Mountain House

[Bozz10mm]

I just ordered 4 of these Mountain House essentials. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00955337I?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01

And one of these to try http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UU4EU2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

And 3 different flavors of #10 cans like this. Rice and chicken, chili mac, and breakfast skillet.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M7SY0Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

Am I off to a good start? I've never tried any Mountain House freeze dried foods. Are these decent? Any tips or suggestions.

I've got a few cases of MRE's too. And will supplement both of these with canned foods. Any thoughts on canned food items? Dinty Moore stew, cans of soup, etc.

I'm just thinking short term survival. A couple months or so.

 

[TheDan]

Any thoughts on canned food items? Dinty Moore stew, cans of soup, etc.

Buy stuff that you actually want to eat. That way you keep your stocks rotated. I can my own stews and chili.

 

[Savage20]

Mountain House is a lot better than people give it credit for. I don't mind it for backpacking. It's expensive for stockpiling though. Like TheDan said, just buy stuff you actually want to eat, and then actually eat it. I'd rather eat canned corn, rice and Spam for $3 than some Mountain House for $10.

 

[Southpaw]

Buy stuff that you actually want to eat. That way you keep your stocks rotated. I can my own stews and chili.

I like that idea. What shelf life do you expect to get from them?

 

[TheDan]

I like that idea. What shelf life do you expect to get from them?

They remain safe to eat for a very long time, but texture and taste start to go down hill between a year and two years. It's no big deal with chili, but chunks of stuff in stew can get mushy.

 

[Rebel]

They remain safe to eat for a very long time, but texture and taste start to go down hill between a year and two years. It's no big deal with chili, but chunks of stuff in stew can get mushy.

Yup. You can still eat it, but the texture becomes a bit less appetizing.

 

[Southpaw]

Thanks for the input guys. That's something I would like to try.

Sorry for the thread jack Bozz

 

[Bozz10mm]

Thanks for the input guys. That's something I would like to try.

Sorry for the thread jack Bozz

Not really a thread jack anyway. Just more good info.

 

[Bozz10mm]

Those large cans of Campbell's Chunky soup make a hearty meal.

How would one preserve saltines or Ritz Crackerts or some sort of bread. Vacuum sealer?

 

[shortround]

Mountain House rations are far better than any C-Rations or MREs, or LRRPS I ever ate.

Since they are freeze dried, they don't break down.

The only way to screw them up is to not use boiling water and to let your hunger take over before they are fully re-hydrated.

The latest iteration from Mountain House is single serving packages at $4.82 each at Wal-Mart.

All I have tasted are good to go, and they don't constipate like MRE's.

Be well.

 

[Savage20]

$5 for single serving is pretty good. That puts them back on my radar. That makes them top contenders for true bugout situations. For long-term sustenance I like the canned goods though, as backwards as that sounds.

I agree that the food is pretty good as long as you follow the directions. It can be pretty terrible if you don't lol (as in don't wait long enough, don't use boiling water, use too little/too much water...)

 

[ROGER4314]

When my 6 cases of MRE's expired, I bought a boatload of the freeze dried provisions with 25 year shelf life.

I remember when IKE gave us a direct hit. I was hungry and someone gave me an MRE. I was standing out in the parking lot at work and gobbled that MRE like a hungry wolf. Believe me, the "tastiness" of survival food is MUCH better after going without food for a while!

Flash

 

[TheDan]

How would one preserve saltines or Ritz Crackerts or some sort of bread. Vacuum sealer?

Very dry, salty crackers could keep for a long time vacuum sealed. Bread has too much moisture content I would think. Taking away the air removes most things that can spoil food, but botulism and listeria will still grow in anaerobic environments. No water and lots of salt will fix that, tho...

 

[Bozz10mm]

I think I have found the solution to long term bread storage. MRE tortillas. Should be good with the MH breakfast skillet.

http://beprepared.com/tortillas-2-pack-mre-meals-ready-to-eat-accessory-pack.html

 

[Se7en62]

I think I have found the solution to long term bread storage. MRE tortillas. Should be good with the MH breakfast skillet.

http://beprepared.com/tortillas-2-pack-mre-meals-ready-to-eat-accessory-pack.html

That's a really good idea.

As for Mountain House, I like them the best of all of the 'camp meal' alternatives. I took a couple buds up their first 14er's and we ate Mountain House for 7 days at over 11,000' and never wanted for anything else.

Though, MRE's break down to a lot smaller capacity if you're on the move and space is limited.

 

[vmax]

I made the mistake of buying some Wise food years ago when I started stocking back
most of it taste horrible. I guess I'd rather eat it than die of starvation

I went to Walmart years ago bought a bunch of camping size Mountain House foods and we made them as a family and sat down and decided what we liked. Then I went to Freeze Dry Guy's website and ordered #10 cans of the things we liked. We also found Saratoga Farms food there and like it very well.

Freeze dried food makes up only about 30 percent of my total supply. We also have bulk dry foods sealed in Mylar inside plastic pails and canned food. We are eating canned food now that we bought in 2011 and we continue to lay back fresh cans and rotate the stock

 

[shortround]

Most of the commercially canned tomatoes, peppers, and green beans I stocked up on started to leak after five years. That caught me by surprise. Hence, my switch to freeze-dried foods.

Be well.

 

[Mike1234567]

At this point I'm just stocking canned and dried goods because I'm alone here and don't have much longer to go anyway. Five years supply will probably outlast me.

The above stated, I really only have a month or so saved back.

 

[Bozz10mm]

Although we have some canned food stocked, I am relying more on freeze dried and MRE's due to the longer shelf life. Water is a big thing tho. I've got a month's worth or so stored and a couple of water purifiers. I'm not really near (within walking distance) any natural water sources, so that could be a problem.

 

[TheDan]

Most of the commercially canned tomatoes, peppers, and green beans I stocked up on started to leak after five years.

I wonder why they leaked? I don't think I've ever kept anything that long, tho. I eat the things I have stored so everything stays rotated.


My wife has been buying these tuna and chicken pouches for awhile to keep in her office for quick lunches. They cost about a $1 each, are small, light, easy to carry and store, and have a three year "shelf life" (which would be fine longer I'm sure). Seems like a great way to get some protein. They have several flavors...