Peak Refuel Chicken Pesto Pasta review

What it is and who it suits

Peak describes this meal as white chicken with ziti noodles in a creamy pesto sauce, freeze-dried in a single pouch with a net weight of 5.71 ounces. It is made and packaged in the USA. The pouch is food grade, and Peak's FAQ says you can cook and eat directly from it.

It suits someone who wants a lot of energy from a light pouch, such as a go-bag, a car kit or an outage where fuel and water are limited. This review is researched, not tested, so it says nothing about taste. It relies on Peak's product page and FAQ, the Mountain House pages for the comparison, and USDA and EPA guidance.

What the page states

Peak lists 920 calories per pouch, 43 grams of protein, 2 servings and a 10-minute prep time. The serving size is half a pouch, so a hungry adult may eat the whole pouch. The page also gives 161 calories per ounce, and says a pouch supplies 15 percent of the daily iron and 35 percent of the daily calcium.

Preparation takes 5.3 ounces of water, about two-thirds of a cup, poured into the pouch. That matters when you are counting stored water and stove fuel. The page also says the product may look wet because of its oil content and that this is normal.

Allergens and diet

The page says the meal contains milk and wheat. Its ingredients include heavy cream, parmesan and ziti made from durum flour. Peak's FAQ says it has no certified gluten-free meals, and that its meals are made in a facility that also makes products containing gluten, though it describes cleaning and testing of each line. So this is not a pick for celiac disease, dairy allergy or a dairy-free diet; Peak's FAQ lists a few other meals that are dairy-free.

Shelf life and storage

Peak's FAQ says its meals have an unopened shelf life of 10 years and that it guarantees taste within 10 years. That is the maker's claim. Mountain House states 30 years for its pouches, so Peak is the shorter of the two. USDA's fact sheet says freeze-dried foods are shelf stable if packed in moisture-proof, hermetically sealed containers, and that dates on shelf-stable food are about quality, not safety. Keep pouches cool and dry and rotate them. See our emergency food storage guide.

Safe water for the pouch

EPA says to use only properly disinfected water for drinking, cooking and any prepared drink, and to boil water at a rolling boil for at least one minute when you have no bottled supply. Rehydrating a meal counts. Our make water safe guide and cooking without power guide cover the steps and the stove.

How it compares with the other picks

On our freeze-dried meals comparison, this is the high-calorie end. Mountain House's Chicken Fried Rice lists 600 calories and 26 grams of protein per two-serving pouch, a 30-year shelf-life claim and a gluten-free mark, but it contains milk, egg, soy and sesame. Choose by the diet you must feed, then by calories.

Verdict and who should skip it

A strong choice for energy per ounce and per cup of water, as long as milk and wheat are fine for everyone eating it. Skip it if you need gluten-free or dairy-free food, if you want the longest stated shelf life, or if you would rather buy small, lower-calorie pouches and mix them.

How many calories and how much protein does it have?

Peak's page lists 920 calories and 43 grams of protein per pouch, which it counts as 2 servings. The serving size is half a pouch, so the whole pouch is one big meal.

How much water does it need?

Peak says to boil 5.3 ounces of water, about two-thirds of a cup, and add it to the pouch. Use water that has been boiled for at least one minute or otherwise disinfected, as EPA advises.

How long does it keep?

Peak's FAQ gives an unopened shelf life of 10 years and says it guarantees taste within that time. That is the maker's claim. Store pouches in a cool, dry place.

Is it gluten-free or dairy-free?

No. The page says it contains milk and wheat, and Peak says it has no certified gluten-free meals. Other Peak meals are listed as dairy-free.