A Delicious and Hearty Trail Dinner from Backpackers Pantry
After years of taste-testing freeze-dried meals in the backcountry, I think I may have found the gold standard: Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai with Chicken. Simply put—it was the bomb. This meal hit all the right notes after a long day of backpacking in the Emigrant Wilderness.
Flavor That Delivers
Pad Thai isn’t easy to replicate on the trail, but Backpacker’s Pantry nailed it. The rich peanut butter sauce combined with crunchy peanuts and tender noodles made for a flavorful, satisfying bowl that didn’t overwhelm the palate. Unlike some overly spicy or heavy meals, this Pad Thai offered balance—no lingering burn, no heartburn later that night—just clean, savory flavor that left me thinking, “I could eat this at home.”
A couple of years ago, I tried a version of trail Pad Thai with black noodles that impressed me, but this one takes the crown. It’s flavorful without being fussy, hearty without being gut-busting.
The Perfect Trail Test
I picked this meal up at the Outdoor Market Alliance (OMA) show in July from the Cascade Designs team (who I normally work with on MSR, Therm-a-Rest, and Platypus). The timing was perfect: after a hard off-trail push from Upper Bucks Lake to Yellowhammer Lake, my buddy Tom and I cracked open this Pad Thai shoreside. Every last bite was pure reward for the effort we had put in that day.
Pro Tip: Two-Person Meals Are Really Two-Person Meals
On our early backpacking trips, we made the rookie mistake of eating entire two-person meals by ourselves—resulting in stuffed stomachs and heavier packs. Over the years, we’ve learned the beauty of splitting meals: better portion control, less pack weight, and more variety on the trail. The Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai fit perfectly into this approach, leaving us satisfied without feeling overdone.
Why It Belongs in Your Pack
Sure, there are recipes to make a fresh version of Pad Thai at home, but the convenience of a meal kit is unbeatable when you’re miles into the wilderness. Just boil water, stir, wait, and enjoy. For me, this was a true comfort meal on the trail—one that I’ve already ordered again for my next round of trips.
- Rice noodles, chicken, and vegetables in a flavor-packed Thai peanut sauce.
- Gluten free
- 3-year shelf life (exact expiration date found on product packaging)
- 850 calories per pouch
- 42g of protein per pouch
- 2 servings per pouch
1% of your purchase goes towards 1% for the Planet.
Final Verdict:
The Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai with Chicken might just be the best freeze-dried backpacking meal I’ve ever had. Rich, balanced flavor, easy prep, and a perfect end-of-day reward. Trail tested and officially added to my go-to rotation.
