In Defense of Mountain House -- a Treatise

[Deleted member 16014]

Remember like 20 years ago when there were basically two brands of freeze dried meals? Mountain House and Backpacker's Pantry.

Mountain house was cheap, and you know what always tasted good? MH Beef Stroganoff and MH Lasagna. Guess what still tastes good...MH Beef Stroganoff and MH Lasagna. It's not that healthy, uses low end ingredients, and gets a lot of shade for making people crap their pants. If your GI tract isn't dynamic enough to handle a little overprocessed comfort food on a backpack hunt I'd argue that's a you problem. I bet you crap your pants a lot.

Sure MH have a bunch of regular looking ambassadors, but no self promoting gunslingers eating their own signature peaches and oats randomly on a dock:


No accidentally discovering that the chili you bought has no meat in it. Sure I could've read the label, but it's chili c'mon:



They aren't as cheap as they used to be, but hey that's life. $8-$11 is still less than most every competitor and you can often find them on sale. They aren't bashful about marketing to hunters, and have probably warmed my belly and my heart on more hunts than any other single item.

I've tried at least a few meals of nearly every readily available brand. There are higher quality options sure; but hell if I don't love a Blue Ribbon and a Backwoods to celebrate a good hunt, and hell if I don't love a hot Mountain House.

 

[noharleyyet]

 

[andrew11]

My vote, as far as MH goes, would be chili Mac and Spagetti.

Just saw they are also running a 30% Hunting sale till the end of the month!

 

[KipCarson]

If you can’t enjoy a hot MH after a long day on the mountain away from the house then it’s definitely a “you problem”. I’ll raise a toast to Mountain House as I fight anyone for the chicken teriyaki after a long day in a backpack!

 

[Nameless Range]

If your GI tract isn't dynamic enough to handle a little overprocessed comfort food on a backpack hunt I'd argue that's a you problem.

Amen brother.

#KeepSlathering

 

[geewhiz]

If you dont like mtn house on your backpack trips you arent hunting hard enough!

Thats right, I said it

 

[Oak]

My GI tract and I have never had any complaints about MH. Except the Jamaican jerk chicken, which thankfully is no longer with us.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

And while I'm in rant mode, what's the big deal about a certain cookie that starts with a "p" and ends in "ackaroons"? They are good, but coconunt macaroons are literally the easiest cookie on the face of the earth to make.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Remember like 20 years ago when there were basically two brands of freeze dried meals? Mountain House and Backpacker's Pantry.

Mountain house was cheap, and you know what always tasted good? MH Beef Stroganoff and MH Lasagna. Guess what still tastes good...MH Beef Stroganoff and MH Lasagna. It's not that healthy, uses low end ingredients, and gets a lot of shade for making people crap their pants. If your GI tract isn't dynamic enough to handle a little overprocessed comfort food on a backpack hunt I'd argue that's a you problem. I bet you crap your pants a lot.

Sure MH have a bunch of regular looking ambassadors, but no self promoting gunslingers eating their own signature peaches and oats randomly on a dock:
View attachment 294334

No accidentally discovering that the chili you bought has no meat in it. Sure I could've read the label, but it's chili c'mon:
View attachment 294336


They aren't as cheap as they used to be, but hey that's life. $8-$11 is still less than most every competitor and you can often find them on sale. They aren't bashful about marketing to hunters, and have probably warmed my belly and my heart on more hunts than any other single item.

I've tried at least a few meals of nearly every readily available brand. There are higher quality options sure; but hell if I don't love a Blue Ribbon and a Backwoods to celebrate a good hunt, and hell if I don't love a hot Mountain House.


View attachment 294339

A blue ribbon and a backwood!?

Can we be friends?? Haha

 

[TheNorthStar]

Never been brave enough to bring the spicy variety further than 20 yards from an outhouse, but I've grown comfortable with MH rice dishes. Only ever went sour one time on me after a day of over exertion hauling elk quarters. My tummy decided to evacuate any and all. I don't think it'd be fair to blame chicken and rice.

Vegan chili is an outrage.

 

[MTTW]

We usually take a small bottle of Frank's red hot and put it on pretty much every Mountain House meal. I have never had an urge to try any other brand of meal.

 

[Hem]

I ate one last week while fishing the big lake. Already forgotten the name. Had a fancy package with feel good quotes about " enjoy". It was the most tasteless bag of swag. Ate enough to curb my hunger and pitched the rest.
MH has always delivered.

 

[perma]

That biscuits and gravy isn’t for people with high blood pressure but hot damn if that isn’t a morale booster you’re just a downer.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

I'll stick with Peak. Usually good and I don't crap my pants

Note all meals are chased with whiskey so it's possible the pant crapping is from improper dosage on the liquor.

Hot food at the gas station is the real gamble

 

[BAKPAKR]

I just ordered a week’s worth of Peak Refuel but I probably would have been fine with Mountain House.

 

[Carl]

I used to be able to quote the paragraph on the back as in pre-smartphone days I’d get bored enough in my tent I’d read it regularly.

Spaghetti is a slight preference over lasagna because of how the lasagna’s cheese adheres to 80% of silverware.

I also like rice and chicken, in the old packages it had a few hundred more calories than most of the rest.

 

[Irrelevant]

I usually buy Bale Breaker, but it's not that I don't still appreciate a Rainier from time to time. Similar with MH, but my go to is either beef stew or chicken and rice.

 

[JT88]

My only complaint with MH is they seem smaller than they used to be

 

[Deleted member 40728]

I honestly prefer @TOGIE version of backpacking meals and go with a mcdouble or my favorite is actually the McMuffin now that breakfast is all day. That’s only a day 1 or 2 treat though I guess.
Other than that the Peak meals are my favorite. Can’t eat an entire one though.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I just checked some food I had left over from last year. The use by date on the Peak Refuel was 6/2026. Mountain House beat it by a mile with: