WHEN I FIRST STARTED HIKING and backpacking, I paid little regard to nutrition and just packed whatever was cheap, calorific and relatively lightweight. But I’ve come to realise that there’s more to it than this. Happily, there are also now far more lightweight food options available for the backpacker and hiker – and the emphasis has shifted to nutrition and high-quality ingredients.
However, weight, calorie content and price all still matter. Dehydrated food is lightweight and packs in a lot of energy, but it can also be expensive. Alternatives worth considering include home-dehydrating your own meals, cooking from fresh ingredients in the field or using less expensive supermarket options. Some of these involve more preparation, although foodies may consider that a plus point.
For the rest of us, the humble dehydrated backpacking meal remains a staple of our adventure larder. Just pour in boiling water, stir, wait a while, and enjoy. If only it were that simple, though! I’ve learnt that there’s a surprising amount of variation in products like this. Some are almost as good as meals that you might make at home. With others, you can tell that you’re eating a dehydrated camping meal (think simpler flavours and less texture). I’ve also come to really appreciate the brands that go the extra mile to provide more unusual options. Sometimes it’s nice to have something different to look forward to at the end of a long day.
In this test we’ve rounded up ten of the best meals from a broad variety of brands – including some that have not been sampled by TGO before. We’re looking at flavour, quality, cost and ease of preparation.
BEST IN TEST
Radix Nutrition
Basil Pesto
£8.99
127g
good value, quality ingredients, great texture and flavour, vitamins and minerals
no fill line on pack
Calories: total: 600 / per 100g: 472.4 / per £1: 66.7
Rehydration time: 7 minutes
Alternative options: vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free
Allergens: none
Radix, a brand focusing on nutritional quality, was new to me, and its basil pesto was quite a surprise. There’s a long list of ingredients on the back – but they’re all natural ingredients.
