SCP Survival

Best Survival Gear and Supplies

Small Farm Income Ideas: How We Make Money Homesteading

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Due to their unique life off the grid, this intentional community has had to be extremely clever in how they can make money to support their homesteading. Here are some of their small farm income ideas:

Pizza Restaurant

Along the side of a gravel road an old farm wagon advertises pizza! Wood fired pizzas every Friday from 5-8 pm, May through October. This is just one of the homestead based businesses this family runs to make ends meet without an outside income.

The building behind the greenhouse is used on this evening as a restaurant. Note the wood fired pizza oven centered on the back wall. The player piano provides music and a chalkboard is used to announce the pizza menu available. “Bring your own plates, utensils, and beverage,” is clearly written on the chalkboard. A pizza picnic!

Al fresco dining is also available at two levels to take in the view of the gardens and pastures against the backdrop of limestone bluffs and deciduous forests.

Community Supported Agriculture

In between the indoor dining and the outdoor dining is a certified kitchen which is not only used for the pizza business but also the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) from the extensive gardens. And when interns and workshops are given at the farm this is a communal eating and gathering area.

The gardens occupy perhaps two acres of land. Besides the families that live here, this garden has supported up to 30 CSA families as well. However, even though demand is increasing the cooperative has decided to cut the CSA families to 15 to not only better serve them but also to balance lifestyle desires with financial rewards for the members working the CSA.

Loft Turned Theater

The loft of the old barn has been converted to a theatre for local actors and comedians to ploy their trade on Friday evenings. It is also used for a “movie night” for the families who live on the farm. And in the winter, it again becomes storage for hay for the working animals on the farm.

Handmade Goods and Curiosities Shop

The Curiosity Shop houses the only telephone on the farm. A landline that is hooked up to an answering machine and checked daily. It also is a retail outlet for the various crafts and wares that the members of the cooperative create.

Classes, and Workshops

The cooperative also provides internship opportunities for people interested in CSA ventures. Workshops are held for horse farming and solar energy.

I asked about workshops were being planned for next year. The wife just smiled and said that they would be planning that over the winter.

Winter Is For Looking Back and Looking Forward

Winter is a time for this family to recuperate from the hectic three season schedule of greenhouse gardening, planting via horse cultivation, the intensive work of gardening for multiple families and the CSA, pizza nights, theatrical productions, workshops, interns and guests, putting up wood, and the harvest. It is a time to think about what worked and what didn’t, and to plan for the new year.

The silence provided by the great white blanket of snow that covers the north country can be therapeutic, not only for individuals, but families. Homeschooling provides a closeness that is enviable in today’s fast paced society of after-school activities and both parents working outside the home. This family revels in that quiet time of winter.

I have been invited to revisit this cooperative farm in the spring. They will know then what their venue will be for the summer.  If you have questions or comments, feel free to email me and I will try to answer them now, or then.

This is part of an off grid series, where I take you on a tour of the off-grid home without solar assist and a walk around the farm.

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out the other posts featuring their: home without electricity, masonry heater, off grid water system, and gardening efforts.

My hope is that you will enjoy the experience as much as I did and perhaps learn, or remember, a bit of an older/newer lifestyle.

How to Start Prepping: 6 Essentials for Basic Survival at Home

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How To Start Prepping

More people than ever are getting curious about prepping with the state of the world as it is. Many people become overwhelmed, though, when they first get into prepping. The lifestyle change can be pretty dramatic for some, so it’s easiest to start with ways to prep at home. This article is going to give you some tips on how to start prepping, with a focus on prepping in the home. 

How to Start Prepping For Emergencies

1. Get Your Finances In Order

This may seem a bit out of the blue, but remember that the world, at least for the time being, runs on money. Going out and buying prepping supplies until you max out your credit card isn’t really going to do you any favors. There’s no guarantee that doomsday won’t be another major financial collapse or natural disaster that costs you thousands in-home repairs. 

