Mountain House Review

This Mountain House review will take an in-depth look at a company born in the midst of the Vietnam War. Talking about trial by fire gets a pretty literal connotation in this case.

Their parent company “Oregon Freeze Dry” got the contract once the military decided to “cut the waffle” and ask for food that weighed less, lasted longer, and tasted better. By the slow culmination of the war, the meals were distributed to sporting goods stores and military surplus. The ever growing demand for easy-to-prepare food with great taste is what propelled the birth of our titled supplier way back in 1968.

Why Choose Mountain House

Their cuisine is the freeze-dried “candy shop” for preppers, hikers, backpackers, campers, and all people endowed with adventuring spirits. Freeze drying is the process of freezing food, then exposing it to warm temperatures, allowing the ice crystals to evaporate. This all happens in an artificially created environment. The protocol keeps all the essential enzymes and nutrients right where they belong, in your meal.

The next item this Mountain House review will cover is their taste guarantee. Namely, they stand firmly behind the shelf life written on the packaging and guarantee that every product will taste delicious, even after 30 years in your basement or bug out shelter. Speaking of shelf life, it ranges from 30 to 50 years, depending on the product and the packaging format. This is an absolute record-breaking number among companies producing servings primarily intended for long-term stockpiling.

Except for some products containing coconut, their entire portfolio is nut-free. The company has answered this question multiple times, stating they do not process nuts in their facilities. So, nut allergies are not a cause for concern with this brand. The different packaging options will serve every purpose you set your mind to. Whether you need a quick meal on the long trail or an insurance policy in case of a major power outage or natural disaster, Mountain House has your back.

Outdoor activities will be best-fueled by a resplendent choice of their single-serving, pro-pack or regular pouches. The single serving is pretty self-explanatory and the main difference between the regular and the pro-pack is the vacuum seal on the ladder. It is there to accomplish more compact size/less weight and prevent expansion on higher altitudes. There’s also marginally less food in them.

#10 cans, on the other hand, are perfect for long-term storage. They’re enamel-coated on both sides, even in the lid area, which provides an extra layer of protection. For hardcore stashes, assortment kits, and buckets, this might be a preferable solution.

Products

This will be the “Herculean enumeration” part of the Mountain House review, to say the least. There’s a lot of ground to cover, so we better start burning some rubber. All of the meals are prepared incredibly easy via the “just-add-water” approach.

Here’s how the segmentation works in this particular case:

• Breakfasts – A perfect balance of nutrients to kick-start the day the right way. Everyone’s favorites include granola with blueberries and milk, breakfast skillets, and different scrambled eggs recipes.
• Entrees – The most numerous category of the bunch, featuring everything from lasagna, through a plethora of signature chicken dishes, up to Beef Stroganoff.
• Desserts – Dry-frozen ice cream is definitely something you owe yourself a bite of. Dry freezing also means the desserts will never melt if you choose to take them on your next adventure. Besides ice cream, there’s also cheesecake, raspberry crumbles, and apple crisp, among others.
• Sides and meats – Perfect complementary options for your meal of choice feature all sorts of diced meats and blends of roasted vegetables. Just what the doctor ordered for “dressing up” the main course.
• Buckets and kits – This would be the isle emergency and survival stockpiling. The kit packs range from 2 to 14-days’ worth of supplies, all with 30-year taste guarantee. The buckets are labeled as breakfast, essential, and classic assortment

We’ve already talked about the packaging in the previous section, but we definitely need to go over the best options for certain situations. It’s very easy to “miss the forest looking at the trees” with an offer as wide as this, so let’s make it easier and define precise guidelines about getting exactly what you need 100% of the time.

A quick rule of thumb just to get your basic bearings:

• Hiking/backpacking – Depending on how demanding the trail is, you’ll probably hit the bullseye with a couple of single servings.
• Camping – For longer stays in the great outdoors, a couple of pouches and/or cans will do just nicely. Alternatively, you can go for an x-day supply, corresponding to your camping’s time frame.
• Mountaineering – This activity will merit a number of pro-packs. It’s the optimal choice by far since they won’t get affected by the changes in altitude like dry-frozen-but-not-vacuumed meals would.
• Emergency survival – Depending on your geographic region and well-known calamities to happen there, you should opt for a “Just in Case Supply.” We’re talking buckets or emergency kits. Depending on the time span of the expected disaster, adjust your choice accordingly anywhere between 2 and 14-day supply.

When it comes to pricing, the prices are surprisingly affordable. Long-term kits can burn a hole in your pocket with something as absurd as a 2k$ price tag. The most expensive item featured in Mountain House costs well under 300 bucks.

On the other hand, nothing costs exactly 99$, so if you’re going under that price, you’ll have to buy something extra for free shipping.

Delivery

The only two ways to obtain some of the products are through their online store and directly from the shops and dealers. All of the orders will be shipped within two work days, excluding holidays. FedEx Ground is in charge of the shipping process, but there’s no mention of order tracking anywhere. You can also optimize your shipping method if you need the order to ship sooner. There’s even an overnight shipping choice available. Mountain House is unable to send anything outside of the US. In case you were wondering, no, they do not ship to Canada.

The return policy is quite strict and it adheres only to damaged or defective packaged. It makes one wonder what’s that taste guarantee all about, doesn’t it?