One of my favorites: mixed nuts and a little beef jerky. 4 oz of the nuts plus 2 oz beef jerky = 820 calories, 63g fat, 1400mg sodium and 42g protein. *ZERO* water required to rehydrate, and *ZERO* minutes of prep time.
@@rangerdoc1029 You’re really obsessed. Less fiber and more fat. It’s opposite of the general recommendation to eat more fiber. Fiber constipates. Fat makes things move. As usual just do opposite of whatever a doctor tells you. Eat fatty red meat and don’t eat vegetables. Superhero feeling better than ever.
I discovered Heather’s Choice on a section hike a few years ago. It’s a cottage company out of Alaska. Her “Packaroons” are awesome. I pack the espresso ones. For meals, Bison Chili, shepherd’s pie, and salmon chowder are all favorites.
If you haven't tried Pack it Gourmet, you are missing out. The Texas State Fair Chili is amazing. We have been known to break into the stash and eat it for dinner or during a game. They have some really good meals.
After a plethora of various camping meal packets over the decades - I find Peak to be one of the best and also when use of fresh food is limited on a trip, even keep a couple in my travel pack for non-camping trips as well for the times when I get in late somewhere and there is nothing open!
I absolutely LOVE the Peak meals and used them exclusively on my CT through hike. I also like to add olive oil or Ghee to any meal that does not have enough fat. Fat is the best calorie to weight ratio there is and my body is use to using fat for fuel. Thanks for another great video Darwin!!!
Peak Refuel is my go to meals. When it comes to taste. Red pepper packets from Pizza Hut are also a must have, along with olive oil packet from Amazon.
Over in Europe I would go for either Real Turmat or Bla. Band. If you can get the Real Turmat Arctic rations you will get the taste, the calories and a decent portion.
Yeah I don’t want my body to feel like an old man again (inflamed and in pain). Staying keto is definitely necessary for physical and mental. Carnivore is even better. Beef never gets old!
Peak Chicken Pesto Pasta is my favorite. I carry a tube with a few seasonings with me, and with some MSG and pepper added this meal is actually delicious.
I love pesto and my family doesn't. I'm leaving next week for a section hike of the north country trail. I haven't done dehydrated in years. Going to grab this one because of you 🤙
Packet Gourmet’s meals have become my go to apart from dehydrating my own. Ditties Chicken and dumplings Texas State Fair Chile good dinners. West Memphis Grits and polenta with pork sausage killer breakfasts nice chant from oatmeal
My absolute fav backpacking meal is a Peak Refuel Butternut Dal Bhat, a king size Snickers, and a watermelon LMNT. Delicious and about 10 oz for roughly 1300 calories. I never really pay too much attention to sodium level in my backpacking food. More electrolytes the better.
My favorite is Next Mile Meals. Amazing low-carb/keto meals. They all have like 40-50g of protein and 20 to 30g of fat, and under 10 carbs. They're around 150 cal / oz. (And their sausage scramble breakfast is 176 cal / oz.) And they are DELICIOUS.
@@yungsmile7546 generally speaking, yes. But once your body is used to burning fats as its primary fuel source, not so much. I triple crowned while on Keto and my food weight was easily half of traditional stuff and with a higher and more dense calorie count.
I've been eating backpacking meals since the 60's. At this point many offer greeat taste compared to then believe me. To get rid of the packaging is easy. I repackage a serving in to a PINT, that right PINT, sized freezer bag. You then mix and eat in that bag as it can stand up to boiling water. I made a custom sized heating pouch out of aluminum bubble-foil-bubble wrap and aluminum tape. Boilingwater in to bag, stir gently, put in warming bag and wait. clean up is rolling the pint bag up and putting it in the one from the night before. Simple, clean and no dishes of any kind.
I called Ziplock to ask if their freezer bags were safe for Girl Scouts to use for boing omelets in.” NO. Freezer bags’ plasticizers are not thermally stable” plasticizers are hormone disrupters, hence children start puberty younger than before plasticizers were used. So, use a bag meant for heat. Slow cooker bags. Sous vide bags, microwave bags, steaming bags, etc.
It doesn't compete on stats, but for flavor On a basic ditch backpack trip, the Mountain House pro pack spaghetti with meat sauce is my personal absolute go-to. 500cal/3.8oz. It's filling and comforting. We keep these around the house as well for emergency food such as in an extended power outage, and everyone enjoys them. For a cold meal, I'm a fan of the mountain house granola with blueberries. 500cal/4oz. I can just slap some water in it, mix it up and eat it. The powdered milk in it is pretty passable to me. Sure, I could make my own by buying powdered milk, granola, and freeze-dried fruit... But That's a fair amount of extra work if I'm just going out for a quickie, when I can just grab one of these. And again, I keep these around as emergency food as well because they're super simple and tasty. This is actually one that I keep in the car when driving over mountain passes in the winter for extra food in case we get stuck on the pass for hours.
