I Carried and Cooked Dozens of Backpacking Meals. These Are the Best-Tasting Options Available Now

Is your jaw tired of gnawing on bags of trail mix? Can’t stomach another greasy meat stick or soggy PB&J? Backpacking and hiking from car campsites is taxing, so you need to refuel properly with meals that are tasty, but also provide enough fat, calories, and carbs to keep you going for days on end. The best backpacking meals are just as important as hiking backpacks, trekking poles, sandals, and sleeping pads.

Thankfully, there’s a new breed of lightweight, dehydrated, and freeze-dried meals that cater to all types of dietary preferences, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and keto. Thing is, most are mushy and lacking in flavor. To help prevent any mishaps on your next adventure, I cooked up countless options to find the tastiest, most satisfying fare. 

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My top pick is Pinnacle Foods Chipotle Beef Burrito Bowl. Well-seasoned, decidedly not mushy, and filling, this grass-fed beef dish deserves to add a little weight to your pack. Looking for something different? Keep reading for the best options across a multitude of categories (e.g. breakfast, high protein, vegan). Don't forget to bring along the proper camping cookware and camping stoves.

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Best Backpacking Meals at a Glance:

• Best Backpacking Meal Overall: Pinnacle Foods Chipotle Beef Burrito Bowl
• Best-Tasting Backpacking Meal: Mountain House Chicken Tikka Masala
• Best Dehydrated Backpacking Meal: Good To-Go Mushroom Risotto
• Best High-Protein Backpacking Meal: Pinnacle Foods Herb Roasted Chicken and White Cheddar Biscuit Dumplings
• Best Lightweight Backpacking Meal: Stowaway Gourmet Lamb Bourguignon
• Best Budget Backpacking Meal: Backpacker’s Pantry Mango Sticky Rice
• Best Backpacking Breakfast Meal: Mountain House Breakfast Skillet
• Best Freeze-Dried Backpacking Meal: Stowaway Gourmet Bison Beer Black Bean Chili
• Best Cold-Soak Backpacking Meal: Packit Gourmet Cajun Ranch Chicken Salad
• Best Healthy Backpacking Meal: Poe & Co. Coconut Chickpea Stew
• Best Vegetarian Backpacking Meal: Backpacker’s Pantry Vegetarian Lasagna
• Best Vegan Backpacking Meal: Poe & Co. Quinoa Sweet Potato Skillet
• Best Gluten-Free Backpacking Meal: Good To-Go Gluten Free Chicken Pho
• Best Keto Backpacking Meal: Stowaway Gourmet Lonestar Chili
• Best Dessert Backpacking Meal: Packit Gourmet Mom’s Banana Puddin’

Best Backpacking Meals of 2025

Best Backpacking Meal Overall: Pinnacle Foods Chipotle Beef Burrito Bowl 

Pinnacle Foods' Chipotle Beef Burrito Bowl was easily one of the best-tasting meals I've cooked. It rehydrated perfectly, so even though the meal had a good amount of rice and beans, the texture wasn’t mushy. The grass-fed ground beef chunks were the perfect size to really taste them, but they could fit easily in a tortilla without overflowing if a burrito is more your style. Either on its own or with chips and tortillas, the burrito bowl mix didn’t need salt or more seasoning (compliments to the dried chipotle peppers and smoked paprika). To cook, add about 1¼ cups of boiling water and let sit for about 13 minutes. Pinnacle meals are a bit more expensive than others (though not the most pricey), but the small-batch meals have no additives or preservatives.

• Weight: 131 grams (1 serving)
• Calories: 740
• Protein: 45 grams
• Carbs: 64 total
• Fats: 34 grams
• Sodium: 52% daily value

Best-Tasting Backpacking Meal: Mountain House Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala is my go-to order for takeout, and the Mountain House version didn’t disappoint. Was it as good as my local place? No. But did I eat the entire two servings in one sitting, even though I wasn’t backpacking? Yes. So when you need something more flavorful than pasta or chili, try Mountain House’s freeze-dried Chicken Tikka Masala with a little bit of spice. It rehydrated perfectly with no leftover water after adding 1½ cups of boiling water, mixing, and resealing to let it sit for 10 minutes. This meal does have more than half of your daily sodium intake. 

• Weight: 120 grams (2 servings)
• Calories: 560
• Protein: 24 grams
• Carbs: 66 total
• Fats: 24 grams
• Sodium: 55% daily value

Best Dehydrated Backpacking Meal: Good To-Go Mushroom Risotto 

The taste and texture of Good To-Go's gluten-free and vegan Mushroom Risotto were pleasantly surprising. After adding one cup of boiling water and letting the pouch sit for 20 minutes, the meal rehydrated without being crunchy or too mushy. There isn’t much protein or fat here, but the 64 grams of carbs were filling, and the sodium is on the lower end of the meals we tested. The risotto has a pesto sauce, and though it did need some salt, the taste was comforting, and the one-serving meal was easy to finish.

