahead.

[@Chris-ov4zc]

I'd love to see you do a prep test and taste test for some DIY backpacking meals. Things like Skurka beans, ramen bombs, Kraft EZ Mac, etc. I.e., yummy, easy, backpacking-appropriate meals that don't cost $10+.

[@ruth370]

💯

[@shannonliedtke5820]

YES!! This is such a good idea.

[@kalifusch]

yes! and how to construct them, e.g. how to get the right proportion of dehydrated beans to rice to dried veg in a burrito bowl, for example

[@LagiacrusHunter]

She actually made several videos on this topic in her Miranda in the Wild series on the REI channel before she went independent. REI still has those videos posted on their channel if you want to check them out, but I do hope she does an updated version soon!

[@coleroth6980]

​@@kalifuschyes!!!!!!!!

[@Orange_Tang]

I hope you do more of these. I trust your judgment way more than random reviews online. Even when you didn't like it you said why.

[@gen_li7725]

My favorite peak refuel meal is the butternut dal bhat! It’s perfect with a little red pepper and it isn’t as rich as the cream based meals they make. It’s one of the few meals I can eat outside no matter how my tummy is feeling. And it’s vegan!

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

YES!! I LOVE their dal bhat!! That should be the highest rated, imho

[@LoserLara]

I love Packit Gourmet meals, their tortilla soup is a must for every trip for me. I also love their corn pudding, chili, and cold soak meals (perfect for mid -hike breaks because you can set them up to soak before take off and they're ready to go when you take a break.) oh, and their desserts are on point too.

[@jamesthornton3339]

All Americam Works Burger! OMG! Keep this one as a special treat after a long day.

[@stitch3163]

I’m a big fan of Packit Gourmet meals, as well, LoserLara

[@saltycat262]

lol I love that you re-assessed your rankings in the conclusion because your reactions to to the Farm to Summit tasting seemed way bigger than the mushroom risotto lol. well done 😁

[@Jinoda]

Part of that was probably familiarity vs novelty. She's more familiar with her original favorite so her reaction is likely going to be less animated.

[@JDlovescats979]

Miranda you have not lived until you haved had the Peak Butternut Squash Dahl Curry at the end of a day of backpacking. I was able to do a week of backpacking as part of a medical school class (we literally got back to civilization yesterday) and when I had this meal everyone was passing around the silica gel packet just so they could smell the spices from the pouch. I am half indian and it is easily one of the best dahl curries I've ever had.

[@maxinemead8918]

If this is the same thing as the Peak Refuel Butternut Dal Bhat (I"m assuming it is) -- I *love* this meal soooo much!

[@JDlovescats979]

@@maxinemead8918 yes it is, I couldn't remember the exact name, just that it was amazing lol

[@arlenesolis024]

Yes do another tastings for breakfast, and dessert. I mean as long you do the airplane ✈️ to Rainer I’m in.. maybe mix it up with Choochoo train 🚂 😆. I also want to see you do again your version of dehydrated meals. I love the first one

[@gr8fulcaps]

"Woman who uses pasta water to make coffee reviews backpacking meals"

[@RainerGolden]

😂

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

WILL WE NEVER LET THIS GO

[@RainerGolden]

​@@MirandaGoesOutside We will not. Or at least I won't. I had known you for all of a few weeks when we shot that video years ago, and now so many years later I still think, "Pasta water coffee lady!" Whenever I see you.

[@vincentvega5686]

@@RainerGolden link to that video please. I do not recall ever seeing that one 😊

[@RainerGolden]

@@vincentvega5686 It was the second video Miranda and I ever filmed together, during the first ever week of production on the show! Video is right here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJa7eIeDbpmqeZY

[@valeriesorrells]

chicken and dumplings are a staple when we go backpacking in the winter.

[@Prtg1]

Oh my the Pad Thai is my all time favorite when I want something different then the usual meals

[@RainerGolden]

Hell yeah! Not gonna lie, I am pretty excited to see some wildly different opinions than Miranda here in the comments defending their fav if she was not a fan of it. I know a few people who are in love with the pad thai!! They won't ever go backpacking without it. You like what you like! Miranda's previous fav, the mushroom risotto, is not one I'd ever go backpacking with personally.

