About Mountain House
Mountain House is a company that specializes in the production of freeze-dried survival foods. These are not just any freeze-dried survival foods, but ones that mimic the taste and quality of home-cooked meals while maintaining a long shelf life.
Providing individuals and families with fuel for emergencies and outdoor adventures, Mountain House provides its customers with instant nutrition by using simple ingredients to replicate cozy meals.
The company is featured on various hunting and outdoor sports blogs and has over 70,000 followers on Instagram and several ambassadors.
As it gains traction on social media, this Mountain House review will take an in-depth look at the brand, its best-selling products, customer reviews and ratings.
This Mountain House review will also answer frequently asked questions to give you background knowledge so you can make an informed decision before purchasing any of their products.
Overview of Mountain House
Oregon Freeze Dry, the parent company of Mountain House, began freeze drying fruit for breakfast cereals in 1963. The company, based in Albany, Oregon, opened its first production center in 1964.
The company’s big breakthrough came with the supply of food rations for the US military during the Vietnam War. In the late 1960s, the company further expanded its business by providing meals for NASA astronauts.
In 1969, Oregon Freeze Dry founded the Mountain House brand and focused on providing freeze-dried food for outdoor recreation.
Whether hiking the Appalachian Trail or climbing Kilimanjaro, Mountain House Freeze Dried Food is a convenient on-the-go option for everyone.
The brand prides itself on being the only company that thoroughly cooks its meals before freeze drying them at the production facility, giving the meals a nostalgic quality.
Before we delve deeper into the brand, we’ve put together some highlights in this Mountain House review that you might want to consider.
Highlights
- Quick on-the-go options for those who can’t spare much time or energy in the kitchen
- Products have a shelf life of up to 30 years
- No artificial ingredients and gluten-free options
- High nutrient density for optimal post-workout nutrition
- Recyclable packaging
- Easy to clean
- Versatile sweet and savory meals that mimic the real thing
- Free ground shipping on all orders.
Mountain House wants to make sure customers get great tasting, convenient and nutritious food so you can spend more time enjoying your adventure and less time sweating in the kitchen.
As Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it.” Mountain House is aware that time is a precious commodity and should therefore be used wisely.
This Mountain House review features the brand’s best-selling products, including meal pouches, bulk foods and desserts, all of which are freeze-dried and require little to no preparation before consumption.
Mountain House Review
Mountain House meals can be eaten “anytime, anywhere” according to their website. The company sells large meal kits that can feed an entire family, as well as individual pouches of meals and snacks that are light enough to take on a camping trip.
Below you’ll find the brand’s best-selling products, including a variety of classic meals, family-sized protein portions and sweet snacks that stand the test of time.
This Mountain House review examines some of the individual features of the products to help you decide if you should buy them.
Who Is Mountain House For?
Along with air and water, food is a basic need. As it is essential, this Mountain House review finds that the brand’s products appeal to a wide range of customers. However, backpackers, campers and people who enjoy being outdoors will benefit most from the products as they are very practical.
Mountain House’s freeze-dried foods can also help people with chronic illnesses, as preparing these meals requires little effort. If you live in an area that experiences frequent power outages or is prone to natural disasters, you may find it beneficial to stock up on these products.
Mountain House Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
This Mountain House review has scoured the internet to see what customers have to say about this brand’s products.
On Amazon, the Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles received an average rating of 4.6/5 stars with 2,885 reviews.
Customer reviewers supported each other by giving tips and tricks on how to best enjoy their meals. One Amazon user commented on the taste and consistency:
“For freeze dried food, this was pretty good. Tastes like beef stroganoff (especially if you’re freezing and hungry on the go). The meat pieces didn’t seem to fully tenderize or rehydrate, so I would recommend waiting longer for it to be ‘cooked’ than stated on the package.”
The Mountain House Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich received an average of 4.2/5 stars in 4,132 reviews on Amazon. A customer review on the brand’s website states that the taste and quality of the product is decent:
“I bought 10 of these freeze-dried vanilla ice cream sandwiches a few months ago to add a dessert to my long-term food storage. After a while, I decided to try one to see how it tasted. I found that they crumble a little and some are broken, but overall the taste is good – not too sweet, but you can satisfy a dessert craving.”
