We purchase many commercial freeze-dried meals yearly (for our reviews here), so I know the general prices. I have also painfully watched the prices increase for the past four or more years.
I often make generalized claims about prices on social media and our blog. It occurred to me that I should back them up with some research, so I pulled current prices for October 2024 from a number of websites of commercial meal companies. Not every company makes the same size meals, so that is noted.
The Meals:
Mountain House: 2-serving pouch $10.99. 280 calories per serving. 12 grams protein. Weight 4.3 ounces.
Peak Refuel: 2-serving pouch $14.95. 400 calories per serving. 20 grams of protein. Weight 5 ounces.
Backpacker’s Pantry: Single serving pouch $7.99. 300 calories per serving. 21 grams of protein. Weight 3 ounces.
Trailtopia: Single serving pouch $4.50. Does not contain actual beef. 255 calories per serving. 11 grams protein. Weight 2.8 ounces.
Beyond Meals: 2-serving pouch $14.95. 360 calories per serving. 21 grams of protein. Weight 5.4 ounces.
Outdoor Pantry: Single serving pouch $13.95. 648 calories per serving. 47 grams of protein. Weight 3 ounces.
Right On Trek: 2-serving pouch $19.99. Keto friendly. 520 calories per serving. 32 grams of protein. Weight 6.4 ounces. It must be cooked in a pot.
How did I pick these meals? We have reviewed most of these choices, and they are all made by well-known companies in the outdoor food industry. For long-term food storage, I went with meals in pouches rather than meals in a #10 can.
With prices for the 7 meals:
1 for $4.50 (if 2 servings, it would be $9)
1 for $7.99 (if 2 servings, it would be $15.98)
1 for $10.99
1 for $13.95 (if 2 servings, it would be $27.90)
2 for $14.95
1 for $19.99
That puts one meal under $10, five in the $11 to 16 range, four between $11 and 20, and one over $20, with the majority being over $11 a meal.
Running the averages (add all up and divide – average: sum/count), it comes out the average cost of a freeze-dried beef stroganoff pouch meal for 2 people is $14.25.
And that isn’t cheap. If one is going out for a long weekend, the food adds up, especially if you prefer higher protein, fewer carbs, and a cleaner ingredient list.
Things That Affect Prices:
Meat: Peak Refuel, for example, holds itself to high standards, making it meat-centric. Trailtopia has no actual meat added, which allows it to sell for a much lower price point. The more carbs used, the lower the cost.
Fancy packaging: The smaller companies don’t have the same packaging. When heavy-duty Mylar bags are custom printed, the price is higher. The smaller companies often use a custom sticker on standard MRE-style Mylar bags.
How The Meal Was Prepared Commercially: Is the meal where they add in multiple ingredients? Or is it a cooked meal that was freeze-dried? This can cause a difference in prices.
Is it keto-friendly? See the meat comments. Keto meals are becoming more common, and they use mostly meat and vegetables, which are considered “keto-friendly.” This adds to the cost when they cannot use cheap carbs.
Size of Company: In theory, the more they make and sell, the lower the price can be.
Where They Sell: As with above, if the company is ramped up in size, they are often trying to be sold in places like Walmart and Costco, which can lead to lower prices.
But quality usually suffers, so remember that. The smaller companies are often more focused on quality – because if they leave customers questioning their choices, they won’t last long in the industry.
The Never-Ending Inflation Affecting Food: No, it’s not a paranoid conspiracy theory that inflation has affected food since 2020-ish. The truth is, ingredients are a lot more expensive now than they were back in 2019. Especially meat. I’ve watched the average price creep up this past 4 or so years by $2 to 4 a meal. And have the receipts to prove it (but please, I don’t want to shuffle through my last 5 years of tax returns! No one has time to do that.)
In the end, the companies need to make a profit. Because why else would someone take the risk?
All I can say is…have a deep pocket these days, and may the odds be in your favor that what you pick is worthy of what you are paying. And no crunchy beef bits in your bag…..
~Sarah