After a big day in the hills, it’s good to know that the ready meal you’ve decided to try is flavoursome and has the fuel your body needs. We divided 30 meals from seven companies into six logical categories, and put four judges to work over the course of one very full day (puns intended).
Each category was sampled by two judges who blind tasted the meals and scored them out of 10 based on flavour, texture, smell and appearance. They were then given the meals’ descriptions and scored each on ‘expectation’ – i.e. how closely it matched the description on the packet. For accuracy, tasting was done at Toi Auaha Studios in Christchurch, which has a kitchen on site. We were serenaded by a busker playing Elton John across the road. Yes, I think it’s going to be a long, long time … Let’s tuck in.
Bushline
Created by Yum Granola and launched in October 2024. The meals are instant, made with organic wholefoods and have no refined sugar or preservatives. They’re also gluten-free and vegan. Packaging is 100 per cent compostable
Back Country Cuisine
The stalwart of New Zealand’s ready meals, Back Country Cuisine meals have been made in Invercargill since 1998. The extensive range of freeze-dried meals in small or regular sizes is available in most supermarkets. Packaging is soft-plastics recyclable.
Firepot
Made in the UK using slow-cooked natural ingredients and no preservatives, then dehydrated. Known for their varied flavour combinations, especially for vegans, their meals have a high energy profile. Packaging is soft-plastics recyclable.
Go Native
Wellington-based Go Native World was founded in 2013 and makes pre-cooked meals, fruit bars and emergency ration packs using natural ingredients. Packaging is soft-plastics recyclable.
The Outdoor Gourmet Company
The ‘gourmet’ sibling of Back Country Cuisine with meals that are gluten-free and designed to be shared between two. Packaging is soft-plastics recyclable.
Radix
Radix started in 2013 and makes plant-based, nutrient-dense breakfasts, smoothies, meals and protein powder. Meals come in three sizes: 400, 600 and 800 calories. Gluten-free, GMO free, low FODMAP and keto meals are available. Packaging is soft-plastics recyclable.
Real Meals
Founded by adventure racing world champion Nathan Fa’avae and made in Nelson since 2012. Meals are pre-cooked then freeze-dried; they do not use pre-dried ingredients. Packaging is soft-plastics recyclable.
Dehydrated
Dehydration uses heat to remove 85–90 per cent of moisture from food by evaporation. The nutritional value is lower than freeze-dried food because heat can damage some nutrients. The shelf-life is usually shorter, too. The dehy meals sampled weighed less than one-third of their fully rehydrated weight.
Freeze-dried
Freeze-drying removes up to 98 per cent of moisture from food by freezing it then removing the ice by sublimation. Unlike dehydration, most foods can be freeze-dried. The nutrients remain largely intact, and the shelf-life is longer, too. Meals weigh less than one-third of their fully rehydrated weight.
Pre-cooked
As it sounds. Food has been pre-cooked and sealed, preserving the flavour, texture and nutrients. It looks and tastes like food you’d cook at home because it is. Pre-cooked meals have the shortest shelf life. They retain 100 per cent of their weight.
Leigh Hopkinson
Wilderness deputy editor Leigh Hopkinson (that’s me) makes her own tramping meals and takes the occasional ready meal as back-up. She was curious to find the sweet spot between great taste and necessary nutrition. She assembled the categories and the judges: partner Nic Low, Nic’s brother Tim Low and writer Chris Williams.
Chris Williams
Chris Williams was previously a senior staff writer for a UK hiking magazine Trail and associated website Live for the Outdoors. He has spent the past few years testing and reviewing an array of tramping hardware. Of all outdoor gear, he feels tramping food requires the most improvement, which is why he jumped at the chance to help out.
Nic Low
Nic is a writer, editor and the author of Uprising: Walking the Southern Alps of New Zealand. He’s done loads of week-plus tramps and used to have enough time to make his own lightweight tramping meals. Nowadays he has a six-year-old and a love of supermarkets that sell delicious, ready-made kai.
Tim Low
Tim is an avid backcountry tramper who grew up roaming the mountains and valleys of Te Wai Pounamu. He’s also a brewer and national beer judge. What better way to combine these two passions than to taste test tramping meals? As a vegetarian, he’s especially interested in vegan and vegetarian options.
