Finding a dehydrated backpacking meal that actually tastes good used to be an absolute chore. For a long time, Mountain House and Backpacker’s Pantry were the most common options, and quite frankly, they are not very good. Thankfully, more companies are now offering far better backpacking meals that are actually enjoyable: Good To-Go, Packit Gourmet, MaryJanesFarm, and Patagonia Provisions (yes, that Patagonia). Lately, our go-to dehydrated meal choice is Good To-Go, because of their outstanding taste, meal variety, and ease of cooking. This product review will cover why we think Good To-Go backpacking meals are an excellent choice for your next adventure. In addition, we’ll provide an overview of some of the best Good To-Go backpacking meals to stock up on.
PRODUCT REVIEW
Taste
Good To-Go was co-founded by head chef Jennifer Scism, who previously competed on the television show Iron Chef. While Good To-Go’s meals are not certified organic, many of the ingredients are, and none of their meals use preservatives or additives.
We’ve tried a lot of freeze dried and dehydrated backpacking food over the years and there have been few brands that produce meals we actually enjoy eating. So, when we came across Good To-Go meals and their creative meal options, such as Bibimbap and Indian Vegetable Korma, we were ecstatic. Not only did we find vegetarian-friendly meal options, we found meals that tasted amazingly delicious considering everything is dehydrated. These meals hands down are better tasting than traditional backpacking food fare, such as Mountain House and Backpacker’s Pantry, often found at outdoor retailers. It’s truly no contest.
Ease of Cooking
It would be a challenge to find something easier to cook than a Good To-Go backpacking meal. For Good To-Go entrees, simply add boiling water to the pouch, reseal, and wait anywhere between 15 to 20 minutes, depending upon which entree is chosen. Of course, depending on the altitude, you may need to wait a bit longer for the food to rehydrate. The directions are even easier for Good To-Go’s breakfast meals. For example, the Granola requires a simple addition of cold water, a bit of stirring, and it’s ready to go. The Oatmeal requires boiling water and 5 minutes of waiting.
In sum, Good To-Go backpacking meals are super easy to manage on a backpacking trip. Practically speaking, you could get by with just a simple backpack stove, a pot to boil water, a long spork, and your choice of Good To-Go backpack meals.
Variety
Good To-Go backpacking meals have breakfast and entree options, with most choices available as a single or double serving size. Most single serving entrees contain approximately 400 calories, while double servings contain approximately 800 calories.
Without question, Good To-Go has some of the most creative meal selections in the dehydrated backpack meal market. Meal varieties include options for carnivores, pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans. In addition, they also have an excellent selection of gluten free options. Breakfast options include fairly simple selections of Oatmeal and Granola. However, entree options are where Good To-Go really shines, which include, but are not limited to: Herbed Mushroom Risotto, Smoked Three Bean Chili, Pad Thai, Bibimbap, Cuban Rice Bowl, and Indian Vegetable Korma.
Our personal favorites include Indian Vegetable Korma, Kale and White Bean Stew, and Pad Thai. In truth, these meal varieties are all tasty and significantly better than many alternative dehydrated meals. But everyone’s tastes are different. So, we recommend trying a few of the Good To-Go single serving options before committing to meal selections ahead of your outdoor adventure.
Value
Good To-Go backpacking meals are available in single or double serving sizes. Single servings retail for $7.50, whereas double servings retail for $13.50. For their quality and taste, these meals are an affordable choice and in the ballpark cost of alternative backpacking meals in the marketplace. In fact, the caliber and creativeness of these chef-inspired meals are far superior than other brands, such as Mountain Houseand Backpacker’s Pantry. In our opinion, the quality and taste of Mountain House and Backpacker’s Pantry pales in comparison.
Furthermore, Good To-Go backpacking meals are dehydrated, not freeze dried, which we think makes the food taste better. Although not certified organic, many of the ingredients used are organic, which is an added bonus. And lastly, depending on which meals you choose, most options will keep for up to four years, so these are great to have around for emergency purposes beyond your adventures.
Product Comparisons
MaryJanesFarm
Product Description: If you’re looking for good-tasting, all-organic backpacking food with wide variety, look no further than MaryJanesFarm. Based out of Idaho, MaryJanesFarm has been making backpacking food since the early 1990s. And if you are seeking variety, well MaryJanesFarm has you covered. REI only carries a small portion of MaryJanesFarm meals, so head over to their company website and have your pick of meals. You’ll find meal categories such as Beans and Rice, Breakfasts, Bulghar, Couscous, Desserts, Lentil, Meat, Pasta, Potato, Rice, and Soups.
Verdict: MaryJanesFarm is an excellent choice if you are seeking all organic meals. The meal quality is top notch and they offer an amazing array of options, including desserts. We often buy a few MaryJanesFarm meals to accompany meals from Good To-Go during our adventures and camping trips. Give their Organic Bare Burrito a try!
PackIt Gourmet
Product Description: Packit Gourmet takes the mantle of being our second favorite backpacking food. Based out of Texas, Packit Gourmet began creating meals in 2008 and has grown into one of the premier brands in the industry. They offer the gamut of breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal options that require little effort to prepare beyond adding water. In fact, their lunch options are intended to be “cold prep,” so you don’t even need to boil water. Venture over to Packit Gourmet’s trail meals page for a detailed glimpse into their extensive variety of backpacking food.
Verdict: Packit Gourmet does not disappoint with its superior variety of meal choices and fantastic taste. For starters, try their Cajun Ranch Chicken Salad or their Tuscan Beef Stew with Parmesan Polenta. They seemingly have an endless amount of options to choose from for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. The one downside is that they can only be purchased on Packit Gourmet’s website. That’s not a huge deal, but unfortunately you won’t be able to pick these up at your local outdoor gear outfitter.
Overall Recommendation
Recommended
We like Good To-Go backpacking meals because of their variety and superior taste. These are high quality dehydrated meals developed by a professional chef, and quite honestly, there are few alternatives that taste anywhere near as good. Just browse through backpack meal options in the marketplace and you’ll see that other brands do not have an expansive and creative menu compared to Good To-Go. In addition, few alternatives offer as many vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices. So, at $7.50 for a single serving entree or $13.50 for a double serving entree, we think these meals are an affordable choice for your next adventure.
For more product reviews for your next adventure, be sure to check out our other articles on our Gear Page.
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