But hey, it’s a new freeze-dried food product, so let’s give it a taste test.
Mountain House Peanut Butter Bites are a great freeze dried snack to pack along.
Mountain House Peanut Butter Bites Review
First thing, what do the Mountain House peanut butter bites taste like? If it doesn’t taste good, we don’t care about anything else.
The peanut butter bites are smaller little freeze dried peanut butter squares, somewhat the size of a larger peanut. Actually, the peanut butter bites are kind of irregularly shaped squares.
What’s my first impression? It was surprisingly good! To me, they kind of taste like peanut butter cookies with just a hint of sweetness. But not too sweet. So yes, they do taste like peanut butter. And yes, I will buy more of these again.
The texture also reminds me of peanut butter cookies. It’s not crunchy as you might expect from a freeze dried snack. It’s more of a crispy-crumbly texture that kind of melts in your mouth.
While some crumbs remain in the bottom of the pouch, these are firm little nuggets, not easily breaking apart with ordinary handling. But they will crush if tightly packed in along with your other gear. So pack wisely.
We measured out 28 grams of peanut butter bites and 28 grams of dry roasted peanuts for a side-by-side comparison.
If you are a peanut butter fan, at only $4.99, consider adding one or two pouches to your next Amazon purchase to taste test.
Mountain House Peanut Butter Bites, The Details
The entire 3-serving pouch weighs 3.4 ounces (95 grams) on my digital kitchen scale.
The Nutrition Facts label says a serving size is “about 14 pieces” or 28 grams. I weighed 14 pieces on my digital scale, which came to 20 grams. After adding 6 more peanut butter bites, the scale now read 28 grams. Which is roughly about two or three small bite-size handfuls.
The pouch is the typical Mountain House mylar-type bag with a zip-top seal. The pouch does not detail how soon you should consume the contents once the package is opened, assuming it’s properly sealed between snacking. But my guess is that you’ll end up consuming the whole bag in short order.
These don’t have that typical 30-year best-by date found on their freeze dried food products. The peanut butter bites I purchased in November 2022 had a best-by date of January 2024, or roughly 14 months after the date of purchase.
Final Thoughts on the Mountain House Peanut Butter Bites
This beaver-chewed tree wasn’t here two weeks ago. However, I brought along my last pouch of Mountain House Peanut Butter Bites on this hike. Maybe the beaver will like them?
Would I buy them again? Yes I would.
The peanut butter bites exceeded my expectations for taste and texture. Yes, I could also bring a small bag of peanuts, but that is not the point. The do have a satisfying hint of sweetness from the honey used in the recipe.
Pick up a pouch or two of these Mountain House Peanut Butter Bites and give them a try.
I first reviewed the Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice freeze dried back in January 2016. Since then, the Mountain House freeze dried meals have undergone somewhat of a facelift. Such as new product packaging, serving sizes, and in some cases, the recipe has been updated.
We are bringing 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil on our camp stove. Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice is on tap for dinner. After a day of hiking, fishing, and finally setting up camp, we’re ready to eat. A just add water freeze dried meal in a pouch is ideal. The minimal preparation and clean-up are a plus. The only thing we need to wash after feasting in is our long-handled spoon. Everything else gets packed out and recycled.
Since the Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice freeze dried meal was updated, we decided to refresh and update our review as well.
Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice Review
So today, we have Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice, green peas, carrots, peppers, and onions in a 2-serving pouch. This is one of the Adventure Meals series of freeze dried meals. The Mountain House Adventure Meals have a guaranteed shelf life and taste guarantee of 30 years from the date of manufacture.
I don’t know about you, but the local big-box stores have a very limited selection of in-stock, available for purchase freeze dried meals from which to choose. So plan ahead, and have a selection on hand and ready for last-minute hikes or camping trips, or just-in-case meals. That 30-year shelf life and taste guarantee offer peace of mind that your emergency food storage will be viable when needed.
Many folks complain about the cost of these freeze dried meals. A burger, fries, and a drink from the place down the street come close to that $10.00 mark, if not more. However, the place down the street doesn’t offer all the positive aspects of enjoying a meal outdoors. Spending time outdoors and in the woods strengthens our immune system, reduces blood pressure, increases energy, boosts our mood, and helps us regain and maintain our focus in ways that treeless environments just don’t. You can’t put a price on that.