Impressively, the Mountain House Diced Chicken #10 can currently has an average of 4.7/5 stars with 1,190 reviews.
One Amazon review states that the Mountain House Diced Chicken #10 can is a good substitute for fresh food: “I’ve added it to soups when I didn’t have chicken in the fridge and no one noticed that I was using canned dry food instead of fresh.”
Finally, a Backcountry Skiing Canada customer reports that Mountain House’s customer service was efficient and helpful:
“Customer service has come a long way. After I sent an email with a request from the website, Mountain House responded within a couple hours with a friendly customer service representative.”
Overall, several customers commented online about the effectiveness of Mountain House’s products, the company’s customer service, the taste, texture and quality of the meals. In general, the reviews were positive.
Is Mountain House Worth It?
This Mountain House review recommends the company overall because it makes products that are necessary and effective. Mountain House strives to make meals that can save you time and energy, which is a great accomplishment in itself.
For over 50 years, the company has been making freeze-dried food for a variety of people, from military service members to people living off the grid.
In addition, Mountain House made over 200,000 donations last year to the Kids Against Hunger movement, which works to fight childhood hunger.
In 2020, Mountain House donated meals to Oregon firefighters during wildfire season. The brand also supported local hospitals during the Covid-19 pandemic, which speaks to its ethical principles and values.
Mountain House cares about the environment and works with TerraCycle, a recycling company that recycles hard-to-recycle waste. You can support this brand with a clear conscience, knowing that they are committed to reducing their environmental footprint.
The brand carries a wide range of meals and novelty items and offers products that are peanut and gluten free, which is a plus.
In the future, if the brand wants to further reduce its impact on the environment and appeal to an even wider audience, it could consider offering plant-based and vegan options.
While Mountain House may not produce the most visually appealing or restaurant-worthy dishes, many customers find that the products meet their expectations and provide adequate and quick nutrition.
This Mountain House review found that the brand is transparent about the quality of the ingredients that go into the products, which is a good sign.
Mountain House Promotions & Discounts
Fortunately, this Mountain House review discovered that the brand is currently offering a discount of up to 20% on customizable emergency food packages. You can customize the meals that pique your interest on the brand’s website.
You can choose from several options on the brand’s website:
- Two-week food supply: buy 42 bags, save 5%
- One month’s supply: buy 90 bags, save 7.5%
- Two months’ supply: buy 180 sachets and save 10%.
- Food supply for three months: buy 270 bags, save 13%
- Food supply for six months: buy 540 bags, save 17.5%
- Food supply for one year: buy 1,080 bags, save 20%
Where to Buy Mountain House
You can order directly from the brand’s website or from Amazon.
Mountain House products are also sold at certain retailers in Canada and the US, such as those listed below:
- Awesome Adventures
- Bass Pro Shops
- Cabela’s
- Nationwide sporting goods store
- Mountain Equipment
- REI
- Sport Scheck
- Walmart
FAQ
Who owns Mountain House?
Mountain House is owned by Oregon Freeze Dry, also known as OFD Foods LLC. Since 1963, OFD Foods LLC has been producing freeze-dried foods, from breakfast cereals to war rations.
The Mountain House brand was founded in 1969 to offer the general public ready-to-eat meals with a long shelf life.
Does Mountain House ship internationally?
Currently, Mountain House can only ship within the United States. However, many sporting goods stores in Canada carry Mountain House products.
What is Mountain House’s shipping policy?
All orders are processed Monday through Friday and shipped within 2 business days, and shipping is free.
According to the brand’s website, most orders are shipped via UPS Ground, and you can request faster shipping for an additional charge. Delays may occur if shipping is interrupted nationwide, during inclement weather, or during high order volume.
What is Mountain House’s return policy?
Mountain House does not accept returns unless the item is defective or damaged. If the order is not in order upon receipt, Mountain House will accept returns.
However, customers must make return claims within 30 days of delivery by calling customer service at 1-800-547-0244 or emailing info@mountainhouse.com.
How to contact Mountain House
If you have further questions about Mountain House, you can contact the company directly through the website, via email, or speak with a customer service representative on the phone:
- Phone: 1-800-547-0244, Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST
- Mailing address: 525 25th Ave. SW; Albany, OR 97322
- Contact form: mountainhouse.com/pages/contact-us