The Best Vegan Dehydrated and Freeze-dried Backpacking Meals

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In this article, we explore vegan and plant-based meal options specifically for backpackers. Whether you adhere to a strict vegan diet or simply looking to incorporate more plant-based choices into your outdoor excursions, we’ve got you covered!

Vegan backpackers rejoice! These days are a true gilded age for ready-made backpacking meals with brands catering to nearly any diet, lifestyle, or set of values, including vegan eating. It’s now more convenient, easy, and tasty to tread lightly through the woods while also eating delicious plant-based meals.

Below we highlight some of the brands that are fully committed to plant-based nutrition, as well as those that include numerous vegan options in their product lineup. For these companies, offering vegan options is not simply lip-service, but built-into the company’s values and sustainability models.

At the bottom of the page, we’ve also curated a comprehensive filterable directory featuring almost 50 fully vegan dehydrated and freeze-dried meals. So, whether you’re planning a weekend trek or a longer excursion, you’ll have a diverse selection of vegan-friendly options to choose from. So, let’s discover the delectable plant-based meals that will fuel your next backpacking journey

Vegan Friendly Brands

Good To-Go

Good To-Go is a Kittery, Maine based and chef-owned manufacturer of handcrafted dehydrated meals that emphasize clean and simple ingredients. As they tout on their website: “Real Food. Real Adventure.” Their meals are handmade by chefs on-site using responsible sourced ingredients. All of their meals are gluten-free, made without preservatives, low-sodium, and include many vegetarian and vegan options. Currently about half of their meals are vegan including their highly beloved Mushroom Risotto, a Mexican Quinoa Bowl, and a Bibimbap meal.

Popular Vegan Meals from Good To-Go

Farm to Summit

Farm to Summit is a Durango, CO based cottage manufacturer of dehydrated backpacking foods, all of which are vegetarian, many of which are vegan. Vegan offerings like their Thai Red Curry and Three Bean Chili & Cornbread are sure to bring the flavor to the backcountry. Farm to Summit’s mission extends beyond simply creating delicious meals. For starters, the company utilizes Up-cycled produce from local farms, prioritizing the use of “seconds” that might otherwise go to waste. Their commitment to sustainability is further exemplified by their packaging, which is entirely Omnidegradable® or compostable. Leaving no trace is not just a principle for outdoor adventures but also a core value embedded in their business practices.

Popular Vegan Meals from Farm to Summit

Three Bean Chili & Cornbread
Thai Red Curry
Puebloan Beans and Rice

Nomad Nutrition

Nomad Nutrition, based in British Columbia, is a provider of wholesome, plant-based backpacking meals. They do their best to use organic, non-GMO, whole food ingredients. All of their meals are gluten and soy-free, with most of their meals being vegan-friendly. Nomad Nutrition also places a high emphasize on nutrition, having refined their recipes to contain just the right ratios of healthy fats, lean protein and complex carbs. With dishes like Hungarian Goulash, Kathmandu Curry, and Ukranian Borscht, their offerings are truly like a trip around the world.

Popular Vegan Meals from Nomad Nutrition

Backpacker’s Pantry

You know them. You’ve probably tried them or at least seen them on the shelve at REI. Backpacker’s Panty is one of the big dogs in ready-to-eat backpacking meals. Did you also know they have designed a range of vegan options with both your taste buds and the planet in mind? Their vegan dishes promise to fuel outdoor adventure while minimizing their impact on the enviroment. According to the their website they’ve dedicated themselves to crafting a diverse selection of satisfying meals that cater to your plant-based lifestyle. They feature an array of dishes inspired by global cruise, made with the “finest quality, ethically-sourced ingredients”. Check out their Pad Thai, Cuban Coconut Rice & Black Beans, and Chana Masala

Popular Vegan Meals from Backpacker’s Pantry

A Directory of Vegan Backpacking Meals

At Hikefull we have built a database/directory of a majority of dehydrated and freeze-dried backpacking meals on the market. Our guiding light is to provide a resource and a tool for backpackers to easily source meals aligned with their food philosophy. Below are almost 50 vegan meal options from numerous brands. You can further refine these choices by brand, sodium level, soak time, packaging, and more.