The package directions on the Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice recommend adding 1 2/3 cups of just boiled water. I think this is a bit too much and the chicken teriyaki will end up too soupy. So I’ll go with 1 1/4 cups or 10 ounces of water.
I can always add a bit more water if needed, but you can’t take it out.
Here we emptied the contents of the Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice 2-serving pouch into a bowl so you can see what you are getting. You can see big pieces of freeze dried chicken, red pepper, peas, carrots, rice, and mushrooms. Next, we will return everything back to the pouch so we can add the just boiled water. Of course, we did remove the oxygen absorber packet.
We recommend you try making this at home several times using the same camping cookware used outdoors. Working through any problems at home before getting out into the field makes you better prepared, and you have fewer surprises. You’ll also find out if you like the flavor and texture of the Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice.
With any of these Mountain House products, ensuring you stir the contents at the mid-way mark is highly recommended. I also recommend letting the pouch sit a minute (or three) longer than the package directions call for. Doing so will help ensure everything is evenly rehydrated.
We have added the 1 1/4 cups of water to the Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice. After 5 minutes, we will stir up the contents. We’ll stir again in another 4 minutes. I also recommend letting the pouch sit a minute (or three) longer than the package directions call for. Doing so will help ensure everything is evenly rehydrated.
Freeze Dried Food Taste Test
Overall, the taste is pretty good. It tastes just like chicken teriyaki should! It might not be like what you get from the takeout place down the street. But I am confident they don’t deliver out in the woods either!
Dinner is served! This is a 2-serving pouch of Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice made using 1 1/4 cups of water and not the 1 2/3 cups of water the instructions call for. We let the pouch hydrate for 13 minutes. Following the directions on the back of the pouch, we stirred at the 5-minute mark. At the 9-minute mark, we stirred again and went for another 4 minutes of hydration time. Our patience was rewarded with a satisfying bowl of Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice. I think a handful of peanuts or cashews would be a nice addition next time we make this.
The recipe could add more chicken and veggies to the mix, but that is only my preference. However, I do miss the bamboo shoots of the old recipe.
I like my food more on the spicy side, so bringing extra soy sauce or hot sauce condiment packets is always in the plan. Some crushed red pepper flakes would also be a good addition.
On May 14, 2024, I checked the Mountain House store on Amazon to get updated pricing for the Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice. It's in stock and available for purchase. It sure is a popular item. There are over 2500 customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.6 stars out of 5. Check it out here.
Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice Review Rating
Winter camping along the riverNo complaints with this one. In my view, this Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki with Rice is a keeper! Consider ordering several with your next Amazon purchase to try out in your backyard. I always have an assortment of Mountain House freeze dried Adventure Meals in my camping supply box so I am prepared for the next trip or just-in-case events.
Because the recipe could use more chicken and veggies, I will give this one a rating of 4 stars. I do miss the bamboo shoots of the old recipe.
I keep checking, but as of December 5, 2022, Mountain House no longer offers the Sweet and Sour Pork with Rice freeze dried meal. So I have disabled all the product links on this page. Send them an email and let them know you want it back.
Mountain House Sweet and Sour Pork with RiceMountain House Sweet and Sour Pork with Rice is another downright tasty freeze dried food item for your backpack or emergency food stash! This 2.5-serving pouch is the topic of today’s review.
This freeze dried meal is a worthy addition to your camping supply closet, bug-out bag, the trunk of your car, or wherever you might need an emergency meal. As with all of the Mountain House products, the sweet and sour pork with rice is easy to whip
The 2.5 serving pouch makes about 2 1/2 cups of delicious sweet and sour pork with rice. I think 2.5 cups is about right for a one-person meal during a day spent on outdoor adventures.
Of course, you could always share some with your camping friends. If everyone brings a different freeze dried meal it could be sort of a family style camping dinner! Trying a bit of everything!
Preparation and Tips
The package directions on the back of the Mountain House Sweet and Sour Pork with Rice recommends adding 2 cups of boiling water. I think you will find that this is just about the right amount of water.
