Frequently Asked Questions

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By Category
year taste guarantee
year taste guarantee
Made in USA Since 1969
Made in USA Since 1969
Just add water
Just add water
Ready in Minutes
Ready in Minutes
Recyclable Packaging
Recyclable Packaging
<p>year taste guarantee</p>

year taste guarantee

<p>year taste guarantee</p>

year taste guarantee

<p>Made in usa Since 1969</p>

Made in usa Since 1969

<p>Made in usa Since 1969</p>

Made in usa Since 1969

<p>Just add water</p>

Just add water

<p>Just add water</p>

Just add water

<p>Ready in Minutes</p>

Ready in Minutes

<p>Ready in Minutes</p>

Ready in Minutes

<p>Recyclable Packaging</p>

Recyclable Packaging

<p>Recyclable Packaging</p>

Recyclable Packaging

By Category

  • Mountain House is a brand that was created and launched by Oregon Freeze Dry in 1969, chartered with creating the best tasting, longest lasting adventure meals available to outdoor adventurers. Mountain House originated as a result of the relationship Oregon Freeze Dry had with the U.S. Armed Forces, a partnership that has continually been in place since the mid-1960s.
  • Oregon Freeze Dry is owned by Arbor Investments, a leader in the food and beverage industry. Oregon Freeze Dry has multiple divisions, including Mountain House, our military related business, contract services, and our pharma division which has been in operation for over 20 years.
  • We freeze dry our own meals at our plant in Albany, Oregon USA. No co-packers, no other 3rd party companies involved. We do it all and control it from start to finish.
  • Mountain House makes high-quality, freeze-dried meals. Just add water and in minutes you’ll have home cooked flavor on the trail, on-the-go, or in times of emergency. We’ve been cooking up dependable and delicious meals since 1969.

  • Mountain House meals are pre-cooked, so the flavors are fully locked in. All you need to do is add water! Just open the pouch or #10 can, remove the oxygen absorber, add the correct amount of boiling water (individual meals vary, so please refer to package directions), stir, then seal. In 15 minutes or less your meal will be steaming hot and ready to savor! In a pinch you can use cold water, just give it about twice as long to re-hydrate.

    Novelties like our ice cream are ready to eat...just open the pouch and enjoy.

  • Store Mountain House food under dry, sanitary conditions, without prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures and avoiding any environment that could cause damage to the packaging, such as punctures, dents, or rust.

    To maximize shelf life, store food unopened and avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures above 75°F (24°C). Follow these storage tips and you'll have tasty food on your next backpacking trip, during an emergency, or anytime you want a quick meal without the long prep.

    After opening, we recommend using any dry contents within one week for best results and taste. After hydration, treat any leftover food as you would fresh food. It's real food!

  • Yes, we process peanut butter for other areas of our business.

  • We are controlling with a combination of Good Manufacturing Practices and Validated Sanitation Practices.

    What does that mean or what are you doing?

    1. We conduct an in-depth, full sanitation between running peanut butter and any other Mountain House items (items we produce that are non-peanut containing products.)
    2. All direct product contact surfaces using in peanut processing are cleaned, inspected and tested for absence of peanut residue at the level of 1 Part Per Million.
    3. At all times we employ Good Manufacturing Practices with regard to the handling and processing of peanut items, and we employ physical segregation of inventory items when peanuts are processed.
  • Peanut Butter
  • All direct product contact used in peanut processing is clean, inspected and tested for absence of peanut residue at One Part Per Million.
  • No, we test for the absence of peanuts on all equipment prior to processing. Testing is not performed on finished products, only on shared equipment.
    1. Milk, soy, wheat, eggs, crustaceans, tree nuts (coconut), fish and peanut.
    2. We have managed all of these allergens successfully for quite some time.

  • Mountain House is only able to accept orders through our website with a credit card payment. Mail-in orders are accepted. To request an order form, please email info@mountainhouse.com.

  • Email our friendly Customer Service reps. Be sure to include your order number if you can! You can also log into your MountainHouse.com account to check the status, too.

  • Absolutely not. Information about our customers is an important part of our business. The only information we collect is what you submit to us and is used only by Mountain House for our own marketing and research purposes. We are not in the business of selling the information we collect to others. To view our full privacy policy, click here.

  • All orders, including expedited shipments, are proceed Monday through Friday during regular business hours and are shipped within two business days.

    Orders will be shipped via FedEx Ground (except APO addresses) unless you have requested faster freight. Please note at times shipment may be delayed due to inclement weather, holidays, or an increased volume of orders.

    Payments will be processed when your orders ships, with the exception of orders paid via PayPal.

  • You betcha! As soon as your order ships, you'll receive an email with your tracking number. You can also sign into your account to view the tracking number associated with your order.

