Check out our latest review of Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings on the Best Freeze Dried Food Guide website. If you’re looking for some top-rated freeze-dried food, look here.
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, frequent traveler, or stocking up for just-in-case events, Mountain House freeze-dried food is a smart choice. It’s lightweight and compact and offers quick meals within minutes, no matter where you are.
One of the tasty offerings in the world of freeze-dried camping food is Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings. In this review, I’ll share my firsthand experience with this meal and help you decide if it’s worth adding to your camping or emergency preparedness kit.
Curious about freeze-dried food? One of its standout features is its exceptionally lightweight and compact nature, making it a must-have for weight-conscious gram-counting backpackers and a great option for everyday campers. This makes it easy to pack on multi-day backpacking trips where every ounce counts or camping excursions with a truckload of gear. But just because it’s lightweight doesn’t mean it’s lacking in nutrition or flavor. In fact, many freeze-dried meals are surprisingly tasty and filling, thanks to their high protein and nutrient content.
Another advantage of freeze-dried food is its long shelf life. Unlike fresh or even canned food, freeze-dried meals can last for years without spoiling. This makes them an ideal choice for emergency preparedness kits, where you want to have non-perishable food options on hand in case of power outages, natural disasters, or other unforeseen emergencies.
But let’s shift our focus back to the star of the show: Mountain House’s Chicken and Dumplings. Prepare to be tantalized by the combination of tender chicken, flavorful peas, carrots, and fluffy buttermilk dumplings, all bathed in a delicious creamy white gravy. Who knew freeze-dried camping food could be so tasty?
Preparing the meal is also incredibly easy. All you need is some boiling water and a few minutes of patience while it rehydrates. Once it’s ready, you simply stir it up, sit back, and enjoy.
Overall, I think Mountain House’s Chicken and Dumplings is a top-rated freeze-dried food option for anyone who wants a delicious and convenient meal on the go. Whether you’re backpacking through the wilderness, traveling cross country, heading out to the field, or preparing for an emergency, this freeze-dried meal is sure to satisfy your taste buds.
Table of Contents
- Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings Review
- Technical Details
- Ingredients
- Nutrition Facts
- How to Prepare Mountain House Meals
- Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings Pros and Cons
- Pros
- Cons
- Amazon Customer Review Quotes
- Final Thoughts in our Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings Review
- Keep a Supply of Freeze Dried Meals on Hand
- Wrapping it all Up
Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings Review
The first thing we should talk about is the taste and texture. If it doesn’t taste good, we really don’t care about anything else.
Made according to the package directions, it certainly does taste almost like the Chicken and Dumplings that Grandma made. Not bland and not spicy. Grandma didn’t like spicy.
There are good-sized pieces of savory tender chicken in a creamy white gravy with a velvety texture, giving it a rich and comforting flavor. The dumplings are light, fluffy, and tender, soaking up the gravy. There are peas and carrots throughout. It’s not too thick or too thin when made according to the preparation instructions of the back of the package.
When we purchased this Mountain House Adventure Meal from Amazon, the price was $8.49 in March 2023. As we update our review, there are well over 2200 customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.7 stars out of a max of 5. Check it out here. Over 90% of the reviews are 4 and 5 stars. So this is an above-average product that shoppers are happy with, likely with many repeat customers like me!
Technical Details
For those of us who want to know all the technical details and specifications. These are our out-of-the-box measurements, as recorded on our inexpensive battery-powered digital kitchen scale.
- The unopened 2-serving pouch weighs 128 grams
- Dry mix weight, 105 grams
- Oxygen absorber packet weight, 5 grams
- Empty pouch weight, 18 grams
- Pouch size, 8 3/8 inches / 21.27 cm wide by 8 3/16 inches / 20.79 cm tall
In our opinion, these specifications describe the characteristics of what make the best freeze-dried camping meals. Light weight, small size, and very little package waste. They provide a convenient and efficient solution for backpackers and campers who value portability, space optimization, and environmental sustainability during their outdoor adventures.
Other important details.