What’s your favourite meal?
Have you got a favourite meal from those tested, or can you recommend others we haven’t tried? Let us know which meal and why and we’ll collate responses for a future issue: leigh@lifestylepublishing.co.nz
Judges: Tim and Leigh
Radix Mixed Berry Breakfast 400 $8.90
Freeze-dried. Plant-based, gluten-free. Add 100ml hot or cold water, ready instantly.
Energy per 100g: 877kJ (protein 11.2g, fat 9.5g, carbs 16.6g).
Packet weight: 92g; makes 191g.
Their description: A fresh and fruity berry instant breakfast made with strawberries and blackcurrants, brown rice crisps, plant proteins and seeds.
Our description: We liked this – it was colourful and the rice bubble crunch was satisfying. It was quite light with the right amount of sweetness. A good price point too.
Tim – “A vibrant, fun colour. Looks a little sloppy, but the texture is surprisingly good.”
Leigh – “A crunchy purple smoothie! Ideal to eat on the go.”
Blind taste combined score: 8.5/10
Expectations combined score: 9/10
Total: 17.5/20
Real Meals Banana Oat Porridge $17.95
Freeze-dried. Add 1C boiling water, let stand for 10min.
Energy per 100g: 564kJ (protein 2.9g, fat 2.7g, carbs 23.3g).
Packet weight: 120g; makes 370g.
Their description: Whole oats with banana and sultanas, cooked with oat milk, with soft brown sugar and cinnamon.
Our description: This one hit the spot. Warming and wholesome, good texture with enough bite to avoid full slop. We were particularly impressed by the big chunks of banana.
Tim – “Subtle flavour, satisfying sweetness with generous fruit chunks. Feels filling.”
Leigh – “Like the brown sugar colour and love the bits of banana.”
Blind taste combined score: 7.5/10
Expectations combined score: 8.5/10
Total: 16/20
Back Country Cuisine Porridge Supreme $14.99
Freeze-dried. Add 2C boiling water, let stand for 15min. Add sugar sachet as desired.
Energy per 100g: 433kJ (protein 3.1g, fat 2.7g, carbs 15.4g).
Packet weight: 175g; makes 675g.
Their description: A wholesome pre-cooked porridge with dried fruit and raw sugar sachet.
Our description: While the raw sugar was a nice touch, the porridge tasted noticeably of milk powder and was a bit gluggy, leaving us questioning the water ratio.
Tim – “Very milky and creamy, a little stodgy. Good level of sweetness. The fruit chunks are quite bitsy, though.”
Leigh – “The milk powder taste is noticeable after the plant-based porridges. I like the chunks of apple and apricot.”
Blind taste combined score: 6.5/10
Expectations combined score: 9/10
Total: 15.5/20
Firepot Baked Apple Porridge $15.99
Dehydrated. Vegan. Add 400ml water, let stand for 15min.
Energy per 100g: 1600kJ (protein 9g, fat 7.1g, carbs 74.2g).
Packet weight: 125g.
Their description: A warm, feel-good breakfast of organic porridge oats. Served with sliced apples baked with raisins, demerara sugar, lemon, ginger and cinnamon.
Our description: Old-fashioned and satisfying, this porridge is packed with carbohydrates and has a whole apple baked into each portion.
Tim – “Earthy oats with caramelised sultanas, gives it a nice complexity. There’s a good contrast between savoury and sweet. Oats are a little cardboardy/stale though, which detracts.”
Leigh – “Love the cinnamon on the nose. It tastes dense, but it’s not too heavy. I’d be happy to see all this fruit if I was on the road.”
Blind taste combined score: 9/10
Expectations combined score: 7/10
Total: 16/20
NB. Marked down for expectations, as we couldn’t taste the lemon or ginger.
Bushline Apple Cinnamon Porridge $11.99
Instant. Vegan. Add ⅔C hot water, let sit for 30sec.
Energy per 100g: 2047kJ (protein 17g, fat 36g, carbs 25g).
Packet weight: 110g.
Their description: This creamy, nourishing porridge is made with clean, wholefood ingredients and contains nuts, seeds, cinnamon and Nelson apples.