I doubt you can get them in the US, but for Scandinavians (Europeans?), the very very best of freezedried meals i've ever had are the Norway based Real Turmat. They are precooked, taste awesome when you consider what it is, come in packs that are already vacuum sealed to remove air. Hard to beat, but probably on the expensive side.?
Another vote for Packit Gourmet. Since Food for the Sole closed down, Packit is now my fav backpacking meal company. But I don't look at the same metrics as you; I look at whether or not it tastes good, because I lose my appetite when I'm backpacking. I won't eat at all if the food turns off my taste buds. I quickly lose weight and get depleted of energy, so good taste is everything.
Here at Alaska Raft Connection, Peak Refuel is the go-to. Fly-out remote destination rafting float trips statewide can run mild to wild on multiday river adventures. Peak Refuel is a premier quality company and product. Meals have great ingredients, well thought out, with attention to detail, highest Q/C, and most certainly high card of overall value to cost. As an outfitter and guide this is what I use most nowadays as well as going solo. A favorite is Sweet Pork & Rice. Additional note: meal size, prep, calories per package are game changers. Food for thought: wild-game meals like bison, venison, & elk are great!!!
Thank you for this video. Looks like Peak is the way to go. I like to take individual-serving packets of Spam and Salmon along with my freeze-dried meals. I also like to have a jar of peanut butter and a bottle of olive oil. My one great luxury is Starbucks instant coffee packets. I love that extra kick in the morning.
Just in time to help me plan my camping and backpacking menus for my Summer of '24 Colorado fly fishing pilgrimage. Peak, Trailtopia, and a few selections from Packit Gourmet have been my go to meals for a few years now. Will look forward to giving Farm to Summit and Pinnacle a try this summer. Thanks for the reviews!
The Peak brand is my favorite. I think they have the highest calorie to weight ratio and they taste good. It’s pretty much the only brand I use. It’s good to see you stopped cold soaking. Take care
Peak for ease and flavor (try their wild game offerings), diy freeze dried for value. One other thing I do is to take freeze dried ingredients and mix/match/make the meal I want on the trail. I really wish some of these companies would just come out with freeze dried sauces so we could do our own thing closer to real cooking on the trail.
I've heard the reason Peak don't use as much water as others is because they don't use fillers in there meals so cuts down on the amount of water to use. The more filleres used the more water it takes. And Fuel is my favorite meals to use and the one you showed is my absolute favorite, the Chicken Alfredo I take that one when I go hiking or backpacking every time, great video , it was awesome.
What most people don’t know is you can order the mountain house meals in BULK. They come in metal cans and I just scoop out as much as I need into a reuseable baggie. Only downside is you’re stuck with 7 servings of whatever you got until it’s gone.
I think I compared the bulk can price to individual packs and per ounce it was actually less to buy the individual packs. I can’t remember what I was comparing but I was surprised. I think it was the bacon and eggs.
The Peak Refuel Beef Stroganoff, you are right, their water ratios are always spot on, and the noodles are never crunchy. Plus the taste is really enjoyable.
I mix my own muesli-like cereal mix with nuts and dried fruit for breakfast. I mix vanilla protein mix with water for the "milk". Lunch is chunky peanut butter with dried apples on tortilla shells for lunch. With a Snickers bar. Freeze dried meal for super, usually with another tortilla. I'm not super skinny so massive calories is not required. I want to feel full and i want good flavor.
We discovered Peak Refuel 2 seasons ago. We love them! However, we are mostly above 10,000 feet in our backpacks. For us, at altitude, it takes longer to rehydrate.
Love the Peak Refuel meals for all the reasons you've stated. I wish they sold them in smaller/ single serve packets. I don't finish them. I usually only go on single overnights so the rest is wasted. I've split them in half using a ziploc, but don't hike enough and always end up wondering if the repackaged half of the meal has gone bad.
I rarely eat a whole meal at one sitting but eat the rest for breakfast or lunch. If it's good hot, it's usually good later and chillier too. I like a good lunch on the trail but won't fix a meal as I do for breakfast and dinner, so leftovers are fantastic.
mountain house- biscuits and gravy! while this meal really doesn't come close to the caloric density of the ones you discussed, i'm a suuuuuuuuper picky eater - and it's been a big problem for me to get calories i want to eat at all on trail.. so finding a flavor that i could consume (and even enjoy!) was a game changer for me. def going to look into the flavors/brands listed here, hope i can find something palatable among them! thanks for the video!
Thanks Darwin, I have the Peak Alfredo for my upcoming HST in August. I haven't given the amount of water needed much thought but that's an excellent consideration when dry camping.
From my limited experience, the Peak meals are my favorite as well. The Chicken and Rice is my go to from them, with the Beef Stroganoff being right behind it. As much as I like the thick creamy pasta meals, and bean meals, my stomach just can't do those anymore, or I will gas myself out of my tent later that night lol. I have to keep it more plain and boring for me.