  • We do not ship food products outside the United States due to import regulations on meat and poultry products. To purchase Mountain House in Canada, please head over to our store locator page.

  • Unfortunately, our common carrier does not deliver to post office boxes. At checkout, please provide a physical address.
  • Sure can. We ship all APO orders through the United States Postal Service. When entering the ship to address leave the State/Province field "Select" and in the Other State/Province field enter APO or FPO.
  • Yes! We offer free ground shipping on orders over $49.

  • All orders, including expedited shipments, are proceed Monday through Friday during regular business hours and are shipped within two business days.

    Please note at times shipment may be delayed due to inclement weather, holidays, or an increased volume of orders.

    Payments will be processed when your orders ships, with the exception of orders paid via PayPal.

  • Mountain House's return policy is no returns on food items unless the product is damaged, defective or if there is a receiving discrepancy with your order.

    To ensure your claim can be processed and not denied for any damage or receiving discrepancies with your order, all claims must be received with 30 days of delivery. To file a claim, please email info@mountainhouse.com or give us a call at 1-800-547-0244.

    You can view our return policy here.

  • Mountain House Adventure Meals™ are full-size meal pouches that are perfect for outdoor adventures. They are lightweight, portable, homestyle meals that are packed with nutrients and full of flavor for a satisfying meal anytime, anywhere.

  • Whether aiming for a PR, bagging your next peak, conquering the backcountry, or completing a successful mission*, our Pro-Pak® meals are designed with the protein, calories, and nutrition you need to achieve peak performance in any environment.

    Mountain House Pro-Pak meals are made to the exacting standards of the U.S. Armed Forces for Long-Range Cold-Weather Patrols.

  • Pro-Pak® meals contain one serving. We always recommend looking at calories rather than servings and to choose based on individual metabolism and activity level, since these vary from person to person and day to day.

  • Mountain House emergency meals have the longest proven shelf life of 30 years. Our Just in Case...® line includes our trusted just-add-water, freeze-dried meals for emergency planning. With #10 cans, assorted meal buckets, and emergency food kits, stocking up for "just in case" is simple.

  • Everyone loves an original, which is why we re-introduced classic recipes of four fan-favorite flavors in vintage inspired packaging. Our classics line provides more servings per pouch than our Adventure Meal™ and Pro-Pak® pouches, but that same delicious homestyle taste you’ve come to know and love from Mountain House.
  • Just add water, seal, and eat in less than 15 minutes. Refer to the back of the packaging as prep times may differ across recipes. With our #10 cans, you can make an entire can at once or scoop out individual servings.
  • Just add water, seal, and devour in 15 minutes or less. Refer to the back of the packaging as prep times may differ across recipes.
  • Just add water, seal, and devour in less than 10 minutes. No extra cleanup, no pots and pans - just water in the pouch.
  • Don't worry! Your food is still good. Just remove the absorber and discard when you notice it.
  • Don't worry! Your food is still good. Just remove the absorber and discard when you notice it.
  • Don’t worry! Your food is still good. Just remove the absorber and discard it when you notice it.
  • Don't worry! Your food is still good. Just remove the absorber and discard when you notice it.

  • A few years ago, we reformulated and packaged our Pro-Pak® line to align with military specifications for Meals, Cold Weather (MCW). These Pro-Paks can be easily identified by a red Pro-Pak® badge on the front of the pouch. They contain one serving, have focused calories, and higher protein than our Adventure Meal™ pouches.

    Our Classic pouches are bigger than both our Adventure Meal™ and Pro-Pak® pouches. Classic pouches also contain more servings and are made from our original recipes.

  • A few years ago, we reformulated and packaged our Pro-Pak® line to align with military specifications for Meals, Cold Weather (MCW). These Pro-Paks can be easily identified by a red Pro-Pak® badge on the front of the pouch. They contain one serving, have focused calories, and higher protein than our Adventure Meal™ pouches.

    Our Classic pouches are bigger than both our Adventure Meal™ and Pro-Pak® pouches. Classic pouches also contain more servings and are made from our original recipes.

  • Our Classic pouches are bigger, contain more servings and are the original recipes. Our Pro-Pak pouches are single serving and have higher protein and focused calories to align with military specifications for Meals, Cold Weather (MCW). Our Adventure Meal™ pouches consist of mainly two serving pouches.

    With the exception of ice cream, all of our meals have the same just-add-water convenience you’ve grown accustomed to with Mountain House.

  • Store Mountain House food under dry, sanitary conditions, without prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures and avoiding any environment that could cause damage to the packaging, such as punctures or dents.

    To maximize shelf life, store food unopened and avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures above 75°F (24°C). Follow these storage tips and you'll have tasty food on your next backpacking trip.

    After opening, we recommend using any dry contents within one week for best results and taste. After hydration, treat any leftover food as you would fresh food. It's real food!