• Weight: 95 grams (1 serving)
• Calories: 410
• Protein: 13 grams
• Carbs: 64 total
• Fats: 10 grams
• Sodium: 18% daily value

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Best High-Protein Backpacking Meal: Pinnacle Foods Herb Roasted Chicken and White Cheddar Biscuit Dumplings

Pinnacle Foods labels its meals as technically one serving, but compared to others we tested, the nutritional details of the Herb Roasted Chicken and White Cheddar Biscuit Dumplings land more at two servings. You’ll get 54 grams of protein from the whole pouch, the highest protein value we saw, other than the keto option below. I always love a good comfort-food dish on the trail, and the cheesy biscuits and shredded chicken didn’t disappoint. Add 1¼ cups of boiling water to cook, then stir and seal for about 13 minutes.

• Weight: 135 grams (2 servings)
• Calories: 700
• Protein: 54 grams
• Carbs: 43 total
• Fats: 33 grams
• Sodium: 58% daily value

Best Lightweight Backpacking Meal: Stowaway Gourmet Lamb Bourguignon

Finding a hearty, lightweight meal can be tricky. Some options are technically lighter than the Stowaway Gourmet Lamb Bourguignon, but they don't have nearly as much fuel. This meal is just 100 grams to carry and (if you eat both servings) has 564 calories and 36 grams of protein. You get chunky lamb pieces, potatoes, onions, and carrots in a satisfying stew with a red wine reduction. Add 1¼ cups of boiling water, let sit for about 10 minutes, and you’ve got a gourmet meal at camp.

• Weight: 100 grams (2 servings)
• Calories: 564
• Protein: 36 grams
• Carbs: 40 total
• Fats: 22 grams
• Sodium: 36% daily value

Best Budget Backpacking Meal: Backpacker’s Pantry Mango Sticky Rice

For only $8, you get a two-serving meal with 570 calories, 104 grams of carbs, and very little sodium. It doesn’t have much protein, but it does have a decent amount of fat from the coconut. And the best part? This was so delicious, which makes sense, since Backpacker’s Pantry makes all their meals in small batches. A simple gluten-free and vegan meal, the Mango Sticky Rice had just enough sweetness to be a nice change from the standard pasta, bean, and meat-heavy pouches. This could easily be your dinner, your breakfast, or dessert. To cook, add one cup of boiling water, then let it sit for 15 minutes. 

• Weight: 136 grams (2 servings)
• Calories: 570
• Protein: 6 grams
• Carbs: 104 total
• Fats: 15 grams
• Sodium: 2% daily value

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Best Backpacking Breakfast Meal: Mountain House Breakfast Skillet

When I’m backpacking and need to fuel in the morning, I want to make sure I actually like the meal and will eat all of it. With the Breakfast Skillet from Mountain House, that wasn’t an issue. It isn’t as healthy as some of the other breakfast options we tested (the whole package contains 62 percent of your daily sodium intake and 26 grams of fat), but it definitely was the tastiest. Add 1¼ cups of boiling water to the pouch, let it sit for five minutes, and then you can eat up the eggs, hash brown potatoes, pork sausage, onions, and peppers. It’s salty, rehydrated wonderfully, and I happily ate the whole thing. 

• Weight: 106 grams (2 servings)
• Calories: 520
• Protein: 28 grams
• Carbs: 46 grams
• Fats: 26 grams
• Sodium: 62% daily value

Best Freeze-Dried Backpacking Meal: Stowaway Gourmet Bison Beer Black Bean Chili

All the meals from Stowaway Gourmet are almost too fancy for camping, which isn’t necessarily bad. The flavors are plentiful and spicy, and the meat is tender even after being freeze-dried. Try the Bison Beer Black Bean Chili, which packs 42 grams of protein and 705 calories. The bison chunks are delicious, and the chili, garlic, and added cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses complete the meal. Simply add 1½ cups of water and let sit for 10 minutes. 

• Weight: 132 grams (2 servings)
• Calories: 706
• Protein: 47 grams
• Carbs: 70 grams
• Fats: 42 grams
• Sodium: 56% daily value

Best Cold-Soak Backpacking Meal: Packit Gourmet Cajun Ranch Chicken Salad

I love the idea of a cold-soak meal. You don’t have to set up your stove (or bring one at all if you are going ultralight), and sometimes, a cooler-temperature meal is exactly what is needed on a hot day. The Cajun Ranch Chicken Salad from Packit Gourmet was delicious and tasted great on salty crackers. The dried cranberries added just enough sweetness to balance out the ranch flavor. I didn’t taste any Cajun spices necessarily, but it was the perfect protein-packed, salty-sweet lunch. To cook, add ⅔ cup water, mix, and let sit on its side for about five minutes. The chicken rehydrated perfectly with no crunchy pieces. Although this meal was incredibly satisfying and I loved the ability to rehydrate without using a stove, it is more expensive, especially for a one-serving meal. 

