FAQs
We love it when you get in touch to ask us questions and tell us about the adventures you're planning. But to save you time, we've created this list of frequently asked questions, to help you get the information you need quickly.
If you still have questions, you can of course always get in touch and say hi :)
Do TentMeals cater to my dietary requirements?
Please see our dedicated dietary restrictions page for full information.
What’s the average Best Before date?
Meals, breakfasts and snacks:
Typically, our meals and breakfasts have best before dates of about 6-12 months. Sometimes they will be longer, but never shorter: any meals with less than 6 months are put on sale in our clearance section.
We are aware that our BBE dates are shorter than that of many freeze-dried meals. This is because we have taken great care to make our meals as healthy as possible, meaning the ingredients we select are naturally dry or dried (e.g. nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, fruits, couscous etc) and so cannot last as long as freeze-dried equivalents. Herbs and spices start to lose their flavour after around 12-18 months, nuts can start to sweat, and fruits can start to release their sugars. And so, the shelf life is usually a year or so from production. As we are unwilling to compromise on the quality of our ingredients, we must instead compromise on the shelf life.
If you are heading off on a long trip and need to make sure your food falls within certain BBE dates, please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Ingredients from the “Make your own” section:
The Best Before dates on our ingredients varies. We guarantee a minimum of 3 months, although often the date will be considerably longer. Typical Best Before dates are outlined below:
- Fruits (e.g. raspberries, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, mango, pears): typically around 6 months
- Bulk fruits (i.e. 10kg boxes): typically 12-18 months
- Vegetables (e.g. peppers, mixed veg): typically 9 months or longer
- Rice: typically 9 months or longer
- Coconut milk powder: typically 6 months or longer
Sometimes the dates will be longer, but never shorter: any ingredients with less than 3 months are put on sale in our clearance section.
In case you need to make sure your food falls within certain BBE dates, please feel free to get in touch before ordering.
Is the packaging recyclable?
Yes! All our bags are recyclable wherever soft plastics are accepted. Depending on where you live, this may be in bins at larger supermarkets, kerbside, or at your local recycling centre. Check with your local authorities if you’re unsure.
We’re actively working towards making all our packaging compostable or another more eco-friendly alternative. As soon as we find a solution, we’ll switch!
Do you ship to my country?
Europe: If you live in Europe, we have a lovely selection of European stockists who will be happy to help you.
Rest of world: For the rest of the world, you can find prices and shipping times on our dedicated postage page.
How long will my order take to arrive?
Please see our dedicated postage page for the latest info.
Can TentMeals be prepared with cold water?
Most TentMeals can be prepared with cold water, but it will take a bit longer. The exception is the rice-based meals (Almond Jalfrezi and Thai Green Curry), which are much better prepared with hot water as the rice has a tendency to stay a bit hard otherwise.
For detailed information on preparing our food cold or without a stove, see our blog post about food for the Marathon des Sables.
Can TentMeals be prepared in advance / left overnight?
Yes!
Cold soaking: you can cold soak all our breakfasts overnight so that they’re ready to eat first thing in the morning. For the meals you can soak them in the morning so that they’re ready for lunch or dinner :)
Pre-cooking: you can also add hot water to our meals in advance and eat them later in the day. Careful not to leave them too long though – especially if you’re in warm weather – as bacteria will start to build up. Just like with food you’d make at home, store them somewhere cold and airtight if you plan to eat them later.
Can TentMeals be cooked in the bag?
No!
In order to save weight and look after the environment, our bags are as small and light as humanly possible (just 3g per bag!). This means that they are too small to make the meals in. Additionally, the plastic may leach chemicals if filled with boiling water.
This was a tough decision to make, as cooking meals in the bag is very convenient. But, the huge weight and environmental saving of our minimal packaging won for us in the end.
(PS – there’s no oil in the meals so they’re really easy to wash up after as they don’t leave grease all over your pot / bowl 😊)
How big does my pot need to be?
As a general guide, the 500kcal meals will take up approximately 400-500ml of volume, and the 800kcal meals will take up between 650-750ml, which will allow for the meal, boiling water and space for stirring without it overflowing.😊
Still have questions?
We'd love to help with any other queries you have - just drop us a line via our contact page :)