Getting your finances in order is a multi-step process. Set aside income each month dedicated to paying off any debts. Invest in an identity theft monitoring service such as Lifelock or IdentityForce, it’s up to you which of the two big choices you use. This will help you make sure that your finances aren’t meddled with by other, malevolent parties. 

2. Out With The Old 

If you start collecting dry goods, weapons, tools, and other gear, you’re going to quickly end up with a house full of stuff. Before you go buying all of the supplies you want to have, it’s vital that you make room in your home for everything you need. This might involve clearing out a part of the house that will be dedicated to supplies. You’ll want enough room to have supplies easily accessible, not packed away in boxes. 

It doesn’t need to be a whole room either. You’re likely going to start with a small portion of supplies rather than create a huge stockpile right away. There are plenty of ways to prep even if you live in a small home or apartment. However, one of the first ways to make space is to go through your home and see what you don’t need anymore. 

Another aspect of prepping is getting rid of your old fears and attitudes. This can mean a lot of things for different people, but the gist is to let go of reasons to not fully commit to prepping. Whether you’re scared of the possibility of doomsday, or you’re afraid of what prepping will do to your family, you need to fully commit to the cause. Only when fully committed will you be able to embrace prepping and all of the benefits that it can have for your family. 

3. Get the Whole Family On Board

A family is only as prepared as its least committed member. Whether you’re the only one into prepping, or there’s a mix of attitudes on the subject, do your best to get everyone involved. Treat prepping as a family activity, with special time allotted to the practice. Everyone can learn survival skills together not only as a bonding activity but also so that you can ensure that everyone’s skills are satisfactory. 

Consult the rest of the family and find ways that you can incorporate their interests into your prepper training. Maybe one of your children wants to learn to hunt, or maybe your spouse wants to learn more about cooking. Whatever the case, embracing each individual’s interests is a great way to make sure everyone is getting something positive from this experience. These positive experiences can make it easier to deal with the stress of prepping, which can take a toll on your family if not well managed. 

If you can’t get everyone on board, it’s a good idea to have a plan to include your non-prepping family members in your emergency plans. 

4. Implement a Waste Removal System

Many new preppers get caught up in storing water, food, and gear that they forget about the problem of waste removal. When doomsday hits, there’s a chance that your current system will be unusable. It’s best to start planning for this ahead of time so that you don’t find yourself in a situation without a waste removal system. 

There may not be sanitation works after doomsday, so consider composting to get rid of your food waste. Most other items can biodegrade or be burned, such as cardboard packaging. If it comes in a container that can’t be composted, burned, or won’t biodegrade, don’t buy it. This way you won’t end up with piles of plastic trash outside of your home. 

5. Sustenance is Key 

It may seem more than obvious, but you’re going to need food and water, even when doomsday hits. It may seem like you can run on adrenaline alone, but this simply isn’t the case. It takes a long time to build up a food and water supply, so start slowly. Do some research on food items that keep well and begin purchasing them over time. Before you know it, you’ll have a year’s worth of food to satiate your entire family. If you need help pulling ideas together, check out this really thorough survival food list.  

As far as water is concerned, you don’t want to be underprepared. While humans can survive on less than ideal amounts of food, water is another story. Whether you’ve collected water in outside tanks, or in containers inside, make sure you have enough to keep everyone hydrated. Dehydration can kill in a matter of days, so you don’t want to wait until doomsday hits to collect enough water. 

6. Be Prepared to Leave Home

While it’s important to be prepared to be in your home for an extended period of time, there is a good chance that a time may come when you have to leave. Whether you’ve finally run out of provisions or there’s an unforeseen emergency, you need to be prepared to pick up and leave when the time comes. 

 Each member of the family should have a bag with some of the basics that can be grabbed at a moment’s notice. It’s also a good idea to assign roles to each member of the family that divides up the work in the event that the family must migrate. One child may be tasked with looking after the younger children, while another may be tasked with packing up the items that will be taken with the family. These roles will help minimize the amount of stress that occurs during this time. 

If you’re just starting out as a prepper, it can be overwhelming to know just where to start. With the help of these tips, you can begin prepping at home and expand into other areas of your life once you are more experienced.

