FAQs

Our ready-to-cook meals are made up of a combination of the very best air dried and freeze dried ingredients. Then we create unique blends of the dry ingredients into meals that taste great and cook in ten minutes or less - faster than rehydrating freeze-dried meals in pouches. We use high-barrier packaging that has an oxygen absorber ( or is nitrogen purged ) and heat sealed. Our products are made to fuel your next adventure - not to just sit on the shelf.

Our meals aren't meant to be rehydrated with hot water in the bag, so you cook them in the pot just like you would on your stove at home. Out in the field, you will need a pot and a lightweight portable stove that boils water and simmers on lower heat. Easy-to-follow cooking instructions are printed on every package.

Our meals are packed in100% bio-based materials derived exclusively from tree-pulp. Our belief is that the material going into the packaging is as important, or more so, than what it could turn into under the right conditions after use. We take on the added cost of sourcing packaging material so that the consumer does not have the burden placed on them for disposal methods. "Bio-degradable" is a non-scientific term that's used to describe materials that break down when exposed to natural elements like soil, water, sunlight and air. Given enough time, all materials (Even plastic) "Compostable" is a strict definition for materials that break down into natural elements that will do not further harm to the environment. This means they must also be made of natural elements in the first place. Compostable materials are typically free of conventional plastics, but they are often made from GMO food crops grown with fertilizer and other chemicals. Furthermore, the "omni-degradable" materials are made from petroleum-based plastics combined with an organic compound additive to help them break down faster. Plastics cause a great deal of pollution during processing, and is a material that originates with petroleum. Bio-based materials are a radical departure from conventional heavy plastic and aluminum packaging. Our packaging made from trees, which are a renewable resource grown without agricultural intervention - completely separate from the human food chain.

We have a versatile set of meal products that can be filtered to suit most dietary restrictions. However, if you have any severe allergies, please know that we prepare all of our meals on the same set of equipment that handles dairy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, soy and eggs. While we take great care to clean all equipment between batches, we cannot guarantee zero cross contamination.

No, unfortunately at this time we cannot produce certified gluten-free meals because we produce our own RightOnTrek backcountry meals in a facility that is not certified to be gluten-free. If you're only sensitive to substantial quantities of gluten, then you should find a wide variery of meals to choose from in the "no gluten ingredients" category. The vast majority of these ingredients are certified gluten-free.

Pot size depends on how many people you are cooking for. Our meals come in various sizes, such as 1 person, 2 person, and 4 person, so cooking pot size should match the meal size. We recommend 1 liter for solo cooking, 1.5 liters for groups of two, and 3.2 liters for groups of four.

Amounts of fuel you will need for your trip will depend on three key factors:

1. How many people in your group?
2. How many hot meals per day?
3. Cold winter, cool season, or summer conditions? You can follow this guide for how much ISOBUTANE fuel to bring for a typical backcountry canister stove: * 1 person, summer: 1.25 OZ per day / winter: 2 OZ per day * 3 people, summer: 2.25 OZ per day / winter: 3 OZ per day. For example, on a 3-day summer trip with two people eating two hot meals per day, you'd need about 5 OZ of isobutane fuel; equivalent to one tiny fuel canister, or a little less than one medium-size (8oz) fuel. In cold conditions, keep your isobutane canisters warm prior to use to maximize burn time. Here is another helpful link: How much fuel should I carry?"

RightOnTrek meals are made to fuel your next adventure, not just to sit on the shelf. Our meal products are rated for a shelf life of up to 18 to 30-months. Our manufacturing occurs on a rolling basis, so the remaining shelf life on your shipment may vary. To ensure optimum shelf life over a long period, we recommend storing the meals in dry indoor environment with relatively stable temperatures.

AS OF MAY, 2024 OUR 1P PRODUCTS MAY COME IN EITHER 100% BIO-BASED PACKAGING OR #2 RECYCLABLE PLASTIC PACKAGING. THE MATERIAL IS INDICATED CLEARLY ON THE PACKAGE. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BURN #2 PLASTIC.

Burning our bio-based pouches, if necessary for ease of transport, is just fine. If your meal came with front/back labels, be sure to remove those first. Please do so while taking into account the Leave No Trace principles for low-impact campfires:

• follow local and seasonal regulations for permission to have campfires
• avoid campfires that will leave burn scars on hard surfaces or large trees
• make sure the smoke from your fire does not affect other campers' experience
• make sure the fire is 100% out when you leave
• pack out any trash that did not burn completely to ash
  

Our bio-based meal pouches will not off-gas any dioxins or heavy metals in the process, but we encourage you to distance yourself from the smoke.

Our meal products are tested between 3000' and 6000' feet in the wild places of Northwest Montana. For elevations greater than 6000', you may need to add slightly more water and increase cooking times to compensate for the lower boiling temperature. In general, a good rule of thumb is to add 3% more water and cook 30 sec longer for every 1000' elevation above 6000'. That means, for example, if you find yourself ready for a delicious hot meal to enjoy atop the summit of a Colorado 14er, you would add 25% more water and cook 4 minutes longer. Bring more fuel for these trips!

The generous portion sizes of all our meals stand head and shoulders above most competitors. Single-serving dinners range from 500 to 600 kCal each. Our 2-Serving meals are double the size of single serving, and have 1,000 to 1,200 kCal, with 40 to 60g protein per pouch. Likewise, our 4-Serving meals are FOUR TIMES the size of our standard individual serving... you'll definitely want to share!