Backpacker's Pantry Review (Freeze Dried Meals for Camping or Emergencies)

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Backpacker’s Pantry is a popular brand of freeze-dried backpacking meal that’s used for both camping, and as an easy to prepare just add water emergency meal. This type of freezed dried cook-in pouch-prepared meal can be expensive, and it’s hard to know if they’re worth the cost. I’m reviewing backpacker’s pantry, trying all their meals, so you don’t have to before you choose meals for your next backpacking trip (or to store away as a “just in case” stash for the next emergency).

Backpacker’s Pantry is one of the best-known brands of freeze-dried camping food, and they started in the 1950s when a Girl Scout troop leader wanted better options for food on their overnight trips. Camping food, especially backpacking food, can be pretty bleak because you cant carry a whole kitchen with you in a backpack. Everything needs to be lightweight and easy to prepare, and that’s where freeze-drying comes in.

We happen to have a home freeze dryer, and we make a lot of our own freeze-dried foods for camping and emergencies, but they’re expensive and only worth the investment if you’re serious about food preservation. For most casual campers, simply buying pre-made freeze-dried meal pouches is the way to go.

The main benefit of freeze-dried food is that it rehydrates quickly, and tastes more or less exactly as it did before it was freeze-dried. Dehydrating food changes the flavor and texture, but freeze-drying doesn’t. Just pour on boiling water, and you’ve got a hot meal in just a few minutes. Its hard to believe it’s not home-cooked!

The process works well with whole meals, but it’s also nice for quick teats and desserts too. Most of the dessert options, like Dark Chocolate Cheesecake and Creme Brulee, are made by adding cold water. Most backpacking food makers skip dessert, and that’s a shame. My kids especially enjoy a hard-earned treat at the top of a mountain or the end of a long hike.

That’s one place where backpacker’s pantry really shines, as they have plenty of delicious, easy-to-prepare camping desserts in a pouch to keep the kids happy.

Backpackers Pantry Chocolate Cheesecake with cookie crumbles

This particular batch of Backpacker’s pantry food was sent to me for review, and the box arrived just days before the most devastating flood Vermont has seen this century. Whole downtowns washed out, and months later, the capital is still trying to pick up the pieces. Power was out in for more than a month in many places, and much of the infrastructure was simply washed away.

Even where houses were spared, basements flooded, ruining heat and power lines. A lot of people found themselves “camping at home” for weeks at a time as they cleaned out and worked to get things restored.

We were happy that we had a ready supply of easy-to-prepare meals, with minimal prep and no dishes to do afterward. There’s something to be said for storing a bucket or two of camping meals, because, in truth, emergency recovery often means camping for a while until things come back together.

What Does Backpacker’s Pantry Sell?

What impressed me right out of the gate was the incredible variety of meals offered by Backpacker’s Pantry. Most freeze-dried meal manufacturers have just a handful of recipes, which honestly, keeps things simple on the production side…but kinda boring on the consumption side of things. After even a few days out on the trail, you’re going to be craving something new.

They have American comfort food classics, like Lasagna and Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken, but they also keep things interesting with a huge lineup of Asian-inspired meals, like:

To keep things spicy, they have Santa Fe Style Rice and Beans with Chicken and Hatch Green Chili Mac and Cheese.

For Breakfast, you can choose between options like Rocky Mountain Scramble with eggs and potatoes, as well as simple to prepare Granola with Blueberries or Granola with Bananas and Milk.

They have more dessert options than any other freeze-dried food company, with plenty of “Astronaut Ice Cream” sandwiches to keep the whole family happy. Four flavors include:

Plus, they also have Mango Sticky Rice to pair with the Asian-inspired meals, and Dark Chocolate Cheesecake or creme brulee to finish off the comfort food classics.

