Affordable freeze dried food

How do you find an affordable freeze-dried meal that’s genuinely filling?

The price on a pouch doesn’t tell the whole story. Two €6 meals can provide very different amounts of energy. To find an affordable freeze-dried meal that fills you up, check three things.

• Price per 100 kcal: you’ll find it on every product page and in the listing. The lower it is, the less you pay for your energy. Sort by ‘Price per 100 kcal: low to high’ to find the best deals.
• Calories per pouch: after a long day on the trail, a small pouch might not be enough. Check the calorie content and plan a starter or dessert if needed.
• Net weight: this tells you how much food you’re actually getting. It’s useful when comparing two similar recipes at the same price.

If you want as much energy as possible for as little weight as possible, take a look at our best calorie-to-weight ratio selection too.

Buy a selection or pack to pay less

The easiest way to reduce the price per meal is to buy several pouches at once. In this selection, you’ll find:

• Selections of 5 or 10 meals from one brand, such as Adventure Food, Leader Outdoor, Food Force or our own Freezedried & Co range. Try different recipes at a bundle price.
• Budget hiking and trekking packs for 7 or 14 days, with freeze dried food and snacks. Everything is planned: just pack your bag. Explore all our hiking packs.

Consider combining your purchases too: delivery is free above a certain order value (see the conditions at the top of the page). We also update our freeze dried food offers regularly.

Freeze-dried or dehydrated: what’s the price difference?

Some meals in this selection are dehydrated rather than freeze-dried, or combine both methods. Dehydration dries food using heat. Freeze-drying removes water at low temperatures after freezing. Dehydrated meals are often cheaper, but their texture and rehydration time may differ. The method is shown on each product page, and you can filter the range by this criterion. To learn more, read our article freeze-dried or dehydrated: what’s the difference?

Affordable freeze dried food for every trip

A low price doesn’t mean a limited choice. This selection has you covered throughout the day:

• Breakfast: muesli, granola and porridge are often among the cheapest pouches. They make it easy to get going quickly in the morning. Explore all our freeze-dried breakfasts.
• Main meals: spaghetti Bolognese or carbonara, chicken and rice, chilli con carne, shepherd’s pie, curries…
• Meat-free meals: several vegetarian recipes are available at low prices. Explore the full range in our vegetarian freeze dried food selection.
• Dessert: fruit purée or chocolate mousse to end the day on a sweet note. Explore our freeze-dried desserts.

For an overnight trip, a few pouches will do. For a multi-day trek, work out your budget per meal and look for the best-priced, highest-calorie recipes. If your energy needs are high because of cold weather, steep climbs or a heavy pack, add some high-calorie meals.

Want to see the full range without a price filter? Browse all our freeze dried food.

FAQ: affordable freeze dried food

How much does a freeze-dried meal cost?

Prices depend on the brand, recipe and weight. The cheapest pouches in this selection are breakfasts, starters and desserts. Budget main meals start at around €5. To compare value, look at the price per 100 kcal rather than the price per pouch.

How can you pay less for freeze dried food?

Buy a selection of 5 or 10 meals, or a multi-day pack. Sort by price per 100 kcal to find the best-value recipes. Keep an eye on our offers and combine purchases to qualify for free delivery.

Does a cheaper freeze-dried meal taste worse?

Not necessarily. Price mainly reflects the weight, ingredients and brand. Many simple recipes, such as pasta or chicken and rice, are both affordable and popular. Customer reviews on each product page can help you choose.

Are budget meals enough for a day’s hiking?

It depends on your activity level and appetite. Check the calories per pouch and add up your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. If the total seems too low, add a starter, a dessert or a high-calorie meal in the evening.

How do you prepare a freeze-dried meal?

Add the amount of water shown on the pouch, stir, reseal and wait for the stated time. Most recipes use hot water, though some can be prepared with cold water. Find all our tips in our guide to preparing a freeze-dried meal.