Mountain House Chili Mac vs Backpacker's Pantry Chili Macaroni

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Today for this episode of the Camper's Cafe, Luke and Susie have two products to put up against each other;
Mountain House Chili Mac vs Backpacker's Pantry Chili Macaroni!
The one question that I have is this;
What the heck is that?
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[@TheOutdoorGearReview]

Mountain House versus Slop....I mean backpacker's Pantry! Thank you all for the suggestions and recommendations for future episodes. - Luke

[@ortizlzitro]

I commented earlier but I want to say, as a New York City boy who moved to Seattle and is discovering the outdoors for the first time in his life, your videos have been a great source of information! I've been a subscriber for a while now. When you guys get a chance, do more vs. videos. There are so many freeze dried meals on the market. As a noob, I have no idea where to start. I read many reviews but when it comes to food and things like this, it's very subjective. Well, this video was pretty darn OBJECTIVE! lol Anyway, I appreciate all the content!

[@Chaucerfaux1]

Honestly man as honest and harsh as luke is with his reviews on these kinds of meals, the best way to really know if you will like the product is to purchase various one and try them at home. if you like the meal buy a few more, if you hate it then mark it as a don't ever buy again.

[@ortizlzitro]

D B no and I wont. It look unappetizing. I'll try everything else before this

[@ObscureTerrain]

Mountain House is my favorite, I enjoy Chicken and Dumplings the best!

[@SOGOnic]

I've had both. I agree 100% with what y'all said but, if the backpackers pantry is all you have after a full day in the sun it goes down very good.

[@SirRecon]

That's exactly what he said, but; you missed it.

[@danokitemanotoo1791]

According to Canadian Prepper, Mt. House cooks their food as an actual meal before it's freeze dried whereas Backpackers Pantry freezes all the ingredients separately and then puts them together as a meal. Hence the price difference. I enjoyed this episode and would love to see more food vs food vidz!

[@kelliephilpott3444]

I love you guys! I've been watching you for about 3 yrs now and you kinda feel like family. I'm a 53 yr old widow and on S.S.I. Disability and I get to enjoy the outdoors vicariously through you! I really enjoyed this VS. video! Please make more! Much love!!💙💜💚😎🇺🇸

[@dopplerdave1933]

Kellie Philpott so cool me too. I camp just not like them....

[@kelliephilpott3444]

Doppler Dave Hi! I used to like to camp in colder weather. I love the crisp, cold air. I can't take the heat anymore. Thanks for your reply! 💜🇺🇸😎

[@MichaelR58]

It looks like if you mixed them ,that mountain house would have enough sauce for both

[@SpookyFow]

I was just about to say the same...

[@nicholasleonardo4788]

I Was thinking the exact same thing!

[@brandonq6373]

I've had the mountain house. I was worried it would jack up my stomach because of the sauce. Luckily no! A middle would be better in my opinion

[@Ozark-nq9uu]

That's what I was thinking two years later

[@calidazeable]

@@Ozark-nq9uu I was thinking the same, but 2 years & “3 weeks” later 😉 😃

[@CrazyNate]

thanks for putting this comparison together.

[@deblind7679]

I've bought mountain House and I love it . It takes about 10 mins but o have found that if you let it sit a little longer it even better . Love this brand

[@TheCraftyCrowShow]

Watched tons of your videos to this point. How in the world have I missed these campers cafe videos???? Gotta go dig through these some now 👍

[@Sticky745]

I love these type of videos. Personally I like them both.. they both have their pros and cons. Pros Mountain house, hearty, cooks fast, good seasoning. Cons. The flavor can sometimes be “too much”, smaller portions. Pros Backpackers pantry, large portions, decent flavor, salt and pepper make a huge difference, different (more exotic) menus. Cons Takes longer to cook, you have to add seasoning,

[@kishascape]

Nope. The mountain house flavor is never "too much" and the portions are pretty much the same size just smaller packaging.

