Freeze-Dried Foods Review: Mountain House Breakfast Skillet and Chili Mac with Beef

/ gschultz9
Hey, if you get a chance (and are interested) please check out my new Facebook page! It's just getting started, but I hope to use it for a lot of stuff: like announcing upcoming videos and projects, answering questions and sharing information and links I think subscribers might be interested in:
Here's my first review of freeze dried camping-type food. I have to say that I'm not particularly knowledgeable in this area, but I'm learning. I thought both these dishes (Breakfast Skillet and Chili Mac and Beef were excellent). Mountain House obviously knows what they're doing. I made a couple of rookie mistakes with these, but I figure it's all part of the learning curve. As an added bonus (and sort of as a comparison between freeze dried and reconstituted versions of the food, we also try out a Mountain House Freeze dried Ice Cream Sandwich! All of these items were sent to me by very generous subscriber Garrett Cody.

[@JeseSLU]

I feel like if people knew that I watched these videos religiously they would think of me differently.

[@gschultz9]

Stewart Griffin Your secret's safe with me!

[@ephektz]

MREJap started it all for me. Sad that he took his videos down.

[@Mizaxa]

of course they would stewy

[@FJ80Coop]

+Stewart Griffin Hehe,we already do Stewy..Buahahahha!!!

[@johnkang2000]

+Stewart Griffin Yeah this kind of stuff is strangely fascinating.

[@Fighterofthenightman_]

Hurry up before the ice cream melts

[@AnAngryStorm]

Justin Gilinger lolol

[@NhungNguyen-jm7rs]

is don't melts

[@stephanieann6622]

bending unit 30 IT'S a joke.

[@baynerw]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@docchocobo]

chili and eggs... Use your powers for good my friend

[@jasminflower3814]

Hahahahaha

[@happynow2926]

docchocobo lol

[@CypherRCX]

yumm... oxygen absorbers add flavor, similar to how buckshot adds flavour to the meat.

[@ImpetuousPorkus]

Everyone needs a bit of iron in their daily consumption of food.

[@dillonsnyder1172]

I've never tried them, but a 30 year shelf life is outstanding. Going to buy a bucket for the pantry.

[@gundog4314]

Good stuff! I'e been a fan of Mountain House's stuff for a long time. Cheers!

[@AdorableRabbit]

These videos always make me hungry

[@a7xanimals]

For the breakfeast skillet i would eat it without the tortilla its soo much better its like you get and omelette from a resteraunt

[@jamesflowers8054]

Dang, that breakfast skillet looked tasty! I would imagine it would be even better with some cheese spread with jalapeños and a little tobasco! Love your vids!!

[@monkey6430]

Great vid, keep up the great work. I never could eat the ice cream sandwich, the cobbler is much better in my opinion.

[@VanquisherUSMC]

I've never had a Mountain House I didn't like. When I'm too lazy to make dinner after a long day, out comes a Mountain House. Lots of sodium though.

[@gschultz9]

+Darin I need to try out some more of them!

[@slovakgamer5818]

30% of your sodium in one serving... fuck

[@u2yes1dnoedcpsabrinakittyb2]

+gschultz9 Why not try the Chicken and Mashed Potatoes pack? Most people are saying it's good! I'm willing to try the Chicken and Noodles pack one day...

[@schwaggbagYES]

If you're backpacking, lots of sodium is a good thing though! Getting exercise all day means that your body will need much more sodium than your average daily value

[@a.j.deutsch1792]

Slovak Gamer, actually the u can have your other 30% on other meals. And 10 percent to spare.

[@LexCinnabon]

Very nice video! Do you eat all of it off screen? Looks like it would make for a very tasty meal. Do people every add water to the ice-cream sandwich before eating it?

[@trishoconnor2169]

+Alex Sweers I was also wondering how the ice cream would hold up to reconstitution. I had freeze dried ice cream years ago, but I didn't think to break off some and try adding water. (I bought it in a planetarium gift shop. It was sold as "astronaut food.")

[@samrhaley]

Just seal it and shake, you won't puncture the bag!

