6 Gluten-Free Portable Freeze-Dried Backpacking Meals

This article features six portable gluten-free backpacking meals that enable you to take safe, gluten-free food with you wherever you go. This post contains affiliate links. Some products were provided to me by brands and others I purchased myself. Please see my disclosures.

The gluten-free community is all too aware of how difficult it can be to find safe food when traveling.

Preparing safe meals when you’re away from home for an extended period, whether you’re backpacking, camping, skiing, or navigating the globe, can be challenging when you have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or gluten intolerance and you can’t eat gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.

What if I told you several brands make safe and delicious gluten-free meals you can take with you wherever in the world you wind up?

These dehydrated meals are celiac-safe, lightweight, easy to pack, taste great, and require only hot water and a spoon to enjoy. In fact, dehydrated food weighs nearly one-tenth of the weight of the original product, making it easy to take along homecooked meals on your next travel adventure.

When You Might Need a Freeze-Dried Meal

If you’ve been on a gluten-free diet long enough, you know that a stash of freeze-dried meals come in handy. Here are a few of the many ways these meals can be enjoyed:

(1) Emergency Food When Traveling

Stash one of the meals in your purse so you always have an emergency meal on hand, just in case you’re stuck on a plane or too busy to seek out a gluten-free meal option in the middle of a busy work day.

I was traveling alone last week and stayed in a hotel without a restaurant. I didn’t want to leave my room to get food; it didn’t feel safe.

Instead, I enjoyed a delicious and safe gluten-free meal in my room. I was able to heat water in the microwave, although you could also heat water by running cold water through the coffee maker without the coffee filter. Many hotel lobbies also have hot water on tap for making tea, or the concierge can get you hot water by request.

If you’re traveling for an extended period, you could take 5-10 of these lightweight meals with you. They easily fit in a suitcase and won’t take up much room. You’ll probably have no issue finding food, but just in case, you have these backup meals to get you through times when you don’t.

(2) Food for Outdoor Adventures

These portable meals are perfect for outdoor adventures. Stash one in your backpack when you’re skiing, hiking, backpacking, or whatever you’re up to for the day. Most ski lodges offer access to hot water, and when you’re camping, you’ll, of course, need to bring your own kettle to heat water on the go.

While I’m not into backpacking or camping, I always take a freeze-dried meal with me when I ski. Even though each meal is $9.99-$15.99, it’s still much cheaper than buying food on the slopes. Once you discover a brand you like, be sure to sign up for their newsletter so you’re always in the know about upcoming sales and promotions. These meals have a long shelf life, so stock up when they’re on sale.

When skiing, you can ask for hot water at lodges or cafeterias. Some even offer self-serve hot water spouts, such is the case in Breckenridge.

6 Gluten-Free Dehydrated Meal Options

I’ve tried several freeze-dried backpacking meals, and I want to share my experiences with you.

Please note that most brands offer gluten-free-labeled meals, and Mountain House is the only certified gluten-free option. Some brands make both gluten-free and gluten-full options, so be sure to check labels carefully to avoid confusion.

(1) Backpacker’s Pantry

Backpacker’s Pantry makes many delicious freeze-dried meals to fuel your adventures. Twenty-four of their meal packs are labeled gluten-free – sweet!

I thought the taste of all the Backpacker’s Pantry meals I tried was surprisingly good. They’re well-seasoned, and this is the Rocky Mountain Scramble meal I enjoyed in my hotel room while traveling last week. I was surprised to find chunks of potatoes and eggs, and I even experienced a cheese pull when I was eating it.

If you’re considering purchasing Backpacker’s Pantry meals, please note that many of them are generously portioned. Most meals are two servings, so they’re meant to be shared.

For example, the Pad Thai below is 730 calories and offers 23 grams of protein per package, but it serves two people. I prefer a single-serve meal, but if you’re hiking and working up an appetite, two portions might be what you need to sustain your energy.

The company says all its gluten-free meals are tested to meet the FDA’s threshold of less than 20 ppm of gluten.

However, if you’re worried about exposure to wheat, say in the case of someone who is anaphylaxis to wheat (a true wheat allergy), it’s important to note that many of Backpacker’s Pantry products are produced in shared facilities that process peanuts, milk, soy, wheat, gluten, egg, and tree nuts. Most of the meals included in this article are manufactured in shared facilities, even the certified gluten-free ones.

Rest assured, the company takes “extensive measures to segregate ingredients according to allergen program standards” and “rigorously cleans out equipment.” The company says that despite these efforts, there still remains a “small risk of cross-contamination given the shared facility.”

As always, the best and most up-to-date information about a meal’s allergens will be on the product label itself. For example, the Drunken Noodles with Chicken doesn’t include a wheat allergen warning on the back label.

As a side note, it’s important to note that just because a product is made in a shared facility with products that contain wheat doesn’t mean the product isn’t celiac-safe.

Many gluten-free and certified gluten-free products are made in shared facilities and sometimes on shared equipment. Make sure you do your homework before dismissing a gluten-free-labeled product made in a shared facility. (Read Certified Gluten-Free, but Made on Shared Equipment?)