[@deansmith8471]

My favorite chili mac is the MRE version actually.... mountian house second.

[@benrusnak2077]

Dean Smith amen to that

[@kd5you1]

I wish I could order cases of nothing but chili mac MREs.

[@HighSpeedNoDrag]

What's your MRE opinion regarding Chicken-ALA-King Hard Charger?

[@electricety]

Which brand name of mre

[@michaelbosisto6259]

Because of me being a veteran of the Marines…. I refuse to consider a MRE, the novelty wore off real quick. Haha

[@roccaseo476]

MH freeze dries full precooked recipes, all other FD meal companies freeze dry the separate ingredients individually first then combine in the packages, which is less costly than fully combining and precooking the meals before FD processing.

[@theprophetez1357]

I went camping this week and had a MRE chili mac. It was actually pretty good, and very convenient. I didn't even need to dirty any dishes except for my spoon. It comes in a metal style bag so I just put a stake in the ground and leaned the bag up against it near the fire and rotated it a couple times until the whole package was hot.

[@bigj0550]

Just tried the Mountain House as a taste test to see what we think before we start our summer hikes… blown away! Way better than expected.

[@SuperEholmes]

I remember hiking with my family up around Mt. Ranier and I thought that the western omelet that you added boiling water to was the bomb, but my mom tried it at home and it just wasn't the same, not even close. It was from the big REI store in Seattle, don't know the brand, I was 9. I think it was the cold mountain stream water and the fact that we hiked the many miles that made it taste so good. I sure do miss those days.

[@billmitchell7731]

I like the big serving. So I would just add me a chili seasoning packet to it. That will add flavor and thicken the sauce. Then you have a nice big serving😃

[@alabrol]

Is one saltier than the other? If so, how would you consider one to be over salted? Mountain House is notorious for over salting... Thanks for your reviews. Hands down, truly appreciate you both.

[@lordbaltimore8246]

I took Mountain House floods on a backpacking trip in the 70’s on the Appalachian Trail - I especially enjoyed the egg bacon omelet but I was put off by the cost even then. Today that item costs over $7 a pop, more than a “sit down” breakfast at a restaurant,

[@jrr___7902]

I bought a bunch of the BP Louisiana beans and rice when you could get them cheap as an add on item from Amazon before I banned Amazon. They are pretty good. I haven't tried the chili-mac because I refuse to ruin chili with noodles.

[@dwaynebeavers2088]

I've been wanting to get some of the mountain house meals but didn't know how they were, and I've had a lot of mre's and like the assortment but it's getting harder to find them now so thanks for doing this comparison.

[@Brykk]

Other than making my own, i lean towards most mountain house meals. I like to make big batches of my own chili, let it cool, put a portion in a zip lock, put it in the freezer (be sure it lays as flat as possible), and then when its frozen, drop it into a vacuum bag for long term storage. Freezing it before trying to vacuum seal it is the real trick. And you can use this same trick for most any soup or meal that has a gravy, broth, or sauce.

[@TomahawkSmith1]

I have had both, you guys are spot on...!!!! Yes, I would like to see more videos like this one...!!!

[@maltesefan]

The Backpacker's looks like what would be made at home by a college student living on their own for the first time. and the mountain house looks more like something you'd get at a restaurant that would be anywhere from 10 - 16 dollars. depending on the place. I'm glad someone is reviewing both side by side. I brought different items from both companies . curious to see how they tasted.

[@otrdriver6767]

Thank you for your time and opinion on the product. I have been rolling with Mountain House as a new collector of future food.

[@mowater1]

Timely and Quality. Thank You ! Please do more.

[@michaelhodges8312]

MH has always been my favorite. Love MH!

[@Hucfinn-zz8dl]

I have also eaten a lot of Mountain House food when I use to hike and camp. It has some great tasting food !

[@ArgentWind]

I have never had the chili mac from either company, but I have had a few different backpacker's pantry meals and they do have better options like the pad thai for example, which is delicious. Also, I have found that you need to use a little less water than what is recommended for best results.