If you cant choose, you can simply get a pre-packed kit with plenty of options, just choose the number of days:

Lastly, you can top off your supply with healthy on-the-go snacks, like freeze-dried fruit:

How to Prepare Backpacker’s Pantry Meals

All of the meals from Backpacker’s Pantry are simple “prepare in bag” meals that have you just add water. You don’t need any dishes (besides a spoon) and everything is self-contained, which is perfect for either camping or emergencies.

All of the meals can be prepared with cold water in a pinch, you just have to wait a bit longer for everything to rehydrate. That said, there’s nothing like a hot meal, and you can usually find a way to boil water even in an emergency. I’d suggest looking into a simple BioLite stove that will allow you to use small twigs and bark to create a quick hot meal, and it can charge your phone with the surplus heat at the same time.

When you open the pouch, everything is in there, ready to add water and eat. Just take out the oxygen absorber on the top and pour in water. (Each pouch says how much, usually around 1 to 2 cups.)

Backpacker’s Pantry Meals Taste Test

So here’s the most important question…how do the meals taste?

Overall, I was pleasantly surpised by the flavor and quality of the food. Some of the meals, namely their Lasagna and Fettuccine Alfredo, were among the very best freeze-dried meals my family has ever eaten. That’s saying something, because at this point, I’ve reviewed just about every freeze-dried food brand on the market.

I actually went back and ordered half a dozen of each of those to keep in our basement for the next emergency, and I could eat them any day, they’re that good.

I’ll take you through some of their most popular offerings one by one.

Pad Thai with Chicken

There’s a reason so many backpacking food companies incorporate Thai curries into their offerings, mainly because they rehydrate well, and the spices keep things interesting (without being too spicy).

Thai food tends to incorporate rich spices in a savory broth filled with vegetables and meat…which happens to work wonderfully for freeze-drying. We have freeze-dried half a dozen of our homemade Thai curries here in our home freeze dryer, and they’re always a hit.

What I love about the Backpacker’s Pad Thai with Chicken is that it includes mix-in packets and a freeze-dried meal. High-fat things like peanuts and peanut butter will not freeze dry, so you normally wouldn’t be able to incorporate that into the meal. Instead, they’ve added them as packets to give you the flavor and richness, along with the lightweight prepared meal itself.

Pad Thai Mix Ins from Backpacker’s Pantry

For hiking, that works exceptionally well, and it gives you the option to include them in the meal or eat them separately. The downside is shelf life. An all-freeze-dried meal can last 25+ years…but peanut butter and actual peanuts really only store for 2-3 years before going rancid. As a result, this meal has a 3-year out date.

It is perfectly fine for most camping uses, where you’re going to use it the same summer it’s purchased…but not ideal for long-term storage emergency food. (Though the meal itself would store for 25+ years, just not the peanut butter or peanuts, so you could just toss those if you opened it after the out date.)

With big chunks of real chicken, this meal boasts 820 calories and a whopping 41 grams of protein. It takes a bit longer to rehydrate, namely because chunks of meat take longer to rehydrate fully than simple things like pasta, so you’re looking at about 15 minutes from adding boiling water to meal time (instead of 8-ish for most meals).

Given time, the chicken rehydrates beautifully, unlike many other meat-based camping meals on the market, where the meat never really completely comes back to “like fresh.”

Flavor-wise, it’s not spicy at all, though it does have a rich flavor. I tend to prefer my Thai Curries with just a tiny bit of heat, maybe a 3 on a scale of 1-10, while my husband likes his at around a tear-inducing 8-9. This one’s maybe a 1, with pretty much no heat, so bring a bit of hot sauce if you want more spice.

When made according to the instructions on the packet, it’s not soupy at all and will really pile high in a bowl. This is one of the biggest meals too, and it took a bit of doing (and snacking) to get it to fit into that bowl. The perfect choice after a long day on the trail, when you’re extra hungry.