Here are some of the gluten-free meals offered by Backpacker’s Pantry:

• Chana Masala
• Cuban Coconut Rice & Black Beans
• Drunken Noodles with Chicken
• Fiesta Beef and Vegetable Bowl
• Kathmandu Curry
• Louisiana Rice & Beans
• Mashed Potatoes & Gravy with Beef
• Pad Thai (and Pad Thai with Chicken)
• Risotto with Chicken
• Rocky Mountain Scramble
• Santa Fe Style Rice & Beans with Chicken
• Shepard’s Potato Stew with Beef
• Summit Breakfast Scramble
• Three Bean Veggie Stew
• Three Sisters Southwestern Quinoa & Beans
• Thai Chicken & Rice with Cabbage, Garlic, and Mint (Chicken Larb)
• White Bean, Chicken, and Green Chili Stew

You’ll also find various breakfast items (granolas and oatmeals) and a few desserts, such as Creme Brulee and Blueberry & Peach Crisp.

Stock up on Backpacker’s Pantry Meals before your next outdoor adventures and extended travels.

(2) Good To-Go

Good To-Go has positioned itself as a better-for-you brand of freeze-dried to-go meals, bringing truly delicious meals to anyone on the go.

The company’s chef, Chef Jennifer, says she uses only clean ingredients you can easily pronounce (I can attest that this is true!) and healthier options than traditional backpacking meals. All meals are gluten-free, low in sodium, and made with no preservatives. The company also offers many vegan and vegetarian options.

The meals are tasty and have various flavors to please every palate and cuisine preference. I also like that all Good To-Go meals are single-serve, whereas many other backpacking meals are two portions, which can be wasteful if you eat them alone.

Like all the freeze-dried meals featured in this article, you need hot water – actually, Good To-Go recommends boiling water.

In minutes, you have a delicious, safe, and gluten-free meal ready anywhere you are. And even the Pasta Marinara is gluten-free! Pasta is a rare find among freeze-dried meal options.

As mentioned, all Good To-Go Adventure Meals are gluten-free (read labels carefully in case this changes). None of the meals are certified gluten-free by a third-party agency, but all Good To-Go products have been third-party lab tested for gluten content and fall below the FDA standard of 20 ppm of gluten.

Here is a sampling of the many Good To-Go Meals you can choose from:

• Bibimbap
• Breakfast Hash
• Mushroom Risotto
• Carrot-Ginger Power Bowl
• Chicken Gumbo
• Chicken Pho
• Cuban Rice Bowl
• Granola
• Indian Korma
• Kale and White Bean Stew
• Mexican Quinoa Bowl
• Oatmeal
• Pad Thai
• Pasta Marinara
• Ranchero Scramble
• Roasted Corn Chowder
• Smoked Three Bean Chili
• Thai Curry

Stock up on Good To-Go meals at goodto-go.com. Join the company’s mailing list for 15% off your first order – sweet!

(3) Heather’s Choice

I recently learned of Heather’s Choice on SharkTank, where the company’s owner (Heather) shared her gluten-free freeze-dried meals with the Sharks. The Sharks loved the meals, but the company wasn’t profitable and carried a large debt, so she didn’t get a deal.

Despite not getting a deal, Heather’s Choice meals live on and can be found in REI stores alongside big-name brands in the backpacking food space.

These lightweight, packable meals can be tucked away in your purse or backpack and taken anywhere in the world. All you need is hot water, and you’re ready for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Like Good To-Go, Heather’s Choice has positioned itself as a better-for-you brand committed to using wholesome, quality premium ingredients such as wild-caught salmon and organic fruits and vegetables.

The Mole Sauce with Chicken & Rice was truly delicious. It’s 520 calories and offers 28 grams of protein. Each bag is a single serving, which is nice.

That said, Heather’s Choice offers 14 gluten-free meal options, including the following varieties:

• African Peanut Stew
• Apple Pie Buckwheat Breakfast
• Banana Nutmeg Buckwheat Breakfast
• Blueberry Cinnamon Buckwheat Breakfast
• Grass-Fed Beef Shepard’s Pie
• Grass-Fed Beef Spaghetti
• Grass-Fed Bison Chili
• Mole Sauce with Chicken & Rice
• Morning Glory Oatmeal
• Smoked Sockeye Salmon Chowder
• Spinach Curry with Chicken & Rice
• Summer Harvest Oatmeal
• Swiss Museli with Milk
• Vegetable Lentil Soup

While none of Heather’s Choice meals are certified gluten-free by a third party, they are made in a dedicated facility. While it’s a bonus when products are certified gluten-free, it’s not always necessary.

Stock up on Heather’s Choice meals on Amazon.

(4) Firepot Meals

I don’t know much about Firepot Meals, but I spotted them at REI and noticed they had some gluten-free options, so I decided to include them in this roundup.

Firepot is a UK brand of portable dehydrated meals served in a pouch. Just add hot water to fuel your next outdoor or travel adventure.