[@theaverageviewer6331]

I always like your Camper's Cafe segment. Thanks for the unbiased opinion.

[@bradhassler1]

Mountain House Chili Mac was one of my favorites, just ate it to often. Went to Pack- it- Gourmet Texas State Fair Chili, very good also and a nice change. Never have been a big fan of Backpackers Pantry. Thanks for the comparison !

[@carls1959]

Good comparison. My ex would probably love the "Pantry" meal over the "House" meal. I use to make chili from scratch and had to hold off on most of the hot spices, until after I put some in a separate pan for her, to finish cooking it. She would rather have what I called "Bean soup", than a truly spicy chili. I'm glad that you found both edible and was wondering if a condensed tomato paste could be added to the Pantry meal to help it out some? Either way, thanks for sharing and comparing.

[@josephb7460]

I like the chili mac. It will warm your gut on a cold day. But I really love the Breakfast Skillet. Put in some summer sausage.... OH MAN !!

[@jameskirk5887]

Hey, love the video. That first chili mac reminds me sort of like hamburger helper. The Mountain House reminds me of chili with bean and macaroni added into it. The first might be good for someone who didn't care for beans.

[@johnnyjackmercer]

Great video idea. I think I’d prefer the BP just because I like pasta and tomatoes punch me in the gut. Mixing the two seems like it’d be the best of both worlds.

[@johnzimmerman6516]

Ha ha ha 3 spoons! Susie is funny and Luke is too kind! You guys rock. Great review. Thanks for posting.

[@nightowl4279]

I have been hearing more and more good things about Mountain House meals! I love your video, because it helps us to not throw our money away on bad meals. 👍

[@evopan1]

Great review, we have ate both ourselves and came to the same conclusion. Keep up the good work. You two are very professional!!! Harry Swank

[@danielatkinson3058]

Love the food reviews. Since I'm on a budget I am limited in the number of different kinds that I can try. Now I can at least see the end product and get some idea of how they look and taste before I spend the $$$

[@GretaBeth]

I think both brands are great! You will find the recipes to be different, but the food is great from both. As another said, there are a lot more menu options from BP. Personally, I don’t like too much salt in general, and MH is packed with it. Bottom line, my pantry reserves are packed with both brands. I’m happy when I receive either brand in a sub box. If I have a coupon for either (BattlBox includes one for BP 25% off), I stock up without any regrets!😋

[@biengabrielmanzares408]

I think the Backpacker's Pantry is more suited to those who like the flavor of chili mac, but don't want the same heat. Although I never tried either so I am basing my opinion on what you said.

[@silverwindspirit]

Mountain House is definitely the winner on this one. Any reviews on the other meals that each one offers? Btw, I tried the beef straggonoff from Mountain house, that one is good. I'm not familiar with back packers pantry

[@koyamamoto5933]

Did you totally empty both containers? Sometimes stuff gets stuck in the corners & folds at the bottom. I've sometimes found crunchy or powdery bits at the end of the meal. Of course, maybe I should have been more careful in mixing, but....

[@vagabondquerier9375]

Mountain House - Chili Mac is awesome. Thanks for the VERY honest review. What is the sodium and add in levels?

[@ninjachin]

I was looking for these meals but here in europe there too expensive, saw one packet in the US 8.99$ in eu 37€. Shame, I wanted to try them out but its cheaper to take my wife to the restautant for a 3 course meal.

[@eugeneenslow8563]

If I were in a survival situation, I'd definitely eat the backpacker's pantry food to survive. But unless there's substantially more than mountain house for a similar price, I'd definitely be stocking up on mountain house for the flavor.

[@4elementssurvival263]

One thing I will say, on some of MH meals you need to reduce water they suggest for best consistency.