Our description: Earthy and comforting, this is good old porridge with a twist. However, both judges wanted more zing to complement the wholefoods.
Blind taste combined score: 7/10
Expectations combined score: 7.5/10
Total: 14.5/20
NB: It has a much higher fat content than the others and you need your own bowl.
Judges: Tim and Leigh
Outdoor Gourmet Company Vegan Lentil Dahl $19.99
Freeze-dried. Gluten-free. Add 2C boiling water, let stand for 10–15min.
Energy per 100g: 438kJ (protein 5.7g, fat 1.4g, carbs 15.3g).
Packet weight: 190g; makes 690g, serves 2.
Their description: Made from Chana Masala sauce, lentils, chickpeas, and a vibrant mix of vegetables and pumpkin seeds.
Our description: Vibrant with a zingy tomato base and a good balance of flavours, this meal had plenty of veggies but left us questioning the nutritional content.
Tim – “Feels very fresh with heaps of veggies. Good texture, nice crunch with the seeds, slight reconstituted smell. Enough energy?”
Leigh – “Like the whole ingredients – peas, lentils, pumpkin seeds. Quite rich on its own; I’d want to mix it with rice or mash.”
Blind taste combined score: 8/10
Expectations combined score: 8/10
Total: 16/20
Back Country Cuisine Pasta Vegetariano $17.49
Freeze-dried. Add 1.5C boiling water, let stand for 10–15min.
Energy per 100g: 440kJ (protein 3.9g, fat 0.8g, carbs 18.7g).
Packet weight: 175g; makes 613g.
Their description: Pasta, beans, tomatoes and olives in a tasty Italian-style sauce.
Our description: This meal would probably get you through, but the flavour was indistinct. We reckon you could make something more satisfying.
Tim – “Smells great – oregano, olive, Italian-esque. Looks a little dry and lacking sauce. Kidney beans aren’t hydrated in the middle. As a vegetarian, I’d question if there’s enough protein.”
Leigh – “Easy to eat flavour, but overall feels insubstantial.”
Blind taste combined score: 5.5/10
Expectations combined score: 5.5/10
Total: 11/20
NB. Marked down for expectations as lacking in the promised sauce.
Firepot Green Gumbo $18.99
Dehydrated. Add 300ml boiling water, let stand for 15min.
Energy per 100g: 1786kJ (protein 10g, fat 11.8g, carbs 67.3g).
Packet weight: 110g.
Their description: New Orleans pot-cooked classic with seven different greens, served with rice.
Our description: This meal came highly rated with a unique flavour profile but was ultimately disappointing. We thought it would be hard to finish a big bowl unless you were very hungry. Like many Firepot meals we tried, it needed more water and hadn’t rehydrated properly in the allocated time.
Tim – “I like the spiciness, but it may be too hot for some. Good amount of greens. A little dry, very crunchy texture.”
Leigh – “I have no idea what this is. Smells like cheesy kale. I like that there are so many greens they’re cut very small. Tastes like it needs to soak longer.”
Blind taste combined score: 5.5/10
Expectations combined score: 6/10
Total: 11.5/20
Firepot Vegan Orzo Bolognaise $18.99
Dehydrated. Add 300ml boiling water, let stand for 15min.
Energy per 100g: 1627kJ (protein 20.5g, fat 2.7g, carbs 70.1g).
Packet weight: 135g.
Their description: A rich tomato and oregano sauce with protein-packed soya. Served with rice-shaped pasta.
Our description: This dish had ample richness and was satisfyingly hearty. Very concentrated tomato flavour and hefty on the protein and carbs.
Tim – “Tastes good, nicely seasoned. Texture is a bit stodgy and sticks in your teeth. Satisfyingly hearty.”
Leigh – “Pleasant Italian aroma and pleasing appearance. Nutty-ish. Would get me through at the end of a long day.”
Blind taste combined score: 8/10
Expectations combined score: 10/10
Total: 18/20
Firepot Dahl and Rice with Spinach $18.95
Dehydrated. Gluten-free. Add 350ml boiling water, let stand for 15min.
Energy per 100g: 1589kJ (protein 14.5g, fat 4.1g, carbs 71.3g). Packet weight: 135g.
