Delicious Dozen: Best Mountain House Meals for 2020
Other than being defeated by Coalition forces at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon Bonaparte is also famous for coining the phrase, “an army marches on its stomach.” And though seeking thrills and adventure during a weekend getaway isn’t quite the same as a forced march of several dozen miles in a single day, having good food to keep you energized both physically and mentally is no small matter.
The folks at Mountain House know the score when it comes to food that is both delicious and wholesome. As an original forerunner of freeze dried foods for the military, Mountain House easily lays claim to being one of the largest and most well-known freeze dried food brands in the world.
With this in mind, we at WanderMighty felt it was long overdue to determine what the best Mountain House meals are. To that end, we have curated some of our own favorite Mountain House entrees, as well as a few fan favorites that keep plenty of folks coming back for more.
Here’s what we learned: While there are no bad meals in this lineup per se, each Mountain House meal does have its particular quirks that lend themselves well to satisfying even the most discerning and demanding taste buds. There’s absolutely no denying the fact that folks looking for a hearty, wholesome Mountain House freeze dried meal has a wide range of options to choose from.
We reviewed two vegetarian meals (Pasta Primavera and Creamy Macaroni and Cheese), five gluten-free meals (Chicken and Dumplings, Beef Stew, Chicken Fajita Bowl, Italian Style Pepper Steak and Chicken Teriyaki), along with a smorgasbord of American and European inspired dishes. Here’s how things shook out:
| Mountain House Winner | Mountain House Runner Up | Mountain House Best Vegetarian | Mountain House Best Gluten Free |
|---|---|---|---|
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 |
 |
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| CHILI MAC WITH BEEF | BEEF STROGANOFF | PASTA PRIMAVERA | ITALIAN STYLE PEPPER STEAK |
| Topping our lineup with the highest marks, this Mountain House meal crushed the competition with its stellar Taste and Presentation scores. | This Mountain House classic earned high praise for its Taste and Presentation, landing it in good company with a solid and well deserved second place finish. | Pulling a perfect “10” in Taste, this meal enjoys high Texture and Presentation scores, outclassing our other vegetarian meal option, Macaroni and Cheese. | High Taste and Texture scores made this gluten-free meal a winner, barely edging out its direct gluten-free competitor, Chicken Fajita Bowl. |
| BUY ON AMAZON | BUY ON AMAZON | BUY ON AMAZON | BUY ON AMAZON |
Best Mountain House Meals: Our Comparisons
Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
Try adding your favorite hot sauce or a couple dashes of garlic and onion powder to elevate this meal from extraordinary to a pure mouth-plosion experience. It is worth noting that this delicious meal is ranked highest in our lineup for sodium content per serving.
Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef
Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef
Chili Mac is about as American as, well, warm apple pie. Combine this American staple with seasoned Beef, and you have a match made in heaven for your taste buds. Digging into the Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef meal will net you a full belly and a feeling of satisfaction.
As with the Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles meal, it’s best to allow a bit more cooking time if you’re looking for that perfect al dente firmness in the Mac noodles. Overall, this meal is absolutely stellar as an at-the-end-of-the-trail hiking option.
Mountain House Italian Style Pepper Steak
Mountain House Italian Style Pepper Steak
Terrific on its own or with a few choice spices added in for those looking for spicier feedback, this meal lends itself well to those wanting a wholesome meal option that is as easy on the stomach as it is to prepare.
For those without food allergens, dress this meal up with soft tortilla wraps and Monterey Jack cheese for a truly singular back country burrito experience.
Mountain House Pasta Primavera
Mountain House Pasta Primavera
A vegan-friendly meal option, it definitely does not sacrifice in the taste department, as you can enjoy it entirely on its own as is. For the more adventurous types, a quality Cajun seasoning or Creole powder blend can be added, giving your mouth and taste buds something to really smile about.
Mountain House Rice and Chicken
Mountain House Rice and Chicken
Easily adaptable to a wide range of “fixings” to satisfy just about any palate, this meal plays very well with a vast array of add-on seasonings or inclusions such as dehydrated vegetables. After a long day on the trail, tucking into this classic will leave you both feeling full and reminiscent of the good old days.