[@steventrosiek2623]

Sam Haley makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

[@danhulsoor2631]

Steven Trosiek wtf

[@wf6951]

yuck...

[@nowandaround312]

Thank you for not making overly loud slurping noises! I can't watch a lot of these reviews, that awful smacking, slurping, mushing sound blasting through earphones at a volume twice as loud as when the person was speaking (so it's as if you had your volume turned up too high) is not pleasant.

[@lencao4515]

the fact that you added boiling hot water into a meal with the air absorber covered in plastic is kinda scary O.o

[@TRV550]

Good review. Thanks for sharing. IMO mountain makes the best freeze dried meals. I've tried MRE's, Backpackers Pantry ect. and found mountain house to have the best taste and are easy to hydrate. There easy to pack and use. I made an envelope type pouch out of refeltex to store the food pouch in while it is hydrating, Works really well. Enjoy & be safe !

[@stepheng887]

Why do I always have to watch your videos when I go to bed ? Now I'm hungry :)

[@captainclone]

You know you're training hard and dieting hard when MRE's and freeze dried food is appealing. Not knocking the taste and flavors of these, I've eaten plenty and they are delicious. Just making a statement of how your tastes and desires change when you're in a caloric deficient. Keep making these awesome videos.

[@gschultz9]

captainclone You're right on point. They have been developing and improving MREs ever since they were introduced in 1981, but to be honest, if someone's hungry enough they'll probably eat whatever you give them. It's nice that they're at least attempted to make MREs as palatable as possible (and I think they've done a very good job of it!).

[@mehchocolate1257]

@@gschultz9 where I can get it anyway

[@nunyabiznez4408]

you sound like a fat kid with a pocket full of candies.

[@wvbonbonqueen]

We like Mountain House meals and even when we are home I make them for dinner at times. We have our preferences of them and won't buy the Beef Stroganoff as to us, it has a bit of an off flavor. Have tried it a few times, just to make sure it wasn't just the bag we were eating out of at the time. But we all have our own preferences in foods but we find that MH is about the best prepackaged freeze dried foods out there. The Ice Cream Sandwich to us was GREAT. To think, while out horse back riding and offering friends an Ice Cream Sandwich on the trail, you get great funny face looks. lol

[@OutgrownThings]

Anyone else experience ASMR from these vids?

[@elizabethshaw734]

+Daniel Varney I do :-)

[@sr.pabl0806]

What is ASMR?

[@elizabethshaw734]

Liberals Lost Hahahaha no it is not you're just being gross and you probably live in your mother's basement. Although I do like your name.

[@elizabethshaw734]

joshua escobar it's basically that different sounds sound better just some people than others and I are relaxing. It's an autonomic sensory Meridian response. It means that you're nervous system sensorially response to certain sounds and they relax people who have anxiety and people who don't they just find certain sounds relaxing. Next time you watch a video and you find it relaxing it maybe your type of ASMR or you may never find one relaxing. That's the best I can do without copying and pasting something from Google but Google is full of information about ASMR. Some of the information is correct and some of it is grossly wrong. Have a great day :-)

[@grendelum]

Personally not from here, but BigClivedotcom is someone you should check out as he has an excellent boomy Scottish voice that many people appreciate (even tho they may not know what he's talking about) !!!

[@BEV_shorts]

only the day before yesterday did i search youtube for "gschultz9 mountain house" and couldnt find anything, thanks for uploading this. awesome job, keep up the great work

[@gschultz9]

Abdulla Eraki Wow, that's interesting timing!

[@sdimeblazer01]

I like Mountian house meals they are a good storage food at 12yrs but you need to have lots of water in your survival situation one they use water to make and two they have a good amount of sodium. as long as you have a good water source though they are awesome.

[@lorivattes5475]

The ice cream sandwiches are very good. I've taken them to the Disney parks. Very portable and they don't melt.

[@fordxbgtfalcon]

The chili mac with beef is one of the best if not the best one mountain house has.

[@baynerw]

I hope so. Just bought the can of it!