Their description: Five kinds of lentils slow-cooked with spices and spinach, served with basmati rice.
Our description: A lovely yellow colour; we found this dish had a mild flavour and good aroma.
Tim – “Good aroma, super nutty/crunchy texture. A hint of chilli for heat. A little one-dimensional flavour-wise, but does it well.”
Leigh – “Looks great, warming flavour with a chilli kick but too dry and needs more cooking.”
Blind taste combined score: 7/10
Expectations combined score: 6.5/10
Total: 13.5/20
NB. Marked down for expectations as ‘dahl’ suggests sauce. More like a pilaf.
Judges: Tim and Leigh
Go Native Vegetable Curry $12.99
Pre-cooked. Place pouch in pot of boiling water for 2min.
Energy per 100g: 378kJ (protein 2.5g, fat 2.5g, carbs 13.9g).
Packet weight: 250g.
Their description: Rich, full of flavour and seriously delicious, this vegetable curry has potato, peas, spinach, carrot, onion, tomato, herbs, spices and cooked brown rice.
Our description: Seriously yummy! Tastes like real food, has great consistency and heaps of flavour. Ideally served with mash, which is available in 60g pouches. But the curry is low in protein. It’s also double the weight of the other meals as it’s pre-cooked.
Tim – “Rich, creamy, spicy flavour. Good diversity of elements – peas, potato, tomato, greens.”
Leigh – “Love the texture of the potatoes and carrots cut with something sharp – tamarind?”
Blind taste combined score: 9.5/10
Expectations combined score: 7/10
Total: 16.5/20
NB. There’s little description on the packet and the small writing is difficult to read.
Go Native Potato and Chickpea Curry $12.99
Pre-cooked. Place pouch in pot of boiling water for 2min.
Energy per 100g: 535kJ (protein 6.8g, fat 3.9g, carbs 16.2g).
Packet weight: 250g.
Their description: A rich and hearty potato and chickpea curry with carrot, onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, pea protein, lentils and spices.
Our description: Creamy with a tomato kick, this curry was perfectly cooked. The chickpeas provided great texture. The result was substantial without being heavy. Although it would be weighty to carry, we thought it was worth it for an overnighter or weekend.
Tim – “Rich and creamy, this seems like real food.”
Leigh – “I could not make something taste this good. I need to stop eating.”
Blind taste combined score: 10/10
Expectations combined score: 10/10
Total: 20/20
Radix Indian Curry 400 $9.90
Freeze-dried. Gluten-free. Add 170ml boiling water, let stand 5min.
Energy per 100g: 660kJ (protein 8g, fat 7.1g, carbs 13.6g).
Packet weight: 133g, makes 383g.
Their description: A mild Indian curry-style instant meal with rice, quinoa, vegetables, herbs, spices and extra virgin olive oil.
Our description: Subtle and indistinct, this curry has a nice creaminess but needed more cooking. The lentils and peas were crunchy. We thought it tasted nutritious – and it is.
Tim – “Okay, not amazing. Would eat after a long day.”
Leigh – “I wanted to like it more than I did.”
Blind taste combined score: 6/10
Expectations combined score: 7.5/10
Total: 13.5/20
Radix Basil Pesto 400 $9.90
Freeze-dried. Gluten-free. Add 170ml boiling water, let stand 5min.
Energy per 100g: 683kJ (protein 8.1g, fat 8.8g, carbs 11.5g).
Packet weight: 89g; makes 377g.
Their description: A rich and creamy basil-flavoured instant meal with rice, quinoa, vegetables, herbs, spices and extra virgin olive oil.
Our description: We’d be happy with the nutritional make-up of this meal, but we struggled with the consistency. It had a decent amount of veggies and seeds.
Tim – “Looks a lot like the last meal (also Radix). Sloppy. Slightly bitter flavour – protein powder?”
Leigh – “Like pea soup – watery sauce, crunchy ingredients.”
Blind taste combined score: 6/10
Expectations combined score: 8/10
Total: 14/20
Real Meals Dahl Makhani $17.95
Freeze-dried. Add 1C boiling water, let stand 10min.
Energy per 100g: 504kJ (protein 3.4g, fat 6.9g, carbs 9.8g).
Packet weight: 120g; makes 370g.