[@jamesrohner3792]

Pad Thai is fantastic in my opinion. Also any backpacking meal I have to dump water out as part of the instructions is kind of a no go for me.. waste of water and I don't like the idea of attracting critters

[@mikenealis]

Pinnacle Foods has my favorite biscuits and gravy meal. Plus, it's palm oil free! Also, great foley work on "pew" and "whee!"

[@johnpetry6753]

I do this with all backpacking foods. I try them out at home. I don't like surprizes while camping.

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

That’s a great idea!! I like surprises sometimes, but it’s kind of a roulette - because sometimes the meals happy-surprise you, and sometimes they disappoint 🫠

[@johnpetry6753]

@@MirandaGoesOutside Yeah. I had to choke down some nasty MRE's while in the service. No thanks. If I have enough time before a trip I will buy two of any new meals.One to try and one to pack. I also wish they would vacuum pack again. So bulky...

[@pyronymph-868]

Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings is one of my favorites, honestly!

[@Mr7h21]

If you try it, break up the biscuits for best results.

[@natalieroy4849]

Mountain House lasagna is the bomb! Add a cheesestring after your first stir.

[@MariekaJackson]

Oh, man. Heather’s Choice Bison Chili is one of my favorite backpacking meals! Though, there are some things about it I don’t like. 1) the high sodium content, which also works after a super strenuous day. Their other ones aren’t as high in sodium; 2) The wait time, there have been a couple times I’ve been too impatient and the bison doesn’t fully dehydrate before I dig in; 3) I want more in the package! It always hits the spot. Be it a cold trip or a hot day. It really just always satisfies me. And it is super nutritious. Peak Fuel is another favorite brand. I’ve never had the chicken Alfredo, but their Butternut Squash Daal and the Chicken Curry are my other go-tos. I’ve even cooked the Daal at home late at night. When on trail I add freeze dried chicken for added protein. I HIGHLY recommend giving those a try. The Backpackers Pantry Pad Thai…so not a pad Thai. It’s like a powdered citric acid bomb that gives me the worst farts in the world. And yet somehow I still crave it at times. I’m really glad you tried the Farm to Summit one. I’ve been wanting to try it but haven’t because I’m not big on flour noddles. My other fav I think has stopped making their backpacking dinners. Patagonia Provisions. Their spicy chili was the best, and I love how nutritious they are. I’m also really excited to try the Pinnacles one. Also, did you refrain from burping in this episode? Out of all episodes?!

[@tracydereszynski2232]

Peak Refuel Chicken Alfredo Pasta one of my favest!

[@MrMorton]

As a diabetic, it's very hard to find backpack meals without noodles and grains. Would really liked to have seen Next Mile meals as well! Fun video 😁

[@heather482]

I’m sorry. I only eat fruit and veggies raw. My backpack we won’t discuss the weight. lol

[@sueb860]

Their Beef Marinara is one of my faves!

[@maxinemead8918]

I'm a fan of Next Mile meals. Never had one that I did not like.

[@juniper1girl]

Love your taste test (and cooking) video's. This one is gonna be awesome as well!

[@RooEnglish]

i love this video, "im just trying to think of something nice to say" is me trying to convince people to eat backpacking meals lol

[@Duhernt]

Man, that Pad Thai is my go-to every summer. I love it.

[@davewyman3021]

Loved the video! And would love to see another one - so many different options out there. PackIt gourmet makes a Meyer lemon cheesecake that I love having

[@juliemulie1805]

Helpful video as these are Christmas gifts in our household. Boxes of long term storage food work for the preppers, the campers, the too lazy to cook, and when there are power emergencies (too often). Thanks!

