Real Food Fridge Free
All of our ingredients have been selected to deliver a range of meals that help maintain your energy levels. Wayfayrer camping food MREs dont use any artificial preservatives, colours or flavours and each meal is created to deliver the optimum balance of taste, texture and energy.
Our carefully controlled pre-cooked process ensures our meals can be stored without the need of a fridge. Each meal comes in a durable foil barrier pouch that is designed to lock in the flavour and keep the product fresh. This also makes them perfectly safe to eat cold, so in scenarios where you may not have access to a stove, you know you never have to go hungry.
Wayfayrer meals are ready to go, simply heat & eat. Empty directly into a pan or place the pouch into boiling water and heat in the pack. Either way you are never far away from a delicious hot meal.
Best Mres Ranked From Worst To Best:
12. Homestyle Vegetables in Sauce with Noodles and Chicken
This was the most flavor-less, mushy meal of them all. It was pale and no matter how much salt, pepper, and other seasonings I threw in, it didn’t change the flavor it tasted like canned pea mush unfortunately.
11. Pork with Sauce and Rice
I have learned that “sauce” mainly means sugary tomato paste at this point in MRE lingo. The pork looked similar to pork floss, completely shredded, but unfortunately the tomato flavor and brown sugar seasoning is so sickening sweet it’s hard to distinguish any other flavor.
10. Pasta with Garden Vegetables
9. Lemon Pepper Tuna
You’d think the lemon pepper tuna MRE would rank better than the standard tuna package but the lemon in this one is sugary and candy-like instead of a fresh, zesty lemon flavor. Candied tuna is a pass for us.
8. Tuna
This would be ranked in my top 5 if I got to rate the Santa Fe style rice and beans that came with this MRE because it tasted like a cheesy burrito, but, unfortunately we are ranking on the main entree here. The tuna package comes with a tortilla so you can make yourself a wrap. Add in the salt, pepper, and hot sauce packages and you’ve got a well-rounded lunch.
7. Southwestern Style Beans with Rice and Chicken
This had absolutely no flavor besides a sickening sweet tomato paste coating in my mouth. I recommend loading this one with hot sauce to help the bean and rice mixture.
6. Lentil Stew with Lamb
3. Chili and Macaroni
Wayfayrer Chilli Con Carne And Rice
www.vango.co.uk | £4
Wayfayrer meals are the first that I think of when it comes to ready-made camping food, probably because its a UK brand , and because of the friendly prices, making the meals more accessible to younger people, such as D of E groups and Scouts.
This is wet food, so meals are heavier than the freeze-dried options you probably wont want to pack lots of them for a long trip, but for a shorter expedition or campsite camping they will do the job. Shelf life is three years. The chilli con carne and rice contains a solid 435kcal you heat it for seven or eight minutes before eating.
There are a variety of main meals , puddings and breakkies, including the classic all-day breakfast. Not gourmet but certainly tasty enough, theyre great entry-level option.
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The Best Expedition Meals For Hikers
Theres something refreshing about counting calories when the criteria is the more the better it reminds me about the important things in life. On test here are expedition meals: ready-made food for when youve been out in the fresh air, hiking or adventuring all day, doing the same again tomorrow, and really need filling up.
Cooking these expedition meals only requires hot water that you can easily boil from a camping stove, and theyre eaten from the bag, so you dont need to waste rucksack space space on ingredients or plates.
Expedition meals are split into two types, wet or dry. Wet food is real food in a pouch that gets heated up in hot water. Disadvantages of this are that the meals are heavier, and use more fuel, than the dry alternatives.
Freeze-dried food is lighter, and you just add boiling water and leave them for a few minutes before theyre ready to eat. That may not sound appetising, but the freeze-dried meals weve had on test here have been pretty tasty, all the more so after a big day on the hill.
As well as being lightweight, tasty and high in energy, the meals should be as user-friendly as possible the chances are youll be eating them in a cramped tent with no replacement if you drop the lot. We like packets that are stable if you put them down, and that are easy to eat from. Bon appetite.
Boiled And Baked Eggs
Eggs are great sources of protein, but theyre a pain to carry around raw. Theyre fragile and if they break, theyre tricky to clean up. However, if you hard boil your eggs, they are easier to transport. You can even leave them in their shells until its time to eat so that they dont crumble. Hard-boiled eggs are very versatile. You can slice them and serve them as a breakfast sandwich with some precooked bacon. You can mash them with avocado for a protein-packed egg salad. You can just eat them as they are if you like them that way!
You can also bake your eggs, frittata-style. This has to be done before you leave, but these egg bites are great for breakfast on the go. Theyre light and can be packed densely, so theyre great for backpackers. They also taste fine cold, so you dont have to worry about heating them up! You can make all kinds of frittata flavor combos. You can pack them with veggies, cheeses, and meats depending on what you like to eat.
