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10+ Dehydrated Vegan Backpacking Meals

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A backpacking meal of ramen and veggies at Lost Maples State Park, Texas.

We love to eat. That includes on the trail. In fact, that’s how you know it’s a good hike: when you’re working so hard you can’t wait to get to camp to set up and make dinner. And while we tend to take charge and prepare our own backpacking meals when we’re out in the wilderness (find a whole cookbook full of our plant-based backpacking recipes here), sometimes you just want to grab-and-go. By which we mean grab a pre-packaged meal off the shelf and hit the trail without all the measuring and prepping and bagging. So if that’s you, here are some pre-packaged vegan backpacking meals so you can fuel up without all the forethought.


Want more backcountry cooking content? Check out our backpacking stove comparison here and our comparison of two ultralight backpacking stoves here!


Farm to Summit package.

Farm to Summit

This sustainable backpacking meal brand packages their meals in omnidegradable packaging (you can still cook and eat right in the bag) and offers a slew of vegan options, including Harvest Green Curry and Wild Mushroom Pot Pie. Yum.


Itacate Backpacking meals (photo provided).

Itacate

Woman- and Hispanic-owned, this tasty newer brand makes backpacking meals that delight. I especially love their Arroz con Leche and Sunset Caldo. They only have a handful of options, all of which are vegetarian and most of which are vegan. Find them at REI or Garage Grown Gear.


RightOnTrek Backpacking Meal: General Tsoy's Mountain Rice
RightOnTrek Backpacking Meal: General Tsoy’s Mountain Rice

RightOnTrek

The backpacking meals from Right On Trek aren’t all vegan, but they do offer a few. Most are breakfast items, but there are two tasty dinners (General Tsoy’s Mountain Rice and Vegan Shepherd’s Stew). Many of the meals are even available in 1-, 2-, and 4-person packages. What sets these meals apart is that the brand recommends that you don’t simply pour boiling water into the bag and wait. Instead, pour the contents of the package into a pot with water and cook it on top of your stove. But they do cook faster that way. Why? They use more natural ingredients and fewer preservatives. One of our favorite features when you order online? You can add on condiment packs including sriracha, peanut butter, cashews, and our new favorite trail snack, Farver Farms Dill Pickle flavored Lentil Crunchers. Don’t question it, just get some. Bonus: They use more sustainable bio-based packaging that’s 60% compostable. Order RightOnTrek meals here.


good-to-go backpacking meals: herbed mushroom risotto is a Vegan Backpacking Meal
Good-To-Go vegan and gluten free herbed mushroom risotto

Good To-Go

Like just about every freeze-dried backpacking meal brand out there, Good To-Go isn’t all vegan. But they do have a few vegan (and vegan gluten-free) options, including bibimbap and kale and white bean stew. An extra plus: they clearly mark all their vegan options and you can even search specifically for vegan or vegetarian (or gluten-free) meals right on their website. Find melas on Good To-Go’s website or on Backcountry (which doesn’t offer a vegan search filter, so check the packaging before you buy).


Backpacker's Pantry backpacking meals: Three Amigos Veggie Stew is a Vegan Backpacking Meal
Backpacker’s Pantry backpacking meals: Three Amigos Veggie Stew

Backpacker’s Pantry

Kathmandu Curry and Pad Thai Veggie are just two of the vegan options from Backpacker’s Pantry. But this brand offers quite a few vegan options (including gluten-free), including breakfast and dessert. Mango sticky rice, anyone? You can even filter search results to include only vegan meals on their website. Find melas on Backcountry or on REI.


Patagonia Provisions backpacking meals: organic black bean soup
Patagonia Provisions organic black bean soup

Patagonia Provisions

We’re not gonna lie, for such a sustainably-minded company, these guys are seriously lacking in their vegan food department. But they do have a few options, mostly soup. They make it hard to single out their vegan options on their site, but the Green Lentil Soup, Red Bean Chili, Black Bean Soup, Organic Savory Grains, and Mushroom + Kamut Khorasan Wheat Savory Grains are all vegan, but not all are gluten-free, so check the label first if that’s an issue. Find them on REI or Backcountry.