[@adrianabarnes5540]

I would love to see more of this! Love it! 😊

[@ChasingQuiet]

The Backpackers pantry Pad Thai is my favourite! I get the vegetarian one because it's $5 cheaper and I add tuna. For me it's enough for 2 meals. I'm so sad you didn't like it. It's definitely a go-to for me.😂

[@louisebeaudry2036]

I've been looking at the Farm to Summit brand on the Garage Grown Gear website and waiting for someone to review it, thanks so much!! Now I am definitely going to order some!

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

Oh my gosh you MUST!! I can’t wait to try more of their meals!

[@brittneycorbin8741]

I love to see Farm to Summit!!! The green chile mac is our absolute favorite, and sometimes we just eat it for dinner 😂 they're such an amazing women owned local brand that's going big places!

[@bertman4]

I don't care how cheesy the meal from Farm to Summit is. I don't like meals where you have to drain the water. Where are you going to drain the water? Right next to your tent? No, it's a huge hassle in the backcountry. I'm a big fan of Peak Refuel. Their freeze dry tech is really good. You should also look at sodium content. Many people moved away from Mountain House because there's too much salt in it.

[@Jazmin_Ortega]

Such a good episode! News we can use for sure. I have to agree, I loved the Itacate chilaquiles, I also like their Arroz con Leche. Of all the brands, I haven't tried Farm to Summit or Pinnacle Foods, and now I want to try both. Thanks for taking one for the team, lol.

[@jbaranowski31]

Super helpful video for someone like me who hasn't had very many backpacking meals! Thanks for making it!!!

[@danlearned6199]

Unless Mountain House has messed up the recipe, this was/is my all time favorite. Even my 3 backpacking friends love it. With a wee bit of Italian seasoning, this is actually tasty enough to serve company at home. Seriously, it is that good.

[@ItsAStephanieB]

It's ALWAYS fun to watch your videos. Thank you Miranda and Rainer!!! Perhaps testing breakfasts next? I've had Ham and Eggs freeze dried b/f before, and I know garage grown gear sells a yogurt type breakfast too. Hmmm... Its not comparing apples with apples.. But as they say - it's and Important start to the hiking day. 😅

[@jamieray4745]

The Pad Thai is my absolute favorite! Love the lime flavor!

[@RainerGolden]

I am loving seeing the varied tastes expressed in the comments here. It's such a popular meal, so they must be doing something right! "50 million Elvis fans cannot be wrong!" 😂

[@nataliejw8865]

I feel like the green chili mac & cheese and bison chili would be a good combo...

[@jasminaalm]

Thanks Miranda and team !

[@outdoorelement]

oh man...I love the Pad Thai by BP. Sorry you felt otherwise. And the Itacate meals are made by some amaizng people! ...glad you love it! Great job Martha Diaz!

[@ataraxisproductions5692]

Just wanted to say I look forward to your videos every week, thanks for bein awesome

[@a.ramosakadrumgrl6677]

Thanks for doing this, I’m camping since last night and I plan on having a “boil water because I’m too lazy to cook” meal tonight! I brought my saved hiking meals.

[@mirtagev]

Thank you for bringing some new brands to my attention! I have a food allergy that isn't one of the top 9 and it is incredibly hard to find backpacking meals without it, or a meal that is 100% transparent about ingredients. Pinnacles Food lists absolutely every ingredient and because of that I have found some new meals I can try.🤤

[@ShieldWolf1]

I have bought a dehydrator and bags for adding water and reheating. Along with air absorbers. I have made my own backpacking meals. Using directions from people that have been doing this a long time, everything came out great. I have dehydrated vegetables, pasta, rice, hot sauce and even hamburger. The hamburger has been in shelf vacuum storage for over two months and still is exceptional in texture and taste. If you did this, you could make your own backpacking meals with things that you enjoy and save a bundle in the mean time. Just an FYI. I enjoy your videos.

[@lisamartens3120]

I've had a couple of really good Peak Refuel meals, but I (like you) just don't really like chicken alfredo. The chicken teriyaki rice and butternut dal bhat are great! I also keep a small refillable squeezie bottle of sriracha with my cooking setup so I can un-bland dehydrated meals as needed.

[@midwestmikeonahike]

One of my favorite episodes! Well done!

