The Best Dehydrated Camping Food for Your Next Big Trip
Updated: Dec. 11, 2023
Your accommodations may be rustic (hello, tents!) but your meals don't have to be thanks to these dehydrated camping food finds.
Mountain House Chili Mac With Beef
Easy to carry, even easier to make. That’s what you’ll get with this lightweight pouch of chili mac ($9), which takes less than 10 minutes to whip up and contains nearly a quarter of your daily protein needs. It’s also a delicious dish for a backyard camping night, which you can plan with our step-by-step guide.
TrailFork Vegan Unwrapped Burrito
While you can make your own vegan camping food, sometimes it’s more convenient to buy pre-made meals. Especially when your dinner tastes almost homemade—like this “unwrapped” burrito ($12) filled with white rice, pinto beans and plenty of veggies.
Peak Refuel Chicken Alfredo Pasta
Who wants another granola bar for lunch when you could have a piping hot plate of chicken Alfredo instead? This option ($13) is made with high-quality, non-GMO ingredients and 100% real meat.
Backpacker’s Pantry Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
Believe it or not, you can have your cake and eat it, too—even when you’re camping. This rich and creamy chocolate cheesecake-in-a-bag ($6) comes with a chocolate cookie crumb topping you can sprinkle on before digging in.
Nomad Nutrition Indian Red Lentil Stew
Vegan? Check. Gluten-free? Check. Dairy-free? Check. This hearty vegetarian meal ($13), which contains a whopping 24 grams of protein, is made via a method known as REVdry. Different than dehydrating, it allows the food to retain twice the amount of nutrition of standard freeze-dried products.
Wild Zora Cliffside Coconut Berry
In case you needed an excuse to eat something sweet in the morning, science has proven that having dessert for breakfast can actually make you healthier. And because you probably can’t tote a chocolate cake in your backpack, this coconut berry bowl ($11) is a delicious (and paleo-friendly!) alternative.
Nutristore Freeze Dried Chicken
Mmm, tastes like chicken. Which makes sense given that it’s the only ingredient in this can of premium-quality freeze-dried meat ($38) which you can use to whip up your choice of these super simple camping recipes. Bonus: Its shelf life is a whopping 25 years!
Harmony House Vegetable Soup Mix
If you’re heading outdoors in the fall or winter, you’ll want to warm up with a steaming bowl of this hearty vegetable soup ($15) when you’re huddled around the campfire. The gluten-free mix is loaded with carrots, onions, tomatoes, peas, celery, green bell peppers, green beans and parsley.
Judee’s Whole Egg Powder
Two tablespoons of egg powder ($11) + two tablespoons of water = 1 fresh whole egg—AKA breakfast by the campfire really couldn’t get any easier. Use your eggs (one 11.5 oz package contains the equivalent of 35 eggs) to cook up one of these Boy Scout-approved camping meals.
Good To Go Mexican Quinoa Bowl
There may not be a Chipotle at your campsite but that doesn’t mean you can’t satisfy your craving for some Mexican food. This vegan quinoa bowl ($10)—made with black beans and butternut squash smothered in a poblano sauce—will do just that.
Brothers Fruit Crisps
Fresh fruit is a great snack—but it isn’t always the most backpack-friendly (hello, bruising and smashing). Get your fruit fix with these tasty all-natural crisps ($20) instead. All of the varieties—which include Fuji apple, Asian pear, strawberry and banana—are free of additives or preservatives.
Idahoan Mashed Potatoes
Instant mashed potatoes like these from Idahoan ($24 for 12) may not technically be “camping food” but they definitely should be. After all, you just have to add boiling water and you’ve got yourself a pot of creamy, homestyle spuds made with real potatoes and butter.
COSMIK Freeze Dried Ice Cream
You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream—the freeze-dried variety, that is. Free of artificial ingredients and colors, these bars ($20 for 4) come in pint-inspired flavors like mint chocolate chip and cookies and cream. If ice cream isn’t your thing, here are some other campfire comfort foods to make instead.
Wise Company Breakfast Bucket
What is the best dehydrated camping food? Well, breakfast is the most important meal, especially when you’re camping. Enter this breakfast bucket ($150): You’ll get 92 servings of everything you need to fuel your day, including hearty pancakes with maple syrup, egg scrambles and whey milk.
Greenbelly Backpacking Meal Bars
No fire, no problem. Just like these no-cook camping meals, these gluten-free bars ($26) can be eaten anywhere, anytime. And they’ll definitely give you energy and nutrition—each bar has a third of your nutritional needs, including a balance of carbs, fat, protein, sodium and fiber.
Grizzly Gear Emergency Food Rations
These emergency bars ($13) may not be your first choice of camping food but they are a practical thing to toss in your bag before you hit the trail, especially if you’re somewhere very remote. The pre-portioned calorie bars are meant to last someone three days and are packaged to withstand even the most extreme conditions.
Z Natural Foods Organic Coconut Milk Powder
If you can’t imagine a day without your beloved coconut milk (and TBH, neither can we—it’s one of our eight favorite dairy-milk alternatives), then you’ll want this superfood creamer ($15). It contains all of the natural nutrients and enzymes of regular coconut milk with plenty of good-for-you fatty acids and calcium.
AlpineAire 7 Day Gourmet Meal Kit
One kit. Seven days. Fourteen meals. This bulk buy ($85) contains lunch and dinner for a whole week—and the best part is that each meal (from Kung Pao chicken to three-cheese lasagna) just requires water. Not sure how much food you’ll need for your own getaway? Follow our guide to meal planning for a group camping trip.
Camp Cuisine Classic Hummus Mix
There are few snacks we love as much as hummus, which is why we’re adding this Mediterranean-inspired mix ($16) to our packing list for the perfect punch of plant-based protein. It will go great with these other summer camping snacks when you need a mid-day munchie.
Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Organic Dog Food
Every good boy needs an even better meal to keep up with your outdoor adventures. And this organic dehydrated dog food ($59) will do just that, made with whole grains, free-range chicken and zero byproducts. But if you don’t feel like packing a separate stash for Fido, these are the “people” foods you can share with your pup.
Originally Published: May 22, 2019