• Weight: 92 grams (1 serving)
• Calories: 400
• Protein: 47 grams
• Carbs: 18 grams
• Fats: 17 grams
• Sodium: 20% daily value

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Best Healthy Backpacking Meal: Poe & Co. Coconut Chickpea Stew

The new trend of healthier, whole-food ingredients in backpacking meals might be necessary for some, but I found it hard to truly enjoy the taste in my testing. I’d be nervous that some would not go down easily, even if I were starving after a 12-mile day. However, Poe & Co.’s Coconut Chickpea Stew (with only one gram of added sugar) had a lovely, sweet coconut taste mixed with earthy turmeric. It was a bit mushy, but for a stew that boasts cauliflower, chickpeas, and spinach, this veggie-packed meal was good. Pack the Coconut Chickpea Stew to get something refreshing after a few days on a trek where you are likely to be eating mostly pasta, beans, or other high-sodium meals. 

• Weight: 100 grams (1 serving)
• Calories: 410
• Protein: 16 grams
• Carbs: 37 grams
• Fats: 22 grams
• Sodium: 17% daily value

Best Vegetarian Backpacking Meal: Backpacker’s Pantry Vegetarian Lasagna

Backpacker's Pantry Vegetarian Lasagna is on the heavier side of meals we tested at 156 grams, but it does contain two servings of lasagna and packs a good deal of fuel into that pouch: 620 calories and 90 grams of carbs. Eat this at the end of your day, and you’ll be ready to go for the next day’s trek. It does have 76 percent of your daily sodium intake, but it's quite tasty, and you’ll easily want to eat the whole two servings. Most other meals we tested were either around $10 for one serving or upwards of $15 for two servings, but you can always count on Backpacker’s Pantry to be budget-friendly with their two-serving vegetarian entrees starting at $10 and meat entrees starting at $13. 

• Weight: 156 grams (2 servings)
• Calories: 620
• Protein: 29 grams
• Carbs: 90 grams
• Fats: 18 grams
• Sodium: 76% daily value

Best Vegan Backpacking Meal: Poe & Co. Quinoa Sweet Potato Skillet

Like all their meals, the Poe & Co. Quinoa Sweet Potato Skillet is a plant-based, relatively healthy backpacking meal. It’s made in small batches without preservatives, is gluten-free and vegan, and has just 15 ingredients, all of which you can actually pronounce. The Quinoa Sweet Potato Skillet was incredibly flavorful and smoky without being overpowering, thanks to the chipotle seasoning. The skillet lacks calories, but it has a decent amount of fats and carbs to keep your energy up. To prepare, add 1¼ cups of boiling water, stir, seal, and let sit for 20 minutes. The pouch does have a water fill line, which is always appreciated. For added calories, pair this with tortillas, eggs, or avocado. 

• Weight: 100 grams (1 serving)
• Calories: 240
• Protein: 5 grams
• Carbs: 27 total
• Fats: 15 grams
• Sodium: 25% daily value

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Best Gluten-Free Backpacking Meal: Good To-Go Gluten Free Chicken Pho

The Chicken Pho by Good To-Go is a tasty and protein-packed gluten-free option. However, it isn’t certified gluten-free, which I do know is necessary for some people with celiac disease. At Good To-Go, they do follow strict allergen control protocols under USDA oversight. “While our facility is not certified gluten-free, our meals are third-party lab-tested for gluten content and fall below the FDA threshold,” says Justin Hagen of Good To-Go. “Unlike most other brands, we do not use a co-packer, which allows us to maintain stricter control over our production processes.” Overall, I would have liked more chicken, but the noodles rehydrated well, and the added lime packet was a nice touch to make this meal zesty and even out the slight spice. To cook, add 1½ cups of boiling water, mix, and let sit for 10 minutes. Bonus for Good To-Go hot meals: They have a “vaguely approximate fill line” on the bag so you don’t have to just eyeball it. This pho was very tasty and lightweight, but I would definitely have to supplement this meal with other food, as it only has 400 calories and 8 grams of fat. 

• Weight: 95 grams (1 serving)
• Calories: 390
• Protein: 27 grams
• Carbs: 54 grams
• Fats: 8 grams
• Sodium: 53% daily value

Best Keto Backpacking Meal: Stowaway Gourmet Lonestar Chili

Stowaway Gourmet's Lonestar Chili was one of the only labeled keto meals I could find for backpacking, and it packs quite the energy, even with very few carbohydrates. It has 685 calories, 45 grams of fat, 62 grams of protein, and only 8 grams of net carbs. You get chopped beef steak, which rehydrates nicely, and a solid chili taste overall with tomatillos, onions, and garlic. To cook, add 1 cup of boiling water, stir, and reseal to let sit for 15 minutes. If you need to follow a keto diet, this should be a go-to, but it is our most expensive option and is on the longer end for rehydration time.

