I have read that freeze-dried meals are a great addition to the food storage plan. Mountain House is highly recommended by several websites, so we decided to give one of their meals a try. We picked up a package of Beef Stroganoff with Noodles.
Here is a photo of the contents:
All you have to do is add four cups of boiling water into the package, stir and let stand for 8 to 1o minutes.
Here is a picture of the contents with water.
And now for the final product…
The mixture seems watery at first, but it actually thickens as it cools. The noodles softened up and you can taste bits of onion and mushrooms in the dish. The meat is ground beef. It reminded me of a Hamburger Helper type meal; not spectacular, but not bad either. I bet it would taste pretty good if you are hungry, or if you have been hiking out in the wilderness. The package contains generous portions so we had leftovers. I had it for lunch the next day and it tasted fine.
Because it is so easy to prepare, we may buy a few selections to keep around for long-term food storage. I would also have crackers or bread on hand when we eat it again. It is on the pricey side, at about $11.00 for a 4-serving pack at REI. I would wait until they go on sale and will check the emergency food suppliers online. Overall, we give it a score of 3 out of 5.
© Apartment Prepper 2010
I happen to like the freeze dried meals… Generally even the meals for one person are a little large for me, so zipping them back up in their bag and having a snack later works out well for me.
However, even though they thicken a little as they cool, they sometimes are still a little runny, so I tend to add a little less water than they recommend…
I’m with the other comment, I actually like them. Yes I have had them at work a couple of times when I’ve been busy, my kids like them too. I make sure I have Mac and Cheese on hand for my little one. I also add a little less water then directed. Try the desserts. They do tend to be healthy and not very high in Calories for the price. I like that they have a shelf life and a case of cans or pouches can be put in the back of a closet and forgotten until an emergency, supper easy to make. We also use them hunting/camping and this rotates or stock of pouches.
Good suggestion-will try using less water next time. The desserts should be good too. Thanks!
Try getting them at Walmart. They generally run five or six buck there for the same size package.
That’s a good price. Thanks!
I do not work at Costco – LOL, but just got an e-mail and it included sale on Mountain House 18 – #10 cans covering breakfast, lunch and dinner for $279 ($60 off) free s/h and the other is four entrees Stew, Stroganoff, Teriyaki, Lasagna, eggs and ham and raspberry crumble for $29.99 free ground shipping
you can get a box with 20 servings at costco for $40 so thats about $2 a serving.
I highly recommend Shelf Reliance foods. My husband and I compared the costs and services of many of the brands, and purchased a supply. Months later, having TASTED the foods, I became a consultant. (Use my website if you want a discount)
Anyway, we do home parties to educate folks and allow them to taste cooked and uncooked versions. Our FD food is actually HEALTHIER than the store groceries as it is packaged within 2 days of peak ripeness and does not lose nutrients after that. The costs are comparable, it is faster to prepare, and lasts up to 30 years!
Having had several taste comparisons with our competitors, and learning more about the foods themselves and the variety I am convinced we have the best product. They also have a monthly purchase plan – the Q – that makes it easy to stock up. Check them out!