Lasagna

As I said, this one is hands down one of our favorite freeze-dried meals, not just from Backpacker’s Pantry, but even when compared with every other freeze-dried meal on the market. I make a mean lasagna with handmade ricotta and mozzarella, and even homemade pasta from our backyard chicken eggs…and somehow, this freeze-dried version still gave me a run for my money.

The kids absolutely loved it, and my daughter said she could eat it every day of the week and not get sick of it. It’s that good.

It comes in at 620 calories with an impressive 28 g protein even as a pasta dish, and takes 1 3/4 cup of boiling water and 15 minutes to prepare.

Santa Fe Style Rice and Beans With Chicken

Most freeze-dried meal companies have some version of beans and rice, and many of the options are pretty plain. Most, in fact, cook up into a mushy paste where you can’t quite see where the rice stops and the beans begin.

This Backpacker’s Pantry’s Santa Fe Style Rice and Beans with Chicken is different, and it has wonderful flavor from the hatch green chilis, and a nice smokey flavor that seems to come out of nowhere. They used brown rice, which helps the rice hold together and stay separate from the beans, so it has a wonderful texture.

My 8-year-old daughter absolutely loved it, especially the seasoning, which she says is “just right.”

For adults, it’s flavorful, but rather mild, so again, you’re going to want to bring your own hot sauce if you want heat. Overall, the meal was a big hit, with great flavor and the perfect texture.

Fettucchini Alfredo with Chicken

Again, as I mentioned, the Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken is one of our very favorite meals from ANY freeze-dried food company, not just Backpacker’s pantry.

It had big hunks of chicken plenty of sun-dried tomatoes, and a rich wonderful seasoning that is honestly among the most flavorful alfredos I’ve ever had. It’s not goopy, but it’s just creamy enough to get the job done, and the flavor is out of this world.

My husband said, “After climbing a mountain, that’d be freaking spectacular.”

It boasts 580 calories with a whopping 40 g protein from all the chicken, and takes just 1 1/2 cups of water and 15 minutes to prepare.

Backpacker’s Pantry Breakfast Meals

Moving on to breakfast, Backpacker’s pantry has all the hot and cold cereal options you’d expect from a freeze-dried camping food company, plus a hot and ready-in-minutes breakfast scramble.

For Breakfast, you can choose between options like Rocky Mountain Scramble with eggs and potatoes, as well as simple to prepare Granola with Blueberries or Granola with Bananas and Milk.

Rocky Mountain Scramble

A classic freeze-dried camping breakfast, just about every backpacking food company has its version of the Rocky Mountain Scramble.

Backpacker’s Pantry’s version includes a mix of potatoes, cheese, and eggs, with a hefty dose of black pepper to give it a hint of heat and plenty of savory appeal. Unlike some of the others, theirs is vegetarian and is mostly composed of potatoes and cheese with a bit of egg for extra protein.

Mountain House’s version called the “Breakfast Skillet,” is almost all egg and includes shredded potatoes (instead of cubed), along with pork sausage, peppers, and onions (but no cheese).

Nutrient Survival also has a version called the Homestyle Scramble, packed for long-term storage in #10 cans (instead of mylar pouches for camping), and there’s even a military-grade MRE version of this meal.

All of them are excellent, and you really can’t go wrong with a freeze-dried breakfast scramble.

Blueberry Oats

Backpacker’s pantry has a few different versions of very similar breakfast cereals, which can be eaten both hot and cold. They have more than one option for Granola with Blueberries, some with almonds, others with walnuts, quinoa, and hemp seeds, and they’re all good.

What I love about these is they have a complex flavor, and they’re not just run-of-the-mill oatmeal or granola. They have a nice crunch from the nuts, and a surprising amount of protein from things like the hemp seeds and whole grains.

It’s really an “adult oatmeal” rather than your standard over sweet mushy kids fare, and one of the best oats/granola type meals I’ve had from a pouch from any company on the market.

Mountain House has a similar “granola with blueberries and milk,” and there’s more of a kid’s version, without much crunch and very sweet. Personally, I prefer this hearty version from Backpacker’s Pantry.

