Peak Refuel Meals Review
I’m usually a Mountain House Meals kind of guy, but I wanted to try something new, so I grabbed a couple of Peak Refuel Meals to try out on my last big camping trip.
My wife and I went on our last big camping trip, which was to the Great Smoky Mountains in Cades Cove around Townsend, Tennessee. It was actually our honeymoon.
On days when we don’t want to cook a big meal or drive anywhere else to eat, we usually bring a few Mountain House Meals with us to eat at the campsite.
I wanted to try something new, so I browsed around on the internet a bit and read some fairly good reviews about the Peak Refuel Meals.
This is my review of the Peak Refuel Meals and what I thought about them.
About the Peak Refuel Meals
Peak Refuel Meals, uniquely made in the USA and primarily sold there, offer a distinct advantage. While you can also buy them from local distributors in Canada, importing them from the USA isn’t possible. This exclusivity adds to their appeal.
The meals are made with real meat. There are vegetarian options, and while not certified, you can also get some that are gluten-free.
The shelf-life of these meals are around 5 years.
You can buy these meals from the internet or from outdoor and sporting goods stores around the country.
There are over 20 different flavors, including desserts and even drink mixes.
Most of the meals have two servings within them.
Peak Fuel Meals, with their quick rehydration process, can be cooked in the pouch with boiling water and enjoyed right from the pouch. This convenience is a game-changer for outdoor enthusiasts.
What Peak Refuel Meals I Tried
I’m used to Mountain House Meals. I even used to be an ambassador with them.
My favorite Mountain House Meal is Biscuits and Gravy. I’m from the country where that sort of meal is a delicacy. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all in the same day.
That was one of my picks from Peak Refuel Meals. I figured if they can’t get that one right, then they can’t get any of them right.
We also picked up some Chicken Alfredo Pasta as well.
Since we were in Black Bear country, you can’t keep your food and cooking items out overnight. So, we figured these meals were quick to cook and eat without having to drag everything out and then put it all backup.
I also picked up Chicken Pesto Pasta but haven’t tried it yet.
These pouches are lightweight and easy to carry in case you want to take them backpacking, bikepacking, section hiking, or thru-hiking.
Making the Peak Refuel Meals
Making the Peak Refuel Meals was simple.
Boil water and fill up the bag based on the amount it says.
We were a little confused, though. Mountain House Meals typically require quite a bit more water than the Peak Refuel Meals. We were afraid we weren’t putting enough water in the pouch, but we went ahead and followed the directions anyway.
Open the Pouch. Remove the Oxygen Absorber Packet. Add the boiling water. Stir. Reseal the zip-lock portion of the bag. Wait 10 minutes. Open, stir again, and enjoy.
The directions are pretty simple. I did notice that it took less time to rehydrate and cook than Mountain House Meals. I feel like I have to stir and reseal Mountain House Meals a few times, whereas I only had to once with this meal and then right before I started eating them.
Both meals were that easy to prepare.
Eating the Peak Refuel Meals
I have only a few words about the Biscuits and Gravy meal…
THE BEST!
I like Mountain House B&G, I do, but it’s bland, and I have to add spices to give it some taste.
I didn’t have to add any spices to Peak Refuel Meals. It already had the perfect amount of spices, and it was delicious right out of the pouch.
The biscuits were big, and some didn’t rehydrate well, but that’s actually my fault. It recommends crushing them up a bit, and I missed that. Other than that, it was like eating homemade B&G, to be honest. We ate every bit of it and darn near licked the plates.
The Chicken Alfredo meal was also really good compared to any other freeze-dried meal I’ve ever had. The noodles looked fresh, and the sauce was delicious. It already had all the right ingredients and spices.
There was more than enough to feed both me and my wife out of each pouch.
What Would I Change?
The only complaint I really had was the biscuits could have been crushed up a little bit more to avoid having to do it yourself or not do it because you missed the instructions like I did.
However, there might be a reason they’re not crushed up. By all means, please comment and tell me in case I’ve missed that.
But that one complaint doesn’t nearly stop me from continuing to buy and eat Peak Refuel Meals. I’m happy to say that they’re my favorite free-dried meal brand right now. I’ll choose them over Mountain House Meals and others any day of the week.
And no offense to Mountain House. Their meals are still good, but like I said, you often have to add more spices to make them tastier, and with Peak Refuel Meals, I didn’t have to add anything at all.
Final Thoughts
I’m not sponsored by Peak Refuel Meals, but I can’t help but recommend them. I’m using affiliate links above, which won’t impact your price, but I’ll earn a commission for every sale made using them. Alternatively, you can find these meals without using my links if you want to. But trust me, you won’t regret trying them.
Get a couple of them and at least try them out for yourself. If you find other flavors that are really good, be sure to leave me a comment telling me what they are. Your experiences and feedback are valuable to our community of outdoor enthusiasts.
Also feel free to tell me about other brands I should try and review.
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Shawn Gossman
Founder, Hiking with Shawn
Howdy folks! My name is Shawn Gossman and I founded Hiking with Shawn. I’m an avid hiker, cyclist and outdoorsman here in the Shawnee National Forest. I was born and raised in Southern Illinois and never want to leave. Click here to learn more about Shawn Gossman