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

Aww thank you!!

[@weronikawalker9650]

Farm to Summit has the most delicious backpacking meals I've ever tasted. Couldn't find them in Canada, unfortunately! I also really like Happy Yak's meals.

[@Stumpypirate]

Pinnacle Foods is my current fav. I agree with your assessment of the MH dumpling too. Surprising!!

[@Belgarathe]

Love it. Watching Miranda expression priceless. Excited to see how far backpacking meals have gone. Excited to go camping for excuse to eat some of these items

[@robertboulis4238]

You can't love the Green Chili Mac & Cheese that much and only give 4 stars! LOL.

[@Mr7h21]

The meals that have more protein and calories and carbs are 2 serving packages. So they may be more costly but contain more food.

[@natashabugarin140]

Can’t wait to try these!!

[@jadasakura]

I'm a pasta sides, udon bowl, and Annie's Mac and cheese girl myself but this was so fun to watch

[@JonathanFisherS]

I really thought this video was super useful, thank you!

[@connorchubbuck9377]

I will literally watch anything that you put out! I love your content!

[@TheAllibug125]

The Chicken and Dumplings is my go to backpacking meal!! It is like getting a hug at the end of the long day of hiking 🤗 the Bison chili was shared between my dad and I this past New Year’s Eve. I liked it but we didn’t let it cook long enough/not enough water so I would try it again!

[@krystiehill1782]

i watched this video while gathering gear for our first backpacking of the season and took notes....ordered the Itacate Foods Charge-Up Chilaquiles AND IT WAS DELICIOUS!! even my hispanic hiking friend was impressed! ABSOLUTELY will order again! thanks for the recommendation!

[@saraw6710]

Love your vids they brighten my day!!!!!!

[@robynroamsoutdoors]

The Packit meals are phenomenal. The Austintacious Tortilla Soup one is very good. It has a really good lime flavor to it. The Big'un Burrito With Fajita Chicken is good also. You definitely need tortillas to go with it but it's still good right out of the bag.

[@packitgourmet2353]

Thanks for the support!

[@robynroamsoutdoors]

@packitgourmet2353 no problem. Great food. Now if you are looking to sponsor someone... hint hint wink wink. I'm in the Waco area. 🤪

[@phasmata3813]

Something to be aware of is how incredible the sodium content of many of these are. Sure, when we're out doing the backpacky things, we tend to need more, but it can still get rather extreme. My favorite one of these has outrageously high sodium, so I have to be careful not to have it too much. Good to Go has impressed me by generally keeping sodium levels quite low for dehydrated meals in addition to tasting great.

[@gr8fulcaps]

As someone with hypertension this is always so frustrating to me. I know why they have so much sodium and I can definitely have more sodium when on the trail but I can usually tell my BP is high after certain backpacking meals. I tend to DIY a lot of my meals because of this. I'll have to check out Good To Go!

[@jadasakura]

​@@gr8fulcaps yeah I also have chronic health conditions and I've found that most of us who do are much more sensitive to how salty and processed these brands are.

[@loganc6818]

That's good to know! I'm getting back into backpacking, and looking at backpacking meals, cause I could never afford them when I was a teenager, but I'm actually sodium deficient and have a really hard time getting enough sodium in my diet, so it sounds like they'd be good for me to try regardless of backpacking!

[@sallys2423]

You'd better stay away from LMNT drink mix too. WAAAYY too much sodium for someone sensitive to it.

[@jadasakura]

@@sallys2423 I drink watered down nuun tablets, they work well for me personally (in moderation).

[@brandithrall2621]

My youngest son (12) says that the Mountain House mac and cheese is THE best and you HAVE TO leave the noodles a little crunchy, this has been his preferred backpacking meal for 8 years now. He's a mac and cheese expert so I trust him. I had that bison chili last fall on a short trip and it was really good- however because I am feeding a horde of gremlins, I mixed it with mashed tatoes to not spend a fortune on food - so I probably lost some of its greatness. I am going to have to try the chicken and dumplings next time.