@@DarwinOnthetrail omg darwin it's life changing dude. and they're right about breaking up the biscuits, the success or failure of the meal hinges on this one weird trick. I'm gonna leave a separate comment on it
The chicken pesto pasta goes hard. By far my favorite tasting meal. Every now and then (when I’m feeling broke) I’ll eat a bag for lunch during my shift (thanks REI employee discount). I’ve never really thought of trail food like this, guess I’ll have to go back and look at all my favorites to see how they stack up
My top two are the Pinnacle creamy Tuscan and their Italian sausage with zesty tomato sauce. Tied for first! My next is the Peak chicken pesto pasta. Crazy how little water it uses. I go almost entirely on taste for my ranking. I'll have to try some of the others you have mentioned. Thank you!
For breakfast I have been blown away by how good the Backpacker's Pantry granola with blueberries, almonds, and milk tasted. Plus 620 calories for breakfast and 16 grams of protein.
I’ve never tackled dehydrating my own meals but I’m looking forward to the project one day. I’m kinda jealous of people who do that. I’ve had some really amazing ones (and also gross ones) out of hiker boxes and from friends.
Peak refuel biscuits and sausage gravy! 1100 calories at 6.8 oz and only takes 8 oz of water! Honorable mention to probably my overall favorite right now the peak refuel butternut dal bhat. Not quite as calorie efficient (870 calories for 5.8 oz) but one of the best tasting backpacking meals I’ve ever had!
I like those peak meals myself but I like the tomato based ones vs. cream. I even ate the peak peach cobbler one for dinner one time. I think the thru-hikers I was with were jealous - one said "my desert is bean water". I repackage them when I'm going on a trip into freezer ziplocks. The last time I wrote on each ziplock the amount of water each one listed. I was tired of second guessing how much water to put in them and ending up with soup. But the best meal I had on my last trip was a simple ramen. Really hit the spot. Interestingly, that one had the most water requirements out of all of them. 2 cups. Of course it could be done with less but the broth was great that time.
I really appreciate this kind of content. going to an REI and staring at a wall of camping meals. it's hard to know what to try. and when you get a dud and spent $10+ on it, it's a real drag on a hike. will be nice to try some of these new meals. and try them out.
I was watching this screaming “Peak Chicken Pesto Pasta!” I’m glad it made an appearance. It was a great occasional treat on the PCT and was great repacked to save space in a bear can for the long Sierra carries.
If you consider the water in the meal in your total water consumption , it doesn’t really matter how much water is required for any particular meal. E.g. If your total water consumption for the day is 2 litres (2000 ml), and you use 500 ml of water for the meal, then you just have to drink 1500 ml more of water to make your required water intake for the day. If the meal requires 700 ml, your other water consumption would be 1300 ml. Hope this helps. Interesting video. can’t wait to try some of the Peak2 meals.
Polenta with Pork Sausage by Packit Gourmet, is my new favorite breakfast. It does take 9 oz. of water to hydrate, but it only weighs 3 oz. I don't like a heavy breakfast and this one is just right.
Agreed on Peak Refuel Chicken Alfredo. My comfort meal and a treat when out. To save money I’ve been making my own with a cheap dehydrator bc my other favorite is Next Mile Meals Beef Marinara and the prices are so high 😅.
Peak is definitely my favorite, followed by Heather's Choice. It's all I eat on even car camping trips. I do like Backpacker's Pantry cold breakfasts though.
Packitgourmet cajun chicken salad equivalent to 1/3 pound of chicken 55g of protein It seemed like it was a cold soak but really great for a lunch meal I remember the cranberries celery onion tasting very fresh.
The Peak Refuel strawberry granola is my fav breakfast food. Its so good I eat it off the trail too lol! Great video Darwin, and im so glad youre back, and back with sponsors. If anybody deserves to make some cheddar doing this, its you man. I remember hearing all the passive aggressive shots taken at the tubers who worked with sponsors and it always broke my heart because I love all you guys equally! Looking forward to the new videos bro. I hope you get this bag!
I’m cheap so I just go with mountain house, but o always turn down the water. They always want 2ish cups but I get just fine with 1 cup or so. Also makes it easier to eat sooner as I can’t take scalding hot meals.
Love Peak, especially the Beef Pasta Marinara. 1000+ calories and 50+ mg protein. The three big downsides of Peak are the price, deriving many of their calories from saturated fats and an absence of vegetables. I supplement my Peak meals with dehydrated vegetables and when on a thru hike, I pour in some olive oil.
I agree Peaks does make some good meals. I don't remember that the exact name is but it was chicken, rice and mushroom's. I don't know how you like the Backpack Pantry Pad Thai. When I had ate it, it was terrible and everyone one I have talked to that has had it agree with me. But we all have our own taste that we like.
I had the peak chicken alfredo last summer for the first time on a multi day hike. I loved it. It is my go to trail meal too. It has great stats and it also tastes pretty damn good too.
Peak Refuel is also my go to! The Chicken Alfredo and the Beef Stroganoff because I have texture issues with cooked veg and I hate beans alas no matter how I try.
i have always find these to be excessively saucy so i cut them with some additional carb and dried protein. Makes them cheaper as well. I get more meals per pouch.