[@elizabethshaw734]

I would do breakfast for supper any day! :-)

[@rebeccarainharrod]

Here in certain small parts of California, we call those "wraps" a taco!

[@TheManWithNoName93]

we all make mistakes

[@gschultz9]

***** Thanks Ricky!

[@AdmiralPreparedness]

I'm saving up for a home freeze dryer. By the time I can buy one, the price should go way down.

[@francinebabineau3133]

I was very glad to see you left in your mistakes. It's nice to know that those things aren't as fickle as they seem. Thanks so much for the video! Keep up the good work.

[@gschultz9]

Francine Taylor Thanks Francine. I know a lot of people know a LOT about freeze dried foods and must have thought those were stupid mistakes (and they were). But I'm still kind of new with this stuff and I figured that (along with possibly giving a bit of a chuckle) that the mistakes might be made by others who are new to freeze dried foods. Actually seeing the mistakes would probably be a better way to remember not to repeat them than simply hearing "remember to take the oxygen absorber out and don't use something sharp to mix the water into the food."

[@MrHeem94]

Oxygen absorbers are perfectly edible. I like to snack on them when I'm dieting.

[@jimchad9900]

wha......???!!!???

[@SpitFireOrganics]

You crack me up with your Tray!!!

[@swampthingforteinadeyate9007]

That tray is fucking awesome

[@codmaster2421]

This sounds like a normal BSA troop breakfast

[@lacsa727]

Mmmm! The Smelll....I just had my 1st try at Freeze Dried Food. I bought several of them from Walmart ..Ehh! Just for the Heck and because I Can! LOL(Okaayyy cause they were on Sale... I cannot Lie) Anyhow on Saturday, I took it to work. I made the Bkft Skillet... O-M-G !! The Smell when I opened it! It was Like I was at an IHOP or DENNYS. And the FLAVOR was to Die Forrr .... Mmmmm Sooo "Full of Flavor" ( at first a bit salty.. I cannot Lie) The Instructions said to add 3/4 Cup of boiling water. I used an 8 oz Coffee Cup but only filled it up to 1/4 off the rim; then heated it in the Microwave 3 minutes ; poured it In & waited a little longer than 9 minutes(I forgot) LOL Thank Gauuud I was not cooking! M- Mmm-Mmmmmm It was Just amazing. The consistency... E-V-E-R-Y SINGLE PIECE GOT HYDRATED AGAIN "It's ALIVE!!!--ALIVE!!!!) LOL I yet have to try the rest.... So looking forward to Go to Work on Weekends Now.... (okay You caught me Lying there!..) TFS :O) I've also tried Dehydrating Chilly with My EXCALIBUR Dehydrator and It Also had a lot of Flavor when I Hydrated it back (just wanted to add this for those who want to make their own Packing Food).

[@cmj20002]

Did you take the O2 absorber out?

[@torihollingsworth1031]

I so wanted to put some cheese and picante sauce on that wrap it was screaming breakfast burrito....

[@CubanFury359]

seriously..u are already fat

[@torihollingsworth1031]

Actually im 5 foot 8 and weigh 145 pounds tha t actually isn't fat but dumbasses like you just like to troll for attention...

[@gschultz9]

Tori Hollingsworth It really was a very tasty breakfast burrito even without cheese and picante sauce. I can only imagine how it would have been WITH them!

[@fordxbgtfalcon]

+CubanFury you're a loser, she is skinny, i bet you're the fat one.....

[@thecman26]

Tori Hollingsworth Some cheese spread with Jalapeno or bacon... Yum!

[@409rommel]

Glad im not the only one who had poked holes in the bags.... Good video

[@gschultz9]

Oops!

[@globalfart]

Mac, chilli, beef, and desacate packets.

[@fernandoaguirre8866]

Hella sodium.

[@Katrina-z1c]

Freeze dried ice cream sandwich, crunchy too lol, different. Cool stuff.

[@RJM1011]

Good video thank you I was looking at buying some of these this helps. :)

[@kardstore]

that breakfast looked really tasty

[@gschultz9]

Dan Hayami It was indeed! I'm not really a big breakfast person, but I'd love to have this while out camping or backpacking. It really was like a whole breakfast meal in one bag.