[@CH-gz6yu]

Did the same thing few years back with mountain house..went to 3 stores and bought 1 of everything

[@lizzietrot2522]

Notification squad, yeehaw Been waiting for another taste test video!

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

Yeehaw! Thanks for being here first 🎉

[@phasmata3813]

Great editing on this one by the way.

[@RainerGolden]

Doug Linstedt does fantastic work!

[@HikingwithGus]

Love Heather's Choice African Peanut stew! Gus loves the Mtn House Chicken and Dumpling or Rice as a topping to his kibbles ( I have to share with him or he won't talk to me)

[@huntleycoman7017]

Thank you for being honest! I feel like I can really trust this review ❤❤❤❤❤

[@susietopspin]

Interesting. I wish there were more vegan options out there. You should have tried the vegan bolognese by Firepot. I bought at REI and delicious. Will try the mushroom risotto. Looking at dehydrating my own meals. Happy trails.🤘🏻🥾⛰️

[@PwnageFury]

This was great and very helpful! My spouse recently had to make a trip to see a relative in the hospital. While there they had tornadoes and lost power for 2+ days. He has celiac and since it was an unexpected trip they had not bought stuff for him (though they did have the ability to boil water). He had, very few safe options. In addition to hikes, I plan to make one or two GF meals a part of our suitcase for all future travel just in case we cannot find safe food on the road or have an emergency stop over. Thanks for opening my eyes to some new options! :)

[@emilymohr1432]

Mountain house Chicken and Dumplings supremacy! Their gravy and biscuits is pretty good too in the same kind of simple and comfort food way.

[@StephenSkoutas]

Yes to more of these videos. This was great. May I also suggest you “plate” the food so we can get a good look at it once it is prepared? I know, I know… not how we’d do it on the trail.

[@thomaslgrice]

Truth! Plating also increases the desirability. (and you can tell when you forgot to take out the oxygen absorbing packet.) When possible, I do plate my rehydrated foods even if it is just dumping it into a bowl or a small cook pot. A plastic plate is a lightweight addition and easy to clean. There is something doomy about pulling spoonful after spoonful from a bottomless bag, especially on the 2 portion choices. Also, note that some of these selections were 2 portion and some were 1 portion. A buddy swears by eating 2 portion dinners for the extra cals, I can't seem to eat that much.

[@WVHikingAdventures]

I love the backpackers pantry pad Thai lol I've never had the one with chicken though.

[@amynelson9362]

Good fun! Next time, it would be fun if you did a blind taste test and put the bowls in order least to favorite, rather than number-ranking them.

[@joejust9269]

My favorite is mountain house. I recently scored the sea to summit expert kettle. 1.3 l. I thought they were extinct, so happy. I decided to get let's see the summit explot. 1.4 l, so awesome!

[@ThereGoesDan]

That chicken Alfredo is one of my go-to favorites!!!

[@jimrubyhike]

Packet gourmet has a Texas state fair chili that comes with corn chips cheddar cheese and a packet of petes hot sauce! Thanks for the great videos!

[@IslandGirlontheTrails]

I had the Backpackers Panty Pad Thai w/chicken during my last backpacking trip, and I had the same reaction as you. It takes a lot of steps to prepare, and long time to be ready. I had the entire camp site set up by the time the meal was ready. I was looking forward to the peanut flavor, and all I got spice and nothing else. Disappointing. The risotto looks yummy.

[@sonyalmon]

Oh good. I just got a bunch of meals from a few places on Garage Grown Gear without having much to go on as far as reviews and then saw you posted this and was like “oh, I hope I didn’t make some mistakes.” I’m glad you ranked some of the ones I got higher up (like the Farm to Summit of which I got a few flavors). Phew!

[@chrislrob]

This was fun. I'm a Peak Refuel guy, though I do like Packit Gourmet, a lot. . But a bunch of the Peaks are delicious and they are all calorically-dense. That Peak meal probably has twice the calories of some of the meals there--at the same weight. Peak Refuel's Sausage biscuits and gravy is great!