Getting Older Sucks. Period.

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Do you wake up after a long night’s sleep and make an assortment of noises just walking to the bathroom? This is the reality of getting older. Aches and pains equal limitations on the ability to perform certain tasks either comfortably or possibly not at all.

It sucks. Period.

As humans, we do an incredible job of figuring out ways of doing things. I just watched a TV show where last week a woman had her arm bit off by a shark. She had the attitude – “The shark will not win. I will live and live my life to the fullest.”  Is she living in denial? I think she is just choosing her attitude. She could wallow in sorrow and be depressed  – or lift her head up high and take on the challenge that lies before her.

A big part of dealing with the challenges of getting older is mental. While pain may be physical and no amount of positive attitude will make it hurt less – living a more fulfilled life while dealing with the pain is possible.

Did I mention getting older sucks?

In my own existence, I have struggled lately with energy and stamina. While many people drink a cup of coffee every morning I take a 200mg caffeine pill and feel it has really made a difference in my energy and mental alertness. Stamina? Still struggling but part of that I know is I need to challenge myself and exercise more.

Firearms: A Major Part of Preparedness

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Although some may argue from my point-of-view firearms and preparedness absolutely go together.

From talking to many readers of this site and others there are people out there getting involved in prepping and have NEVER shot a firearm. They are uncomfortable with firearms and often do not know where to start. Every person and situation is different but here are a few thoughts:

Rules to handling guns –

When I work with people new to firearms – I emphasize the following safety rules over, and over, and over again:

  1. Finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shot then it i impossible to pull the trigger before you are ready.
  2. Never point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy. If the gun is NEVER pointed at something you wish not to destroy then you will not shoot something you do not mean to.
  3. There is no such thing as an unloaded gun. If you treat the gun like it is always loaded you will never think a loaded gun is unloaded.
  4. Know your target and what is behind it. Lastly – you need to know your target and what is behind it to prevent a stray bullet form impacting anywhere you wish it not too.
There are other safety rules to that are good to keep in mind, but the bottom line is if these 4 rules are followed then the chances of someone accidentally being hurt is close to zero.

Take a course –

An excellent method to becoming familiar with shooting is to take a course. Most any decent gun shop can point you in the direction of a local trainer. The course should be hands on with YOUR gun.

Start small –

Starting off with a small caliber or even a an air rifle is a great way to get used to shooting. Remember that even smaller caliber firearms can kill – so they must be treated with respect.

The Ruger 10/22 is an excellent long gun to start with.

Practice, practice, practice –

Once a firearm is acquired  – practice with it. Practice is the only way you will become proficient. What is proficient? Being able to safely engage a target with confidence and hit it.

Cold Weather Survival for Both Car and Home

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Cold Weather Survival Tips

For those that live off-grid, most of the year is spent making sure that there’s plenty of food, wood, and other supplies to last through the winter so that much of it can be spent indoors, warm, and relaxed.

People of all walks of life seem to spend most of their year enjoying all of the hobbies and activities they can before winter makes everyone slow down, bundle up, and stay in. Many people find winter to be one of the most beautiful times of the year, but it can also be one of the most dangerous. 

The cold and precipitation of the dark months bring their own unique challenges. Winter is harsher on your home and harsher on your vehicle than the other seasons. It can wreak havoc on your home and public utilities, while winter storms, arctic bursts, “Nor’easters”, and more can cause massive pile-ups and highway travel shutdowns. 

Since emergencies in winter can often put your safety in danger much more easily than at other times of the year, so it makes sense to take some precautions that may end up saving your life. Having a few basic preparations in your home and car can help get you safely through a dangerous situation or stranding.

Power Outages And Workarounds

One of the most common things to happen during winter storms is power outages. They can happen for a multitude of reasons and can last for days in some cases. Ice build-up can take down power transmission lines, and car accidents can take down poles, either of which take hours to repair.

Broken water mains can require power shutdowns for blocks until the flooding is repaired. More serious issues can affect substations and more. Power can be out for several days in some cases. 