Mountain House Chicken Fajita Bowl
Mountain House Chicken Fajita Bowl
This gluten-free entree has zero artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and it packs a whopping 18g of protein and 280 calories per serving, the highest protein content in this lineup.
This entree is an undeniable fan favorite, especially when converting this meal into a portable handheld with soft tortilla wraps and a sharp cheddar cheese blend.
Mountain House Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
Mountain House Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
The cheese sauce offers a tangy, satisfying experience, with the noodles acting as the perfect vehicle to deliver that cheesy goodness to eagerly awaiting taste buds. As with most freeze dried pastas, additional cooking time may be needed to bring out the best texture in the noodles. Past that, this meal is both delectable and timeless!
Mountain House Lasagna with Meat Sauce
Mountain House Lasagna with Meat Sauce
For those not convinced that this dish has the chops to deliver the goods, rest assured that this meal combines the perfect amount of meat sauce to pasta for a seminal dining experience. It’s one of Mountain House’s bestsellers, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a comparable freeze dried Italian meal that does it better.
Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki
Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki
Our third gluten-free meal entry, the Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki entree, features diced chicken, green peas, carrots and long grain rice showcased in a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce. This meals absolutely brings it in the taste department, making you think you just had P.F. Chang’s delivered in the back country.
While a solid pick for a good, home style cooked meal, we wish it offered more chicken; as it is, we finished the pouch (two servings worth) and were still left a bit wanting. However, the absolute stellar taste of this entree cannot be understated. It’s a delicious meal, flavorful, hearty and very quick to prepare while on the trail.
Mountain House Classic Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Mountain House Classic Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Italian cuisine is far and away one of the most popular types of dishes in the world, and Mountain House makes no exception when it comes to their Classic Spaghetti with Meat Sauce meal.
An immensely popular choice among backpackers and preppers alike, this meal contains a sweet tasting meat sauce accompanied with chunks of tomato and plenty of noodles. While chunks of tomato and noodles abound, we’d like to have seen chunks of beef thrown in for good measure.
Delicious on its own merit, for folks looking to give their spaghetti a bit more depth, adding a bit of parmesan cheese and herb seasoning can do wonders with this Italian staple, helping to tone down the sweetness of the sauce a bit and creating a more savory experience for your taste buds.
The meal is a bit on the watery side, but the spaghetti noodles prepare quickly and can be eaten al dente with about 9.5 minutes of cooking time with boiled water (your results may vary).
It’s important to note that the amount of sodium in this particular meal is one of the lowest in the group, making it a great choice for those monitoring their salt intake.
Mountain House Beef Stew
Mountain House Beef Stew
Remember Mom’s beef stew when she had a little bit of this and a little bit of that? The Mountain House Beef Stew takes this classic for a spin and does a pretty good job at it — in addition to chunks of beef (that actually taste like beef), you also get served plenty of carrots, potatoes and peas to round out this entree.
Unfortunately, the actual calorie count is fairly low. Just 200 calories per serving, it’s near the bottom when compared to other entrees which boast a caloric intake of 300 calories or more per serving, consequently leaving us wanting more.
Nevertheless, while a freeze dried beef stew may not elicit much excitement, this meal can easily be transformed into something altogether different. Add some potato flakes and cheddar cheese during preparation, and you’ve got yourself a homemade shepherds pie.
Aside from the already hearty taste of the beef broth, a quality hot sauce can ratchet this entree’s fun factor up a few notches. A bit on the soupy side, this meal can be thickened or thinned by adjusting the amount of water added to the pouch.
Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings
Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings
Comfort foodies rejoice! Introducing an American classic, the Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings meal! This entree is packed with chicken, veggies (peas and carrots) and dumplings, making it a meal that feels like it will truly “stick to your bones”.
The broth in this meal is flavorful and tasty, albeit a bit more salty than we expected. And while not your typical Southern-style chicken and dumplings dish, it’s reminiscent of a chicken pot pie more than anything else, but pretty much tastes the same.
