Every year, I wander the internet, looking for small companies that produce outdoor meals. Good Detour popped up in my searches, and I decided I’d pick up a couple of meals to check them out.
The meals are made in India and are vegetarian (not vegan, as they contain Ghee, which is clarified butter).
The first was dessert:
Moong Dal Halwa (Dessert Pudding with yellow lentils and milk). The single-serving meals are $13.49.
712 calories, 36 grams fat, 88 mg sodium, 15.5 grams sugar, 15.5 grams protein, and 8 grams fiber. The calorie count puts this at the very high end for most backpacking meals. It might be a “dessert,” but nutritionally it could be dinner. It is also extremely low sodium.
Ingredients:
Ghee (Clarified Butter), Split Green Gram (Moong Dal), Sugar, Milk, Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews, Green Cardamom, Cinnamon Stick, Clove
*They claim to be free of artificial colors, flavors, and ingredients and free of wheat, barley, and rye; however, the meal is marked “may contain wheat,” so consider that.
The meal is a fine powder, but that is good- it helps it rehydrate quickly. A really nice aroma.
It is a neat dessert – it has a light crunch from the nuts (small pieces) and a pleasant, but not overly sweet, taste. It’s very thick, which gives it texture.
The second meal we got:
Paneer Scramble (Spiced cottage cheese with onions & tomato). It is listed as a breakfast, but makes a great dinner.
Priced at $13.49 for a single serving of 457 calories, 20 grams of protein, 34 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 998 mg of sodium.
Ingredients:
Paneer (Cottage Cheese), Onion, Tomato, Butter, Garlic, Green Chili, Ginger, Salt, Spices, and Condiments.
*My only concern is when food companies list a random “condiments” because when it comes to food allergies, you are left in the dark. They claim to be free of artificial colors, flavors, and ingredients and free of wheat, barley, and rye; however, the meal is marked “may contain wheat,” so consider that.
As with the dessert, the meal is a powder. Beans, peas and all legumes can take a long time to rehydrate, but this did not, due to being powdered. You really get a nice aroma of Indian spices.
This paneer dish is good. It has spice and heat, but not too hot. Very filling, even though it doesn’t look like a big serving. If you are a hungry eater, I would suggest making a cup of instant rice on the side, and serving it over the rice. It would also tamp the heat down a bit. If you are not a spice-liker, that is. Even though the dish is more soup-like, you can taste the tomatoes and cheese individually.
An extra take-away?
I only had to wait 5 minutes for both meals to be fully rehydrated. In most outdoor meals, you need to double the time. The powdering really went far.
If you have had a craving for Indian food in the backcountry, this is a brand to check out.
I would give both items reviewed a thumbs up.
~Sarah
FTC Disclaimer:
We purchased the product reviewed; these are our thoughts.