Entrées
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How we choose: The best entrées highlighted here were selected based on 269 reviews of 128 products. Our top picks are those that are readily-available in the United States and have received the highest overall ratings from reviewers.
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Good To-Go Pad Thai
This is the latest addition to a line-up of six Good To-Go "all natural, dehydrated gourmet" meals. I found the product to be a fresh, healthy, and tasty alternative to the ever-growing line of pre-packaged, dehydrated backpacker meals on the market. I would highly recommend this product for those looking specifically for an all-natural, gluten-free, pescatarian option. And since I'm a huge fan of Thai food, this is a well-received addition to my own outdoors pantry. The only downsides are the higher retail cost and the longer re-hydration times when compared to other similar products.
Reasons to Buy
- Real, natural ingredients
- No added chemical preservatives
- Made in Maine/America by a small family start-up
- Comes in single or 2 serving size packages
- Resealable package can be used directly to hydrate contents (no need to dirty dishes)
- Slim, durable packaging
Reasons to Avoid
- Some ingredients take a little long to rehydrate
- Not as long of a shelf life as some alternatives (roughly 2-3 years, due to lack of preservatives)
- Slightly more expensive than some alternatives
I tested the Good To-Go line of dehydrated foods two years ago when they were first introduced. At that time, only three options were offered. The company seems to be experiencing success and growth, having since added three more meals. This time around, I tested the Pad Thai and Indian Vegetable Korma meals, both in single and double serving sizes. This review is of the Pad Thai. Please see my other reviews of the Thai Curry, Smoked Three Bean Chili, Herbed Mushroom Risotto, and Indian Vegetable Korma on Trailspace.com.
Read more: Good To-Go Pad Thai review (1)
Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef
BUY THIS. A comfort food staple, near-and-dear to me (my mom packed it in a thermos for my school lunches) that Mountain House nails. Whether or not you miss home on the trail, you do miss home-cooked meals, and if you tasted this one blindfolded, you'd swear you were at the family dining table. A simple combination of ground beef, red chili beans, and elbow macaroni is married well with a chili sauce that has a spicy kick. Widely reviewed as one of the best meals MH has to offer, I'd place myself in agreement with the majority and say this one knocks it out of the park.
Reasons to Buy
- "Stick to your ribs" filling
- Nice spicy kick in sauce
- Feels like home-made comfort food
- Simple preparation
Reasons to Avoid
- Could afford more time to rehydrate than suggested (+10 min.)
- Spicy (only a negative to those who avoid spicy foods)
- Serving size an overestimation
PACKAGING Par for the Mountain House course: practically bulletproof, very lightweight for a two-portion meal (4.80 ounces), and the top flap folds down easily to minimize the volume this will take up in a pack. I've read reviews ranking this among the top three Mountain House meals, and I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype, and try it for myself. Here's a shot of the 2-serving bag: INGREDIENTS AND NUTRITION FACTS PREP AND COOKING All I need to cook this is a stove and small pot: boil 2 cups (or 16 ounces) of water, pour it inside the re-sealable pouch, and let it sit for 8-9 minutes. Contents prior to re-hydration: TIP: let this one rest inside the bag a little longer than the 8-9 minutes MH suggests.
Read more: Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef reviews (11)
Good To-Go Thai Curry
Excellent flavor and easy instructions offset the long wait time. This was my personal favorite of the two Good To-Go samples I tried, but had similar hydration issues (no more than other meals of its kind).
Reasons to Buy
- Excellent flavor
- Sturdy packaging
- Healthy vegetarian alternative
- Clear easy instructions
Reasons to Avoid
- Rehydration consistency
- Wait time
- Price
Note: Some of the text below is similar to my review of Good To-Go’s Smoked Three Bean Chili but most of the detail is specific to this meal. I did this review to supplement Lah’s excellent review of the meal and to give another non-biased account of experience with it. No offense to other reviewers, but several seem to be related to the company in some way and I felt they might not carry the same weight as non-affiliated reviews. I do appreciate the fairness of these reviewers admitting their relationships to the company.First off, when evaluating food choices I think it is a good baseline to describe my eating habits on the trail: Lots of fresh stuff on short trips especially first day or so Meals are usually a base (rice, pasta,...