The Chicken Alfredo is excellent. But that Peak Refuel Chicken Pesto Pasta is my jam. I've never looked at the numbers. I just know it's delicious and tastes even better when you eat it on top of a mountain or by a nice river.
Nomad Nutrition isn’t cheap but, if you’re vegan they make the very best/healthiest dehydrated packing meals. My favorites are Ukranian Borscht, Hungarian Goulash, and Southwest Breakfast Skillet. No sponsored but, I do recommend.
Pinnacle Foods Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Penne Pasta is 850 calories, with 56 grams of protein and 35 grams of fat. It does need 1.5 cups of water but, in my opinion tastes much better.
Have you tried next mile meals I really enjoy them... They are a bit lower in calories but they are smaller for packing a bit spendy but I like the low carb options
When I first started backpacking, freeze dryers were like $6k. They have since drastically reduced in price. They are still a little pricey but I would love to get one someday. It would drastically improve the quality of food I can eat on trail. I already dehydrate my own meals, but certain key foods have to be prepared in specific ways, especially meats. For freeze dried food, chicken can be cubed instead of pressure cooked and shredded and thats what makes the backpacker meals Darwin is discussing here so good, imo. I've purchased less than 10 backpacker meals in my time. They are grossly unaffordable for the average person.
I actually make my own freeze dried meals. My favorite one that I have made is spaghetti with hamburger. Really have no idea what its weight to calories is or any of that other considerations. I do break the noodles up so that they rehydrate faster and so I can eat it with a spoon. It saves so much money too😊
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One of my favorites: mixed nuts and a little beef jerky. 4 oz of the nuts plus 2 oz beef jerky = 820 calories, 63g fat, 1400mg sodium and 42g protein. *ZERO* water required to rehydrate, and *ZERO* minutes of prep time.
Good choice. And Trail friendly poops
Stay away from almonds. They’re toxic like crazy. Oxylates and cyanide. Terrible for kidneys and brains and eyes. Nuts are not in my diet at all.
@@rangerdoc1029 You’re really obsessed. Less fiber and more fat. It’s opposite of the general recommendation to eat more fiber. Fiber constipates. Fat makes things move. As usual just do opposite of whatever a doctor tells you. Eat fatty red meat and don’t eat vegetables. Superhero feeling better than ever.
You should try biltong sometime, its south african jerky but they do it a different way
Wish my jaw would tolerate that😂
The Peak Refuel Sweet Pork & Rice in a tortilla is an amazing burrito on the trail too.
My favorite trail meal
Need to give that one a try
@@micahwinters7021my favorite too!
Theirs biscuits and gravy is easily my favorite
That's my favorite packaged dehy meal!
I discovered Heather’s Choice on a section hike a few years ago. It’s a cottage company out of Alaska. Her “Packaroons” are awesome. I pack the espresso ones. For meals, Bison Chili, shepherd’s pie, and salmon chowder are all favorites.
I just found those at the grand opening of the local REI! Can't wait to try the two I picked up, the salmon chowder was one of them.
If you haven't tried Pack it Gourmet, you are missing out. The Texas State Fair Chili is amazing. We have been known to break into the stash and eat it for dinner or during a game. They have some really good meals.
After a plethora of various camping meal packets over the decades - I find Peak to be one of the best and also when use of fresh food is limited on a trip, even keep a couple in my travel pack for non-camping trips as well for the times when I get in late somewhere and there is nothing open!
I absolutely LOVE the Peak meals and used them exclusively on my CT through hike. I also like to add olive oil or Ghee to any meal that does not have enough fat. Fat is the best calorie to weight ratio there is and my body is use to using fat for fuel. Thanks for another great video Darwin!!!
I stumbled on to a stash of those individual olive oil packets in a hiker box on the PCT and it was a game changer for me
Peak Refuel is my go to meals. When it comes to taste. Red pepper packets from Pizza Hut are also a must have, along with olive oil packet from Amazon.
I just tried powdered siracha from garage grown gear and it was pretty awesome
That Farm to Summit chili is wonderful! The cornbread ends up being very moist and a nice touch.
I agree, that chili kicks if you bring some hot sauce!
@@shaggyterrell8460 now I'm hungry for chili
Yes! I rotate through 3 different Peak Refuel meals, pretty much the only ones I ever use.
Over in Europe I would go for either Real Turmat or Bla. Band.
If you can get the Real Turmat Arctic rations you will get the taste, the calories and a decent portion.
I second Real Turmat, the best taste of any I ever tried. Somewhat expensive though.
For a keto option Next Mile Meals are really good. Buffalo Ranch Chicken was tasty. One of the few low carb options I have found.
I like Next Mile also but am getting burned out on them. I'm going to try Adventure Well meals. Another keto focused brand that has a unique variety.
Yeah I don’t want my body to feel like an old man again (inflamed and in pain). Staying keto is definitely necessary for physical and mental. Carnivore is even better. Beef never gets old!
@@jprender823gonna try them out. Thanks.
I was cold and hungry at the time, but Peak Refuel's "Backcountry Bison Bowl" is so far the most delicious freeze-dried meal I've ever eaten.