Preparing this meal is a bit tricky, however. We found that the dumplings respond well to more water and cooking time, making them more chewy. As it is, using the recommended amount of water, we found the dumplings to have more of a soft crouton texture.
How We Determined the Best Mountain House Meals
Disclaimer – Seeing is Believing?
Let’s be honest; these are freeze dried meals contained in pouches, meals which are intended to be reconstituted with boiling water for an enjoyable, on the go dining experience. If you are expecting piping hot, freshly prepared dishes like Grandma used to make, you are going to be disappointed.
After all, there’s only so much you can do with freeze dried foods that boast a shelf life of 20 years or more. Keeping that in mind, it’s worth noting that while some dishes translate well to looking like the real thing (such as the Chili Mac with Beef meal), other dishes need a bit more creative license (such as the Lasagna with Meat Sauce option) to be taken seriously.
Regardless of the way that the meals look, you can rest assured that each and every meal option presented here have been vetted for both taste and appearance. Mountain House is a firm believer that our eyes “eat” just as much as our mouths do; therefore, each menu item they produce is down to an exact science, providing both sustenance as well as an appetizing appearance.
Keeping Score
Since this article is all about comparing and contrasting the best Mountain House meals, we need to set a few ground rules due to the sheer size and scale of Mountain House’s menu inventory. In no particular order the meals must:
- Be entree pouches
- Cost less than $12 per meal
- Be ready to eat in less than 10 minutes
- Have a pouch net weight of fewer than 8 ounces (1/2 lb)
- Have a Lick It Clean score of 7 or higher (out of a possible 10)
And each meal will be judged by the following criteria, with a possible 10 points awarded for each area, where a perfect score would represent 30 points:
- Taste – We let our taste buds do the talking. This is an exercise in which every nuance of flavor is critically judged by what the meal pouch says it contains. This is not whether we like the food in the pouch as much as being able to taste each ingredient that makes up the meal.
- Texture – Pure mouthfeel. Wait, mouth-what? Basically, it’s our way of determining if the ingredients in the meal feel the way they should. We’ve all likely had poor experiences with mushy broccoli, rubbery macaroni, and dried out steaks, none of which are likely contenders for a Michelin star.
- Presentation – If it looks good, it must be good, right? While there is an abundance of evidence which suggests that we eat with our eyes first, in general terms, we are referring to if the meal looks like it should. We’re interested in the finished product, in what we call an “appetizing appearance.”
A final score will be determined for each meal by simply averaging all three numbers together. This average, on a scale of 1 (terrible) to 10 (sublime), is the Lick It Clean score.
What The Heck is a Lick It Clean Score Anyway?
We’ve all been there: Ice cream sandwiches, cheeseburgers, your favorite Philly cheese steak, handheld food items that are so darn good we are compelled to lick their wrappers clean to enjoy that final, delectable morsel. And so, it is with freeze dried food pouches.
A Lick It Clean (LIC) score is simply a fun way to definitively separate entrees that deserve our tongue love from those entrees that are better left alone. It’s a score that takes into account several important factors, including taste, texture, and presentation. A higher score is, of course, a better indication of us wanting to lick the pouch clean.
To be sure, everyone has different interpretations of what makes a great freeze dried food, but through exhaustive testing and research, we are very confident in our rating system, and we think you will be too.
Comparison Table – The Delicious Dozen
To be as informative as possible, below is a handy table detailing the macro-nutrients for each Mountain House meal. Please note that the asterisks (*) beside each macro-nutrient represents the amount per serving.
Each meal contains multiple servings per pouch, so be sure to account for this accordingly when determining if the macros fit your nutritional needs while hiking the trails or romping through the back country.