Peak Refuel backpacking meals: Three Bean Chili Mac Vegan Backpacking Meal
Peak Refuel Three Bean Chili Mac

Peak Refuel

This brand only has one vegan option, but it’s a start. Their Three Bean Chili Mac is hearty and savory and promises to really stick to your ribs. Find it on REI.


Nomad Nutrition backpacking meals: Ukrainian Borscht Vegan Backpacking Meal
Nomad Nutrition Ukrainian Borscht

Nomad Nutrition

All gluten-free all the time, this small company based in Canada is making good food for outdoor enthusiasts that’s made of good stuff. And all of their options, like Indian Red Lentil Stew and Irish Shepherd’s Pie, are totally vegan, too! Plus, they come in two different serving sizes.


AlpineAire Foods: Sante Fe black beans and rice
AlpineAire Foods: Sante Fe black beans and rice

AlpineAire

If ya like beans and rice, look no further than AlpineAre for your vegan backcountry meals. They only have one–Sante Fe Black Beans and Rice (also gluten free)–but the brand’s products can be found at many an outdoor store, including REI.


Heather's Choice backpacking meals: African Peanut Stew
Heather’s Choice African Peanut Stew

Heather’s Choice

Another meal maker with only one vegan backpacking meal option, but it’s a good one: African Peanut Stew. And we’re all about that peanut stew. So if you’re willing to give a lesser-known brand a shot, find it on REI.


Outdoor Herbivore backpacking meals: Chickpea Sesame Zetti
Outdoor Herbivore Chickpea Sesame Zetti

Outdoor Herbivore

Just like the name implies, this cottage brand is all about the meat-free meals, including tons of vegan ones. From Lentil Salad to Chickpea Sesame Zetti, Outdoor Herbivore has the goods to fill you up. And there are plenty of options so you’ll never get bored with the same ol’ primavera. Find them all here.


A Note on Backpacking Meals

When searching for good vegan backpacking meals, make sure to check the serving size on the back. Some pre-packaged options will contain one, others two. Still others say two, but it’s really just enough for one. Look at the calorie count per serving, plus carb, protein, and fat content to determine if the meal is truly one or two servings. And remember that you need more calories when you’re working hard on the trail. How many? That depends. Use our handy hiking calorie calculator to get a rough estimate.

And if you’re wondering why there are no breakfasty vegan backpacking meals listed here? Because they’re a scam, that’s why. Are you honestly gonna tell me you’d rather pay $9 for oatmeal when you can get a box of 10-12 single-serve packets from your local grocery store for half the price? C’mon. You pull that nonsense when you’re backpacking with us and you better be prepared for the head shake of shame.

Whatever meals you choose, stock your pack, fill your belly, and wander on!

Teresa Willis

Monday 26th of October 2020

If only they also came in sustainable non plastic packaging. Thanks for the great list.

Alisha McDarris

Monday 2nd of November 2020

Totally agree! We'd love to see brands figure out a way to utilize compostable packaging! But we do usually make our own meals and cook them in reusable silicone bags! Check out our recipes! https://terradrift.com/15-plant-based-vegan-backpacking-recipes/

Jenkins Angelica

Tuesday 20th of October 2020

As the vegan community blossoms so does the amount of prepared dehydrated vegan meals, which is great, but these are can be costly, hard to source and often not that good for you. Bummer. My philosophy is Whether you re backpacking for a weekend or month you need to be fuelling your body with lots of good stuff, however, you don t want to be lugging around a rucksack crammed with avocados and quinoa. It s here that a little bit of planning goes a long way. The food you pack in can really make or break your trip (take it from someone who has experienced both scenarios), so for a proper adventure you need the right backpacking munch.

Alisha McDarris

Monday 2nd of November 2020

Couldn't agree more! We love to plan and prep our backcountry meals with (sometimes) better-for-you ingredients (and sometimes ramen...ha). For DIY meals, check out our backcountry cookbook! https://terradrift.com/15-plant-based-vegan-backpacking-recipes/