Beyond Outdoor Meals Chicken Alfredo Review: 710 kcal and 39 g Protein
- Data from official spec sheets
- Public scoring formula
- No paid placements
The Beyond Outdoor Meals Chicken Alfredo is a freeze-dried pouch meal with 710 kcal and 39 g of protein, ready 10 minutes after adding water, with a 10-year shelf life claim. On paper it is the best-documented trail dinner in our catalog. The catch: the listing gives no believable pouch weight and no water amount.
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The Beyond Outdoor Meals Chicken Alfredo is a freeze-dried pouch meal with 710 kcal and 39 g of protein, ready in 10 minutes. On paper it is the most complete trail dinner in our US catalog, and it claims a 10-year shelf life. We have not eaten it ourselves: everything below comes from the official Amazon listing and our own math.
The Chicken Alfredo does what a trail dinner should: plenty of calories, a lot of protein and a short wait. The listing declares 710 kcal and 39 g of protein in a single freeze-dried pouch, with real chicken chunks. You add water and let it sit for ten minutes. A 10-year shelf life claim means spare pouches can move from your pack to your emergency shelf. The gaps are in the data. The weight on the listing is not believable, so we cannot give its energy per 100 g. The water amount is not on the product page, and the serving data contradicts itself. None of that is a problem once the pouch is in your hands, but it makes planning from the listing harder.
Pros
- 710 kcal and 39 g of protein in one pouch
- Ready 10 minutes after adding water
- 10-year shelf life claim; names camping and emergency use
Cons
- The listed pouch weight is not plausible, so kcal per 100 g is unknown
- No water amount on the listing, and conflicting serving data
- Best for
- Backpacking dinners, hunting trips and high-protein emergency meals
- Skip it if
- Vegetarians, and 25-year storage plans
Specifications
| Format | Pouch |
|---|---|
| Units | 1 |
| kcal per pouch | 710 |
| Protein (g) | 39 |
| Prep (min) | 10 |
| Shelf life (years) | 10 |
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Freeze-dried | Yes |
| Format | Pouch |
|---|---|
| Units | 1 |
| kcal per pouch | 710 |
| Protein (g) | 39 |
| Prep (min) | 10 |
| Shelf life (years) | 10 |
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Freeze-dried | Yes |
How many calories and how much protein does it have?
710 kcal and 39 g of protein per pouch, according to the listing. Both figures are among the most useful on any freeze-dried meal listing we cover.
Against the 2,000 kcal general daily reference, one pouch covers 710 ÷ 2,000 = about 35%. The protein works out to 39 ÷ 710 × 100 = about 5.5 g per 100 kcal. For comparison, the Backpacker’s Pantry Creme Brulee lists 12 g of protein in 620 kcal, about 1.9 g per 100 kcal. See how they rank together in the best freeze-dried food.
For a full day, two pouches give 2 × 710 = 1,420 kcal, about 71% of the reference, and 78 g of protein. Add breakfast and snacks and you reach a typical daily target. On hard hiking days you will need more than the reference, so use the Alfredo as the anchor of the day rather than the whole plan.
How do you prepare it?
Add water to the pouch and let it sit for ten minutes. That is the listing’s instruction, and the 10-minute figure is the prep time we use. The product page does not say whether cold water works, so plan on hot water.
The product page does not publish how much water to add. It will be printed on the pouch; note it before a trip, because it counts toward the water you carry or filter. Freeze-dried food rehydrates with water rather than cooking, so a small stove or a hot water flask is enough.
How long does it last?
Up to ten years on the shelf, per the listing. That is a manufacturer claim for an unopened pouch kept cool, dry and dark.
Ten years is shorter than the 25-year claims on storage buckets such as the ReadyWise 30 Day + Meat bundle. It is still plenty for a trail pantry or an emergency shelf you rotate every few years. Once the pouch is opened, the food starts to take up moisture from the air. Our guide to how long freeze-dried food lasts explains why.
How does it fit in a backpack?
Well, but you cannot plan its weight from the listing. The product page gives a weight that is far too low for a 710 kcal meal, so we leave it out.
For ultralight planning, weigh one pouch on a kitchen scale and divide: kcal ÷ grams × 100 gives kcal per 100 g. That number lets you compare it with denser options. Our freeze-dried backpacking meals page includes a worked 3-day meal plan.
Which jobs suit the Chicken Alfredo best?
Big dinners on the trail and protein-rich emergency meals; long-term bulk storage is its weakest area.
| Job | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacking dinner | Good | 710 kcal, 39 g of protein, 10-minute prep |
| Car camping | Good | Names camping use; a kettle is all you need |
| Emergency shelf | Good | 10-year claim, names emergency use |
| 25-year storage | Fair | Shorter claim than storage buckets |
| Vegetarian diets | Not suitable | Made with chicken |
What does the listing leave out?
Pouch weight, water amount, clear serving data and allergens.
- Weight: the stated figure is not plausible.
- Water: not published on the product page.
- Servings: one field says single serving, another multi-serving.
- Allergens and gluten: not stated in our data. Check the pouch if that matters to you.
What are the best alternatives?
The Peak Refuel variety pack for different dinners on long trips, and CarniVault beef for a 25-year protein you cook with.
If eating the same Alfredo every night does not appeal, Peak Refuel gives you 20 pouches across several entrées. The listing is much thinner on numbers, though: no calories or weight per pouch, and protein only as an “up to” figure.
Pros
- 20 freeze-dried pouches of different entrées
- Made with 100% real meat, per the listing
- Names camping and emergency use
Cons
- No calories, weight or prep time per pouch
- No shelf life published
- Best for
- Week-long trips
- Skip it if
- Planning by calories
Specifications
| Format | Multipack |
|---|---|
| Units | 20 |
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Freeze-dried | Yes |
Manufacturer photo of the two individual 6 oz top sirloin bags. The linked offer is a two-pack with an outer box; the box is not shown in this photo.
CarniVault claims 25 years, more than double the Alfredo’s 10, and rehydrates in cold water. It is plain beef, so you build the meal around it. Compare storage options in food with a 25-year shelf life.
Pros
- Freeze-dried beef cubes, 24 servings
- Rehydrates in cold water in up to 15 minutes
- 25-year shelf life claim
Cons
- An ingredient, not a meal
- No calories or protein per serving
- Best for
- Adding meat to stored grains or trail ramen
- Skip it if
- A ready-made dinner
Specifications
| Format | Multipack |
|---|---|
| Units | 2 |
| Servings | 24 |
| Prep (min) | 15 |
| Shelf life (years) | 25 |
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Freeze-dried | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Beyond Outdoor Meals Chicken Alfredo?
The listing declares 710 calories per pouch. That is about 35% of the 2,000 kcal general daily reference for an adult.
How much protein does Beyond Chicken Alfredo have?
39 g per pouch, according to the listing, the highest protein figure among the freeze-dried meals in our US catalog.
How long does Beyond Chicken Alfredo take to prepare?
The listing says to add water and let it sit for ten minutes. It does not publish the amount of water on the product page, so check the pouch.
How long does Beyond Outdoor Meals food last?
The listing says you can store this meal for up to ten years. That is a manufacturer claim for an unopened pouch kept cool, dry and dark.
Is Beyond Chicken Alfredo one serving?
The listing is contradictory: one field says single serving, another says multi-serving. With 710 kcal in the pouch, most hikers will treat it as one large dinner.
Based on official spec sheets, manuals and published owner feedback. We have not physically tested every model. How we review.