Radix Breakfasts contain 100% natural ingredients, are scientifically manufactured to be nutritionally balanced, and are very affordable for what they offer. But the real question is, can something this good for you taste good? I tested one meal from each of their four breakfast categories to find out.
Who Is Radix Nutrition?
Radix Nutrition is a New Zealand-based company specializing in whole-food meals designed for high-performance activities like hiking. Their reason for being is 'unlocking potential through health' and they are firm believers that 'natural nutrition is the future'. No arguments here.
Radix produces a mixed variety of ready-to-eat breakfasts, meals, and protein powders to help every kind of hiker prepare for their next adventure. Instead of carrying heavy veggies, chicken, or a bulky pan, their meals allow you to get all the nutrients of fresh vegetables with no need to cook or carry anything inconvenient.
With options ranging from hearty breakfasts to dinners stuffed full of vegetables, Radix focuses on delivering balanced nutrition, including complete proteins and complex carbohydrates, for sustained energy throughout the day.
What To Look For In the Ideal Hiking Breakfast?
When it comes to cooking breakfast on the hiking trail, there are many different approaches and I've seen it all. From chopping boards with fresh vegetables, bacon and eggs, right through to chicken cup-a-soup, overnight oats, and a lone tea or coffee. If you want to take a recipe and enjoy cooking first thing, that's just as valid as freeze-dried food or a baggie of nuts and dehydrated vegetables to eat as you walk.
Some people perform better with smaller serving sizes, others make it their biggest meal of the day. We're all different so leaving judgment at the door when observing other hikers out there is step number one!
Despite the different approaches – and no matter what time of day you eat it – these are some good ballpark nutrient ranges to keep in mind. You don't need to hit all of them, but considering what's important to you for your performance and taste preferences is a good starting point.
Protein
Aim for around 15-25g of protein to aid muscle repair and keep hunger at bay. Powdered milk can be a great addition (depending on the meal!) if you want to increase the amount in your chosen food.
Carbohydrate
40-60g of carbohydrate per serve is a good amount to aim for as this will replenish glycogen stores and provide lasting energy. Opt for complex carbs like oats or whole grains for a steady release of the fuel you need to stay strong all day.
Fat
Including 10-20g of healthy fats per serving of food, like those found in nuts or almond butter, will keep you fuller for longer and help balance blood sugar levels.
Fibre
Getting 5-10g of fibre per serving from whole food like oats, fruits, or veggies helps digestion and will keep your energy levels stable.
Sugar
Stick to natural sugars from fruit or minimal added sugars. Generally speaking, aiming for less than 5 grams of sugar per 100g of food reduces the risk of an energy crash or blood sugar spikes. Sugar has a place in your hiking food but it's so ubiquitous that unless you're on an extremely demanding trail, I generally aim to keep it low.
Sodium
If you’re on a long hike or in a hot climate, including 200-400mg of sodium per meal to maintain hydration and electrolyte balance is a good idea. Make sure you factor in the sodium from snacks and other meals to ensure you don't overdo it.
Radix Nutrition Breakfast Range – Reviewed & Taste-Tested
Forget hydrating rolled oats overnight, cooking complicated recipes, or bringing a larger pan to cook a big brekky for the group. With the freeze-dried Radix Breakfast Range, all you need to do to prepare your single-serve meal is add cold water, stir, and dig in! (If you want to boil water for a comforting hot brekkie, this is ok too!)
You can prepare Radix Breakfasts in a pot or dish like I did for demonstration purposes, but the clever packaging is designed to be used as a bowl so you have less washing up to do. The hardest part about preparing these chunky soup breakfasts is making sure you've got exactly the right amount of water (100-110ml) to add to them. If your drink bottle doesn't have measurements on it, short of taking measuring cups, I'd mark the level on the side before you leave home.
While these are labelled as a breakfast range, there are no rules and they're equally as delicious for lunch or as a quality dinner option after your hard work is done. There are a few in here that are sweet enough to trick your brain into thinking it's dessert so fans of second dinner will be well served by this brand!