Peak's Chicken Coconut Curry is my favorite with the Chicken Alfredo a close second.
Peak Chicken Pesto Pasta is my favorite. I carry a tube with a few seasonings with me, and with some MSG and pepper added this meal is actually delicious.
My kids ask for the Peak CPP *at home* for dinner. Who would have guessed? :)
I love pesto and my family doesn't. I'm leaving next week for a section hike of the north country trail. I haven't done dehydrated in years. Going to grab this one because of you 🤙
@@mikekristin7201 Awesome, I first had that meal on the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore which is part of the NCT!
Packet Gourmet’s meals have become my go to apart from dehydrating my own. Ditties Chicken and dumplings Texas State Fair Chile good dinners. West Memphis Grits and polenta with pork sausage killer breakfasts nice chant from oatmeal
I was hoping to hear a review on this as well.
Sorry meant Dotties Chicken and Dumplings; nice change from ….
My absolute fav backpacking meal is a Peak Refuel Butternut Dal Bhat, a king size Snickers, and a watermelon LMNT. Delicious and about 10 oz for roughly 1300 calories. I never really pay too much attention to sodium level in my backpacking food. More electrolytes the better.
My favorite is Next Mile Meals. Amazing low-carb/keto meals. They all have like 40-50g of protein and 20 to 30g of fat, and under 10 carbs. They're around 150 cal / oz. (And their sausage scramble breakfast is 176 cal / oz.) And they are DELICIOUS.
I like them also but am getting burned out on the flavors. I'm going to try Adventure Well next. Another keto focused brand with a unique variety.
Man, you guys on this keto bandwagon shouldn't go backpacking. High carbs is at the top of the list.
@@yungsmile7546 generally speaking, yes. But once your body is used to burning fats as its primary fuel source, not so much. I triple crowned while on Keto and my food weight was easily half of traditional stuff and with a higher and more dense calorie count.
Love Next Mile Meals! Keto for 6 years. No carb cravings and better health.
I've been eating backpacking meals since the 60's. At this point many offer greeat taste compared to then believe me. To get rid of the packaging is easy. I repackage a serving in to a PINT, that right PINT, sized freezer bag. You then mix and eat in that bag as it can stand up to boiling water. I made a custom sized heating pouch out of aluminum bubble-foil-bubble wrap and aluminum tape. Boilingwater in to bag, stir gently, put in warming bag and wait. clean up is rolling the pint bag up and putting it in the one from the night before. Simple, clean and no dishes of any kind.
Where do you find pint size freezer bags?
Online.
I called Ziplock to ask if their freezer bags were safe for Girl Scouts to use for boing omelets in.” NO. Freezer bags’ plasticizers are not thermally stable” plasticizers are hormone disrupters, hence children start puberty younger than before plasticizers were used. So, use a bag meant for heat. Slow cooker bags. Sous vide bags, microwave bags, steaming bags, etc.
It doesn't compete on stats, but for flavor On a basic ditch backpack trip, the Mountain House pro pack spaghetti with meat sauce is my personal absolute go-to. 500cal/3.8oz. It's filling and comforting. We keep these around the house as well for emergency food such as in an extended power outage, and everyone enjoys them.
For a cold meal, I'm a fan of the mountain house granola with blueberries. 500cal/4oz. I can just slap some water in it, mix it up and eat it. The powdered milk in it is pretty passable to me. Sure, I could make my own by buying powdered milk, granola, and freeze-dried fruit... But That's a fair amount of extra work if I'm just going out for a quickie, when I can just grab one of these. And again, I keep these around as emergency food as well because they're super simple and tasty. This is actually one that I keep in the car when driving over mountain passes in the winter for extra food in case we get stuck on the pass for hours.
The granola with blueberries is mind-blowingly good. It's amazing warmed up.
I doubt you can get them in the US, but for Scandinavians (Europeans?), the very very best of freezedried meals i've ever had are the Norway based Real Turmat. They are precooked, taste awesome when you consider what it is, come in packs that are already vacuum sealed to remove air. Hard to beat, but probably on the expensive side.?
Another vote for Packit Gourmet. Since Food for the Sole closed down, Packit is now my fav backpacking meal company. But I don't look at the same metrics as you; I look at whether or not it tastes good, because I lose my appetite when I'm backpacking. I won't eat at all if the food turns off my taste buds. I quickly lose weight and get depleted of energy, so good taste is everything.
My favorite is Peak Refuel Chicken and Rice. Ditto my hubby.
Haven’t had that one yet
That one is good, but is edged out by the Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli!
best tasting backpack food is Packit Gourmet, easily. everything from them has been great. as far as metrics go, it feeds me for my short adventures.
Peak Refuel Beef Stroganoff is awesome as well. Give it a try
Everything I've had from them is pretty damn tasty!
That meal is as good as my scratch-made stroganoff. Add about 1/8 cup more water than the package calls for to make it not quite as thick.
@@kennyobrien One of my favorites. I add a little garlic. Then it's perfect.