The meals are slow-cooked using various methods, such as wood-smoking and stewing, to encourage deeper flavors and an earthy taste. The company also prides itself on keeping chemicals and preservatives out of the kitchen.

Only nine Firepot meals are labeled gluten-free, and they include the following:

• Barbequed Pulled Pork
• Chicken Keema Curry
• Chili Con Carne and Rice
• Chili Non Carne and Rice
• Dal and Rice with Spinach
• Porcini Mushroom Risotto
• Posh Baked Beans
• Posh Pork and Beans
• Smoky Tomato Paella

Read labels carefully to identify the gluten-free options and allergen disclosures. Firepot does handle gluten in its kitchen, and gluten-free laws are different in the UK vs. US.

Find Firepot Meals on Amazon.

(5) Mountain House

Mountain House has been a long-time player in the freeze-dried food and adventure food category. The company began making freeze-dried meals for the United States Special Forces during the Vietnam Conflict and continues to do so to this day.

Mountain House also produces a variety of emergency and survival food options with a long shelf life. All of these products are available to consumers now as well as military personnel.

Mountain House is the largest of all the brands listed in this article, and they’re the only freeze-dried backpacking meal that bears a certified gluten-free label.

In fact, 13 Mountain House pouch meals are certified gluten-free by the GFCO, including the following:

• Breakfast Skillet
• Chicken Fajita Bowl
• Chicken Teriyaki
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Beef Stew
• Chicken Fried Rice
• Kung Pao Chicken
• Mexican Adobo Rice & Chicken
• Pad Thai with Chicken
• Rice & Chicken
• Scrambled Eggs with Bacon
• Yellow Curry with Chicken & Rice
• Veggie Chorizo Breakfast Scramble

All meals are made in a shared facility with other allergens, including wheat. However, just because a product is certified gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s manufactured in a dedicated facility or on dedicated equipment. When a company employs good allergen protocols, the risk of cross-contamination is minute. (Read Certified Gluten-Free, but Made on Shared Equipment? for more information.)

Like Backpacker’s Pantry, Mountain House meals typically consist of two servings meant to be shared or enjoyed by a hungry person. My husband, daughter, and I all enjoyed the Mountain House meals we tried, so I feel comfortable recommending them to you.

Find Mountain House meals on Amazon, and at REI, Bass Pro Shops, and Walmart.

(6) Wild Zora

Wild Zora is one of the first freeze-dried meal brands I ever had and I discovered it because it’s a Colorado brand – and I love discovering local brands.

All Wild Zora Meals-To-Go are labeled gluten-free and are made with clean and premium ingredients, including free-range chicken, 100% grass-fed beef, and organic vegetables. The Meals-To-Go are grain-free and paleo, too.

I like the savory varieties of Wild Zora meals more than the sweet breakfast flavors.

I told my daughter I was writing this article, and she told me that while she liked the flavor of Wild Zora meals, she didn’t like that the food was finely chopped. She preferred meals from Backpacker’s Pantry and Mountain House, where she found chunks of food, not finely chopped bits of food. I didn’t mind the finely chopped meals. I thought they tasted great!

Wild Zora comes in the following Meals-To-Go:

• Bedrock Beef Chili
• Butte Cocoa Banana (breakfast)
• Caldera Chicken Curry
• Cliffside Coconut Berry (breakfast)
• Mountain Beef Stew
• Palisade Pineapple Mango (breakfast)
• Summit Savory Chicken

Other Portable Meal Options

I also wanted to include a few other portable meal options that aren’t necessarily considered “backpacker” meals but can also be easily taken with you for lunch at the office or as a meal on the go when traveling. All you have to do is add hot water and grab a spoon.

I often send these meals to school with my teen daughter. She has access to a microwave at school, so she can easily make hot water. She loves having a warm lunch, so she prefers these meals over cold sandwiches.

Keep in mind, however, that these meals don’t pack as neatly in a suitcase, so I recommend them more for lunchboxes and as quick grab-and-go meals.

On my last trip, I brought the Lentiful Instant Lentils and Bob’s Red Mill Oatmeal Cups. I loved not relying on airport food to get through the day, and I was able to get hot water from the barista at the airport Starbucks.

Here are some of the portable meals my family and I enjoy most, from top left to right:

• Lentiful Instant Lentils
• Dr. McDougall’s Gluten-Free Asian Noodles
• Keen One Quinoa
• Good To-Go Cuban Rice Bowl
• Kraft Mac and Cheese Cups
• Bob’s Red Mill Oatmeal Cups

Travel Without Worry

If food keeps you from traveling the world, consider packing these tasty gluten-free backpacker meals. You’ll always have food in a pinch, and you’ll have the freedom and flexibility to go where you need to go, knowing a warm meal awaits you.

Love to Travel? If you love traveling, read my article, 27 Practical Tips for Traveling Gluten-Free, to help you make the most of your adventures without letting gluten get in the way!

Struggling to Find Good Lunch Options? For more lunch ideas, read my article, 42 Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas For Kids and Adults.