[@daymonlindsey8150]

The breakfast skillet, scrambled eggs and eggs with bacon are very good, biscuits and gravy...atrocious. The chili mac you'll need pepto and toilet paper, don't make any plans.

[@RikkiTremblay]

Longtime follower and big fan! Love your videos. This one was great! Been thinking of good foods for overnight hikes and was considering this brand. Would love to see more videos of this kind. :)

[@gschultz9]

rikki718 If it's convenient enough to heat up water for these on an overnight (either with a campfire or if you take along a camp stove) then these really are great (and lighter than MREs too).

[@kickinbackinOC]

"Do Not Eat"! Of all people! Hah hah, just teasing you! =) Nice video, and very interesting. The freeze dried stuff seems like a great practical alternative to MREs.

[@gschultz9]

I know, huh? I mean, I specifically mentioned that you have to remove the oxygen absorbers. But when I opened that second pouch and went to take a sniff I just completely blanked on my own advice!

[@kickinbackinOC]

gschultz9 You were OBD! Overtaken By Deliciousness! (See what I did there? Like military terminology OBE- "Overtaken By Events") Har har..

[@gschultz9]

kickinbackinOC Good one! And that's pretty much what happened. I opened the Chili Mac with the intent of taking out the oxy absorber, but then I took a whiff and wanted to get right to the reconstituting part. I find it hard to believe that it's not an uncommon thing for people to forget to take them out--especially when they're not right at the top of the food in the bag when you open it.

[@therideneverends1697]

yeah its very light weight compaired to MREs to so they would be great for hikeing

[@michaelt6265]

Dose that chili Mac come with a roll of toilet paper cuz it looks like it may be need right away lol....i gots to try mountain house...thanks for the review...Dose mountain house have beef stew.????

[@ledeves5160]

That wheat snack bread isn't good even when it's "fresh". Did it actually degrade over time or is it just a poorly executed item?

[@mesahusa]

maybe not in all walmarts, but the ones in texas have a ton of mountain house + some other brand with all of the varieties stocked at the camping/hunting section. you should check them out. theyre not even that expensive. the breakfast skillet pouch will run about 3.50$-4.50$

[@xZEHRBEHRx]

Damn. In Canada you can only find them at camping stores and they cost $15-30 just for a pouch like that.

[@bee_finally_306]

I would like to have seen the entire contents of the breakfast skillet emptied. Some of these FD kits make enough for 2 meals. I'm trying to determine whether to split them in half. Cheers.

[@ladybassplayer23]

Love these videos

[@gschultz9]

Glad to heat it ladybassplayer! Thanks for the continued support. Always appreciated!

[@lorivattes5475]

Is it okay that you ate it with it being cooked with the oxygen absorber? Maybe it would have tasted different if you took the oxygen absorber out before you cooked it.

[@underwriter53]

Don’t ever add the recommendation for boiling water, go a little shy, and you will be a happy camper!

[@GreatBigRanz]

Send some to Kiwi Dude! also There are some descendent nylon or zytel utensils that are feather light and can take a thrashing.

[@PointyTailofSatan]

The odd thing is that many of the preservatives make little sense for a freeze dried food. It kinda looks like MRE prepared food, that instead was freeze dried.

[@TBNTX]

I've enjoyed the Mountain House freeze dried rations several times. I think that they taste better than milsurp MREs, but you have to have a lot more clean swater with you, and a way to heat it to a boil (to sterilize the water and reconstitute the food). Don't get me wrong, I like Mountain House, but they definitely aren't a "Meal Ready to Eat". I do like the five-digit date code on the pouches, and I'd like to see five-digit date codes on conventional MREs, too, because it clarifies how old they really are.

[@patrickbagnano1561]

Did this guy just say you didn’t need hot sauce, what the hell he smoking?!?! Lol

[@able724]

They have updated their shelf life and now say pouches and cans are shelf stable for 30+ years.