• Weight: 120 grams (1 serving)
• Calories: 672
• Protein: 62 grams
• Carbs: 12 total; 8 net grams
• Fats: 45 grams
• Sodium: 51% daily value

Best Dessert Backpacking Meal: Packit Gourmet Mom’s Banana Puddin’

No one will judge if you eat this banana pudding as your main meal. It’s packed with calories, fat, carbs, and even a bit of protein—all without adding any extra sugar (51 grams total). Bonus: It’s a cold-soak pouch, so you don’t even have to get your stove out. Simply add ⅔ cups of cool water, let it rehydrate for about 10 minutes, and enjoy your dinner—I mean, dessert. The blueberry peach crisp (from Backpacker’s Pantry) was a close second to this pudding, but the vanilla custard, sweet cake pieces, and coconut were too good to pass up. 

• Weight: 110 grams (1 serving)
• Calories: 470
• Protein: 8 grams
• Carbs: 73 total
• Fats: 17 grams
• Sodium: 30% daily value

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What to Look for in the Best Backpacking Meals

The best backpacking meal depends on what and how much you like to eat, how much weight you're willing to carry, and its nutritional value. Below are some guidelines to consider when packing for your next trek.

Type of Meal

Thankfully, the variety of backpacking meals on the market is plentiful, with options ranging from dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan to high-calorie, high-carb, and high-fat. There are breakfast options, cold-soak lunch options, dinner options, and dessert, too. One thing to note: Of the many gluten-free meals I tested, none actually had the small stamp of gluten-free certification by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).

Weight and Servings

If you're an ultralight backpacker, you’ll want to find meals that don’t weigh too much and don't take up too much space. Some of the meals tested contain two servings per package, while others only contain one and are a space saver. Cold-soak meals are also an option, which means you don’t need a stove to cook these up.

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Price

Dehydrated or freeze-dried meals aren’t cheap, but they are convenient. Packages cost about $10 to $20, and some contain two servings rather than one.

Other Considerations

The last thing to consider when choosing what to eat on the trail is the overall nutritional value, including fat, carbohydrate, protein, and sodium levels. Backpacking meals are notorious for high sodium levels, which is helpful when you're working hard and most likely sweating a lot. But sometimes, getting 50 percent of your daily sodium intake in just one meal can be overwhelming. Most pouches have between 400 and 700 calories per serving, with approximately 15 to 60 grams of protein and 8 to 34 grams of fat.

Aaron Owens Mayhew, a registered dietitian and founder of Backcountry Foodie, suggests meals with approximately 125 calories per ounce and a balanced mix of all macronutrients—carbohydrates, protein, and fats. “Meals made up of only one macronutrient, like all carbs or all fat, might leave you dragging by day three,” Mayhew says. “A balanced profile, with adequate carbs, some fat, and 15-25 grams of protein per main meal, is ideal.”

At Backcountryfoodie.com, you can use the hiking calorie calculator to see how much you’d need. “Calories burned while hiking can range widely, and factors like terrain, temperature, pack weight, distance, pace, body size, and metabolism all influence energy needs,” Mayhew says. When I tried the calculator, it estimated that I'd need about 5,000 calories or more per day. Mayhew recommends keeping a hiking food journal, too, to really dive into how much you ate and if it was or wasn’t satisfying. This information will make planning for future trips easier and more accurate.

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How We Tested the Best Backpacking Meals

Over the course of a few weeks, I cooked as many meals as possible to rank each one’s overall taste and ease of cooking. When adding water, I often used the fill line on each package or measured from a water bottle to replicate being on a trek, sans measuring cups. I also paid attention to how well ingredients rehydrated and whether the listed wait times were accurate. When possible, I compared similar meals and ate them after intense workouts or long trail runs to see how long I stayed full.

Why You Should Trust Me

Not only do I love to backpack, but I also love to eat. I am definitely one of those people who backpack for the scenery but also for the fact that I can down a Reese’s Take5 candy bar once a day for however long the trip is. Over the years, I have trekked in New Zealand and Peru, solo backpacked in Iceland and Colorado, and spent countless hours exploring the wilderness overnight with friends and family. I test gear for a living and am very critical of how it works for me, how it might work for others, and whether it is worth the price. When trying out these meals, I considered what I would be craving after a long day, what I would actually be willing to eat when I’m tired but need fuel, and how fresh the ingredients tasted.

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