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Expedition Foods Chilli Con Carne With Rice
www.expeditionfoods.com | £6.99
Chilli con carne with rice is part of Expedition Foods high energy serving range, offering a whopping 809kcal great if youre adventuring hard and need lots of fuel. At 185g per pack they are slightly heavier than the other freeze-dried meals in this test, but they make up for it with the extra calories.
I carried meals in this range while hiking the Cumbria Way and they were lightweight, easy to cook and tasted good. The resealable pouch is user friendly: the fill to line is on the inside, making it easy to find, and it stands up fairly securely. The outside of the packet gets exceedingly hot but youll probably have a pair of gloves with you
The range includes breakfasts, and vegetarian and gluten free options. If youre really stuck theyll work with cold water too, you just have to leave it for longer. And if you know youll need still more calories, check out the companys extreme energy range, with meals giving 1,000kcal .
Make Ahead Sausage And Potato Foil Dinner
This easy make ahead tinfoil dinner just requires a bit of prepping at home before cooking over the coals at camp. Credit to One Sweet Appetite for bringing this one to our attention!
Great for: Solo campers easy to make a single portion and foil it up.Couples separate portions make this an easy meal for 2 people.Make-ahead prep time: 15 minutes.Serves: 4
- Dice the potatoes into small chunks.
- You can leave the uncooked sausages whole or cut into chunks too.
- Cut 4 rectangles of tinfoil, folding up the sides so you have a 1-inch rim.
- Spray the foil with cooking spray and distribute the potato and sausages evenly. Add the beans and seasoning, then drizzle with oil. Fold up the sides to create your foil packet.
- At camp, place packets onto hot coals and cook for about 30 minutes, turning every so often.
Use-by: Once prepped and stored in the cooler, consume within 1-2 days.Top tip: You can enjoy these packets with foiled veggies.
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Protein Bars Or Energy Bars
A protein bar is another great camping food. Protein bars are packed with nutrition. They provide you with the right amount of fiber, carbs, and sugar. You can buy energy bars at the store. They are easy to pack and do not go bad.
You can finish one at once or take small bites as you go along. Either way, they are a great energy source, lightweight, and easy to carry. They require minimum effort to eat and are delicious.
Bags and finish the entire bag once it is open. No one likes soft popcorn it becomes chewy and eventually loses its flavor. So, make sure you gobble it up in one go.
Ingredients And Dietary Restrictions
All-Natural OptionsMuch to the delight of the health-conscious, there are a growing number of all-natural backcountry meal options. In fact, the majority of brands hereincluding Good To-Go, Patagonia Provisions, Outdoor Herbivore, Heather’s Choice, Next Mile Meals, and Nomad Nutritionpride themselves on using only natural ingredients. Others, such as AlpineAire, have many all-natural options and strive to use only real food ingredients whenever possible.
SodiumThe American Heart Association recommends that adults limit their sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day, and ideally not exceeding 1,500 mg. However, most healthy and active individuals who spend much of the day sweating in the hot sun will needand thus cravehigh-sodium foods to replenish what is lost. With an average of 400 to 800 mg of sodium per serving , its no secret that most backcountry meals are high in sodium. If youre looking to keep your sodium intake down, pay special attention to the nutritional facts . Additionally, meals from Outdoor Herbivore, Good To-Go, and Nomad Nutrition tend to be lower in sodium than most.
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Stoves Fuel And Cooking Supplies
Many of the meals in this article rehydrate in their pouch, making them popular options because they only require adding boiling water. For these meals, we recommend bringing an all-in-one stove system such as the Jetboil Flash. Its compact, boils water quickly, and is reasonably priced. For pot meals, youll probably want a more traditional stove with a simmering function, like the MSR PocketRocket or Dragonfly. For more information including our top picks, check out our article on the best backpacking stoves. If you want to leave the stove behind, consider bringing pre-cooked dinners or meals that can be hydrated with cold water.
The amount of fuel youll need on your next backpacking adventure depends largely on whether youre eating pouch or pot meals. For pouch meals, you simply boil the water, turn off the stove, and pour the water into the pouch. For pot meals, on the other hand, you might need to boil or simmer the food for up to 10 minutes. If youre out for a week, this cook time can certainly add up to a lot more fuel. Keep in mind that altitude, temperature, and wind are also factors in how much fuel you consume.
Summit To Eat Macaroni Cheese
After a long and energetic day thats left you feeling tired and hungry, adventure food doesnt get much more comforting than a happy portion of hot, cheesy macaroni! Perfect for vegetarians, Summit to Eat Macaroni Cheese uses sumptuous three cheese sauce that combines Cheddar, Mozzarella and Leicestershire cheeses to create a brilliantly rich and creamy sauce perfect for covering traditional macaroni pasta!Summit to Eat Macaroni Cheese is brilliant as a hearty lunch or as a quick and easy evening meal back at camp after a long day. The standard sized meal pouches are ideal for helping you to relax, recharge and get ready for the next stage of your adventure.If youre looking for something a bit more robust to pack during longer and more extreme expeditions, you can select Summit to Eat Macaroni Cheeses larger pouches which is an excellent way to take in a bigger portion of our delicious meals. Summit to Eat Macaroni Cheese is the perfect expedition food when you need to up your calorie intake during hikes that last several days, or keeping your strength up in colder temperatures. This freeze dried meal is easy and simple to prepare. Simply add 175ml of hot water to the pouch and this truly delicious freeze dried camping meal will be ready in under 10 minutes!
