Name your favorite pre-packaged meals

Posted by: Heber

Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 08/26/08 08:32 PM

I read sarbar's blog everyday and I'm constant amazed at the great trail cuisine she demonstrates. I keep thinking that one of these days I'll take the plunge and get a dehydrator and start making my own freezerbag dinners. At the moment I just do the lazy thing and get pre-packaged meals at REI. But as we all know this is a mixed bag. Not all brands are equal and even within each brand some meals are better than others.

So I thought we'd do a little poll here to find what lazy people like me like.

My current favorite is Mary Jane's Farm Organic Black Beans and Rice. I find it takes a little more water than the package asks for (it calls for 1 cup but 1 1/2 cups works better I think) but if I make that and carry some tortilla chips then I'm in heaven. My 6 year-old son who is the pickiest eater on earth loves it so I always get it when he comes along.

I don't like all of Mary Jane's Farm stuff. I wasn't thrilled with the Curry in a Hurry and I genuinely disliked the Sweet Red Bell Pepper Pasta but that just illustrates why we need a list like this. Not all offerings from any brand will be equally yummy.

So what's your favorite?
Posted by: PapaRon

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 08/27/08 07:56 AM

Well though I havent actually tried them yet but are getting good reviews from sarbar the packit gourmet the kit comes with complete cooking instructions and even wipes. Plus they are priced about the same as mainstream freeze dried meals are.

http://www.packitgourmet.com/storefront-c0.html

just plain looks awesome. She is gonna get alot of my bizness when I get back next year.
Posted by: sarbar

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 08/27/08 08:02 AM

I'll say that when I am uber lazy I buy Mary Jane's (low sodium, vegetarian, organic, no MSG). Second would be Pack It Gourmet's line. Those meals are huge - a true 2 person meal! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: BarryP

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 08/27/08 11:11 AM

-Mountain House Eggs & Bacon. I like it so much I bought the 10# can so I can cut the price 70%.

-Walmart cup of soup (I don’t remember the brand). I repackage it in a 1pt freezer bag to save bulk in my pack.

-Instant oatmeal. Brown sugar maple or Apple Cinnamon. I don’t care the brand. They’re all pretty good. Maybe throw some freeze dried fruit in with it.

-Mountain House Beef Stew.

-Whole Foods frosted blueberry pop tarts (oops. That’s not a prepackaged meal). I like the brand because there is no transfat.
Posted by: sarbar

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 08/27/08 01:05 PM

Ialso really like Dr. McDougall's stuff ( www.rightfoods.com ). For me they are lower sodium and have nothing bad in them. Good easy lunch!
Posted by: phat

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 08/27/08 07:59 PM


Mountain House Egg and Bacon + and idahoan baby reds, both divided in half and each half put in a ziploc. Ok, I still "made" it - but not really.

I'm partial to Natural High dinners for the "boil water and dump in" stuff, In winter
when I cook a bit more I like Soft Path Cuisine Curries, or Mary Jane's Farm stuff.

Quaker full fat harvest crunch. Bad Tacky white trash granola and I like it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Pop Tarts

Sinckers Bars
Posted by: dkramalc

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 08/28/08 08:00 AM

Haven't had it in years, or even seen it in stores recently, but the Mayacamas brand mulligatawny soup was always one of my favorites. Also pasta with a blend of their Alfredo and Pesto sauce mixes (for a big group), preferably with added fresh garlic and olive oil, was a great dinner.
Posted by: chaz

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 08/30/08 05:47 AM

Mt House Chicken and Rice and add a foil pack of salmon. Surf and turf and more than enough for 2 people. Beef jerky, just about any kind and peanut M&Ms.
Posted by: kevonionia

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/01/08 06:18 AM

Unfortunately, doesn't look like Mayacamas is making their mulligatawny soup anymore, but they're still producing five soups and their sauces. I still think their Chardonnay is the best (shame it's not freeze-dried), especially after seeing that beautiful film "Bottle Shock," about Napa in the '70s last weekend. (Makes you want to set the tent up in a vineyard.)
Posted by: redroach

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/08/08 12:59 PM

Enertia Trail foods are still my favorite

TV
Posted by: sarbar

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/08/08 03:08 PM

Btw, I have been doing reviews of various Packit Gourmet meals. I have yet to have a bad one, which for me is saying a lot. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Market Pasta Puttensca:


Asian Curried Chicken Salad:




Their Bangers and Mashers:


Rustic Skillet Bread:


I have an issue with that bread - it is SO good and SO bad for you <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: billk

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/14/08 12:45 AM

Mountain House chicken stew's fairly good. Their Spaghetti, Lasagna, and Chili Mac are OK, too. I've been pretty disappointed (and sometimes downright repulsed) by other brands. Years ago Richmoor made good beef and chicken stews, but I guess they're not around anymore.
Posted by: Myke

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/14/08 12:34 PM

billk,

Just stopped by their website richmoor.com and, although I couldn't find the "chicken stew" you mentioned, everything else seemed intact.