Radix Original Breakfast v9.0 Range
Meal Reviewed: Original Breakfast v9.0 Mixed Berry RRP: $49.90 for x 8 single-serve packets Packed Weight: 91g Basic flavour score: 3.5/5 Water required for rehydration: 100ml Protein/Fats/Carbs/Energy (per serve): 21.4g/18.2g/31.8g/401cal Protein/Fats/Carbs/Energy (per 100g): 11.2g/9.5g/16.6g/210cal Sugars/Fibre/Sodium (per serve): 12.4g/12.5g/64mg Sugars/Fibre/Sodium (per 100g): 6.5g/6.5g/33mg Dietary concerns addressed: Gluten-free, Vegetarian
Nutritional Analysis
These breakfasts have been designed for everyday use, with 22% protein, 40% fat, 32% carbohydrate, and 6% fibre. They're just as good for a work morning as a trail morning - Kelloggs Cornflakes have nothing on this meal, except maybe the price. At $8.90 per serve these breakfasts are more expensive than common supermarket options. But if you look at the nutritional differences they provide - there's no competition here. Radix is the superior choice by a mile.
The Mixed Berry is packing more than 30 vitamins and minerals per serve, including omega-3 and prebiotic fibre, which support your overall health and digestion. It also has slow-release carbohydrates, that will ensure you have long-lasting energy throughout your day.
Flavour
From the moment you crack open the seal on the packet you're hit with a strong aroma of fruit but I couldn't tell which exactly. It wasn't unpleasant or unnatural, just a mesh of many fruits all rolled into one. This trend continued upon tasting it. 'Mixed' is the right description because it's hard to distinguish one berry's flavour over another.
Despite the flavour confusion, it's creamy, tastes fresh and light, and isn't overly sweet – so it goes down very easily.
This was the thickest of the cereals reviewed – like a chunky soup – and the texture felt quite gritty by the end of each mouthful. Seeds will get stuck in your teeth, but a quick swish with water fixes that.
What Does Everyone Else Think?
My opinion isn't the holy grail (we all have different tastebuds!) and plenty of people rate the Radix Mixed Berry Brekkie flavour highly. Kristin from Let's Trek It reviewed it in Norway and gave it an 'A+ for texture and taste'. Not too shabby for a meal that can double as a dessert and a breakfast with zero cooking involved!
Want to Try?
Additional flavours available include apple cinnamon, blueberry, bananas, chocolate, coconut, mango, strawberry and vanilla. If you can't decide, I highly recommend grabbing one of the variety packs to figure out which one you think is the most tasty!
Chuck in 'HIKE10' at checkout for a 10% discount – you're welcome!
Radix Ultra Breakfast Range
Meal Reviewed: Ultra Breakfast v9.0 Apple Cinnamon RRP: $73.50 for x 6 single-serve packets Packed Weight: 161g Basic flavour score: 5/5 Water required for rehydration: 110ml Protein/Fats/Carbs/Energy (per serve): 30.3g/47.8g/54.7g/800cal Protein/Fats/Carbs/Energy (per 100g): 11.2g/17.7g/20.2g/296cal Sugars/Fibre/Sodium (per serve): 15.2g/16.9g/67mg Sugars/Fibre/Sodium (per 100g): 5.6g/6.2g/25mg Dietary concerns addressed: Gluten-free
Nutritional Analysis
These are Radix's best breakfast products for high-energy activities, with 16% protein, 52% fat, 28% carbohydrates, and 4% fibre. Got a tough day on the trail? This is the brekky to choose.
Notably, this meal includes the MCTs 'Capricylic Acid' (C8:0) and 'Capric Acid' (C10:0) with 8120mg of C8:0 and 6090mg of C10:0 included in each serve. MCTs (Medium-Chain Triglycerides) are rapidly absorbed and provide fast sustained energy.
Caprylic Acid is converted into ketones and provides fuel for the brain to help with mental alertness and clarity. These are often included in keto meals as MCTs are a fat source. But given fat provides 9 calories per gram, it's a very efficient choice for this higher-calorie brekkie.
Flavour
Unlike the mixed berry brekky, the Apple Cinnamon breakfast knows exactly who it is and it smells delicious and enticing from the first second. Memories of apple pie will hit you in the best way possible. Fresh apple pieces provide perfect little pops of crunch amongst the creamy cinnamon, and the flavour is perfectly balanced.
Texture-wise, it's runny and thick, similar to the consistency of a thick shake, but the variety of fresh ingredients breaks it up so there's plenty of variety. It's the definition of moreish.
This breakfast is double the calories of the Original range, but in terms of volume you pour into your dish of choice, it's only slightly more than the 400 calorie meals – this is because the ingredients are calorie-dense rather than just being an increased amount of food. Zero complaints, loved it.
What Does Everyone Else Think?
Tom from We Are Explorers gave the Radix Apple Cinnamon Breakfast a 3.5/5 for flavour, loved the texture, and reckons the serving size is more than generous.
Want to Try?