A pouch has 390 calories and 12 g protein and takes just 1 cup of water (hot or cold) and about 5 min.

Backpackers Pantry Blueberry Oats

Granola with Bananas and Milk

Their Granola with Bananas and Milk is also really interesting and tastes like small batch granola, almonds, coconut, bananas and whole milk.

My husband actually hates bananas, but he loved it. It’s super creamy, and tastes warm and tropical, with coconut and almonds.

Not too sweet, and plenty of crunch.

This one’s a bit heartier, with 620 calories and 16 g protein, but still just 1 cup water (hot or cold) and a quick stir before enjoying, no rehydration time required.

Backpacker’s Pantry Desserts

Now onto the best part of the meal…dessert!

Whether you’re camping out, or roughing it through an emergency, there’s always room for a bit of sweet to boost morale (especially if you have kids with you).

As I mentioned, they have multiple options of freeze-dried astronaut ice cream, that taste pretty much exactly like ice cream…but not cold, and they never melt. Creamy and rich, with a nice crunch, perfect for camping.

They also have other desserts, namely Dark Chocolate Cheesecake and Creme Brulee, both of which stir up into a rich and creamy treat with just a bit of cold water. Both come with a crunchy topping to keep things interesting, too.

If you want a good selection of options all in one place, they have an Emergency Dessert Kit to get you through!

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Mix

While it’s described as “cheesecake mix” it comes out more as a thick pudding, but it’s richer and more flavorful because they use a cheesecake base rather than just a standard pudding mix. The addition of the pack of cookie crumbs to sprinkle on top really does make it special.

My daughter absolutely loved it, and though it says “dark chocolate,” it straddles the line between milk and dark nicely. It’s dark enough that adults love it because it has some character, but not so dark that the kids won’t demolish a bowl in seconds.

When I was touring West Point as a potential Cadette, they gave us Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) for lunch, and it included a “chocolate drink mix” that all the experienced Cadettes insisted we make it with just a splash of water so it’d be a spoon-able pudding. It was good, and kind of amazing as a field meal…but this is so much better.

It’s hard to get cheesecake into a pouch, and while it’s not a fork-able slice of cake, the flavor really is there.

As a bonus, it’s prepared with just 2/3 cup of cold water, and it’s ready in 8-10 minutes, so you don’t even have to turn on the stove. It’s a really lovely last-minute summer dessert, camping or not.

Creme Brulee

The creme brulee is surprisingly creamy and custardy and tastes more or less exactly like a creme brulee from a restaurant, though a bit looser, rather than a fully set custard.

They give you these caramelized sugar crystals to sprinkle on top, which is a nice touch and adds a bit of crunch.

Freeze-Dried Camping Meal Options

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What are your favorite freeze-dried camping meals, from Backpacker’s Pantry, or from any of the other companies on the market, namely:

Mountain House – Freeze Dried Prepared meals to cook in pouch, 25+ year shelf life.
Peak Refuel – High protein freeze-dried meals with a 2 to 5-year shelf life, cooked in pouch.
Alpine Aire – Freeze-dried, but less widely available
Pack it Gourmet – Mostly dehydrated, but some freeze-dried ingredients
Farm to Summit – Dehydrated, 100% compostable packaging, limited options
Good to Go – Dehydrated, low sodium and gluten-free=
Nomad Nutrition – Dehydrated, plant-based meals
Firepot – Dehydrated food from a British Company
Heather’s Choice – Dehydrated cook-in pouch, gluten-free and dairy-free, with vegan options. Made in Alaska.
Wild Zora – Paleo, Keto, Grain Free, and Gluten Free Freeze Dried Meals for Camping

Freeze-Dried Food Reviews

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Backpacker’s Pantry Review (Freeze Dried Meals for Camping or Emergencies)

What Does Backpacker’s Pantry Sell?

How to Prepare Backpacker’s Pantry Meals