Agreed! Just ate this one last weekend for the first time..👍
Bingo!!! These are my favorite by far. I got these in Montana a few years ago and so happy REI came to Maine with them!!!
Here at Alaska Raft Connection, Peak Refuel is the go-to. Fly-out remote destination rafting float trips statewide can run mild to wild on multiday river adventures. Peak Refuel is a premier quality company and product. Meals have great ingredients, well thought out, with attention to detail, highest Q/C, and most certainly high card of overall value to cost. As an outfitter and guide this is what I use most nowadays as well as going solo. A favorite is Sweet Pork & Rice. Additional note: meal size, prep, calories per package are game changers. Food for thought: wild-game meals like bison, venison, & elk are great!!!
Thank you for this video. Looks like Peak is the way to go. I like to take individual-serving packets of Spam and Salmon along with my freeze-dried meals. I also like to have a jar of peanut butter and a bottle of olive oil. My one great luxury is Starbucks instant coffee packets. I love that extra kick in the morning.
Just in time to help me plan my camping and backpacking menus for my Summer of '24 Colorado fly fishing pilgrimage. Peak, Trailtopia, and a few selections from Packit Gourmet have been my go to meals for a few years now. Will look forward to giving Farm to Summit and Pinnacle a try this summer. Thanks for the reviews!
The Peak brand is my favorite. I think they have the highest calorie to weight ratio and they taste good. It’s pretty much the only brand I use. It’s good to see you stopped cold soaking. Take care
Peak for ease and flavor (try their wild game offerings), diy freeze dried for value. One other thing I do is to take freeze dried ingredients and mix/match/make the meal I want on the trail. I really wish some of these companies would just come out with freeze dried sauces so we could do our own thing closer to real cooking on the trail.
Backpacker's Pantry Mushroom Stroganoff is my go to. So good and filling.
Stowaway gourmet wild boar bacon bean stew . A bit expensive but my favorite . It’s one I could eat every night on trail .
I've had that and it IS very good.
I've heard the reason Peak don't use as much water as others is because they don't use fillers in there meals so cuts down on the amount of water to use. The more filleres used the more water it takes. And Fuel is my favorite meals to use and the one you showed is my absolute favorite, the Chicken Alfredo I take that one when I go hiking or backpacking every time, great video , it was awesome.
What most people don’t know is you can order the mountain house meals in BULK. They come in metal cans and I just scoop out as much as I need into a reuseable baggie.
Only downside is you’re stuck with 7 servings of whatever you got until it’s gone.
I think I compared the bulk can price to individual packs and per ounce it was actually less to buy the individual packs. I can’t remember what I was comparing but I was surprised. I think it was the bacon and eggs.
Most people do know that lol. But also most people with tastebuds and a normal gastrointestinal system would never do that to their bodies.
Great choice!! Peak is a great meal that I had once on the trail and I was secretly hoping that you would name it the winner! I’m amazed it is! ❤🎉
The Peak Refuel Beef Stroganoff, you are right, their water ratios are always spot on, and the noodles are never crunchy. Plus the taste is really enjoyable.
I like tortillas and a bag of cooked beans. Thanks for sharing your fav. I need to check those out.
I mix my own muesli-like cereal mix with nuts and dried fruit for breakfast. I mix vanilla protein mix with water for the "milk". Lunch is chunky peanut butter with dried apples on tortilla shells for lunch. With a Snickers bar. Freeze dried meal for super, usually with another tortilla. I'm not super skinny so massive calories is not required. I want to feel full and i want good flavor.
The peak refuel pasta Alfredo is my favorite as well, together with the backpackers pantry lasagna.
The Lasagna is a classic!
A combination of premade and homemade is the trick for me, variety is that spice for life
We discovered Peak Refuel 2 seasons ago. We love them! However, we are mostly above 10,000 feet in our backpacks. For us, at altitude, it takes longer to rehydrate.
Love the Peak Refuel meals for all the reasons you've stated. I wish they sold them in smaller/ single serve packets. I don't finish them. I usually only go on single overnights so the rest is wasted. I've split them in half using a ziploc, but don't hike enough and always end up wondering if the repackaged half of the meal has gone bad.
I rarely eat a whole meal at one sitting but eat the rest for breakfast or lunch. If it's good hot, it's usually good later and chillier too. I like a good lunch on the trail but won't fix a meal as I do for breakfast and dinner, so leftovers are fantastic.
mountain house- biscuits and gravy!
while this meal really doesn't come close to the caloric density of the ones you discussed, i'm a suuuuuuuuper picky eater - and it's been a big problem for me to get calories i want to eat at all on trail.. so finding a flavor that i could consume (and even enjoy!) was a game changer for me.
def going to look into the flavors/brands listed here, hope i can find something palatable among them! thanks for the video!
In the backcountry, I'm all about breakfast. Best is Peak Refuel Biscuits & Sausage Gravy. I take it on every trip.
Thanks Darwin, I have the Peak Alfredo for my upcoming HST in August. I haven't given the amount of water needed much thought but that's an excellent consideration when dry camping.
You Americans have such great vegetarien freeze dried meals. At least they sound awesome. One day I will fly into the US and buy them all.
From my limited experience, the Peak meals are my favorite as well. The Chicken and Rice is my go to from them, with the Beef Stroganoff being right behind it.
As much as I like the thick creamy pasta meals, and bean meals, my stomach just can't do those anymore, or I will gas myself out of my tent later that night lol. I have to keep it more plain and boring for me.
Awesome, happened to have that Peak Refuel Alfredo in my cupboard. I'll take that on my shakedown trip next week.
Couldn’t agree more with Peak 2. Great choice. I then pack large Snickers as my pick me up on the move.
The peak refuel biscuits and gravy is stupid good!!! You just have to make sure you break the biscuits up before adding the water.
Haven’t had that one yet, but love Biscuits & Gravy!
@@DarwinOnthetrail omg darwin it's life changing dude. and they're right about breaking up the biscuits, the success or failure of the meal hinges on this one weird trick.
I'm gonna leave a separate comment on it
The chicken pesto pasta goes hard. By far my favorite tasting meal. Every now and then (when I’m feeling broke) I’ll eat a bag for lunch during my shift (thanks REI employee discount). I’ve never really thought of trail food like this, guess I’ll have to go back and look at all my favorites to see how they stack up
Darwin with yet another timely and relevant video for my upcoming hike. Thanks, man!
My top two are the Pinnacle creamy Tuscan and their Italian sausage with zesty tomato sauce. Tied for first! My next is the Peak chicken pesto pasta. Crazy how little water it uses. I go almost entirely on taste for my ranking. I'll have to try some of the others you have mentioned. Thank you!
One cannot evolve without satisfying your hunger. Thanks for the tips!
For breakfast I have been blown away by how good the Backpacker's Pantry granola with blueberries, almonds, and milk tasted. Plus 620 calories for breakfast and 16 grams of protein.
I just finished a 50 mile section hike of the at. All i took for food was 3 lbs of homemade ground beef jerky. It was amazing.
I’ve never tackled dehydrating my own meals but I’m looking forward to the project one day. I’m kinda jealous of people who do that. I’ve had some really amazing ones (and also gross ones) out of hiker boxes and from friends.
Peak refuel biscuits and sausage gravy! 1100 calories at 6.8 oz and only takes 8 oz of water! Honorable mention to probably my overall favorite right now the peak refuel butternut dal bhat. Not quite as calorie efficient (870 calories for 5.8 oz) but one of the best tasting backpacking meals I’ve ever had!
I like those peak meals myself but I like the tomato based ones vs. cream. I even ate the peak peach cobbler one for dinner one time. I think the thru-hikers I was with were jealous - one said "my desert is bean water".
I repackage them when I'm going on a trip into freezer ziplocks. The last time I wrote on each ziplock the amount of water each one listed. I was tired of second guessing how much water to put in them and ending up with soup.
But the best meal I had on my last trip was a simple ramen. Really hit the spot. Interestingly, that one had the most water requirements out of all of them. 2 cups. Of course it could be done with less but the broth was great that time.
I believe the amount of water is related to how much of the ingredients are freeze dried vs dehydrated. Same for the rehydration time.
I really appreciate this kind of content. going to an REI and staring at a wall of camping meals. it's hard to know what to try. and when you get a dud and spent $10+ on it, it's a real drag on a hike.
will be nice to try some of these new meals. and try them out.
I like tortlini (the dry kind) nuts and hot sauce. Add avocado if available.
I was watching this screaming “Peak Chicken Pesto Pasta!” I’m glad it made an appearance. It was a great occasional treat on the PCT and was great repacked to save space in a bear can for the long Sierra carries.
Peak biscuit and gravy is so good
On my short list!
If you consider the water in the meal in your total water consumption , it doesn’t really matter how much water is required for any particular meal. E.g. If your total water consumption for the day is 2 litres (2000 ml), and you use 500 ml of water for the meal, then you just have to drink 1500 ml more of water to make your required water intake for the day. If the meal requires 700 ml, your other water consumption would be 1300 ml.
Hope this helps.
Interesting video. can’t wait to try some of the Peak2 meals.
Polenta with Pork Sausage by Packit Gourmet, is my new favorite breakfast. It does take 9 oz. of water to hydrate, but it only weighs 3 oz. I don't like a heavy breakfast and this one is just right.
Big fan of pad Thai- really good post of the meals worth going for! Glad to have found this- you are greatly appreciated Darwin! 🚴🏼♂️🌱🌿🧘🏼🙏
Agreed on Peak Refuel Chicken Alfredo. My comfort meal and a treat when out. To save money I’ve been making my own with a cheap dehydrator bc my other favorite is Next Mile Meals Beef Marinara and the prices are so high 😅.
Peak is definitely my favorite, followed by Heather's Choice. It's all I eat on even car camping trips. I do like Backpacker's Pantry cold breakfasts though.
Packitgourmet cajun chicken salad equivalent to 1/3 pound of chicken 55g of protein
It seemed like it was a cold soak but really great for a lunch meal I remember the cranberries celery onion tasting very fresh.