Additional flavours available include banana, blueberry, chocolate, coconut, mango, mixed berry, strawberry and vanilla. If you can't decide, I highly recommend grabbing one of the Ultra Breakfast variety packs to help you decide which one you think tastes the best!
Chuck in 'HIKE10' at checkout for a 10% discount – you're welcome!
Radix Keto Breakfast Range
Meal Reviewed: Keto Breakfast v9.0 Banana RRP: $49.90 for x 8 single-serve packets
Packed Weight: 77gBasic flavour score: 3.5/5
Protein/Fats/Carbs/Energy (per serve): 28.3g/27.2g/6.2g/399cal
Protein/Fats/Carbs/Energy (per 100g): 16g/15.4g/3.5g/226cal
Sugars/Fibre/Sodium (per serve): 2.9g/9.7g/108mg
Sugars/Fibre/Sodium (per 100g): 1.7g/5.5g/61mg
Dietary concerns addressed: Gluten-free, soy-free, GMO-free
Nutritional Analysis
Maintaining a keto diet on the trail is a lot trickier than being a vegetarian out there, but with this brekky you've got one meal covered. It's possibly the most nutritionally balanced keto breakfast out there, with 29% protein, 60% fat, 6% carbohydrates, and 5% fibre. The organic coconut MCT oil is great for cognitive performance.
The inclusion of superfoods like acerola cherries, kale, broccoli sprout, baobab, and seaweed adds a significant amount of micronutrients, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. These contribute to immune support, anti-inflammatory properties, and overall health.
I'm really pleased to see 5% fibre from a mix of sources too – fibre is often quite low in keto meals so this is great to see, especially as fats are a bit more taxing for the body to digest.
While you're getting plenty of calories from the 60% fat, it doesn't feel as if you're eating a lot of food so people unused to eating high fat meals might finish it with the impression that it wasn't much food/feel as though they want to eat more.
Flavour
The banana cereal is another one that wallops your senses with an intense aroma before you even take a bite. It smells like banana but more like those chalky banana lollies that were everywhere in the 90s.
It's the sweetest of the cereals on this list and interestingly the flavour changes from the beginning to the end of each bite. Ultimately it was more down the sickly-sweet end of the scale for me and I wasn't overly excited about eating it.
The consistency was very liquidy, like a weak soup, and I'd definitely reduce the water added should I have this again. But, if you like your cereal runny, you'll love it. Texture-wise it reminded me of cocoa pops (that'll be the rice crisps) and there was plenty of crunch from the coconut flakes, flax seeds, quinoa sprouts, and pepitas as well.
What Does Everyone Else Think?
You know I like to give you more opinions than my own but since I couldn't find any online I shared my bowl with my partner. He said it reminded him of Up & Go and rated it a 5/5 for tasting exactly like what he expected. He also liked how watery it was and felt it went down easily.
Want to Try?
Additional flavours available include chocolate, coconut, mixed berry, strawberry and vanilla. If you can't decide, I highly recommend grabbing one of the Keto Breakfast variety packs to figure out which one you think is the ideal balance of tasty and nutritious!
Chuck in 'HIKE10' at checkout for a 10% discount – you're welcome!
Radix FODMAP Breakfast Range
Meal Reviewed: FODMAP Breakfast Strawberry
RRP: $49.90 for x 8 single-serve packets
Packed Weight: 90g
Basic flavour score: 4/5
Water required for rehydration: 100ml
Protein/Fats/Carbs/Energy (per serve): 16.8g/16.6g/41.6g/399cal
Protein/Fats/Carbs/Energy (per 100g): 8.8g/8.7g/41.6g/210cal
Sugars/Fibre/Sodium (per serve): 9.9g/7.8g/82mg
Sugars/Fibre/Sodium (per 100g): 5.2g/4.1g/43mg
Dietary concerns addressed: Gluten-free, soy-free, GMO-free
This range meets low-FODMAP diet guidelines, with 17% protein, 36% fat, 43% carbohydrates, and 4% fibre. If you experience digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or find that some pre-made meals trigger bloating, gas, or discomfort on the trail, trying the low-FODMAP range will make your time out there more comfy.
With 17g of protein from plant sources, this one is also suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The use of monk fruit sweetener typically results in a mild sweetness so this might not be the preferred choice for people used to super sweet meals.
This meal includes 1.8 servings of fruit & veg of the recommended 5 serves per day. It's not overly surprising given there are 39 different plant-based ingredients. It gives you a great hit of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals to start your day off with a bang!
Flavour
The clear aroma of strawberries was immediately obvious and inviting, and a welcome contrast to the confusion of the mixed berry flavour. The flavour was balanced, and while the strawberries were sweet, it didn't have the sickly sweet taste of the banana. The strawberry chunks were fresh and not chewy and I'd happily eat this every day.
