Eating & Nutrition

• Are your meals Gluten Free?

  All of our meals are gluten-free, though we haven't yet had them certified. However, the facilities we make and package each meal in also handles allergens, such as soy and gluten. As such, we recommend each customer with ingredient allergies make purchasing decisions that best meet their own per...

• Can these meals be cold soaked?

  We officially have to recommend making the meals per the directions on the package, but a our customers who cold soak had provided the feedback is that the beef dishes rehydrate best, the deli roast beef didn't rehydrate super well, and the shredded cheese in some of our meals tends to stay crisp...

• Do you have any vegan/vegetarian options?

  No we do not. We know we can't be all things to all people, so at this time we're focusing on bringing great-tasting backpacking meals to those looking for higher protein, higher fat options without limits on meat or dairy.

• How do I make these meals?

  Open the top of the bag Take out oxygen absorbers and any sauce packets (included in some meals: ranch dressing, hot sauce, etc…) Bring the specified amount of water indicated on the bag to a boil Pour hot (but not boiling!) water into the bag until all of the ingredients are just submerged. (The...

• How many servings per meal?

  Our serving size is labeled as "1 serving per container" because that's how we ate it while thru-hiking, but these meals can be easily split between multiple people. For instance, you can share our Deli Roast Beef  with a friend, each of you with a low carb wrap, and dinner will be 3 net carbs an...

• How much water is required per meal?

  Each meal has its own specific rehydration requirements, ranging from 3oz-8oz. You can see each meal's specific needs under "Instructions" on our site or on the meal packaging itself. Remember: specific trip conditions (temperature, altitude, humidity, etc...) can make rehydration needs an inexac...

• If I'm thru hiking, how can I increase the calories?

  Most hikers and outdoor adventurers will be just fine with 600‑700 calories per meal, but thru-hikers need a bit more to feed the #hikerhunger. As our caloric needs ramped up around mile 300 on the PCT, we started adding extra calories to our meals by way of olive oil and butter powder. Pro‑tip f...

• What if I'm not keto/paleo/low carb/gluten free? Can I still eat these?

  We made the meals because we needed to hike keto, but we made the company because everyone we met on the trail that tried our recipes asked "Where can we buy these??" Hikers should always seek better options than the processed, sugar‑laden, carb‑loaded meals currently out there. These meals are f...

• What is the shelf life or expiration date of these meals?

  As we use higher quality ingredients than other shelf-stable meals and add no preservatives, our meals are best enjoyed within a year of purchase, though many of our customers continue to store (and eat) their meals well beyond that if stored in a cool/dry place. The included packets (ranch, mayo...

• Which meals do not have allergens? (dairy, nuts, egg, etc...)

  Our three dairy free options are our Deli Roast Beef, our Coconut Chicken Curry, and our Cajun Jambalaya. We do not use peanuts in our recipes, but Coconut Chicken Curry does have tree nuts (coconut). Both of our breakfasts contain egg. Have an allergy or sensitivity to an ingredient not liste...

• Which of your meals have a specific ingredient?

  If you are looking to see if any of our meals have specific ingredients, the full list of ingredients is available on each recipe page. Scroll down to "Ingredients" and you'll be able to verify if a specific meal has an ingredient you're trying to avoid (or looking for).

• Why do backpacking meals have so much sodium?

  We get a question about the sodium content of our meal often enough that we have a bit of a "Sodium FAQ" for you to check out!