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#178428 - 08/02/09 04:47 PM Re: Mountain House 7-day food kits [Re: Todd W]
GradyT34 Offline
Member

Registered: 02/14/09
Posts: 118
Todd W,

Thanks for the suggestion. We will ask our rescue Dobermans [quantity of seven (7) - all Katrina victims] how they would feel about moving to a low humidity area. Got a spare bedroom?

Grady & Bee


ps - We must forewarn you that our Doberman Pinchers much prefer indoor climate controlled restroom facilities, and are quite demanding in this regard every time it rains


Edited by GradyT34 (08/02/09 05:45 PM)
Edit Reason: - - poor eyesight

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#178430 - 08/02/09 05:11 PM Re: Mountain House 7-day food kits [Re: utspoolup]
2005RedTJ Offline
Addict

Registered: 01/07/09
Posts: 475
Loc: Birmingham, Alabama
Originally Posted By: utspoolup
Originally Posted By: 2005RedTJ
Due to the possibility of an emergency only being short-term, I'm planning on starting out with the pouches, like what comes in the 7-day "Just In Case" kit. Then working my way up to 10# cans. I'd hate to open a 10# can to only eat one day worth of food out of it.

Plus a good bit of the stuff in the 10# cans looks like it has to be actually cooked, versus the pouches where you just add boiling water and wait 15 minutes.


The stuff in the can is the EXACT same thing in the bags. Just bulk style. There are certain flavors that do come "uncooked", gulf shrimp and pork chops... the pork chops ARE dam GOOD! I use cold water and reconstitute them for about 2 hours in the fridge (or a cold part of the house or in a deep hole in the shade if you are in the SHTF, then cook them anyway you would fresh pork. I do not like seafood so I have not tried the shrimp.

The cans do have alot of food, but you if have 4 family members they each hold ABOUT 2 servings... Ie alot more feasible. Its like the single guys trying to save money buying fresh produce at costco... 90% of the time, them alone can not finish it before it spoils... it is then best to buy in smaller quantities. Also remember children suffer form apatite fatigue WAY FASTER than adults. The exception to this rule is cereal, chicken nuggets, pizza rolls, fries and mac n cheese. Anything else they will get bored with and stop eating. Keep this stuff in mind when prepping.. It is also best to experiment to see what they "can" really go thru.

Originally Posted By: EdD270
Originally Posted By: 2005RedTJ
Anyone have the Mountain House 7-day food kits? Vitacost.com has them for $99.80 and I'm thinking of ordering one to start with, then more as $ allows.

I do have a few questions, though. How good are the meals, how much water will you use preparing them, and what are the dimensions of the box (they only list 9 pounds as the weight)?

I don't know about the MH 7-day kits, but Emergency Essentials shows an MH 3-day kit (for one person) of 12 #10 cans, two cartons, that weighs less than three pounds total. It's $45.95 plus shipping. Six #10 cans fit in a carton that's about 7 1/2"hx12 1/2"wx18 1/2" long.
I've eaten the MH pouch foods as well as the canned foods, there's no difference. It's good food. I've also had other brands of freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, and MH is one of the better makers, and certainly has the most extensive menu to choose from. The pouch uses about 1-2 cups hot or boiling water (depending on what it is) to reconstitute, for a meal for two people.
Hope that helps.


http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E...cy%20Meal%20Kit FYI these are NOT #10 cans. They are pouches.... and for me this "kit" is a deal breaker since 2 of the 9 main meals are "scrambled eggs and...." These are the WORST MH meals I have tried.... instructions state something to the effect of "add XXX cups of boiling water. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir again. Please note that there will be some liquid left int he bottom of the bag, you can pour it out to discard before eating..." This smell (smells JUST like raw eggs), you have to pour it out before you eat otherwise I could not make it thru the meal. Then if your in camp you invite anything hungry to your location.... I am glad I bought almost every flavor in bags first.... I would not recommend this or any other pre cooked scrambled egg meal to anyone.... including the egg omelet in the MREs.... same thing. Buy powered eggs, and make your own scramble. MUCH better... I like honeyville.



My problem is that, for the short term, I'm looking for something that doesn't require a lot of prep or actual cooking. Reconstituting with water is cool (like dehydrated foods), or heating (like MRE's). But I want something that doesn't require getting out a frying pan, spatula, doing dishes, etc... Simple and quick.

I can cook just about anything during normal times, but in a short term emergency situation I feel that having to actually cook would be one thing I'd rather not have to spend time/energy/resources on. Anything longer than a week, the canned stuff that needs cooking would be fine.

I am thinking of buying a couple of cases of MRE's to start with, I know they require pretty much zero prep. Then maybe some freeze-dried pouches, possibly picking and choosing which ones are best to add to the collection rather than buying a kit. Then I could get into buying cans for longer term storage.