  • Store Mountain House food under dry, sanitary conditions, without prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures and avoiding any environment that could cause damage to the packaging, such as punctures, dents, or rust.

    To maximize shelf life, store food unopened and avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures above 75°F (24°C). Follow these storage tips and you'll have emergency food when you need it.

    After opening, we recommend using any dry contents within one week for best results and taste. For our Just in Case...®#10 cans, use the convenient resealable plastic lid between uses. After hydration, treat any leftover food as you would fresh food. It's real food!

  • Store Mountain House food under dry, sanitary conditions, without prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures and avoiding any environment that could cause damage to the packaging, such as punctures or dents.

    To maximize shelf life, store food unopened and avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures above 75°F (24°C). Follow these storage tips and you’ll have tasty food on your next backpacking trip.

    After opening, we recommend using any dry contents within one week for best results and taste. After hydration, treat any leftover food as you would fresh food. It’s real food!

  • Our meals all have a freeze-dried, industry-leading guaranteed shelf life and taste guarantee of 30 years from the date of manufacture. The only exception is our ice cream, which has a 3-year shelf life from date of manufacture.
  • Our meals in our Adventure Meal™ pouches, and buckets all have a freeze-dried, industry-leading guaranteed shelf life and Taste Guarantee of 30 years from the date of manufacture. The only exceptions are our ice cream sandwiches which have a 3-year shelf life from date of manufacture.
  • Our meals in our Just in Case...® emergency food kits, buckets, and #10 Cans all have a freeze-dried industry-leading guaranteed shelf life and taste guarantee of 30 years from the date of manufacture. The longest proven shelf life in the industry!
  • Our meals in our Classic pouches have a freeze-dried, industry-leading guaranteed shelf life and taste guarantee of 30 years from the date of manufacture.
  • Our meals in our Pro-Pak® pouches have a shelf life of 30 years from the date of manufacture.
  • The food doesn’t “go bad” after the shelf life, but the quality will start to diminish. You may notice a slight change in flavor or texture, but we've eaten food from our Adventure Meal™ pouches that were over 30 years old and were still tasty!
  • The food doesn’t “go bad” after the shelf life, but the quality will start to diminish. You may notice a slight change in flavor or texture, but we've eaten food from our Just in Case...® meals that were over 30 years old and were still tasty!
  • The food doesn’t “go bad” after the shelf life has passed, but the quality will start to diminish. You may notice a slight change in flavor or texture, but we’ve eaten Mountain House food that was over 30 years old and still tasty!
  • The food doesn’t “go bad” after the shelf life, but the quality will start to diminish. You may notice a slight change in flavor or texture, but we've eaten food that were over 30 years old and were still tasty!

  • We know of no other product on the market with Mountain House's 30-year proven shelf life. It's important to note that we use a strict definition of "shelf life", namely that our food will still taste good, even at the end of its stated shelf life! We're so confident that Mountain House will stand the test of time that we've instituted the industry's only 30-year Taste Guarantee.

  • Great question! We have updated the shelf life on our foods several times over the years because we found the 'Best Used By' printed on our pouches was too conservative. This is why, based on real-world testing, we've moved to a 30-year shelf life on meals in our pouches (excluding novelty items and MCWs). To learn more about our shelf life here.

    To determine the new shelf life of your old Mountain House pouches, you'll need to locate the actual manufacturing date. The manufacture date is a 5-digit number found on the back of the pouch. The first two digits represent the year, followed by three digits for the day of that year:

    Example:

    99158 = 158th day of 1999

    Add 30 years to the manufactured date to get the new shelf life. In the example shown above, the best by date would be June 7th, 2029.

  • Food packaged in our #10 cans are loose, not individually packaged. They make an average of 10 cups of food and are perfect for feeding large groups or your family. You can measure out the amount of food you'd like to prepare or prepare the entire can at once by just adding water.

  • Great question! We have updated the shelf life on our foods several times over the years because we found the 'Best Used By' printed on our pouches was too conservative. This is why, based on real-world testing, we've moved to a 30-year shelf life on meals in our cans and pouches (excluding ice cream). To learn more about our shelf life click here.

    To determine the new shelf life of your old Mountain House cans, you'll need to locate the actual manufacturing date. Add 30 years to the manufactured date to get the new shelf life. The manufacture date is a 5-digit number found on the back of the pouch or the bottom of the can. The first two digits represent the year, followed by three digits for the day of that year:

    Example:

    99158 = 158th day of 1999

    Add 30 years to the manufactured date to get the new shelf life. In the example shown above, the best by date would be June 7th, 2029.

    Between 1970-1988, we used letters to represent the year product in our #10 cans were manufactured. Please reach out to our Customer Service team to help determine when your food was made.

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Scenic photo of mountain tops covered with vegetation.
Scenic photo of mountain tops covered with vegetation.