By Colin Montgomery
An analysis of popular backcountry freeze-dried meals from leading food manufacturers reveals that Mountain House brand meals are the most calorically dense per ounce of weight, and the second-cheapest in terms of cost per ounce.
Three popular backcountry meals from four manufactures were were analyzed:
- Chili Mac
- Chicken and Rice
- Pasta and Sauce
Manufacturers:
- Mountain House
- Backpacker’s Pantry
- MaryJane’s Farm
- Alpine Aire
Charts with the meal breakdowns are below. Here are the takeaways: :
- Mountain House meals are the most calorically dense per ounce
- Backpacker’s Pantry meals are the cheapest per calorie, followed in order by Mountain House (regular), Mary Janes Farm, Alpine Aire and Mountain House Pro Pak (most expensive).
- Mountain House Pro-Paks provide same caloric density as regular packs, cost more than regular package. Even through these packages weigh less – they also come with fewer calories.
- Backpacker’s Pantry and Alpine Aire are the least calorically dense options on the market.
The most calorically dense meal we could find – which wasn’t part of this analysis, is the Mountain House Mac and Cheese (Regular) This meal comes in at 142 calories per ounce.
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