If this is your first experience with this particular freeze dried meal, consider making it at home using the very same camping equipment used out on the trail. I always recommend doing this because you will quickly figure out what works out best.
Consider the optional stirring after about 4 minutes as noted on the package directions. I never have problems with dry pockets of food when I do this and neither should you. A long handled spoon, such as the one reviewed here will keep your hands a bit cleaner and out of the food pouch.
The package directions on the 2.5-serving pouch recommend 8 to 9 minutes for rehydration. I always let mine sit a few minutes longer to make sure everything gets a chance to absorb all of that hot water. Then give it a good stir before digging in.
Taste and Texture
Mountain House Sweet and Sour Pork with Rice bowlI like to eat this right out of the bag. Some folks might like making this into a wrap using tortillas to stretch it a bit further.
The first time I ever had the freeze dried sweet and sour pork with rice, I was really surprised at how good it was. You can really taste the pieces of pineapple.
You will also get some red and green peppers. They add a bit of color but I never can taste them. If I had my way, I would add some red and green jalapenos to the mix instead! Sometimes I will bring a few in a small plastic container.
I think a bit of soy sauce will take this up a notch, sort of a back-country umami experience! Consider bringing a few packets from your stash of those extra fast food condiments you have picked up along the way.
The texture of the rice is just like all of the other Mountain House products that have rice. It is not mushy, nor is it like the rice from the takeout place down the street.
Overall, this is another downright tasty addition to the camping food pantry, -- which also doubles as my emergency food stash. Having a few weeks of emergency food on hand just makes good sense! Stuff happens; just watch the news.
Click here to see pricing, ratings, and reviews on Amazon.com
Mountain House Sweet and Sour Pork with Rice Review Rating
Hiking along the Dolly Sods Wilderness AreaThis is another favorite of mine and I think it will be one of yours as well! Besides the freeze dried convenience, the Mountain House Sweet and Sour Pork with Rice is just a downright tasty food option for any of your outdoor adventures.
I am giving this one a 5 star rating. I think you will agree, this one is a real keeper! Pick up one of these Mountain House freeze dried meals and try it out!
We first wrote this review for the Mountain House Breakfast Skillet in December 2015. Since then, the Mountain House freeze dried meals have undergone somewhat of a facelift. Such as new product packaging, serving sizes, and in some cases, the recipe has been updated.
Since the Mountain House Breakfast Skillet freeze dried meal was updated, we decided to refresh and update our review and add some new images.
As we finish updating our review, Winter Storm Elliott has pummeled the country. It intensified into a bomb cyclone with high winds, blizzard conditions, and flooding. Locally, we have high winds, extreme cold, power outages, coastal flooding, and so on. Our power has been out since 4:30 this morning as I write this.
We are fortunate enough to have a generator. We can run the gas furnace and the refrigerators. At least the pipes won’t freeze. But we continue to drip them. The temperature is a chilly 13 degrees as the sun starts to rise.
The local electrical power provider has said its goal is to restore nearly all remaining customers impacted by the storm by 11 p.m. Saturday. It said if a restoration project extended past 11 p.m. Saturday, Dominion said it would contact those customers.
Events like this remind us to be prepared. Things can and do happen in our own backyard.
This morning we’re having Mountain House Breakfast Skillet to get us started. Having a supply of freeze dried meals on hand just makes sense. You’ll be glad you have them when the power goes out during bone-chilling inclement weather like we’re experiencing now with Winter Storm Elliott. Mountain House makes some of the best tasting freeze dried meals on the market.
Mountain House Breakfast Skillet Review
This morning we have the Mountain House Breakfast Skillet, with shredded potatoes and scrambled eggs mixed with pork sausage, peppers, and onions. The Mountain House Breakfast Skillet pouch is one of the Adventure Meals series.
The 2-serving package also says this is gluten-free and contains no artificial flavors or colors.
While the local big-box stores are convenient, they always seem to have limited variety and quantity. Sometimes, the shelves are even empty. Consider adding a few pouches to your next Amazon purchase to have on hand for last-minute outings or just in case preparedness. That 30-year shelf life and taste guarantee offer peace of mind that your emergency food storage will be viable when needed.
