Australian Hiker

Rating

Radix Nutrition Basil Pesto (400 Range) Review

My bad, I actually tried this meal about a year ago and because I was on-trail I promptly forgot about writing a review when I came home. So I had to purchase another meal to retest again.

As with other meals in the Radix Nutrition range, the packaging is very attractive and grabs your attention which is half the battle in this ever growing segment of the market. The packaging size across the range is also very compact and while you could be fooled into thinking there isn’t much food in the bag, its comparable in terms of calories but often lighter weight-wise when compared to other brands. The other plus with this compact packaging is that it takes up less space in your pack.

I tend to be a big eater when on-trail but I typically find that the larger Radix meal ranges (600 and 800) are a bit on the large size so I actually prefer the 400 range because it is very much a single serve meal. On the longer trips I will carry some of the 600 range for when I’m really hungry.

The package suggests using 250 mls of boiling water, but I find this recommendation to be a bit on the watery side so in this case I added 170 mls and the texture worked out perfectly. If you do want your meals a bit thinner then you can always add more water.

The rehydration recommendation is 5 minutes and I found that in this case the timing was spot on.

One thing the Radix packaging doesn’t have that other outdoor companies offer, is a base that opens out. The interior of the Radix packaging doesn’t have any narrow corners to trap food and these packs are quite stable so not having a base that opens out is no big issue. I would suggest placing the pack down on a stable surface.

Still on the packaging it contains all the relevant nutritional and ingredient information you need. The ingredients, apart from protein isolate, are very recognisable with Radix mainly using ‘real’ ingredients.

This is another plant based meal so those of you who are vegetarians will find this meal to be a good option particularly given this meal has a respectable 402 calories, 17 grams of protein and almost no salt.

The texture is good and there is some crunch from what I thought were almonds but after swallowing all the softer parts of the meal I worked out that the crunch came from some form of the seed component. Having said that because this meal is made in a factory where other meals contain nuts, there is an allergy warning on the label just to play it safe.

For me the taste is the weak part of this meal. It wasn’t offensive or bad in any way shape or form but as a spice lover I found this meal to be a bit bland. In part this seemed to be due to a lack of salt and this is coming from someone who doesn’t add salt to their food.

Price-wise this meal sells at AUD $11.90 RRP and is comparable to other brands of the same size, even more so when you look at the quality you get and all in a tiny package. Freeze dried meals as a generalisation aren’t cheap but the time you save doing your own meals at home as well as on-trail preparation, is well worth the cost.

While I would happily eat this meal on-trail if it was on offer, I prefer the other meals in the Radix range. If however you prefer more neutral meals then this one may just be for you.

The Facts

This is a plant based meal containing:

• 402 calories
• 17 grams protein
• 25.3 grams fat
• 22.4 grams carbohydrates
• 8.1 grams fibre

We Like

• Neutral taste, won’t offend those with those who prefer more neutral tastes
• Good texture
• Plant based (vegetarian) for those who are into that diet – great for vegetarians and non vegetarians alike
• Gluten free
• Freeze dried. This takes much of the weight out of the meal and helps to limit the weight in your pack
• Available in a range of calorie sizes to suit your needs
• Very compact package which helps reduce the bulk in your pack
• The recommended water amount of 170 ml is spot on
• Rehydrates very quickly – 5 minutes

We Don't Like

• As someone who likes a bit of spice I find this offering a bit bland compared to others in the range
• The main negative of any commercially prepared dehydrated or freeze dried food is the cost. In this case this single serve meal is $11.90. It really comes down to whether you have the time to make your own and if you can achieve the same flavour
• Unlike other hiking meals, the bottom of the packet doesn’t open out to a broad base. It does however stay upright quite well
• Made in a factory that produces other meals that contain nuts so be careful if you have a nut allergy

Best Uses

• Great option for a quick, filling and easy lunch or dinner

Buy One

You can purchase the Radix Nutrition Basil Pesto (400 Range) from Wild Earth

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Other Versions

Radix produces a wide range of meals delivering a range of calories

Investment

AUD $11.90 RRP

Radix Nutrition Basil Pesto (400 Range) as purchased from the store

Radix Basil Pesto 400 ingrediant list

Radix Nutrition Basil Pesto (400 Range) – ingredients and nutritional information

Radix Nutrition Basil Pesto (400 Range) – dry in the bag

Radix Nutrition Basil Pesto (400 Range) rehydrated

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

Last updated

1/1/2024

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