[@Ramme86]

Real turmat and blåband have a magnificent set of meals you should consider trying. greets from sweden

[@nicolereneepeters5682]

Thanks so much for reviewing and loving Farm to Summit. They are a sustainable, women owned company local to where I live. They're doing so much to eliminate agricultural waste and supporting local farmers while also providing what obviously turned out to be some high quality, DELICIOUS backpacking food. YEY!

[@chubbrock659]

Does woman owned make it better?

[@kellybodie6022]

This is great as we are doing a 9 day kayak portage trip and will be using dehydrated meals as first for me. I have always made real food meals.

[@anjjelikka]

When you’re backpacking and you have to get rid of some of the water for the farm to summit one, what do you do? Broadcast it away from camp? Drink it? Errhhgh

[@maxinemead8918]

I was wondering that, too. That was a *lot* of, ah, runoff. :)

[@northMOFN]

Great video, but I just can't get over how the Mountain House meal was "only" $11. I'd love to see makerspaces or tool libraries offer communal freeze dryers for members; I hear the makerspace in Dallas already does.

[@RainerGolden]

Oof, yeah. It has gotten pretty out of hand. $11 is genuinely cheap. In fact the only backpacking meals I can think of that are under $10 are deserts and breakfasts.

[@brianredlin]

Great video! If you haven’t tried the Alpen Fuel Carmel apple granola it is awesome

[@chrismiksovsky5871]

Awesome rundown! And stoked to see the humangear GoBites Duo utensil perform well for you. No messy hands even after all that tasting. Bon appetit!

[@naturescreed]

do more! the Peak Refuel Chicken Pesto Pasta is my fave, take very little water, lots of protein, & is delicious

[@2910Alison]

Love the taste testing videos. (Oddly or not) I find these most helpful out of any gear reviews. I don't want to try all these meals myself (and some are really hard to get in Canada! So far I've loved Firepot from your last review so I'll probably love your top 2 from this taste test. Keep these videos coming!

[@danieldfrederick]

You should share Itacate’s story too, it is compelling story. And I agree, her foods are amazing. I am veg, but with 40 plus years of eating MREs I can say Itacate, Good to Go, and Firepot (not tasted here) are my favs. I want to try Farm to Summit. Thank you guys!

[@krisvic4377]

Would love to see a review of the Wild Zora Harvesr Bowls!!! Or breakfast backpacking meals!

[@andrewpaterson4672]

Now for the follow up video on how to make these from scratch at home ahead of time at a much lower cost.

[@MrPEREZIII]

I’m glad you love the charge up chiliaduiles ❤❤❤❤

[@MirandaGoesOutside]

They were SO GOOD!!!

[@Smiles4lifepkn]

A fun tasty topic! I enjoyed the editing a lot, too.

[@davidflores9898]

Dang, backpacking meals have really changed since I was a backpacking. I'm excited try some of these meals. Beats Ramen any day! I'm looking forward to the Chiliaquiles and the Man n Cheese!

[@DeloraUpwards]

I've done a few Pad Thai-offs with my family, including the Backpackers Pantry, Good to Go, Mountain House, and Alpine Aire. The Backpacker's Pantry was actually our favorite, despite being fussy. I think they changed the packaging recently, because you used to get a package with peanut butter, lime powder, peanuts, and dried siracha that you'd all add at different times. That way you could control the spice level. I never added the extra spice to the entire package, and my hubby, who loves super spicy, would add it directly to his bowl. I have a few of the older meals stashed away in my "tub of backpacking meals" so maybe I need to hoard those for special occasions only if this new one is so spicy :(

[@direwolf_2025]

I have a hard time finding vegetarian meals that i like. I have tried most, but not all of these brands. Thanks for trying out some new ones!

[@Lifesatrap]

Best decision I’ve made was buying a freeze dryer. My own homemade meals when I’m on trail is the best way to go!

[@kelvinperez2702]

For some reason I can never get to eating backpackers pantry or peak refuel. Mountain house does the job for me. I will say though, it is fun to try new things. Great video.