Top 5 Back Country Cuisine Freeze Dried meals
Top 5
Back Country Cuisine is probably the best known range of outdoor freeze dried meals in Australia as they have been on the market longer than any other freeze dried meal company. These meals are stocked by the majority of outdoor stores and many people consider them the staple meal choice for outdoor activities.
Back Country has a huge range of meal choices, currently sitting at a range of 24 on the New Zealand Parent company website (as listed on their website for their standard range) and many stores seem to select a ‘top ten’ so you are unlikely to find the full range in any one store. I’ve been following this brand for many years and they appear to ‘pull’ varieties off the market and then reintroduce them a few year later. They have done with with two of my favourite meals! In addition to the large variety of single serves (entrée size/single person), the company also has twin serve= meals although the single serve options don’t seem to have as large a variety at least as far as the stores I visit.
Outdoor meal manufacturers cater for the masses and its easier to add spices at cooking time than to try to remove them so on the whole most outdoor meals are a bit bland for my taste as I have a love of spicy food. From my perspective a good curry is one that makes my head sweat. I also dislike flavour enhancers and emulsifiers that are present in some meals. While I realise that everyones taste buds are different I think that you will enjoy the meals that we have selected.
The following is our top 5 meal choices from the Back Country Cuisine Meal range listed in order:
1. Back Country Cuisine Spicy Beef Nachos
If I’m honest, I’m hard pressed to pick the difference between this meal and the Mexican Chicken hence I’ve scored it the same. This will now sit in my hiking menu particularly for the cooler months when I want that warm feeling.
Score 9.0/10
For the full review go to this link
2. Back Country Cuisine Vegetarian Stirfry
The only vegetarian meal in my selection and only one of three in the range. I just love the rice noodles in this dish and out of all the meals I tried this was a real surprise
Score 8.4/10
For the full review go to this link
3. Back Country Cuisine Cottage Pie
A lamb dish. I didn’t expect to like this choice given my childhood memories. Just love the creaminess of the potato mash mixed though with the lamb. I scored this the same as the Roast chicken but it really depends on what I’m feeling like on the day which one I’ll choose.
Score 8.4/10
For the full review go to this link
4. Back Country Cuisine Roast Chicken
Another chicken dish. While I expected a bland dish I was pretty happy with this one and who doesn’t like Roast Chicken?
Score 8.2/10
For the full review go to this link
5. Back Country Cuisine Honey Soy Chicken
The Honey Soy Chicken is definitely a hit! The chicken is tasty, the vegetable to meat ratio is good, and there is enough soy and honey in this meal to give it a good sweet to sour ratio.
Score 8.1/10
For the full review go to this link
Last updated
24 January 2026