Packit Gourmet meals include all of the items you need to elevate your outdoor dining experience including chips and cheese toppers, “the works” for your burger and any condiments we think will enhance the flavors of the meal.
Over the years, we’ve come to realize that not everyone chooses the same condiments and not all campers opt to add a splash of hot sauce to their burrito… so we’re turning the choice over to you! Our condiments will remain as complimentary add-ons to any meal that we think might benefit but rather than including them in the meal pouch, our customers will now be able to elect to have the condiments included with their order or opt out – the choice is all yours.
There are a number of benefits that come along with condiment-optional meals that we’re pretty excited about. First and foremost is the reduction of micro-trash.
The condiments that we send out with our meals will now find a home with the hiker that really wants them and be put to good use while those choosing no condiments won’t have to tackle the necessary waste that comes along with packed sauces. Win!
Eliminating the condiments from our meal pouches also reduces the overall weight.
In addition to removing optional condiment packets from our meals, our chef has magicked away necessary condiment packets and replaced them with a powdered version. Our chicken salads, burger wrap, deli-roast beef wrap and several of our brothy stews and soups have all been touched by this magic resulting in the same delicious flavor and mouth-feel they’ve always had but none of the trash, mess or added weight. A reduction of up to 26 grams on our chicken salads and 21 grams on our Deli-Smoked Roast Beef Wrap?! Yes, please!
A final and not too shabby perk is a longer shelf-life on our meals.
With only freeze-dried and dehydrated ingredients featured in our meals, all of our offerings have a naturally long shelf-life…. except for those with condiments! The best by dates on those hot sauce and mayo packets have always had a direct impact on meal shelf-life which has been a real bummer. Now that condiments are offered separately from the meal, they can be easily replaced if you don’t get around to eating your meal in the timeframe expected and that will result in less food waste and lower meal replacement costs – another solid win!
With all of these amazing benefits of removing condiments from our meals, we’re definitely not willing to give them up completely and we know many of our customers aren’t either! Condiments that compliment our meals will continue to be offered at no charge – so add on that hot sauce, mustard and mayo! We know (some of you) want to!
Want to hang your camp chef hat on something really special? Follow these tips to go beyond your wilderness expectations with a little extra spice, seasoning, or sauce!
Classic Condiments:
Bringing along a small bag or ditty sack of additional condiments is a great way to keep things flavorful and customize your favorite meal. All-time classics like Kraft Mayonnaise can serve as creamy bases for backcountry recipes and Heinz Yellow or Gulden’s Spicy Brown Mustard add deli quality style to your lunch or dinner entrée! Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup is some of the most flavorful ketchup you can find in a packet and is always great to have on hand.
Hot Sauces:
Perhaps the best wild card to have on trail is your favorite hot sauce! Our meals contain no shortage of southwest flavorings, but for many of us, extra hot sauce is key! We’ve found that Texas Pete Hot Sauce is particularly great on eggs, pizza, chicken & veggies but could probably be applied to about anything else. Cholula Hot Sauce is a family favorite, found in Tex-Mex restaurants all throughout the SouthWest and offers a smokey, light punch of spice that’s a perfect addition to camp Tex-Mex Breakfast Tacos. Tabasco Sauce, on the other hand, is a fiery Cajun sauce necessary to complete red beans & rice, jambalaya, gumbo and for the bold, scrambled eggs!
Seasonings:
The sky is the limit with meal seasonings but we have done our best to curate. Roseli Crushed Red Pepper is one of the most versatile spices out there and a great way to jazz up soups, eggs and anything else on the menu! We also love to bring along a few packets of Garlic and Oregano to pair with Pizzas, Pastas, and just about any Italian or tomato-based dish!
Oils & Vinegars
Oils and Vinegars might not be the first thing you think about packing, but are perfect for dressing cold soak salads! We stock our favorite Organic Balsamic Vinegar and Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil that are both fan favorites and optional with our salads like our Many Beans Salad. On a paddle trip and catching fish? Then, you will certainly want to bring along a few Malt Vinegar packets to pair alongside that fresh catch! Kikkoman Soy Sauce is a versatile flavor enhancer for a wide variety of foods, from Asian to mainstream American. This ancient seasoning has become an essential ingredient in the camp-kitchen adding flavor to fried rice, sauteed fish and more!
Have questions? We’ve got answers! Shoot us an email to trailfood@packitgourmet.com!