Fast food: On Track Meals pre-packaged meals

I spend a lot of my time on the road, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to eat well when travelling, even when in remote locations.

While there’s nothing wrong with cracking open a tin of beans every now and then, that can get monotonous, and I like a bit of variety every few nights, even when I’m down to the bottom of the fridge. I’ve tried many different dehydrated meals over the years and some of them taste like wet cardboard, and many don’t provide enough nutrients after a long day of driving.

I recently discovered a company called On Track Meals (OTM), which has revolutionised prepackaged meals. Brothers Rich and Andrew are the driving force behind OTM and they now supply these prepackaged meals all over the world. Back in 2010, Rich and Andrew led expeditions along the Kokoda Track through their tour company On Track Expeditions. While the expeditions were successful, the meals on offer were a letdown, because the industry standard at the time was freeze-dried food.

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With some careful planning and by teaming up with some industry experts, the brothers soon began cooking real food and packaged it using retort pouch technology, which is where pre-cooked food is placed inside a food-grade sealed package and heated up to 120°C in order to kill any microorganisms. The sealed packaged meals have a three-year shelf life no matter how they are stored, but the best part is the short preparation time for each meal when you’re on the road; simply boil water and drop the pouch in for three minutes and it’s ready to serve and eat.

As well as dinner meals, OTM also does a big brekky, which is so good you can have any time of the day. And you can even buy 24-hour ration packs which include tea, coffee, snacks, a sugar hit, lunch and, of course, dinner. There are also vegan packs, slow-drip coffee bags (from Dog & Gun), summit bars, hydration electrolyte additives, and a huge range of bundle packs. You can also build your own bundles and just keep adding to what your taste buds desire.

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Another great, useful product is the flameless heater bag that can be used for adventures when a fire isn’t a possibility, either due to weather conditions or fire restrictions. These bags are easy to use; just zip open, pop your meal in, fill water to the designated line, close up and the bag heats up, warming your meal in around 10 minutes. Go Packs are another option that are designed for emergency use, such as vehicle breakdowns or for times when you might be trapped somewhere due to flooding.

I have sampled several OTM meals and I am a big fan; the pouches weigh next to nothing, take up very little room in your vehicle, and can be prepared very quickly. The company is Australian-owned and operated, and uses 100-per-cent Australian products where possible.

I can’t decide which meal is my favourite, but some at the top of my list include the Australian slow-cooked beef, the mild chilli con carne, the tender lamb and, for dessert, the coconut rice pudding. In addition to tasting great, all the meals have specific nutritional information printed on them.

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As well as being available to the general public, OTM supplies meal packages to emergency services across Australia, and sister company On Track Expeditions still hosts a wide range of expertly guided tours to destinations like Nepal, Kilimanjaro, Tassie’s Overland Track, Everest Base Camp and, of course, the Kokoda Track.

They might be primarily designed for hikers, but these meal options are well-suited to four-wheel drivers who venture into remote and isolated areas and want to eat something tastier and more nutritious than a can of beans.

You can either order OTM packages online or pick them up in selected camping stores across Australia.

Pricing: From $9.95 (RRP)