- Two servings per pouch
- Unopened shelf life of 30 years from the date of manufacture
- No artificial preservatives, artificial flavors, or artificial colors
- Durable, easy-to-open pouch with a zipper seal
- Product packaging is recyclable
- Cost per package is $8.49 as we update our review
- The bottom panel of the Adventure Meal pouch has bits of wit and wisdom printed on them
These other important details describe characteristics that are ideal for freeze-dried emergency food.
Ingredients
Well, the Mountain House Chicken and Dumpling freeze-dried meal has all of the ingredients Grandma would have used, and maybe a few more that she wouldn’t use. Buttermilk biscuit dumplings, chicken, and a sauce with green peas, carrots, onions, and spices. Yes, there are a few other ingredients that I didn’t list.
The Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings package shows that this meal has no artificial preservatives, no artificial flavors, and no artificial colors. I am not a food scientist, all processed foods include ingredients that you don’t recognize without doing the research, including Mountain House.
Nutrition Facts
The Nutrition Facts label says a serving size is 1 cup or 64 grams of dry mix. We don’t eat half a container; we’re going to gobble it all down in one sitting.
That said, we’re looking at 600 calories, with 25 grams of fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 1780 milligrams of sodium, 61 grams of carbohydrate, and 33 grams of protein. The label also shows there is some Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium.
A bit about the sodium content. The Nutrition Facts label says this container has 1780 mg. In a Mountain House response to a question concerning sodium, they replied, saying at one time, there was a low-sodium line of freeze-dried food offerings. However, due to low sales, they discontinued the entire product line. So is this too much sodium? Only you can decide.
I’ll say that nutrition needs vary from person to person and are dependent on activity. So this single 2-serving pouch might be fine as an entire meal for some folks. Usually, we doctor up the freeze-dried meals adding a bit of this and that.
I always recommend trying these at home several times before going out into the field or on a camping trip. In part, so you can determine if the portion size is adequate, but more importantly, know what to expect with no surprises and decide if this freeze-dried backpacking food is right for you.
How to Prepare Mountain House Meals
The package directions call for adding 1 1/3 cups (11 fl oz / 325 mL) of boiling water. I think this is spot on. The end result isn’t soupy as you can see in our images. We made this according to the preparation instructions printed on the back of the package.
However, we depart from the package directions for rehydration times. While the preparation instructions say it’s ready in 9 minutes, our method takes a little bit longer and in our opinion, produces a better result.
Here’s what we do.
Step 1, First, make sure the bottom of the pouch is fully expanded and open so there is no place for the dry mix to hide. Then carefully add the 1 1/3 cups (11 fl oz / 325mL) boiling water to the pouch.
Thoroughly stir all the way to the bottom of the pouch. Make sure everything is well mixed. Then close the zipper seal and wait patiently for 5 minutes.
Step 2, Open the pouch and give everything a good stir, getting all the way down to the bottom and at the ends of the pouch. Then close the zipper seal and wait patiently for another 5 minutes.
Step 3. Now we’re at the 10-minute mark. Open the pouch, and again, give everything a good stir, then close the zipper seal again and wait another 5 minutes.
Step 4. If you’re starving, open up the pouch and dig in. Otherwise, let it go for another couple of minutes so the chicken, dumplings, peas, carrots, and Southern-style gravy has blended and rehydrated. Your patience will be rewarded.
It’s a tradeoff between how long you reconstitute the ingredients and how hot you want the meal to be (temperature, not spice). Giving it a full 20 minutes and a couple of extra stirs maximizes the water hydrated into the dry mix. The longer you can wait, the better it will be.
Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings Pros and Cons
Let’s take a look at some pros and cons noted in our Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings review.
The price point might be an issue for some folks, so this is neither a pro nor a con. These days, food is not cheap. Consider if you took the time first to prepare the meal from quality ingredients, and then freeze dry and package it into a sturdy pouch that also doubles as a cooking vessel. It’s a bargain, in my opinion.
Pros
We believe Mountain House makes some of the best freeze-dried camping food.
