I think the key to getting a good tasting freezer bag meal is to assemble your own, which the website makes about as simple as possible. Its actually easier than it sounds. It means buying some ingredients, and choosing some good brands - low salt bullion, veggies, meat etc for instance tends to make everything taste better. If you like Mountain House meals you're basically doing the freezer bag thing, probably not as cheap or as nutritious as the cookbook makes it. The author makes it her job to scout out local stores for new offerings, try them out, and post on her website or in her blog what tastes good and what doesn't. I seem to recall she once worked for an Asian food importer, so the concept of pre-assembled / pre-cooked meals like ramen and other stuff isn't lost on her, but all in all you can have a better time and keep it healthier putting together a bowl of noodles and vegetables on your own.

I have found that owning a dehydrator and drying some of your own ingredients is a good idea for keepings costs down, and keeping the quality up. I'm not religious about it though, if she identifies a good deal at a local grocery store I'll just go buy that. Trader Joes has some good stuff, especially some low salt bullion that comes in vegetable, beef or chicken and is stored in little sleeves that are really handy for hiking. Asian grocery markets also have some key ingredients you may not find other places (curry mixes etc).

Its an infectious concept though - I think we all grew up on freezer bag omlettes, once you turn some Scouts onto this way of cooking though you end up with freezer bag pizza, apple crumbles etc etc - and with alot less preparation or cleanup than any other Scout meal I've tasted. Its all helped along by the fact that you've just hiked 7 miles, cheese coated freezer bag cardboard would taste pretty good.