The Peak Refuel strawberry granola is my fav breakfast food. Its so good I eat it off the trail too lol! Great video Darwin, and im so glad youre back, and back with sponsors. If anybody deserves to make some cheddar doing this, its you man. I remember hearing all the passive aggressive shots taken at the tubers who worked with sponsors and it always broke my heart because I love all you guys equally! Looking forward to the new videos bro. I hope you get this bag!
I’m cheap so I just go with mountain house, but o always turn down the water. They always want 2ish cups but I get just fine with 1 cup or so. Also makes it easier to eat sooner as I can’t take scalding hot meals.
Paul the Backpacker (tiny channel) has a great vid on tasty high protein, high calorie vegan backpacking meals that are VERY lightweight.
hell yes! thanks for the suggestion
Try Bowl & Kettle. Its a new brand and the couple meal they have are pretty good.
Pemican. Not ultralightest but you don't have to add water or cook so saves some weight there. Make your own. Very calorie dense.
FTW!
You should try the Norweigan REAL turmat Reindeer stew from Drytech. Used by the Norweigan military and every hiker/backpacker in northern Europe.
Love Peak, especially the Beef Pasta Marinara. 1000+ calories and 50+ mg protein. The three big downsides of Peak are the price, deriving many of their calories from saturated fats and an absence of vegetables. I supplement my Peak meals with dehydrated vegetables and when on a thru hike, I pour in some olive oil.
I agree Peaks does make some good meals. I don't remember that the exact name is but it was chicken, rice and mushroom's. I don't know how you like the Backpack Pantry Pad Thai. When I had ate it, it was terrible and everyone one I have talked to that has had it agree with me. But we all have our own taste that we like.
Here in Québec, we have Happy yak meal... The beef stew is a go to for me with the Ranchero soup.
Totally agree, love peak refuel! My fav is their chicken pesto pasta though 😎
I had the peak chicken alfredo last summer for the first time on a multi day hike. I loved it. It is my go to trail meal too. It has great stats and it also tastes pretty damn good too.
Peak Refuel is also my go to! The Chicken Alfredo and the Beef Stroganoff because I have texture issues with cooked veg and I hate beans alas no matter how I try.
My favorites by far are: MH Pasta Primavera & MH Homestyle Chicken Noodle Casserole. The casserole is not easy to find, but it's worth it.
Look at tent meals based in the uk they ship world wide food so compact and really good reasearch out to them
i have always find these to be excessively saucy so i cut them with some additional carb and dried protein. Makes them cheaper as well. I get more meals per pouch.
The Chicken Alfredo is excellent. But that Peak Refuel Chicken Pesto Pasta is my jam. I've never looked at the numbers. I just know it's delicious and tastes even better when you eat it on top of a mountain or by a nice river.
Jupiter's cold beans actually taste the best to me. Especially if you add fretos, cheese and throw it on a tortilla.
For even more protein I add unflavored whey protein to my Peak refules. Coconut curry and the chicken Alfredo are great.
Nomad Nutrition isn’t cheap but, if you’re vegan they make the very best/healthiest dehydrated packing meals. My favorites are Ukranian Borscht, Hungarian Goulash, and Southwest Breakfast Skillet. No sponsored but, I do recommend.
Pinnacle Foods Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Penne Pasta is 850 calories, with 56 grams of protein and 35 grams of fat. It does need 1.5 cups of water but, in my opinion tastes much better.
I agree - Peak has set a new bar. They taste good and are packed with calories and protein. And they taste good too
Have you tried next mile meals I really enjoy them... They are a bit lower in calories but they are smaller for packing a bit spendy but I like the low carb options
Thank you for this valuable information. Question : do you also look at the amount of fiber when deciding a meal plan of the day ?
Wild Zora's quinoa meals are the best tasting meal I've ever had. Smaller portion size though, perfect for women with smaller appetites.
Yum...I need to try the Peak 2! Does Snuggles agree? Love you guys
She digs em' all! ❤️
When I first started backpacking, freeze dryers were like $6k. They have since drastically reduced in price. They are still a little pricey but I would love to get one someday. It would drastically improve the quality of food I can eat on trail. I already dehydrate my own meals, but certain key foods have to be prepared in specific ways, especially meats. For freeze dried food, chicken can be cubed instead of pressure cooked and shredded and thats what makes the backpacker meals Darwin is discussing here so good, imo. I've purchased less than 10 backpacker meals in my time. They are grossly unaffordable for the average person.
Stowaway Gourmet La Pasta Nostra is my favorite, on the expensive side but it is so good. add some bag chicken for extra protein.
I actually make my own freeze dried meals. My favorite one that I have made is spaghetti with hamburger. Really have no idea what its weight to calories is or any of that other considerations. I do break the noodles up so that they rehydrate faster and so I can eat it with a spoon. It saves so much money too😊
Agree Peak Refuel is the best that I have tried.
I like to add crisp fried onions to my freeze dried meals. They come with 600 calories per 100g and also give some extra taste.