Description
We test the commercially available freeze-dried meals and select only those that pass muster with our delicate little taste buds. That doesn’t mean the ones absent from out list are bad. It does mean that we’re creatures of particular tastes, and that we’re a little on the fussy side. Dehydrating and freeze-drying are tried and true methods of getting wet weight out of adventure food, and it takes a fair bit of effort to get it right. So you get the benefit of the R&D that the commercial makers put in.
Gluten Free
Vegetarian
Vegan
gayle –
This dinner was so delicious and filling, I cooked it for a bit longer and added more water and let it sit a bit longer after it was done cooking as the rice was still not fully cooked at the end of the time it said, but just taste it and check until it is cooked how you like it, I can highly recommend, taste is delish.
Paul Garrity –
I’ve tried a few of the Strive meals and this one was ok. As others have noted it took longer to cook than stated, and I like my risotto wet with a bit of bite to the grains. We added a few small amounts of water and ended up cooking it for almost twice the amount of time instructed. It was a nicely flavoured and filling meal.
Jasmine Errey –
This risotto was delicious, and easy to prepare. It did take a bit more time and water to cook than the given instructions, but was worth the wait. Personally if I were getting this again I would bring my own pepper to add as I like a bit of kick. Otherwise it couldn’t be better. Another reviewer has suggested bringing and adding some fresh beans, I agree this would complement the risotto beautifully.
Veronica –
Bar far our favourite dinner! By spending just a little more time stirring and adding the water slowly as you do with risotto you wind up with an absolutely quality meal & filling! We put the two packs together and boy it was delicious.
Linda Brown –
Tasty risotto, I left it sit longer than the pack said to make sure it was cooked through. Would have been nice to have a bit of oil or butter to mix through once it was cooked because it was slightly stodgy. Great gluten free option.
lbotter –
I had this on nights 2 and 3. I loved it, very easy to make and tasted authentic. I’m Italian so a bit of a risotto snob and this was amazing. I did add a small amount of salt as I felt it was a little bland without, but that’s a personal taste thing. I could easily have eaten a second bowl. So if you’re a hearty eater, then I’d recommend two sachets for one portion. I’m very active, slim build but my body likes to be fuelled. Would definitely get this again. What I loved about all my 3 capes meals was how lightweight they were, which is major consideration when carting your own stuff.
Cathy –
This was my favourite meal and I could have eaten it every night! Oh and great portion size. Cooking time was longer, I did add a little extra water and required more attention and patience but was lush. Perhaps fortunately the guide decided to do the evening briefing at short notice and right when I was about to eat so my risotto sat in a hot saucepan with the lid on for a good 30mins before I got to finish with the cheese – to be honest I feel the unintended ‘absorbing’ time made all the difference. A dash of fresh boiling water stirred through just before serving to warm it back up and it was perfect! Oh and fresh Parmesan made all the difference
penny Riddoch –
The risotto was OK,, but took far longer than the 10 minutes it should have taken. Not our favourite meal.
Mary Ellen –
Delicious meal. Easy to prepare and very hearty portion size. We even found some fresh beans to throw in at the end which was and added extra. Handy Hint – Green beans last well on the walk for those like me that like some freshness added.
challengept@bigpond.com –
Excellent meal, easy to prepare.
Sharon White –
We saved the risotto for our last night of the 3 capes trek – and that was a blessing. After a big day of walking and going to the Blade we were eagerly looking forward to it. We combined our 3 packets together in one pot, cooked it up and served piping hot with our supplied parmesan, it went down a treat. Great flavours and a very hearty, wholesome meal – superb!!
Penny C –
Loved this risotto. This dinner was the envy of all around. I combined two packets. It needed quite a bit more water and a longer cooking time (what risotto doesn’t) but tasted delicious. Loved the fresh Parmesan, a great touch.
Casey –
Very generous servings and great for energy. A bit too cheesy for my liking though
Rachel Macdonald –
Out of the three meals we had this was our least favourite. Don’t get me wrong, it still tasted good but not fantastic (like the Pork & Fennel meatballs fantastic!!!). The pot was a bit harder to clean as well.
Zoe –
Lovely, quite easy to make though did have to add extra water as the rice was a bit crunchy. Very large quantity and filling.
Carlmartens –
Dried meals have come a long way in recent years!
Sally –
A delicious vegetarian option and the added fresh parmesan was a lovely touch. I added some dried porcini mushrooms just to mix up the flavours a bit. Easy to make and a good sized portion for one.
Jodie –
Lovely meal and very easy to make. The added grated Parmesan cheese in a snap-lock bag was an excellent addition to make the risotto extra tasty. Highly recommend.
Alicia Simmonite –
A very tasty vegetarian option and a good sized portion for dinner. I added in some fresh spinach leaves for extra colour and vitamins, they were a perfect addition. The cheese to add at the end made it even tastier. Highly recommended.
Kim –
Easy to make, and tasted as good as I hoped. Recommended!
The parmesan made it a five star.
Helen Prideaux –
Perfect last night meal and oh so yum, very generous proportion and very easy to prepare. We combined our two packets and took 20 minutes of stirring over the low heat, excellent consistency and seasoning.
Kamal –
Really delicious and the rice is great for energy. Makes for a meal with minimal effort and has everything you need. One of my favourites and a great vego option.
Super light too.
Luka –
The added bonus of fresh beans , a glass of pinot , this was my fav meal . would have this at home instead of my laborious concoction
Sophie N –
Very easy meal. Was a large amount , well and truly fed the hungry walkers.
Erin Pederick –
Fantastic option for those looking for a vegetarian meal. Easy to prepare and a great tasting, hot meal on a winter evening.
David –
Excellent vego meal. Full of flavour . Thumbs up !