“Right off the bat this meal smelled amazing and tasted even better!” - Verified Customer Review Quinoa, Bison, Tomato Sauce, Bell Pepper, Green Onion, Spices You know what that is? The ENTIRE list of ingredients in our O.G. 5-star highlight of the month, our Unstuffed Pepper! When we tell you that our freeze-dried meals are made of real, whole ingredients, we aren’t blowing smoke up your trekking shorts. They are super satisfying, enormously nutritious, monumental meals and snacks for balls-to-the-wall days of activity. And bonus, they taste GREAT!  We want you to know the story behind e ..read more

You, our amazing community of hikers, bikers, climbers, rowers, towers, and all-together outdoor goers, have told us that you love what we at Bushka’s Kitchen have created and you want more. You want more entrees (to come), and you want more snacks to complement your meals and fuel your adventures. Today we are delivering. Our first new creations of 2022 are launching now, and we’ve got snacks! High quality, calorie-worthy, filling, and delicious snacks.  So why are we releasing snacks? First, we polled our community over the summer of 2021, and while more meat entrees came in a ..read more

A good no-cook trail breakfast is like gold – super precious, yet hard to find. Today, I have a simple tried and tested backpacking recipe to share: Trail Banana Bread. I have a bad habit of buying bananas every single time I go grocery shopping, and I usually have more ripe bananas than I need! I make this bread often for home and either dehydrate or freeze my extra. Each serving is approximately 500 to 550 calories, though eat as much as you need to feel fueled since you will cut the slices into small squares! This is an easy, no fuss recipe that is as delicious on the trail as it is at hom ..read more

So many emotions run through me when Bushka's Kitchen is ready to release another set of freeze dried meals! Exciting... Daunting... Grateful... Stressful... Proud! It's amazing how something can make you feel so much at once! The Story Behind The Meals Each of these three dishes brings something unique to the existing Bushka menu.  Last fall, I kept running into the challenge of having a quick, no heat meal for long day hikes or on camping/backpacking trips where I didn't want to boil water. This led to the formulation of our Lentil Lunch, a cold soaked veggie powerhouse ..read more

Hiking, by nature, is an activity that requires planning – sometimes only a little and sometimes months’ worth of research. So, it should come as no surprise to the serious hiker that the key to safe and respectful hiking during the COVID-19 pandemic and the shelter-in-place & social distancing mandate is thorough planning and preparation. (Aka, the boring, but critical, “paperwork” side of hiking/camping/backpacking.) Many local governments have listed “Hiking and Outdoor Recreation” as an Essential Activity during this crisis – a categorization I wholeheartedly support for many reasons ..read more

I only have three requirements when I’m making coffee in the backcountry: 1) the coffee must taste great (duh); 2) the coffee can’t have a gritty feeling; and 3) cleanup must be fast and simple. Now, as a self-proclaimed coffee addict, I’ll admit that criteria #1 completely depends on the quality and freshness of the coffee beans and what your taste for coffee is. I like a black mug of joe from medium to light roasted beans. I’m not a morning person, and I struggle equally at home and on the trails when it comes to getting up early. That’s why coffee is a must for me! Nothing gets me out of be ..read more

As one thru hiking season ends, preparation for the next season is already underway! If you’re applying for the Pacific Crest Trail permit lottery or already have your permit issued, then congratulations! You’ve taken the first step towards the adventure of a lifetime! Now the fun (…ehhh) planning begins! For many, food is the largest source of anxiety when planning a long-distance backpacking trip. I mean, rightly so. Hiking hungry not only sucks majorly, but a diet consistently short in calories, carbs, and proteins will not only leave you feeling grouchy, but a poor diet will also lead to i ..read more

As a fellow backpacker, athlete, or active outdoorsy person, you know how vital the right food is to your success — especially when you’re on the trail or on the go. The problem is finding time to source, cook, and pack food that’s lightweight, tastes great and is actually good for your body (the holy trinity of backpacking food!) That’s why we’ve chosen to freeze-dry our meals instead of dehydrate them. Studies show that the biggest difference between fresh food and its freeze-dried counterpart is water since freeze-drying removes between 90 and 98% of the moisture from food. Industry te ..read more

So you want to go backpacking? Excellent! Let me be the first to welcome you to this lifelong addiction to the great outdoors and hiking off the beaten path.   Looking for the list itself? Skip down to the bottom for the checklist or download here.  Determining What To Pack  Have you felt overwhelmed while walking the aisles at your local sport store? It's amazing how much gear is out there and can be intimidating if you're just getting started. When there's so many options, where do you even begin?! When getting ready for a trip, your goal should be to minim ..read more

This year, we're celebrating thru-hikers! We know a little bit of encouragement can go a long way, and so we've teamed up with Hiker Feed to help make your life a little easier, so you can be warriors not worriers when it comes to your thru hiking food ;) ⁣ Enter for the chance to win one of 12 mail drops, which will contain one of our Bushka meals, uber yummy instant coffee from Alpine Start and other mega goodies (can't spoil it all!)  Each month, Hiker Feed will select three (3) hikers and send them a mail drop. This contest will be active during April, May, June, and July so you ..read more