| Meal | Servings per Pouch | Calories* | Protein* | Carbs* | Fat* | Sodium* | LIC Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef Stroganoff with Noodles | 2 | 260 | 11g | 29g | 11g | 800mg | 8.7 |
| Chili Mac with Beef | 2 | 230 | 12g | 31g | 6g | 780mg | 9.0 |
| Italian Style Pepper Steak | 2 | 180 | 13g | 29g | 2.5g | 590mg | 8.7 |
| Pasta Primavera | 2 | 210 | 7g | 33g | 6g | 580mg | 8.7 |
| Rice and Chicken | 2 | 270 | 6g | 41g | 10g | 750mg | 8.3 |
| Chicken Fajita Bowl | 2 | 280 | 18g | 30g | 10g | 690mg | 8.3 |
| Creamy Macaroni and Cheese | 2 | 320 | 13g | 31g | 15g | 680mg | 8.0 |
| Lasagna with Meat Sauce | 2 | 240 | 14g | 29g | 8g | 390mg | 8.3 |
| Chicken Teriyaki | 2 | 240 | 12g | 42g | 2.5g | 710mg | 8.3 |
| Classic Spaghetti with Meat Sauce | 2 | 250 | 10g | 43g | 3.5g | 590mg | 8.0 |
| Beef Stew | 2 | 200 | 10g | 24g | 8g | 790mg | 8.3 |
| Chicken and Dumplings | 2 | 300 | 17g | 31g | 13g | 890mg | 8.3 |
Choosing the Best Mountain House Meals to Fit Your Needs
With so many delicious meal options available, it can be difficult to narrow down your choices and find the best and tastiest options for you and your family.
Here are a few important factors to consider when choosing which Mountain House meal entree to pack for your next outdoor excursion or store away in your emergency food supply.
Choose According to Your Palate
Everyone’s taste buds are different, so what might be our favorite may not necessarily be yours! Consider your taste preferences when choosing which Mountain House meals to purchase.
Start by considering which regular foods you enjoy eating as a starting point. You can then pick a few to try out and find exactly which ones you enjoy. Never be afraid to taste test until you find something you really enjoy eating.
Choose According to your Dietary Needs
In addition to your palate, dietary needs must also be considered. Thankfully, Mountain House offers plenty of options for folks that have or follow restrictive diets.
In addition to lower sodium options such as Lasagna with Meat Sauce, Mountain House also features gluten-free meals such as Chicken and Dumplings, Beef Stew, Chicken Fajita Bowl, Italian Style Pepper Steak and Chicken Teriyaki, as well as vegetarian entrees like Pasta Primavera and Creamy Macaroni and Cheese.
The Nutritional Content
If you are going on a back country trip or prepping your survival kit, you will definitely want to consider your nutritional needs. Before making any purchase, carefully evaluate the amount of fats, carbohydrates, protein and calories per serving and per pouch.
This is doubly important for the inclusion and addition of vitamins and minerals in each entree as well. Having the right amount of nourishment your body needs to function is critical both on the trail and in a survival situation.
The Overall Weight of Your Choices
There’s an old military adage that goes, “ounces are pounds”. It’s the idea that you don’t want to carry anything that is going to add a lot of unnecessary weight to your pack because those ounces can add up quick!
That being said, it’s wise to be mindful of the weight of any meal pouch you select. A good rule of thumb to follow for lightweight backpacking options is to consider meal pouches containing 120 to 130 calories per ounce.
Note that meal pouches in general have multiple servings per pouch, so be sure to take this into account when calculating calories per ounce.
How Much Water?
Finally, you already know your freeze dried meal requires water, so you have to take this into account as well. Typical freeze dried meals are going to require approximately two cups of boiling water to re-hydrate.
When choosing your meals, check the water required for re-hydration to ensure you will be able to carry an adequate amount of water for your food supply as well as for hydration.
FAQs
The following is a list of frequently asked questions regarding Mountain House freeze-dried meal entrees.
How long are Mountain House meals good for?
The shelf life of an unopened Mountain House meal is guaranteed at 30 years. This guarantee covers both the taste of the meal and its freshness once the pouch has been opened and properly prepared.
Freeze-dried foods do not spoil once they exceed their shelf life. However, you may notice a change in texture and taste when consuming Mountain House freeze-dried meals that are past their shelf life date.
How do you store Mountain House freeze-dried meals?
Freeze-dried entrees should be stored in dry conditions, avoiding prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures. To maximize shelf life, store below 75°F (24°C), and avoid storing in areas where damage to the packaging could occur. Storing freeze-dried foods in 5-gallon buckets with gamma seal lids is considered a best practice.