[@Altair9678]

able724, good news everyone (real good news, not Dr. Farnsworth good news). Always found M.H. a little pricy, so just want them for plan F purposes (including E:).

[@emir0721]

I wonder how the ice cream sandwich would have tasted if it had been reconstituted. Thank you as always for the review, gschultz9!

[@gschultz9]

emir0721 Hmmm, good question.

[@totallyrandomstuffandrevie9609]

They aren't meant to be.

[@TurboTheGloden]

I got a wise company ad on a mountain house video?

[@gschultz9]

That's funny! I wonder what each company would have thought if they knew.

[@ghostflyzzz8871]

+gschultz9 This vid was made in 2014 and u still replying???

[@ZachAttack-tp7eo]

Ghost Flyzzz why wouldn't he

[@pho3nix-]

I love these

[@gerardosanchez86]

It's called julian date code i worked at a bakery and bread that got frozen got the julian date

[@1991KingCrimson]

You should do a Q&A video sometime. Take questions from YT inbox and comments and such. I think a lot of people would enjoy that. Including me.

[@ant-1382]

The chili mac must be good, keeps going back for another bite!

[@N0616JCProductions]

I would recommend that you get a chopstick like gundog so that you can stir any freeze dried food without worrying about the tool or the container.

[@gschultz9]

N0616JC Productions I've seen Gundog and Kiwi Dude using their chopsticks and kind of figured it wasn't necessary. Now I'm rethinking that position!

[@BrianFalconsFan2]

Been watching ur videos for 2 years this one looks good

[@guitarcleveland]

$35 for one meal? Wow. I'll stick with cans of Chef Boyardee for a dollar.

[@Andovarius]

Mountain House must do incredibly well in the commercial market, but I bet they would do very well if they jumped into the military MRE arena. Maybe they do already have a hand in it, under a different name perhaps?

[@gschultz9]

Andovarius I believe that Mountain House is the main (or at least one of) supplier of freeze dried entrees for the MCWs (Meal, Cold Weather) and the LRP (Long Range Patrol) Food Packets. They probably wouldn't be able to get into the MRE gig, since the freeze dried stuff needs to be reconstituted and, thus, is not truly "ready-to-eat".

[@therideneverends1697]

gschultz9 well you could eat it without reconstitution...... how plesent that would be is yet to be decided

[@markkulyas2418]

This review is 6 years old, I wonder if the food is the same today.

[@Bernesemtdog]

I have the breakfast skillet but i am not a fan of egg but I want to try it to see if I like it

[@polskigirl8547]

Ummmm....don't use a fork to stir...ya won't puncture the bag....just sayin.....

[@gschultz9]

Yup. You live, you learn!

[@Andovarius]

I'd like to see you do an experiment. Why not try to reconstitute one of the dehydrated ice cream sandwiches? I mean, come on, how melty and messy could it get? That what a spoon is for.

[@Jaybird196]

I'd eat it :) .

[@AKayfabe]

Andovarius I reconstituted a Neopolitan Astro ice cream once to see it tastes the same but of course the colors blend and it is def not as good.

[@jdniedner]

How about the saltiness? The sodium content looked right up there. Is that normal for freeze dried food in your experience?

[@Jaybird196]

It's partly that way to add preservative value, and partly because you're supposed to eat them while hiking (wherein you can lose a lot of salt through strenuous activity). 'Hope that helps :) .

[@theoriginaltylerdurden]

Slap some Mild Picante sause from Mcdonalds and you have a breakfast burrito. Or Tabasco to spice it up

[@craigrice1688]

tyler durden Frank's Red Hot...adds garlic. Mmmm.

[@Michaeljudoka1]

In my opinion mountain house is the best in freeze dried food!

[@elizabethshaw734]

you need to get an m1 model 2 tactical chopstick :-) yours would make it the second model!

[@kennethnash598]

rust flavored chilli beef.

[@LordThree]

Beans 🤮

[@MrJeb1955]

Thanks for the review very helpful to me.

[@gschultz9]

Glad to hear it! Thanks for saying so!