Edited by 2005RedTJ (08/02/09 05:13 PM)

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#178440 - 08/02/09 08:33 PM Re: Mountain House 7-day food kits [Re: 2005RedTJ]
Todd W Offline
Product Tester
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 11/14/04
Posts: 1928
Loc: Mountains of CA
99cent potatoes wink MmmhmMm
_________________________
Self Sufficient Home - Our journey to self sufficiency.

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#178447 - 08/02/09 09:24 PM Re: Mountain House 7-day food kits [Re: Todd W]
CANOEDOGS Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 1853
Loc: MINNESOTA

it's not a survival issue,but i can tell you that after a week or so of "meals in a bag" what you crave is a good heap of grease.



bannock fried up in the grease that came off three slices of fried summer sausage---

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#178457 - 08/02/09 10:20 PM Re: Mountain House 7-day food kits [Re: CANOEDOGS]
scafool Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 12/18/08
Posts: 1534
Loc: Muskoka
Summer Sausage? I think you are feeding us a bunch of baloney grin grin grin
_________________________
May set off to explore without any sense of direction or how to return.

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#178487 - 08/03/09 12:31 PM Re: Mountain House 7-day food kits [Re: GradyT34]
wildman800 Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 11/09/06
Posts: 2846
Loc: La-USA
The higher the storage temperature, the shorter the life span of the food.

There is a table printed on the side of a new box of MRE's that I just bought. I'll try to copy that and get it up on this thread. I found it interesting, to say the least!
_________________________
QMC, USCG (Ret)
The best luck is what you make yourself!

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#178513 - 08/03/09 04:30 PM Re: Mountain House 7-day food kits [Re: CANOEDOGS]
Todd W Offline
Product Tester
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 11/14/04
Posts: 1928
Loc: Mountains of CA
Originally Posted By: CANOEDOGS

it's not a survival issue,but i can tell you that after a week or so of "meals in a bag" what you crave is a good heap of grease.



bannock fried up in the grease that came off three slices of fried summer sausage---


!!! Can't post that when I`m hungry wink
_________________________
Self Sufficient Home - Our journey to self sufficiency.

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#178562 - 08/04/09 09:40 AM Re: Mountain House 7-day food kits [Re: NightHiker]
2005RedTJ Offline
Addict

Registered: 01/07/09
Posts: 475
Loc: Birmingham, Alabama
Originally Posted By: NightHiker
Ok I haven't read the other replies yet so at the risk of repeating what's already been said...

I've never bought their 7 day supply but I've had every single one of their individual meals and found them above average among freeze dried meals. They are my favorite backpacking & emergency meals (I'm not crazy about all the dishes but that's just a matter of taste).

Since I'm not sure exactly what's in the 7-day kit (and too lazy to google right now) I'm gonna guesstimate that 21 individual meals would cost more than $100 so it certainly sounds like a good value. Personally though I'll spend a couple more dollars to pick and choose my own menu based on flavors my family and I like. That also let's me have a bit more of a say in the calorie content, but that's just me - I tend to obsess over things like that.

Edit: I still havent read the other responses but - the meals generally take either 1 or 2 cups of boiling water (single verses 2 servings) and as for the weight, yeah 9 lbs sounds about right for that many freeze dried meal pouches.


That's exactly what I think I'm going to do, pick and choose my own menu from their stuff and just pay a little more for it. A lot of people have posted reviews of their entrees online.

For instance, all their entrees with eggs are supposedly VERY salty and end up runny. Plus there are some things they list in the kit that I doubt I'd eat under most circumstances.

Here's what comes standard in the kit:

Breakfasts: (1 per day)

4 - 8 oz. pouches of Granola with Milk & Blueberries
3 - 8 oz. pouches of Scrambled eggs with Bacon, Precooked

Lunches (1 per day)

1 - 16 oz. pouch of Rice and chicken
2 - 16 oz. pouches of Spaghetti with Meat & Sauce
1 - 16 oz. pouch of Beef Stew
1 - 16 oz pouch of Chili Mac
1 - 16 oz. pouch of Pasta Primavera
1 - 16 oz. pouch of Beef Stroganoff with Noodles

Dinners (1 per day)

1 - 20 oz. pouch of Noodles & Chicken
1 - 20 oz. pouch of Chicken Stew
1 - 20 oz. pouch of Mexican Style Rice and Chicken
1 - 20 oz. pouch of Lasagna with Meat Sauce
1 - 20 oz. pouch of Mac & Cheese
1 - 20 oz. pouch of Sweet & Sour Pork with Rice
1 - 20 oz. pouch of Turkey Tetrazzini

Vegetables (1 per day)

3 - 8 oz. pouches of Garden Green peas
4 - 8 oz. pouches of Whole Kernel Corn


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