How long will Mountain House freeze-dried meals last once opened?
A Mountain House freeze-dried meal becomes real food once it has been re-hydrated. Therefore, it is important to treat any re-hydrated and leftover freeze-dried food as though it were fresh food.
How much water does a Mountain House meal need?
This depends on the type of Mountain House entree you are preparing. Generally speaking, a typical freeze-dried meal pouch will require between 3/4 to 2 cups of boiling water. You can refer to the directions on the package for the exact amount of water needed for your meal.
Can you eat Mountain House meals using cold water?
Yes, you can, although it certainly is not the most ideal way to consume the entree. All Mountain House freeze-dried meals have been fully pre-cooked and safely prepared and packaged; using cold water in a pinch will work, although the entree’s texture and taste may be affected.
How do you use Mountain House freeze-dried meal pouches?
Simply open the pouch, remove the oxygen absorber, add the correct amount of boiling water to the entree, stir the contents, and seal the pouch for the specified amount of time. Most meals take less than 10 minutes to cook once boiling water has been added.
What is this small packet in my freeze-dried pouch?
The small packet you find in your pouches is purposely placed there by Mountain House and is not intended to be eaten or consumed. This packet contains an iron powder which allows oxygen and moisture to enter but not leave.
Otherwise known as an oxygen absorber, this packet assists in absorbing and mitigating as much oxygen and moisture from the pouch as possible. This, in turn, aids in extending the long term storage of your freeze-dried Mountain House meals.
I left the oxygen absorber in the pouch while preparing my meal. What now?
According to Mountain House, your food is still good to go and safe to eat! Just remember to remove and discard the oxygen absorber when you notice it.
Can you eat freeze-dried food without water?
Yes, freeze-dried food can be consumed without water, but it is strongly advised against doing so. Besides the obvious issues of trying to chew food that is rock hard, the taste will likely not be complimentary either.
More importantly, however, is that eating freeze-dried food without water will likely dehydrate you, something to be avoided if you are relying on freeze-dried meals in preparation for an emergency or disaster.
How healthy is freeze dried food?
When some foods are freeze dried, some of the nutrients like Vitamins C and E and folic acid may be depleted. However, once the food is re-hydrated, it is very similar in nutritional value to its fresh food counterpart. Typically, freeze dried food retains about 97% of its nutritional value because of the cold vacuum process that is used to extract the water from the food.
How much do Mountain House meal pouches weigh?
Depending on what entree you select, the weight per package can vary. Mountain House has designed their meal pouches to be lightweight, compact and easy to transport. The actual food type within the pouch dictates how heavy the meal pouch will be. For example, the Mountain House Italian Style Pepper Steak entree weighs 3.5 ounces, while the Beef Stroganoff with Noodles weighs 4.3 ounces.
How big are the portion sizes for Mountain House meals?
The portions for Mountain House meal pouches are 2 servings per pouch. Mountain House recently upgraded their meal pouches to standardize their meals to 2 servings per pouch based on a 2,000 calorie diet to keep in it in line with the % Daily Value (%DV) as recommended by the FDA for daily caloric and macro-nutrient diet intake.
That being said, the actual potion size for each entree and how much they fill you up is purely subjective. There are many factors that contribute to achieving that “full” feeling, such as metabolism, weight, BMI, health and physical conditions, exertion levels prior to eating and time since you last had a meal.
In general, however, we found most Mountain House entrees to be filling, hearty and capable of filling you up after a hard day on the trail. Each entree contains two servings, and we found that consuming a single pouch (two servings worth) to do the trick in keeping hunger at bay.
Is it okay to eat freeze-dried food?
Provided that the food’s shelf life has not been exceeded or its packaging compromised, yes, it is perfectly okay to consume freeze-dried food! Check out our exhaustive, comprehensive article we wrote on the health benefits of eating freeze-dried food.
What do you think of our write-up? Did we get it right? Feel that we got it super wrong? Tell us! Feel free to reach out and let us know what you think of the article; we always appreciate thoughtful, constructive criticism, good or bad!
