Real Meals
Real Meals freeze dried meals, made in New Zealand for tramping, hunting, camping and the emergency kit. Shop Real Meals dinners such as Sri Lankan Curry, Pulled Pork, Beef Stroganoff, Venison Casserole, Wilderness Stew, Tom Kha Gai, Dal Makhani and Moroccan Tagine, plus breakfasts, desserts, smoothie snacks and the Favourite Flavours Bundle.
Explore more camp kitchen gear, from stoves to cookware.
Pick up a week of meals at our Grey Lynn concept store at 36 Pollen Street, or order online for fast, tracked delivery across New Zealand.
Real Meals
About Real Meals
Real Meals is a New Zealand made range of freeze dried meals, created for people who head into the hills and want proper food at the end of the day. The meals are light to carry, quick to prepare and keep for a long time on the shelf, which makes them a staple for trampers, hunters, fishers and campers, and a smart addition to any emergency kit at home or in the car.
The range is built around dinners, with a strong lineup of breakfasts, desserts and snacks to round out a full day of eating in the backcountry.
Dinners with real flavour
Real Meals dinners lean on bold, comforting flavours from around the world. Choose a Sri Lankan Curry, Dal Makhani, Tom Kha Gai or Moroccan Tagine if you like a bit of spice, or classic comfort food such as Beef Stroganoff, Pulled Pork, Mexi Nachos, Wilderness Stew and Venison Casserole after a long day on the track. There is plenty of variety, so you can eat something different every night of a multi-day trip.
For breakfast, options such as Banana Oat Porridge give you a warm start, and desserts like Tropical Pudding and Apples and Creamed Rice are a welcome treat in camp.
Easy to cook, easy to carry
Preparing a Real Meal is simple. Add boiling water to the pouch, stir, seal it and wait for the time printed on the pack, then eat straight from the bag, so there are no pots to scrub. That makes them a great match for a light stove and a single pot on a tramping trip, and their low weight leaves more room in your pack for everything else.
At Land & Sea we stock a wide range of Real Meals, including the Favourite Flavours Bundle, and our team can help you plan meals for your next trip. Pair them with a compact gas stove and a long handled spoon, and dinner in a hut or tent becomes one of the best parts of the day.
Frequently asked questions about Real Meals
How do you prepare a Real Meals freeze dried meal?
Open the pouch, remove the oxygen absorber sachet, pour in the amount of boiling water shown on the pack and stir well, getting into the corners. Seal the pouch and leave it to rehydrate for the time printed on the label, then stir again and eat straight from the bag. Using boiling water gives the best texture, and wrapping the pouch in a jacket or a pouch cosy helps it stay hot in cold weather.
Are Real Meals made in New Zealand?
Yes, Real Meals are made in New Zealand. The range was created for Kiwi trampers, hunters and campers who want tasty, filling food that is light to carry and easy to cook in the backcountry. Because they are made locally, Real Meals are a popular choice for anyone who likes to support New Zealand made products, and they are widely carried on tracks, in huts and in hunting camps across the country.
How long do freeze dried meals last?
Freeze dried meals are designed for a long shelf life because almost all the water has been removed and the pouches are sealed with an oxygen absorber. Real Meals carry a best before date on each pack, so check it before a trip or when building an emergency kit. Store them somewhere cool and dry, out of direct sunlight, and rotate your emergency supplies by eating the oldest meals on your next trip.
How many freeze dried meals do I need for a tramp?
Plan one dinner per night as a minimum, plus a breakfast for each morning if you want a hot start, and carry snacks and lunches for the day. Hungry trampers and hunters often add a dessert or a second dinner on big days, as you can burn far more energy in the hills than at home. It is wise to pack one spare meal in case weather or a flooded river holds you up for an extra night.
Are freeze dried meals good for an emergency kit?
Yes. Freeze dried meals are light, compact and have a long shelf life, which makes them well suited to a home, car or workplace emergency kit. All you need is a way to boil water, such as a small gas stove, and some spare drinking water. Keep a few days of meals in your kit, note the best before dates, and swap them out every so often by eating the older ones on a camping or tramping trip.
What is the Real Meals Favourite Flavours Bundle?
The Real Meals Favourite Flavours Bundle groups several popular Real Meals into one pack, so you can try a range of flavours or stock up for a multi-day trip in one purchase. It is a convenient way to plan a week of tramping dinners, fill a hunting camp or set up an emergency kit. Check the product page for the current flavours included, as the bundle line-up can change from time to time.