Back Country Cuisine
Fuel Your Adventure with Real Food, Anywhere
Whether you’re days into a hike, crossing alpine ridges, paddling remote rivers, or just spending the weekend at your favourite campground, your food isn’t just fuel, it’s your lifeline. You need real energy. Good nutrition. And flavour that lifts your spirits and tastes like home, no matter how far off the grid you are.
Lightweight, Long-Life Meals for Hikers, Campers, and Explorers
Proudly developed in New Zealand for the harshest environments and much loved across Australia, Back Country Cuisine delivers freeze-dried meals that are shelf-stable, lightweight, packable, and ready in minutes; just add hot water.
Back Country Cuisine isn’t just your average trail food. These meals are designed by adventurers, for adventurers, combining high-energy nutrition with satisfying taste to keep you going, day after day.
Why Choose Back Country Cuisine?
- Ready in 10 minutes – minimal preparation, minimal cleanup.
- Shelf Stable – no refrigeration required.
- Long shelf life – perfect for extended trips or emergency kits.
- Compact & lightweight – when every gram counts on the trail.
- Hearty flavors - from Thai chicken curry to beef stroganoff.
Whether you’re stocking up for emergencies, planning a sailing trip, hiking the Larapinta Trail, trekking the Bibbulmun Track, tackling the Overland Track, braving the Australian Alps Walking Track, navigating Tassie’s wild west, Back Country Cuisine helps you go further, fuel harder, and eat better - wherever you are.
What is the shelf life of a Back Country Cuisine meal?
Back Country Cuisine freeze-dried meals carry a best-before date of four years from the date of manufacture. Advanced shelf-life testing conducted by Back Country shows that the meals remain safe to eat well beyond four years, provided the pouch is unopened, undamaged, and stored properly.
Back Country Cuisine meals:
- They are vacuum-sealed and flushed with nitrogen to remove oxygen
- Have very low moisture content due to freeze-drying
- They are packaged in durable, multilayer pouches that protect against light, oxygen, and humidity
This combination helps preserve quality and makes the meals more tolerant of higher storage temperatures than standard dehydrated foods.
Nutritional Value
The nutritional information on Back Country Cuisine pouches is based on the fully rehydrated meal, not the dry contents alone.
Freeze-drying locks in the original nutrients, and nutritional value remains the same whether the meal is prepared with hot or cold water. Only taste and texture change with colder water.
How to Prepare Back Country Meals
Preparation is simple and requires minimal equipment:
- Add the specified amount of boiling water directly into the pouch.
- Stir, reseal, and wait for the recommended time (usually 10–15 minutes).
- Enjoy straight from the pouch—no dishes required.
Cold-water preparation:
- Can be used in emergencies
- Takes significantly longer (often 3x the hot-water rehydration time, depending on the meal)
- Texture will be different, but nutritional value remains the same
Which the Best Back Country Meal option best suits me?
Back Country Cuisine 90g Single Serve Main Meals:
- Lightweight and compact
- One-serving pouches are ideal for solo hikers
- Add boiling water directly; ready in 10–15 minutes
- It requires just 10 minutes to prepare with hot water.
Back Country Cuisine Main Meals 175g Regular (2 Serve) Pack:
- Larger portions — suitable for two people or one hungry hiker
- Compact and shelf-stable
- Quick to prepare with boiling water
Back Country Cuisine Family Meals (5 Serve Pack):
- Designed for families or groups
- Larger quantity, efficient for bulk preparation
- Long shelf life and ideal for group camping
Back Country Cuisine Elite Meals HighCal:
- Energy-dense, higher-calorie options
- Best for extended trips, high exertion, or when extra fuel is needed
- Prepared the same way as standard pouches
Back Country Cuisine FAQs
How healthy are Back Country Cuisine meals for backpacking?
Back Country Cuisine meals are designed to be lightweight, energy-dense, and nutritionally suitable for outdoor activities. They provide a mix of carbs, fats, and protein to fuel hikers, but sodium levels can be higher than in typical everyday meals. They are ideal for hiking, camping, and emergency use.
How quickly do I need to rehydrate the freeze-dried meal after the bag is opened?
Back Country Cuisine meals are intended as single-use pouches. Prepare them by adding hot water and letting them stand for the recommended time on the packet (usually 10–15 minutes). Once opened, it’s recommended to prepare and consume the full pouch.
Are Back Country Cuisine meals suitable for children?
Some Back Country Cuisine meals have mild flavours and may be suitable for children. Parents should check ingredients, spice levels, and allergens to ensure suitability.
Do I need any special equipment to prepare the meals?
No. Simply boil water (using a stove, pot, or kettle), pour it into the pouch, stir, and reseal the zip. The pouch acts as the bowl.
Can I prepare Back Country Cuisine meals with cold water?
Yes, in emergencies, you can use cold water, but rehydration takes at least 3 times longer, and texture may be affected. Hot water is recommended for best flavour and proper rehydration.
