Wayfayrer boil-in-the-bag meals

How far have ready meals come?

Product

Wayfayrer boil-in-the-bag meals

Promise

A delicious range of substantial ready-to-eat meals and desserts designed to be eaten hot or cold. Easy to carry and prepare, would these dishes leave our tester hungry for more?

Performance

Shunning the traditional image of camping rations, Wayfayrer ready meals come sleekly packaged and are available in an impressive variety of styles, from traditional, such as Lancashire Hotpot,  to downright international, such as Chicken Tikka Masala. Weighing in at 300g - more than a snack bar plus a tin of beans - they need to bring something more than just attractive foil pouches and variety to the campfire. And they do. The ingredients are wholesome and surprisingly natural. The Chicken Tikka Masala, for example, contains 40 per cent chicken breast without an E number in sight, justifying the price. On the whole, they all benefit from heating - either boiled in the bag for around seven minutes or emptied into a cooking pot - but even cold they are edible and, in the case of the chocolate pudding, I'd go as far to say even more-ish. Just make sure you brush your teeth afterwards; no amount of imagination can dispel the aftertaste of food that has a shelf-life of three years.

Verdict

Ideal for those travelling alone or in small groups, where carrying ingredients for a fry-up/curry buffet may not be possible and where cooking facilities are limited or non-existent. There's a dish for everyone - even veggies.