- Great taste
- 30-year shelf life
- Lightweight and convenient package size
- Easy to store freeze-dried emergency food
- Highly customizable, adding extras such as hot sauce, chili flakes, spices, and even homemade dehydrated veggies
- Easy and fast to prepare
- The bottom of the pouch expands into a bowl
Cons
- Depending on your activity level, this meal may not fill you up. You’ll need to try a few at home and decide for yourself
Of course, no meal is perfect, and there are a few drawbacks to consider. At first glance, freeze-dried meals appear to be more expensive than other meal options, particularly if you’re used to cooking from scratch or buying ingredients in bulk. Freeze-dried meal options are a bargain when you consider real-world options of making meals from scratch while out in the field or in a grid-down situation.
Amazon Customer Review Quotes
With over 2200 global reviews and an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings is highly regarded by customers. Over 90% of the reviews are either 4 or 5 stars, indicating widespread satisfaction. Reviewer comments include phrases like “Tastes Great,” “Like chicken pot pie,”, “The best camp food pack I’ve ever had!,” and “Yum” emphasizing the positive flavor experience.
While there are some differing opinions on the taste, with some finding it bland and others not, the overall consensus is very positive. Similarly, the spiciness level is subjective, with varying opinions among reviewers.
One reviewer said “Doesn’t quite work,” that the dumplings never did soften up completely. Okay, our rehydration method fixes that.
Another reviewer said it was “Terrible” with no real details provided in the review other than they didn’t like the result.
To me, when the majority of product reviews are 4 and 5 stars in the 90% range, it’s proof positive that what I am considering is good stuff. The exact percentage of Amazon customers who leave product reviews is not publicly available and can vary widely depending on the product category, customer demographics, and other factors.
Pick up several today and give them a taste test. The convenience and long shelf life make it a practical choice for various situations, whether you’re camping, hiking, planning for a prolonged power outage, or simply in need of a quick and satisfying meal.
On November 20, 2024, I checked the Mountain House store on Amazon to get updated pricing for the Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings. It's in stock and available for purchase. It sure is a popular item. There are over 2200 customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.6 stars out of 5. Check it out here.
Final Thoughts in our Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings Review
Would I buy them again? Yes, I would, and I have many times over.
The Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings have exceeded my expectations for quality backcountry eats. It might not be Grandma-approved, but it’s pretty darned tasty.
Keep a Supply of Freeze Dried Meals on Hand
Consider keeping a supply of freeze-dried emergency food and snacks on hand. Besides making for some easy-to-make camping food, freeze-dried food is one option for building an emergency food supply that is easy to store, shelf-stable, easy to prepare, and has a long shelf life.
One of the critical components of emergency preparedness is having a reliable and sufficient food supply. Having a well-stocked emergency pantry is always a good idea.
In the event of a natural disaster or other emergency situation, having a supply of freeze-dried foods can help ensure that you have access to nutritious food when other food sources may be unavailable. Our ancestors knew this.
It’s also important to regularly rotate through all of your food supplies to ensure that you use them before they expire.
Buy several to try before committing to a bigger purchase to stock up. It’s a good investment. Testing out different freeze-dried food options before committing to a larger purchase is a smart idea to ensure that you like the taste and quality of the food. You’ll know what to expect.
Overall, having a well-stocked emergency pantry, including freeze-dried emergency food, is a wise investment in your and your family’s safety and well-being.
Wrapping it all Up
So wrapping it all up. The Mountain House Chicken and Dumplings freeze-dried Adventure Meal is a real keeper.
The unopened pouch weighs in at 4.5 ounces and has a shelf life of 30 years from the date of manufacture. The Mountain House meals are ideal for camping, hiking, traveling, emergency preparedness, or getting home late and I’m just too lazy to cook a meal option.
Be sure to check out our list of Mountain House freeze dried meals available on Amazon, where we track the daily price and product availability so you don't have to. We also link to our comprehensive Mountain House freeze dried meal reviews. We track the same for Peak Refuel freeze dried meals on Amazon, don't forget to check it out before you go.