[@jenarddecastro2597]

Now put up that Mountain House up against the Backpacker's Panty Cincinnati Style Chili described as: "Our way" with spaghettini, beef, onions and beans, Backpacker's Pantry Cincinnati Style Chili with Beef is a nod to the Midwest with flavors of cinnamon, clove and a hint of dark chocolate.

[@dustyc324]

cinnamon in chili should be a crime. fight me. yuck. skyline chili is whack. from detroit, have lived in Ohio. have done both. spaghetti? with chili? naw. not ever.

[@ogzombieblunt4626]

@@dustyc324 I've had skyline once and it was pretty good after a full days drive lol

[@dustyc324]

@@ogzombieblunt4626 I'd rather go to sleep hungry.

[@hawkeytown]

I have never, until this past weekend, had a backpackers pantry meal that was any good. However I just had the Pad thai with chicken and it was actually pretty damn good, it needed a little more peanutbutter flavor (some PB powder in it would be perfect) but I thought it well above expectations. It even came with liquid peanut butter, peanut chunks and crystallized lime.

[@hughgrection9439]

I've heard the bpp is freeze dried separate ingredients where mh is a prepared dish then freeze dried

[@sjs9354]

Seriously love the cafe addition to the channel. Wish you would review “Legacy.” When we first started buying for long term food storage, my silly husband ordered $600 worth without doing any research. We have it put out of reach for true emergencies. Just can’t find much on KZbin except people selling it. Did we waste our money. 😬

[@bigfatno]

I just ordered a bunch of Mountain House meals for the first time, and I'm so looking forward to trying them. You guys are one of the cutest couples on KZbin. I enjoy watching you guys do videos together. i enjoyed the video, and thanks for sharing.

[@jeremiahlawrence4120]

I would like to see a beef stroganoff on a verses or the soup options too

[@scorp28]

I really liked the BP stroganoff. It was fairly thick and pretty tasty. I will say when making it (and most other freeze dried meals) I just put enough water in to just barely cover the food and then when I stir halfway though if it looks like it needs more I will add a bit more and let it finish.

[@taoistpenguin]

The Backpackers one looks a lot like hamburger helper cheeseburger macaroni. Being a pretty picky eater I love this series, helps me figure out what I think I would like, more please!

[@bdr1968]

You can’t go wrong with Mountain House. In the 1974 i was on a Outward Bound course and Mountain House rocked.

[@bryanripple1938]

So glad I found your channel Luke and Susan. I really enjoy your videos.

[@trailcat71]

I always appreciate seeing these reviews because I prefer to not waste money on products that suck. I realize that it was mentioned you weren't going through the ingredient list however, it would have been nice to know how these meals nutritionally stack up. To be honest I've not had "backpacker" meals as I've made my own from what is available in the local grocery store (cous cous, etc) but I would be the label nerd and would probably trade some aesthetic for nutritional value. I love a good competition.. Based on the visual I probably would have said Mtn house as well. Please consider adding some nutritional notes in the future... I could read these labels myself but it is obvious that I am lazy and prefer watching your videos;)

[@J_Chap]

I was trying to decide which one to buy. Thank you very much. I would say Mountain House is the winner.

[@rudyo8409]

Great video'' I have a batch of food for patriots meals, yet to test them. But they have some great deals and a 25 yr shelf life. Have you tasted any of them ?

[@ferebeefamily]

Mountain House biscuits and gravy is delicious. Thank you for the video.

[@alexwbanks70]

Thanks Luke and Susie. I've never actually had the MH Chili Mac. It does look delish though. I have had a couple different BP meals and they were OK. Definitely better than that Chili Mac which I will never get and be disappointed by. Thanks

[@Jeffs40K]

Great vid, Nutritional value, ingredients and where its made is also info we wish to hear, more comparison meals would rock.

[@brucemorton13]

Do you think the Backpacker's Pantry could have been rescued with some additional ingredients (self supplied)? If so, then wouldn't the price per serving unit be better? Just asking, because it looked like the volume of food was much greater in the BP product.