The texture was moist without being overly wet and it certainly wasn't runny. It was a drier version of the mixed berry and it absorbed the most water of the meals tested. It was both mushy and crunchy, but in all the right places.
The rice puffs were excellent, providing textural variety, and while it was slightly grainy occasionally nothing got stuck in my teeth.
What Does Everyone Else Think?
I couldn't find a lengthy or detailed review of the Radix FODMAP Strawberry Breakfast, but Katrina, who deals with digestive issues, left a review on the Radix Nutrition website and described this meal as 'non-triggering'.
Given I haven't regularly experienced digestive distress that'd warrant me seeking out low FODMAP options, it's great to confirm that this breakfast delivers on what it promises.
Want to Try?
Additional flavours available include banana, chocolate, mixed berry and strawberry. If you can't decide, I highly recommend grabbing one of the FODMAP Breakfast variety packs to figure out which one is the most delicious!
Chuck in 'HIKE10' at checkout for a 10% discount.
What's the Difference Between Radix Breakfast Version 8.0 and Version 9.0?
Nutritional Design: Version 9.0 introduces more sophisticated nutritional formulations with 107 design parameters (Radix Nutrition takes the product manufacturing process very seriously and I LOVE IT), up from 71 parameters in Version 8.0. This means a higher level of nutrient precision, meaning there's more bang for buck in every bite.
Improved Flavours: Version 9.0 meals are available in more flavours, with nine breakfast options including Apple & Cinnamon, Banana, and Mango.
Smaller Packaging: Version 9.0 packaging is 36% smaller and more eco-friendly than version 8.0.
Focus on Everyday Nutrition: While Version 8.0 was more adventure-focused, Version 9.0 is designed for daily use as well, making it perfect to keep as emergency meals for home too.
Commonly Asked Questions
Does Radix Nutrition make good hiking food?
Absolutely! Radix makes delicious, nutritious, lightweight, and convenient freeze-dried meals that are just about perfect for hiking.
Their no-cook breakfast range is packed full of high-quality ingredients, is light to carry and doesn't need much water to prepare, making it a no-brainer for a healthy start to your day. From keto options to meals packed with ultra amounts of energy, Radix meals fuel your adventures – no recipe required.
Do plant-based meals give you enough energy for hiking?
Yep, plant-based meals can definitely provide all the get-up-and-go you need for hiking – eating meat isn't required in order to feel good on the trail. Radix meals are high in protein and rich in a variety of vegetables and healthy ingredients, ensuring you get the right balance of nutrients.
Hikers can choose from higher and lower-calorie plant-based meals and breakfasts from Radix, which is an awesome level of customisation for your time on the trail.
Is powdered milk a good idea for hiking food and breakfasts?
That's up to you! I have no problem with adding milk powder to cereal while hiking, but you don't need to do so for the Radix Breakfast range. I thought adding water would be too, well, watery, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it tasted like it already had milk added.
Is almond butter a good example of healthy fats?
Yep, almond butter is packed with healthy fats, making it a great addition to a range of food that you can take hiking.
How is Radix pronounced?
The question of how the brand 'Radix' is actually pronounced comes up in every discussion I have about this brand. And people care. The 'Rad-ICKS' camp is particularly feisty, but after seeking confirmation from the friendly crew behind the name, I can confirm it's actually 'RAID-ix'. Can we put the debate to rest now?
Do I use cold water or hot water for Radix Breakfasts?
You can use either hot or cold water for your Radix Nutrition breakfast. Remember, if you add hot water the pouch will be super toasty so be careful when you pick it up.
Will I need to snack in between meals if I take Radix on a hike?
Radix meals are great for day and overnight hikes but I'd definitely still take snacks like cheese (avoid soft cheese though as their higher moisture content causes them to spoil), scroggin, jerky, and electrolytes to replenish your salt intake. Meals are only one component of the mix of food you should have on the trail.
Disclaimer
I reached out to the team at Radix Nutrition to ask for samples of these meals & they kindly sent me a bunch to test. I protect my ability to provide you with my honest opinion because I value my integrity far more than a free breakfast. I'll never accept payment for reviews, or free products on the contingency that I say what a brand wants.
I've also included affiliate links and discount codes in this article, which means that if you click through and buy something from Radix Nutrition after using my discount code 'HIKE10', you'll receive 10% off and I'll get a little kickback too. This helps me justify the countless hours I spend preparing useful content for you guys and every little bit helps!
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