Australian Hiker

Rating

Radix Nutrition Original 600 KCal Meal - Basil Pesto Review

Radix Nutrition has become well entrenched on the Australian market and is now commonly stocked in many outdoor stores. The range has evolved over the years and now the Original 600 range of which this meal is a part, has become a great option for single hikers or for couples not wanting big meals to share.

First let’s look at the positives of this meal. As is common with all products in the Radix range, the packaging is very attractive and grabs your attention which is half the battle with this ever growing segment of the market. The packaging across the range is also very small and while you could be fooled into thinking there isn’t much food in the bag, it’s comparable, if not lighter weight-wise when compared to other brands. The other plus with this compact packing is that it takes up less space in your pack.

This Basil Pesto meal size comes in at 609 calories and is loaded with nutrients including 30.1 grams of protein that helps muscle repair at the end of a big day of hiking. While this meal is marketed as a single serve meal, Gill and I usually share this one between us and; as big an eater as I am, it fills us up quite well.

The original version of this meal came in a packet that didn’t have a base that opened out but this feature has now been updated so it opens flat to help prevent it from falling over when you put the bag down. Water wise the recommendation to rehydrate is 250 ml and while this amount works with other meals in this range, I find that its just a bit wet after rehydration and would reduce the amount by around 10 ml to get a firmer meal. The packet recommends leaving the food to rehydrate for 5 minutes but we find an extra 2-3 minutes helps improve the texture.

Price wise this meal sells at AUD $14.99 RRP and is comparable to other brands of the same size, even more so when you look at the quality of what you get and all in a tiny little package.

Be warned that if you have a nut or dairy allergy because this meal came with a warning that there may be traces of nuts and/or dairy given it is made in a factory where other nut/dairy products are used.

Taste wise this meal was definitely identifiable as a pesto based meal. This is the third meal we have tasted in this range and if we’re honest, as spice lovers we found this offering a bit bland. Like other meals in this range, the sodium (salt) level is high at 856 mg per serve and as people who typically don’t add salt to our food, the salt level of the Basil Pesto meal was reasonable but starting to be borderline-high for our taste.

So what’s the final verdict? For my tastes I found this meal to be on the bland side, so much so that this won’t be one I would take on a trip however if your tastes shy away from any degree of spice, then this option won’t upset you.

The Facts

• 609 calories
• 30.1 grams protein
• 33.3 grams fat
• 42.5 grams carbohydrates
• 10.3 grams fibre
• 856 mg sodium

We Like

• A plant based tasty meal with recognisable ingredients
• 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 packaging packed full of calories helping to reduce your pack bulk
• This sizing is a generous-sized single served or a nice size to share, at least for us

We Don't Like

• The main negative of any commercially preprepared dehydrated or freeze dried food is the cost, but given the nutrients and calories in this pack, its good value. It really comes down to whether you have the time to make your own and if you can achieve the same flavour
• High in salt at 856 mg of sodium

Best Uses

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

Buy One

You can purchase the Radix Nutrition Original 600 KCal Meal – Basil Pesto from Radix, Snowys, Wild Earth or Wildfire Sports

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! below

PLEASE NOTE: As a special offer, Radix Australia is offering a 10% discount on meal purchases (information correct as at 23 February 2025). This discount will be applied at the checkout when you make your purchase via the Radix Australia link above and use the code AUSTRALIANHIKER

Other Versions

Radix produces a wide range of meals providing a range calories. The Radix Nutrition Original Meal – Basil Pesto comes in 400, 600, and 800 calorie sizings

Investment

AUD $14.99 RRP

Radix Nutrition Original 600 KCal Meal – Basil Pesto as purchased

Radix Nutrition Original 600 KCal Meal Basil Pesto nutrition and ingredient panel as well as instructions for rehydrating. Note the water fill line on the top right to make it easy on the trail to get the water level right

Radix Nutrition Original 600 KCal Meal Basil Pesto packet with the base folded open

Radix Nutrition Original 600 KCal Meal – Basil Pesto packet showing un-rehydrated food ready to add water

Radix Nutrition Original 600 KCal Meal – Basil Pesto rehydrated and ready to eat

Disclaimer

This review was done with product provided to Australian Hiker for test by Radix Nutrition

Last updated

23 February 2025

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