Six hundred calories and 40 grams of protein in a single pouch makes this one of the most nutritionally loaded freeze-dried camp meals you can carry, and it tastes like it was worth the effort.

Backpacker's Pantry anchored this southwestern rice and beans dish with hearty brown rice and mesquite-smoked white meat chicken, which gives it a subtle smokiness that sets it apart from the typical camp meal flavour profile. Hatch green chiles, black beans, super sweet corn, tomato, cumin, and oregano round out a recipe that's both familiar and genuinely flavourful. The ingredient list is clean and straightforward, which matters when you're fuelling hard days on Canadian lakes and rivers.

Gluten-free and tested to less than 20 parts per million, it's a solid option for those managing gluten sensitivities, though it does contain milk and soy, so check current packaging if those are concerns. Prep is straightforward: two cups of boiling water, seal, wait 15 minutes, and eat from the pouch. As always with Backpacker's Pantry, factor in extra rehydration time at higher elevations.

• Calories: 600 per serving
• Protein: 40g
• Servings per pouch: 1
• Net weight: 162g
• Gluten-free: Yes, tested to less than 20ppm
• Contains: Milk, Soy
• Shelf life: 10 years from manufacturing date
• Water required: 2 cups (480 mL)
• Rehydration time: 15 minutes (at up to 5,000 ft elevation)
• Key ingredients: Brown rice, mesquite chicken, black beans, Hatch green chiles, corn, tomato, cumin, oregano