Top 5 Real Meals Freeze Dried meals
Top 5
While New Zealand company, Real Meals, has been available in Australia for the past couple of years through their NZ website, in 2025 the company appointed an Australian distributor which has seen them pop up in a number of online and bricks and mortar stores making purchase easier. We recently had the opportunity to work our way through most of the range and as a generalisation Real Meals has done a good job, so much so, there will be a number of the meals that make my top 10 when I update that list in the next few months.
It’s great to see Real Meals offering a very different range of meals rather than trying to copy what is already on the market. Like other companies the spiciness of the meals is on the lower side to suit the average hiker and if you feel you need to spice up a meals, you can always add spices to suit your tastes. Having said that as spice lovers we were happy to consume most of these meals as they were. These meals are sold as ‘single serves’ but we find that we will often share them between two particularly if we are consuming desserts.
The Real meals philosophy is:
“Real Meals are passionate about what we do, making tasty food to enhance people’s experiences, we want people to enjoy their outdoor trips so much they can’t wait to plan another one and get out there. It’s all about quality for us, that’s why we’re so careful about sourcing our meats and vegetables, and only cook with ingredients that meet our high standards. If it’s not good enough for us, it’s not good enough for you.”
The following is our top 5 from the extensive range. We realise that everyone’s taste buds are different so please use this list as a guide and make up your own mind. The list below provides a brief overview of each of our top 5 with a link to the full review.
It’s worth noting that we have rated the three options with exactly the same score and from our perspective which one we pick on the day will depend on the weather conditions and time of year.
1. Sri Lankan Curry
Taste and texture wise this meal has the feel of a restaurant curry and left me with a warm feeling from the first bite. Real Meals talks about this curry having a ‘mellow cumin warmth to suit all pallets’ and that’s a perfect description.
Score 8.7/10
For the full review go to this link
1. Beetroot and Carrot Salad
This meal was a real surprise to us because it’s essentially a beetroot salad! This is also a cold soak meal so a great option for hotter weather. We loved this meal option!
Score 8.7/10
For the full review go to this link
1. Dal Makani
There are a number of Dal (dhal) meals on the market and we are big fans. This option has a bit more sweetness to it that we love.
Score 8.7/10
For the full review go to this link
4. Dulcie's Lasagne
This is a feel good pasta and meat based meal. It is a good option for all hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts regardless of age, not just for youths.
Score 8.6/10
For the full review go to this link
5. Real Meals Tom Kha Gai
The best way to describe this meal is as a solid chicken laksa, but without the heavy spice!
Score 8.4/10
For the full review go to this link
Last updated
29 March 2026