Posted March 16, 2015

Updated February 8, 2023

You know this has happened to you - you're walking through your local outdoor store and you come across a meal in a bag and immediately you're thinking astronaut food and there is NO way that could taste good! We are here to tell you that you are wrong folks!! I'll be honest, up until a few months ago we thought the same thing. There is no way. I am not that desperate. But after a few curious Google searches, we found that people actually like these things! WHAT?!? Alright, alright, we'll grab one and take it hiking. That sounds safe. Along with a backup lunch...just in case. We agreed on Mountain House's Chicken Breast and Mashed Potatoes for our first taste test.

What is a Mountain House Backpacking Meal?

A Mountain House backpacking meal is a type of freeze-dried food that is specifically designed for backpackers and other outdoor enthusiasts. These meals are lightweight, compact, and easy to prepare, making them ideal for use on camping trips, backpacking expeditions, and other outdoor adventures.

Mountain House backpacking meals are made by removing most of the water from the food ingredients, which helps to preserve them and reduce the overall weight of the food. This process also makes it easy to rehydrate the food with hot water, so you can have a hot, nutritious meal even when you're far from civilization.

These meals come in a variety of flavors and types, including breakfast options, main courses, and desserts. Some popular flavors include scrambled eggs with ham, spaghetti with meat sauce, and peach cobbler. All you need to do to prepare a Mountain House backpacking meal is add hot water, wait a few minutes, and then enjoy.

In addition to being convenient and easy to prepare, Mountain House backpacking meals are also nutritionally balanced, providing you with the energy and sustenance you need to keep going on your outdoor adventures. Whether you're a seasoned backpacker or just starting out, a Mountain House backpacking meal is a great way to ensure you have a delicious, nutritious meal no matter where your adventures take you.

Taste Testing the Mountain House Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

Fast forward to one of these lovely random 68-degree March days here in Colorado and we decided to take the boys out hiking. We head over to Waterton Canyon in the southern Denver suburbs, one of our favorite couple-hour hikes, by the way, grab our gear and head on up. Jason pulls out his handy dandy backpacking stove (we'll talk about that another day) and within 10 minutes we had a hot meal. After discussing who was the first bite guinea pig we were both stunned! You would never have guessed this was freeze-dried chicken and potatoes.

First, open the meal pouch and remove the oxygen pack and potatoes. Do not forget to find the oxygen pack in the pouch and toss it in the trash. Measure your water, boil it, then add it to your chicken and close the meal pouch. After a few minutes remove the chicken and set aside.  Add your potatoes to the remaining water, stir, and close the pouch again. That's it!  Your meal is ready to go!

We were prepared to season the heck out of it and there was no need.  It doesn't look like much, but the meal fed both of us - we each had a chicken breast and shared the potatoes with leftovers. And to my biggest surprise, one of our potato hating boys actually asked if he could finish the leftovers!

Now, we do have some tips:

• Let the chicken sit in the hot water for about double the time the directions say

• Stir the potatoes very well before closing the pouch to cook

• Take a bite before you add salt or seasoning - you might be very surprised you don't need anything

Now our minds are racing with all the possibilities these bags hold. Camping meals! Heck, full camping trips with no cooking!?! 72-hour kits (which we have already purchased). Easier and lighter hiking. Backyard camping. The list keeps going.