Their description: Red lentils cooked in vegetable stock with ginger, paprika, cumin and coconut.
Our description: Creamy with a noticeably dahl-like flavour, we wanted rice to go with this dish to make it a complete meal.
Tim – “Tastes better than it looks. The grainy texture, like pea protein, detracts.”
Leigh – “Creamy, a bit heavy on the coconut.”
Blind taste combined score: 7.5/10
Expectations combined score: 9.5/10
Total: 17/20
Judges: Nic and Chris
Real Meals Sri Lankan Chicken Curry $17.95
Freeze-dried. Add 1C boiling water, let stand 10min.
Energy per 100g: 681kJ (protein 11.2g, fat 10.8g, carbs 4.9g).
Packet weight: 110g; makes 360g.
Their description: A vibrant Sri Lankan chicken curry with a mellow cumin warmth to suit all palates.
Our description: We found this a tender, super-hearty chicken and coconut curry that would benefit from rice or wraps.
Nic – “They nailed it. It’s totally Sri Lankan curry.”
Chris – “If you opened the packet at the end of the day, you’d be happy.”
Blind taste combined score: 9.5/10
Expectations combined score: 10/10
Total: 19.5/20
Go Native Chickpea and Chicken Curry $12.99
Pre-cooked. Put pouch in pot of boiling water for 2min.
Energy per 100g: 528kJ (protein 11g, fat 2.9g, carbs 12.3g).
Packet weight: 250g.
Their description: A rich and hearty chicken and chickpea curry with carrot, onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils and spices. Enjoy as is or serve with rice.
Our description: A creamy sauce packed with cumin and distinct vegetables. The chickpeas were firm but the chicken was a bit tough. You’d need to add your own rice.
Nic – “I can’t taste the chicken. It’s a bit wooden.”
Chris – “Not too rich. I could happily use this as a lunch/mid-hike meal.”
Blind taste combined score: 7/10
Expectations combined score: 9/10
Total: 16/20
Back Country Cuisine Elite Chicken Korma $19.99
Freeze-dried. Add 1.5C of boiling water and let stand for 10–15min. Separate yoghurt sachet included.
Energy per 100g: 556kJ (protein 5.9g, fat 5.7g, carbs 14g).
Packet weight: 175g; makes 610g.
Their description: Authentic spicy rice and freeze-dried chicken with vegetables, almond flakes, and a yogurt sauce to mix.
Our description: This was a delicious meal with tasty, albeit synthetic-textured squares of chicken. The yogurt provided a welcome sour contrast.
Nic – “This is what I expect tramping meals to taste like.”
Chris – “Tastes like a biryani. Good texture from rice and nuts.”
Blind taste combined score: 9.5/10
Expectations combined score: 9.5/10
Total: 19/20
Outdoor Gourmet Company Thai Green Chicken Curry $19.99
Freeze-dried. Gluten-free. Add 2C boiling water, let stand for 10–15min.
Energy per 100g: 483kJ (protein 4.7g, fat 3.0g, carbs 16.8g).
Packet weight: 190g; makes 690g, serves 2.
Their description: A deliciously spicy green chicken curry with a fragrant blend of coconut, coriander and chilli.
Our description: This one didn’t push our buttons. It was too sweet for our liking. It was also quite hot and not very creamy.
Nic – “Tasty, but with the weird chicken bits again.”
Chris – “A good amount of spice. Looks and tastes quite synthetic.”
Blind taste combined score: 6/10
Expectations combined score: 4.5/10
Total: 10.5/20
Firepot Chicken Keema $18.99
Dehydrated. Gluten-free, lactose-free. Add 350ml boiling water, let stand for 15min.
Energy per 100g: 1840kJ (protein 33.6g, fat 7.2g, carbs 54.4g).
Packet weight: 125g.
Their description: An authentic Indian curry made from minced chicken slow-cooked with aromatic spices and curry leaves in a fresh tomato sauce. Served with turmeric rice.
Our description: We thought this curry had good spice and salt but a uniform texture. Overall, a tasty chicken soup vibe.
Nic – “The tomato chicken flavour has a nice balance. I like the amount of chilli.”
Chris – “A tad watery, but tender chicken and still a good flavour.”
Blind taste combined score: 9/10
Expectations combined score: 9/10
Total: 18/20
Judges: Nic and Chris
Go Native Beef Casserole $12.99
Pre-cooked. Put pouch in pot of boiling water for 2min.
Energy per 100g: 467kJ (protein 7.7g, fat 6.1g, carbs 6.5g).
Packet weight: 250g.
Their description: A rich and hearty beef casserole with a generous helping of beef. Eat as is or serve with additional mash, available in 60g pouches.
Our description: Our judges were divided. Nic thought it looked and smelt like home cooking, while Chris found it reminiscent of Wattie’s tinned stew. Both agreed it was hearty.
Nic – “The meat is relatively tender, the veggies firm. Even some fat, which is welcome.”
Chris – “It’s a generic flavour that will appeal to pretty much anyone.”
Blind taste combined score: 8/10
Expectations combined score: 10/10
Total: 18/20
Real Meals Wilderness Stew $17.95
Freeze-dried. Add 1.5C boiling water, let stand for 10min.
Energy per 100g: 485kJ (protein 7.2g, fat 6.2g, carbs 7.8g).
Packet weight: 100g; makes 475g.
Their description: A rich, minced beef stew with potato, carrots, celery, pumpkin and mushrooms, cooked with locally brewed IPA.
Our description: Filling but not too heavy, this meal had decent texture. The inclusion of potato means you could eat it on its own. You can’t go wrong with this one.
Nic – “Less meaty and a bit lighter than the previous meal. I like the emphasis on root veggies.”
Chris – “Good mix of beef and veggies. The IPA makes the flavour distinctive.”
Blind taste combined score: 9/10
Expectations combined score: 8/10
Total: 17/20
Back Country Cuisine Beef Stroganoff $17.49
Freeze-dried. Gluten-free. Add 1.5C boiling water, let stand for 10–15min.
Energy per 100g: 539kJ (protein 5.8g, fat 3.3g, carbs 18.3g).
Packet weight: 175g; makes 550g.
Their description: The Russian classic with freeze-dried beef and mushrooms in a cream sauce, served with rice.
Our description: This would do the job at the end of a long day but would be hard to finish because it’s a large serving. Both our judges picked up a lemon tang, which we think is citric acid as there’s no mention of lemon in the ingredients.
Nic – “The mushroom slices are welcome, but overall I found this too salty.”
Chris – “A zesty, creamy flavour. The squares of meat taste processed.”
Blind taste combined score: 5.5/10
Expectations combined score: 8/10
Total: 13.5/20
Outdoor Gourmet Company Beef Bourguignon $19.99
Freeze-dried. Gluten-free. Add 1.25C boiling water to meal pouch and 1C to potato pouch, let stand for 10–15min.
Energy per 100g: 425kJ (protein 4.5g, fat 3.3g, carbs 12.4g).
Packet weight: 190g; makes 752g, serves 2.
Their description: A rustic beef stew with aromatic vegetables, herbs and spices, finished with a densely flavoured, dark and silky sauce.
Our description: Our judges weren’t fans. The meal looked and smelled reconstituted and the veggies were unnaturally bright-coloured.
Nic – “The base flavour is generic and slightly sweet. The mash is tasty. Overall the beef dominates, but I’d eat it.”
Chris – “It seems too artificial to be satisfying.”
Blind taste combined score: .5.5/10
Expectations combined score: 6.5/10
Total: 11.5/20
Firepot Beef Stew with Pearl Barley $18.99
Dehydrated. Lactose-free. Add 350ml boiling water, let stand for 10–15min.
Energy per 100g: 1979kJ (protein 28g, fat 21.8g, carbs 41.2g).
Packet weight: 110g.
Their description: Slow-cooked British beef with potatoes, celeriac and carrot. Served with soft pearl barley.
Our description: This stew had a slightly scorched flavour and a subtle sweetness. Like many Firepot meals we tried, it failed to rehydrate properly.
Nic – “Flavour-wise, I liked it. It grew on me.”
Chris – “Interesting and pleasant flavour from the caramelised onions.”