-Myke-
Posted by: Bearpaw

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/14/08 04:07 PM

I enjoy Mountain House ProPak meals, especially the Lasagna, Pasta Primavera, Spaghetti, Chili Mac, and Chicken Teriyaki. Small size, but decent meals with enough to leave you satisfied (unless you're a few months into a thru-hike and your body fat is mostly all gone).
Posted by: Hector

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/14/08 04:40 PM

Ramen, especially the hot varieties. I only use half the flavor packet and various add-ins (dehydrated vegetables, chicken packets, pepperoni, etc.). I really like the stuff, and don't tire of it despite eating it every day of a seven-day hike. I don't eat it at home because I'm afraid I'll develop a dislike for it on the trail.

Mountain House scrambled eggs breakfasts (ham and peppers, and bacon). I sometimes add bacon to these.

Mountain House Pro-Pak spaghetti with meat sauce.

Fantastic World Foods dehydrated refried beans and taco TVP. Mix 'em together and divide into three or four freezer bags. Eat on tortillas. Taco Bell sauce packets help.
Posted by: phat

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/14/08 05:40 PM


I also recently tried several pro-pak's - thanks to picking up a few for a hike in the states that never happened. nice small size and just enough food. Could be nicely alternated with
the bigger meals for those "less hungry" days. Or better for the smaller eaters - only needs
a cup and a half of boiling water. I had one for dinner last week in a slushstorm, and
it was enough food to keep be happy before hiding from the weather <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: billk

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/14/08 09:35 PM

Thanks, Myke. I may have to try the Richmoor's again. I haven't seen them for sale locally. I've tried one or two of the Natural High dinners, and didn't care for them. The Richmoor beef stroganoff used to be pretty good, as I remember.
Posted by: NiytOwl

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 09/17/08 02:51 PM

I was at Sports Chalet the other day and they carry the Richmoor line of freeze-dried meals. I see they don't have a location in Oregon, but they sell the stuff in their online store. I believe it's still cheaper to buy directly from Richmoor on their website, but shipping might negate the lower price.

Hey, did you know that Oregon is the home of Oregon Freeze Dry, the largest freeze-dried products company in North America? Mountain House should be cheap up there - that's were it's made! Unfortunately, Richmoor isn't - it's located in Van Nuys, California.
Posted by: sarbar

Re: One More To Review - 09/26/08 12:53 PM

Kirk and I tried out Packit Gourmet's Skillet Buttermilk Biscuits with Texas Cream Gravy - ours came with the TVP sausage.

I really, really have a love affair with B&G but most times I pass over them due to restaurants using the oh-so-nasty gravy in a can (ugh) and or enough sausage grease to produce see through paper.

So it was promising that the gravy mix had an option for sausage TVP (less fat!) and no added fat to the gravy.

Getting ready to start the biscuits:


It does require the use of two vessels - one to 'bake' the biscuits, another to whip up the gravy. In theory, if you have a plate or bowl you could park the baked biscuits in it, as the gravy only takes a couple minutes to be ready. I baked the biscuits in the fry pan of my GSI n'Form Backpackers set using a mini spatula. The gravy I cooked up in the bottom half of my GSI Extreme Mess Kit and a GSI Rehydrate spoon.


Plated up and ready to eat :-) I used a Light My Fire XM Spork to split the biscuits and eat.


It made plenty for two good sized appetites. Ok, maybe not for a logger sized appetite.....but normal sized ones ;-)

I added in a 1/4 of the red pepper flakes packet for the extra kick. It was tasty and very filling!


I won't lie though - while it is fantastic tasting the only way I would do all the work involved would be for dinner or if for breakfast on a short trip where weight isn't an issue. On the other hand....for car camping this would be awesome. And I'd eat them at home - they are perfect for a two person breakfast - the gravy is really good - it isn't greasy nor overly salty. I can't think of how many times I would have loved to be able to make a small batch of B&G and not have tons of left overs.

One I will buy again, I give this meal my approval!

~Sarah
Posted by: judach

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 12/27/08 01:07 AM

I like the mountain house freeze dried food myself. My favorites are the chicken and rice, the chicken patties with mashed potatoes, and beef patties with mashed potatoes. I'm also a fan of their neopolitan freeze dried ice cream.
Posted by: gregpphoto

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 01/15/09 10:48 PM

Ramen (chicken).
Posted by: sabre11004

Re: Name your favorite pre-packaged meals - 01/17/09 03:34 PM

I usually use the stuff that I make at home. I have a food dehydrator and I make things like spaghetti, broccoli and rice with dehydrated chicken thrown in and just different varieties that I have managed over the last few years. However with that being said, I think that if I was to resort to pre-packaged meals I would definitely go with Mountain House. I have tried a lot of the other brand and they just don't seem to be as tasty as Mountain House. Also I have found that if you follow the water instruction (as far as amount) that they recommend you usually come out with a soupy mess. It is much more efficient and much less expensive to do your own once you have incurred the expense of the dehydrator...sabre11004

The first step that you take will be of those that get you there !!!!!