[@challenger2ultralightadventure]

Great review! I can only judge based on what they look like, and yes the Mountain House certainly looks better. But the Backpackers Pantry appears to have "more" food in it?! Is there a total caloric value for the contents listed for each? I'm wondering if both offer the same amount of energy? Or is that extra amount in the Backpackers Pantry just bulk filling? I would eat either, as my level of acceptance lowered significantly every year I was in the military.

[@Emily_M81]

...it's like Backpacker's Pantry went "Here's some noodles with chunks of stuff and a little flavoring to go with your water." Meanwhile Mountain House is all "BOOM HAVE SOME CHILI MFer!" 😂 Thanks for sharing!

[@MrEMann]

Like the 'versus' videos. Direct comparisons are always welcome.

[@danderson6827]

Very well done. I understand this is purely a "taste" test, but perhaps you should also compare specific ingredients/ calories, etc. also.

[@josuemakon1923]

Man this kind of videos are truly helpful. thanks

[@michaelbosisto6259]

I’m an avid outdoorsman. To me there is food for survival and then there is food that’s light weight and easy to make. Mountain House fits both categories, where as Backpackers Pantry I would use only in a survival situation, and I ran out of Mountain House. I would alway want to eat the mountain house first, partially because I dread every spoon full of Backpackers Pantry. I used to put on full on meals in a 10 hunting camp. With that, it took so much time and effort just to eat and clean up. Now with mountain house, I get more time to relax and get back into the field in no time flat. Plus I don’t have to lug a ton of coolers that I prayed would keep it from spoiling. Somehow though a thick juicy steak fills my plate… I won’t lie..

[@viewsandreviews180]

Thanks for the comparison. I'll just keep on bringing my own dehydrated home brews.

[@johnc1975]

I did the El Camino trail in Spain last October. The food in Spain was cheaper than this, and it was real fresh cooked food!

[@leadershipdevelopment2154]

I like the series. Very interested in food comparisons. 😋

[@AntonnKarlssonn]

YES! More of this please, very interesting.

[@zacharytakach8487]

When it comes to these flavors I’m partial to the mountain house. Mountain house plain Mac and cheese is probably some of the best Mac and cheese available

[@shcmoly]

Looks can make the meal too. Taste is extremely subjective: had some friends just do an overnight, they all brought mh stoganoff - 3 of 4 loved it, 4th hated it.

[@herbsmith6871]

Mountain House rules! Good stuff guys! More please 🤠

[@deli5777]

I had Mountain house pro pack today and had the Mountain house adventure pack (costco box) a couple days ago. I definitely noticed a difference between those two. Neither was bad, but the pro was better. Noodles were better, sauce was better, beef was better. I'm trying to find a comparison video of the two.

[@rvboondocker2559]

It would be awesome if you could mix them both together! I am sure the flavor would even be better and the yield will be also better.

[@clintromine802]

Love your videos guys, ever thought of of comparing total carbs to protein content, I’m a diabetic in Canada, I recently got into day long boat trips & well I’m not always lucky enough to catch my protein on the hook🤭. And in Canada your lucky if packaged snacks or meals have less than than 45-60 total carbs per individual serving portion, never mind an actual meal. I was taught by an older lady that is a type 1 diabetic that protein should match or exceed total carbs, a she manages her sugar very well so I’m inclined to think she’s correct. But I can’t find anything on the market that even comes close to this goal. Everything is higher sugars or at least high carbs if not high sugar (same thing to a diabetic) any brand suggestions please.

[@lynnmasoner7627]

Yes please more of the verses so that I can see what they look like and can make my choices from there.

[@MisfitsFiendClub138]

Avoid the ones with rice, they put tons of rice and not much of the other ingredients

[@RobertHolster1]

My little girl said "Daddy I saw these on KZbin. They make you fawt!!" 😁 I just ate the Beef Stew while camping....it was dee-lish!! Oh I slept in my US Army issued Lite Fighter 1. Loved it!!