Blind taste combined score: 7.5/10
Expectations combined score: 8/10
Total: 15.5/20
Judges: Nic and Chris
Radix Mexican Chilli 400 $9.90
Freeze-dried. Plant-based, gluten-free. Add 180ml of boiling water, let stand for 10min.
Energy per 100g: 612kJ (protein 8.5g, fat 4.7g, carbs 15.7g).
Packet weight: 92g; makes 262g.
Their description: A mild Mexican chilli-style instant meal with rice, quinoa, vegetables, herbs, spices and extra virgin olive oil.
Our description: Our judges bet money that this was a Radix meal. Although it had a sloppy consistency, flecks of veggies and a refried beans mouthfeel, Radix meals have a balanced mix of proteins, carbs, vitamins and minerals.
Tim –“A number of meals have this smell, and it’s not very appealing. I guess TVP (textured vegetable protein).”
Chris – “I think they missed the mark with this one. It’s not very Mexican.”
Blind taste combined score: 6.5/10
Expectations combined score: 6/10
Total: 12.5/20
Go Native Chilli Con Carne $12.99
Pre-cooked. Put pouch in pot of boiling water for 2min.
Energy per 100g: 528kJ (protein 7.8g, fat 4.8g, carbs 12.9g).
Packet weight: 250g.
Their description: Rich and hearty, made with NZ beef, kidney beans, vegetables and spices. Eat as is or serve with mash.
Our description: Our judges thought this one was hearty and appealing, even if it was more curry than Mexican. The paprika was a warming flavour and had a gentle sweetness.
Nic – “Delicious – and I’m particularly a fan of something that has meat and beans for protein.”
Chris – “It’s just food with hardly any additives, which is really appealing.”
Blind taste combined score: .10/10
Expectations combined score: 10/10
Total: 20/20
Real Meals Mexi Nachos $17.95
Freeze-dried. Add 1C boiling water,let stand for 10min.
Energy per 100g: 664kJ (protein 5.6g, fat 8.2g, carbs 12.6g).
Packet weight: 120g; makes 370g.
Their description: Soldadera beans with tasty cheese, sour cream and organic corn chips.
Our description: Our judges thought this was pretty close to nachos in smell and taste – but the inclusion of the corn chips in the actual meal meant they were soggy, which detracted. They also thought the corn was too chewy.
Tim – “The crunch should be in the chips, not the veggies.”
Chris – “It’s like eating leftover nachos. They’ve done well on the flavour though.”
Blind taste combined score: 7/10
Expectations combined score: 9/10
Total: 16/20
Back Country Cuisine Spicy Beef Nachos $17.49
Freeze-dried. Remove corn chips packet. Add 1.5C boiling water, let stand for 10–15min.
Energy per 100g: 590kJ (protein 6.3g, fat 5.0g, carbs 16.3g).
Packet weight: 175g; makes 550g.
Their description: Freeze-dried beef mince, kidney beans, corn and tomato in a hot chilli sauce, with corn chips to dip.
Our description: Actual corn chips were a welcome addition, the flavour was mild, the beans creamy and the chillis gave a small, bitter kick.
Nic – “The best Back Country meal I’ve had today. And bang-on what it says on the packet.”
Chris – “I thought it could do with more seasoning, but it was good.”
Blind taste combined score: 7.5/10
Expectations combined score: 10/10
Total: 17.5/20
Firepot Chilli Con Carne with Rice $18.99
Dehydrated. Gluten-free, lactose-free. Add 350ml boiling water, let stand for 15min.
Energy per 100g: 1849kJ (protein 22.7g, fat 13.1g, carbs 58.3g).
Packet weight: 135g.
Their description: British beef slow-cooked with smoky chillis and kidney beans, served with rice.
Our description: Discrete flavours, whole spices, bursts of taste – our judges thought, on the whole, the mild base flavour worked.
Nic – “It’s got that smoky flavour I’ve come to associate with Firepot.”
Chris – “It feels filling but could do with more seasoning.”
Blind taste combined score: 7.5/10
Expectations combined score: 8/10
Total: 15.5/20
Other findings
What’s your favourite meal?
Have you got a favourite meal from those tested, or can you recommend others we haven’t tried? Let us know which meal and why and we’ll collate responses for a future issue: leigh@lifestylepublishing.co.nz
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