Read more: Good To-Go Thai Curry reviews (11)
Nomad Nutrition Kathmandu Curry
A tasty curry dish that surprised me with its freshness; this one doesn’t taste rehydrated. I’ve never knowingly had a Nepalese-style curry, but if this is representative, I’m a fan. I just wish there was more in the package. As I’ll mention in all the Nomad reviews: I consider this the best brand of dehydrated, prepackaged food I’ve tried to date. It’s an expensive but high quality product.
Reasons to Buy
- Excellent flavor profile
- Excellent texture and freshness
- Decent protein in the 100g /3.5oz package (20 grams)
- Primarily Non-GMO / organic (not 100%)
- Decently low in sodium: (360 mg in the 100-gram 3.5oz package)
Reasons to Avoid
- Expensive: the 100-gram package is $12, the 50-gram is $7
- Not as filling, wanted more—decreases value quotient
Prologue: When I was messaging back and forth with Alicia (Trailspace Co-Founder and Editor) about testing some food items, I mentioned that I would only be interested in vegetarian options (I’m not actually vegetarian or vegan, I just rarely eat meat). For those excluding meat altogether, the pre-packaged choices are understandably limited in the backpacking/dehydrated food genre. I was quite intrigued when Alicia came back with this brand as I had never heard of them before. As I read about the company and product my interest was piqued further; you can check out their story here but I’ll relate that all products are plant-based, possibly non-GMO /organic (they don’t claim to be fully non-GMO/ organic but state that they “do their...
Read more: Nomad Nutrition Kathmandu Curry review (1)
Nomad Nutrition Indian Red Lentil Stew
A tasty Indian stew that reminds me of a classic (but slightly less spicy) Dal. As I’ve written with the other Nomad reviews: this is my new favorite brand of dehydrated backpacking food.
Reasons to Buy
- Tastes great—superbly spiced and not too much of anything
- Good protein in the 100g /3.5oz package (24 grams)
- Primarily Non-GMO / organic (not 100%)
- Low in sodium: (300 mg in the 100-gram 3.5oz package)
Reasons to Avoid
- Expensive: the 100-gram package is $12 US, the 50-gram is $7 US
Ingredients: Potatoes, Carrots, Red Lentils*, Coconut Milk*, Onions, Peas, Sundried Tomatoes*, Olive Oil*, Garlic*, Spices*, Sea Salt*. *Certified Organic Ingredient. Nutrition: (for the 100-gram package) Calories 680, Carbs 93g, Sugars (10 g), Protein 24g Prologue: When I was messaging back and forth with Alicia (Trailspace Co-Founder and Editor) about testing some food items, I mentioned that I would only be interested in vegetarian options (I’m not actually vegetarian or vegan, I just rarely eat meat).
Read more: Nomad Nutrition Indian Red Lentil Stew review (1)
Good To-Go Indian Vegetable Korma
This is the latest addition to a line-up of six Good To-Go "all natural, dehydrated gourmet" meals. I found the product to be a fresh, healthy, and tasty alternative to the ever-growing line of pre-packaged, dehydrated backpacker meals on the market. I would highly recommend this product for those specifically looking for an all-natural, gluten-free, vegetarian option. It works well as both a stand-alone meal and as a side dish. The downsides are the higher retail cost and longer re-hydration time when compared to other similar products. I also found that some ingredients did not rehydrate fully, even given the full recommended prep time.
Reasons to Buy
- Real, natural ingredients
- No added chemical preservatives
- Made in Maine/America by a small family start-up
- Comes in single or 2 serving size packages
- Resealable package can be used directly to hydrate contents (no need to dirty dishes)
- Slim, durable packaging
Reasons to Avoid
- Some ingredients take a little long to rehydrate
- Not as long of a shelf life as some alternatives (roughly 2-3 years, due to limited preservatives)
- Slightly more expensive than some alternatives
I tested the Good To-Go line of dehydrated foods two years ago when they were first introduced. At that time, only three options were offered. The company seems to be experiencing success and growth, having since added three more meals. This time around, I tested the Pad Thai and Indian Vegetable Korma meals, both in single and double serving sizes. This review is of the Indian Vegetable Korma. Please see my other reviews of the Thai Curry, Smoked Three Bean Chili, Herbed Mushroom Risotto, and Pad Thai on Trailspace.com.