[@enddockboyoutdoors748]

Love to see more of these. The VS was a good spin.

[@richardbidinger2577]

Backpackers Pantry doesn't precook their meals, Mountain House does. That's why there's such a difference in apprarence. Mountain House is precooked before it's freeze dried, so all the flavors have a chance to blend together. Backpackers Pantry will freezedry all the individual ingredients first, then combine them in the package, where they don't get cooked till you add boiling water.

[@jonw7937]

My first choice is always Mountain House when it comes to flavor and quality. But if I just want a massive serving to get those calories in my system when I'm on long treks I will use Backpacker's Pantry. A little salt and pepper goes a long way, and you get almost double the food for the same price. Often times what I will even do is bring both, and dump the Mountain House into the BPP meal and it gives enough seasoning for both and I get a very big meal for me. Or I can share with my dog or my partner.

[@lyf45mo]

If you are not worried about weight ,you can make your own.I have made Chili Mac while hunting out of my pull camper,cost less than $2.

[@onkeldunkel665]

My favorite freeze dried food is the chicken with herbal sauce from Real Turmat. Unfortunately I can only find it on the manufacturers website, and they don't ship outside of Norway. I can recommend most anything from them, except the lapskaus (meat and potato stew).

[@NinjaBlade778]

Glad to be part of OFD that brings us the mountain house brand.

[@stevekillgore9272]

It seems like one could easily make a comparable for the BP in ones own kitchen ... on the other hand as someone inferred, if you prep both and mix 'em you might well feed 5 pretty decently ...

[@alanlindmark1323]

So well done. Thanks. Yes do more Vs. !

[@Newtperc]

Just got 2 mountain house 15 variety packs from Costco for $128!! Amazing deal

[@JohnHodgkins]

I'm not sure if it's still true but both of the companies were owned by the same company... They were even packaged in the same plants in Oregon and Colorado...

[@jerrya4329]

Liked the presentation. What altitude were you cooking at?

[@MrRayMac1963]

Mountain House always wins, they just have it dialed it IMHO. But try the Backpacker's Pantry Desserts. Thats seems to be their strongest line. You could do a video of all of them. Thanks TOGR for another great vid

[@jenarddecastro2597]

I like how Backpacker's Pantry has more Asian stuff like Beef Pho, Kathmandu Curry, Pad Thai Veggie, Chana Masala, Mango Sticky Rice, Chiang Mai Coconut Curry with Beef, Kung Pao Rice with Chicken, and Indian Rice Pudding

[@mudpawsvoom6132]

Yeah I tried a bunch of different kinds of dried foods , and hands down mountain house is for me. They're way better than all of them out there.

[@lindabirdrutter6695]

Great episode guys...I appreciate the VS Cafe!!

[@MuvoTX]

I've eaten both, and been a full, fat, happy camper. I get which ever is cheaper. If price is the same I get the MH. Both are plenty of food for me. Cheers guys. Oh great series... Do more -VS- reviews please!!

[@trakyboy5128]

Campers cafe, what a hoot!! Lots of fun. But like some of you I could use more info. Portions, salt,gmo's and so on. Luke did mention cooking time's and that is important also when figures for fuel demands need to be factored in when on longer trips or what stove(s) you plan to take ect.

[@snoodlefoots]

Well done video just wondering How was the Meat taste between the two -? , and was one heavy on the salt then the other-? all in all at least you gave me some idea how taste is.

[@Andy-1968]

The mountain house looks really nice guys 😁 keep up the good work

[@dudebig5404]

Hey Luke, good to see the beautiful Susan. You guys made me hungry... until I saw the Panty version of Chili Mac. So I settled for some tuna & crackers & a GREAT Cup of Joe. You two are like a left & right hand. A perfect match. Very cool. I wish you the best day ever.. Peace

[@flyguyny]

Did you stir them after cooking? Sue lifted the food out of the BP bag, and Luke scraped it out of the MH bag.