[@FoxtrotCharlie2]

Mountain House was actually started by a Company that made meals for the US Military. The stuff you said was in the old Vietnam era Long Rang Patrol Rations. To make a long story short they created the Company Mountain House to sell to civilians. Interesting fact. I have never had one I did not like but I am not real picky.

[@GreatBigRanz]

OREGON REPRESENT! (Oregon Freeze Dried and it's pronounced Or-eh-gen/gun)

[@archetypalculinarian]

Big fan of putting my leftover chili Mac on the eggs in the morning when I’m out hiking. Usually bring fresh food for the first day,, maybe a small summer sausage, a bit of cheese and a few min houses for a weekender. It was nice when I got industry discounts.

[@activate-motivation]

NASA

[@whh2000]

Hey gSchultz, since you live in or near Boston, have you ever considered a possible meet up some time? As always keep up the good work!

[@Djmandude]

First 😌

[@thatblackvic4018]

How you eat that skillet it looked just nasty

[@jazearaburden113]

How do u freeze dry something

[@nicocione4950]

#gschultz9,they sell those at Walmart.

[@normanroeder6868]

I found the taste to be lacking.

[@ziomorph]

Are you sure its ok to eat the Mac if you forgot the oxygen absorbing pouch?

[@gschultz9]

ziomorph I wasn't too concerned about it. If it had opened and the contents got into the food I'd have second thoughts about eating it.

[@therideneverends1697]

its just iron oxide. nothing that would hurt you if you accidentaly ate it. mabey cause some stomach problems but nothing harmfull

[@fordxbgtfalcon]

I'v ate it before with the pouch in it and never got sick.

[@baynerw]

No big deal. Don't eat that damn pouch....that will F you up. Just pitch it afterwards. Doesn't hurt a the food at all.

[@Syrnian]

It tastes meh and is way too expensive.

[@alan933]

Estimated retail price: $17.97. Source: Mountain House website.

[@PREPFORIT]

Looks great ! a lil bottle or pack of mre Tobasco(tm) woould be extra awesome.

[@gschultz9]

PREPFORIT It probably would. I personally don't really do the hot sauce thing, but even if I did I don't know if I'd use it on the Breakfast Skillet--it was very flavorful on its own!

[@PREPFORIT]

Good to know ! Might try that brand next time . I have only brought mre/ or my ow dehydrated stuff. but I the lightness of freeze dried will be worth it on a lng hike..

[@gschultz9]

PREPFORIT Yeah, it's a bit of a toss-up. You can have a lighter weight--if you don't mind having to heat up water to reconstitute the food, or you can go with the convenience (and extra weight) of ready-to-eat MRE food.

[@therideneverends1697]

gschultz9 true but if you picked up a Swiss field stove (its literaly a few metal stamptings and hinges its almost weightless) it would take the inconvenience of having to start a fire. and sence the fuel tabs are literaly the size of chew mints (and come in practicaly the same packageing) your not takeing up much extra space either with fuel. all you would need besides that is a box of matches or a zippo (which you really should be takeing anyways if your hikeing XD) and your set!

[@ItsMe-xf3dv]

Why does everyone who does these reviews have to use a lunch tray? We don't get lunch trays in the Military, we get a damn MRE

[@1113jackson]

Use a chop stick to get into the corners.

[@mullz1382]

i have had the breakfast skillet not bad at all ...... you added the right amount of water looks like it came out perfect ! great review

[@RickHoffman777]

both of these are good ,I have a bunch

[@kalebmclean5507]

The chili mac didnt look good at all lol

[@Mr.56Goldtop]

I have a package of the chili Mac in my basement, it's good for another 20 more years.

[@AdmiralPreparedness]

O2 absorber material. A bit tangy!

[@mcasuse]

Nice Review!! :) Love that you are actually going to actually eat and "try out" the meals as well....!!!! Other reviewers are to scared to scoop out a full spoon to taste it!!

[@libertyann439]

You can get freeze dried ice cream at the Smithson museums in DC where I live.

[@bbbmmm1713]

In the 80s, freeze dried ice cream was the bomb. I am over it now. The new FD meals are great.