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Make Ahead Puff Pastry Pockets
An American food-truck favorite, these lunch time delights can still be enjoyed on your camping holiday. The recipe, taken from Cooking Divine, is easy to make at home and packed full of flavor. Give it a try!
Great for: Families and kids a simple, enjoyable lunch for the whole family.Couples an easy lunch time option that will last over 2 days.Make-ahead prep time: 30 minutes.Serves: 4
- Preheat the oven to 375°F .
- Heat some oil in a sauce pan on a medium heat.
- Once hot, add chopped pepper and onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft.
- Add the steak and cook until brown. You can add any seasoning/spices that you wish to include.
- Remove pan from the heat and set aside.
- Sprinkle some flour on a smooth surface, lay out the pastry and cut into 8 equal squares.
- Add 1/4 of the steak mix to 4 of the pastry squares, topping each with some grated cheese.
- Lay the remaining squares over the top, sealing together with a fork.
- Egg wash the outside of the pastry squares, slit the tops and sprinkle some salt on.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Once the pastries have cooled, you can wrap them in foil and put them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Re-heat over the campfire still wrapped in foil until meat is piping hot.
Use-by: Transferring the pastries from the freezer to the cooler will keep them fresh for 2-3 days.
How Can I Make Sure My Camp Food Stays Hot
In the Camp Food range you’ll find a handy thermal pouch. The thermal pouch is the perfect winter hiking companion to keep your Back Country meals piping hot. Place your meal pouch, prepared with hot water, inside thermal Pouch to ensure you retain maximum heat during the rehydration process, with the heat continuing through to your very last bite. The thermal pouch comes with a Sea to Summit Alphalight long handled spoon. Just sit back and enjoy your hot meal, no matter what the outside temperature.
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Make Ahead Slow Cooked Beef Stew
This beef stew is a hearty, nourishing dinner that can be frozen ahead of time and reheated at camp. Give it a try using this recipe by Six Sisters Stuff.
Great for: Families looking for a hot, filling dinner option.Campers in colder conditions.Make-ahead prep time: 10 minutes .Serves: 6
- 1 package onion soup mix
Method:
- Add beef cubes to the slow cooker crock pot. Layer with carrots, followed by potatoes and topping with the bay leaf.
- In a different bowl, combine remaining ingredients and pour mixture over the beef and veg.
- Cover and cook on low for around 8 hours.
- To freeze, either separate the stew into separate containers or place the whole thing in a large zip-lock bag. You can then reheat in a pan at camp.
Use-by: Allow stew to thaw for 24 hours and then consume within 3-4 days.
Camping Ready Meals Review: 6 Summit To Eat Meals You Should Try
Theres no better feeling than chowing down on a bag of camping ready meals after an intense day of skiing, hiking, surfing, or other outdoor activities. While theres a wide selection of camping ready meals available on the market, one of our favourites is Summit to Eat meals. Summit to Eat offers different varieties of freeze dried food types such as breakfast and main meals as well as different flavours such as sweet or savoury. This rich selection of freeze dried meal types allows you to select the camping meal best suitable for your craving!Here are six brilliant Summit to Eat meals you can choose from for your next adventure!
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Find More Camp Food Inspiration
If you love to cook and are great at planning, check out our collection of easy camping recipes for some fun food-spiration before you head outdoors. You can also find all of our camping food ideas in one spot, here.
Psst! You can check out my camping adventures by following #olafthecampervan on Instagram.
What Is The Flameless Heater Pack In The Camp Food Range
The flameless heater pack will allow you to enjoy a hot meal without the hassle of burners or billies. You simply place your favourite Back Country Cuisine meal pouch, prepared with cold water, between the inner bags of the heater pack. You add 50ml of water to the heater pack to activate the heating process, fold down and secure top with clip provided, sit back and relax for about 20 minutes and then enjoy a piping hot meal. Heats two single serves or one double serve Back Country Cuisine meal pouch. Can be used in total fire ban areas where exposed flame of any kind can pose risk. Bushfire safe, and only requires water, and a spoon!
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Weight/volume Per Total Calories
Most backpackers need anywhere from 3,300-3,800 calories per day, which amounts to 1½ to 2½ of food . If you hit the trail for multiple days at a time, that food allotment adds up, which is why its a good idea to evaluate how many calories youre getting per ounce of weight youre carrying. An ounce will always weigh an ounce on your back, but it will feel better if it brings you 125 calories of energy versus 50. If you want to do the math, aim for 100-125 calories per ounce of weight. You can adjust your needs as you experiment and learn more about what works better for you!
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