So let’s head out to the garage and fire up the camp stove, and make some breakfast.
Taking a Look at What You Get
As we update these reviews, we’re taking a close look at what you get (by flashlight).
We emptied the contents of the pouch into one of our stainless-steel camping bowls and checked out what was there. You can see there are big pieces of fluffy scrambled egg, hash brown potatoes, red and green peppers, and pork sausage crumbles. I don’t see any pieces of onions, but it’s kind of hard to tell in low-light conditions. We’re using a flashlight and early morning light for these pictures.
We emptied the contents into one of our stainless-steel camping bowls and checked out what was there. You can see there are big pieces of scrambled egg, hash brown potatoes, red and green peppers, and pork sausage crumbles. I don’t see any pieces of onions, but it’s kind of hard to tell in low-light conditions.
I didn’t measure the contents. The Nutrition Facts label shows 1 serving is equal to 1 1/4 cups of dry mix. So there should be 2 1/2 cups here, and it looks about right.
Let’s get this back into the pouch and make something to eat.
On May 14, 2024, I checked the Mountain House store on Amazon to get updated pricing for the Mountain House Breakfast Skillet. It's in stock and available for purchase. It sure is a popular item. There are over 4500 customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. Check it out here.
How to Prepare Mountain House Meals
Preparing one of the Mountain House Adventure Meals is as easy as adding boiling water, occasionally stirring, and waiting about 10 or 15 minutes. Eat straight from the pouch for minimal cleanup. A long handle spoon, such as this one, is a must-have for getting all of the tasty goodness from the bottom.
We are making some coffee using our single-burner camping stove. We have no power due to the winter storm winds and rain working its way through. After the coffee, we’ll get 1 1/4 cups, or 10 ounces of water good and hot and ready to add mix into the Mountain House Breakfast Skillet pouch. We’re getting hungry.
The directions on the Mountain House Breakfast Skillet pouch recommend adding 1 1/4 cups of boiling water. I think this is about the right amount of water. With most Mountain House meals, you’ll need to experiment to find the right amount of water to add to get your preferred texture.
We are rehydrating the Mountain House Breakfast Skillet. We’re 5 minutes in, with about 10 more minutes to go. The Mountain House directions say its ready in 10 minutes. But the extra time allows for better hydration of the freeze dried contents.
You can always add a bit more water if needed, but you can’t take it out.
The preparation instructions say it’s ready in about 10 minutes. Just mix in the boiling water and stir. Wait 5 minutes and stir again. Then it’s ready 4 minutes later. However, we stir ours again and let it sit for another 4 or 5 minutes. The extra time allows for better hydration of the freeze dried contents.
We recommend making this freeze dried meal at home several times using the exact gear you would use in the field. After a few practice runs, you’ll dial in on the process and how much water to use.
Freeze Dried Food Taste Test
We typically eat this right from the pouch. But it’s hard to get a good picture of the prepared meal. So we emptied the contents into an MSR Alpine stainless steel camping bowl, so you get a good view.
Check out the big pieces of scrambled egg, shredded hash brown potatoes, and pieces of pork with red and green peppers. We’re going to add some hot sauce after taking a few pictures. Hot sauce pairs well with nearly everything.
After 15 minutes of hydrating, we’re ready to eat. After capturing a few images to show you what it looks like, we’re adding a couple of packets of hot sauce.
The Mountain House Breakfast Skillet also makes a good filling for a wrap. Just add tortillas, cheese, and hot sauce. Adding some crushed red pepper flakes will take this up a notch as well. Basically, just add what you like.
Mountain House Breakfast Skillet Review Rating
I have yet to find a Mountain House meal I didn’t like.
Add water and wait about 10 to 15 minutes, and then you have a decent enough meal. The 10 to 15 minute wait time is enough to finish the coffee.
The sodium content is a bit high. But so is nearly every other processed food item you buy today.
The Mountain House Adventure Meals have a guaranteed shelf life and taste guarantee of 30 years from the date of manufacture. That 30-year shelf life and taste guarantee offer peace of mind that your emergency food storage will be viable when needed.