Read more: Good To-Go Indian Vegetable Korma review (1)
Explore more top-rated entrées from Good To-Go:
Nomad Nutrition Hungarian Goulash
A delicious and simple dehydrated meal with good caloric density (176 calories per ounce) for backpackers that prepares easily and satisfies. There is a naturalness to this dish (and this brand in general) that makes it seem as if this is some long-standing favorite food, even though I had never had it before. This brand is the best dehydrated food I’ve tried to date. It’s too pricey to be a staple for me, but worth it for that special trip or occasion.
Reasons to Buy
- Tastes great—superbly spiced and not too much of anything
- Decent protein in the 100g /3.5oz package (20 grams)
- Primarily Non-GMO / organic (not 100%)
- Low in sugar (7 g in 100-gram 3.5oz package)
- Low in sodium: (100 mg in the 100-gram 3.5oz package)
Reasons to Avoid
- Expensive: the 100-gram package is $12, the 50-gram is $7
Prologue: When I was messaging back and forth with Alicia (Trailspace Co-Founder and Editor) about testing some food items, I mentioned that I would only be interested in vegetarian options (I’m not actually vegetarian or vegan, I just rarely eat meat). For those excluding meat altogether, the pre-packaged choices are understandably limited in the backpacking/dehydrated food genre. I was quite intrigued when Alicia came back with this brand as I had never heard of them before. As I read about the company and product my interest was piqued further; you can check out their story here but I’ll relate that all products are plant-based, primarily non-GMO /organic (they don’t claim to be fully non-GMO/ organic but state that they “do their...
Read more: Nomad Nutrition Hungarian Goulash review (1)
Explore more top-rated entrées from Nomad Nutrition:
Peak Refuel Biscuits & Sausage Gravy
This is a serious, and seriously good, breakfast—one of my absolute go-to's.
Reasons to Buy
- excellent flavor
- serious energy
- amazing quality of rehydration
Reasons to Avoid
- bulky
I love this meal. It's almost as good as a good restaurant biscuits and gravy—much better than some of the sad, heavy, gloopy stuff I've had at less-reputable diners, ha ha. camera fogged up with steam, ha ha Preparation and Taste:I followed the package directions; 1 and 1/3 cups boiling water, stand 10 minutes. I also followed their "pro tip" and crumbled up the biscuits before adding the water. I my opinion, this may (???) have been an error? I want to try this again, but next time I want to crumble the biscuits on top of the stirred sauce mixture before closing the bag and letting it sit.
Read more: Peak Refuel Biscuits & Sausage Gravy review (1)
Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
Excellent flavor and texture from a freeze dried meal. The price point is a bit heavy considering I might be able to take a spur trail to the nearest restaurant and buy a fully cooked meal from a wait staff for the same price.
Reasons to Buy
- Flavor
- Weight
- Texture
- Volume of finished meal
- Cooking bag
Reasons to Avoid
- Cost
Taste: Tastes really good. The sauce is creamy and smooth. The meat reconstitutes well enough. The noodles are soft but not lumpy. Some might find it a bit heavy on sodium, but I like my food salty. Prep: Just add boiling water and wait about 5 to 7 min. Easy enough. Creates a good consistency throughout Satiety: 2 servings per packet and really, it does make 2 servings. Two people could have a sensible meal from one packet. If you are a big eater, you might want to test one out before you go on a trip to see if it matches your volume preference.
Read more: Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles reviews (14)
Backpacker's Pantry Louisiana Red Beans & Rice
Delicious, great for the non-meat-eaters, spicy, easy to make. HUGE portions!
Reasons to Buy
- Quick
- Large portions
- Tasted great
- Easy to pack
- Veg-friendly
- Filling
Reasons to Avoid
- Hard to mix
I took the Louisiana Red Beans & Rice, from Backpacker's Pantry, on a month-long bike packing trip around Lake Superior in September. Having a delicious, nutritious meal that required only hot water was probably one of the best things we did! We were able to use hot water from gas stations, or to quickly boil water on our camp stove. Having no dishes for clean up made camping during the cold/rainy September so much easier! We got into the habit of boiling water and setting the bag aside to "cook" while we were putting up our tent and covering our bikes with a tarp.
Read more: Backpacker's Pantry Louisiana Red Beans & Rice reviews (4)
More Entrées
Trailspace reviewers have shared 269 reviews of 128 different entrées. Narrow your search and view more specific entrée recommendations in these categories:
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