If you have never lost power for more than a day or so at a time, then you might want to consider getting a small inverter. They offer a long run time, steady voltage for your electronics and appliances, and will run a lot of the conveniences of modern life while the grid power is down. If you need a bit more power, some can be run in parallel, doubling the available running wattage.

If there is the possibility that you might lose power for longer periods, between one and three days for example, then a robust dual fuel generator might be a great option for you. They can run for ten to fifteen hours in some cases and have the muscle to push juice to pretty much anything you would need to run on an emergency basis in the winter. They will run on either gasoline or propane, making them an ideal solution for rural residents especially those who may use propane for home heating.

What To Do If Your Heat Goes Out

If the power goes out, you may lose the ability to use certain gas-fired appliances that rely on electric ignition or similar functions. This means you might lose heat. In this case, there are a pair of options that may help you keep your family warm in an emergency.

  1. The first is indoor ventless propane heaters. Often available in two styles, convective and infrared, they both heat well in different ways. They are specifically designed for indoor use and do not need to be vented to the outside.
    • Convective or flame style heaters heat the air, handy for large areas that have air circulation aids like fans (think: Mr. Buddy type heaters).
    • Infrared heaters use a large ceramic element that is heated and projects infrared heat, warming objects that then store the heat and transfer it to the air and other nearby objects. These will be more expensive than an electric heater, but they will put out significantly more heat into a larger area.
  2. The second option is using electric space heaters with emergency power generation. This is not going to be as effective in heating large areas but is more effective at zone heating. For example, if you need to warm just a living room and perhaps the pipes under the sink, you might find a pair of electric space heaters to be more efficient and cheaper than their propane counterparts.

Preparations Before Winter Arrives

One of the best ways to prepare for emergencies like loss of power or heat is to be proactive in a bid to avoid the emergency in the first place. This means taking a few minutes each season to give your home and seasonal appliances a once-over to make sure they are ready for the winter. Seal up any drafts and insulate where possible, so you can keep the cold out, and the heat in, as much as possible.

Insulating Windows with A Window Kit

Windows are a frequent site of air and thermal exchange. Even the most well-sealed windows can benefit from a plastic window insulation kit.

These are super simple to use, you simply clean the window frame, attach the two-sided tape, then press the plastic sheeting on to seal it. Run a blow dryer over it to basically heat-shrink it and take the slack plastic out. This provides an air barrier that resists thermal change and helps your home retain as much heat as possible.

Wrap Exterior and Perimeter Pipes

A burst water pipe in the winter can be disastrous. If it breaks because your heat goes out, it can be the worst, since all of the resultant water will begin to freeze on the ground. Before temperatures get too consistently low, wrap exposed lengths of pipe on perimeter walls with insulation wrap or tape.

This is a cheap way to make sure that your pipes don’t flash freeze during a cold snap. If an extremely cold day is expected, open a sink faucet or two just the smallest bit, so that they run at the slightest trickle, this can help prevent lines from freezing as well.

Get Your Furnace Inspected

Make sure you get a pre-season checkup for your furnace to avoid any potential mid-season part failures. Check all the regular functions like the thermostat, thermocouple, blower motor, and so on. Generally, you can have an HVAC company come do a checkup for a nominal fee and it only takes a few minutes.

Winter Survival Supplies For the Home

Most modest guidelines say to keep between 3 and 5 days of supplies on hand for most emergencies that would happen in the winter. Some items to keep on hand for the cold months, and the winter season in general include:

1 Gallon of Water Per Person, Per Day

This is crucial since water supplies can often be cut off in a winter emergency. You should plan to have a bare minimum of one gallon per day per person, for drinking and hygiene. This means if you have a family of three, and you want to keep 3 days’ supplies on hand, you will need 9 gallons of water.

3 Days Worth of Food

Keep at least 3 days’ worth of shelf-stable, canned, or other non-perishable food stored. You should plan on having supplies sufficient to make all meals for your family for the duration of the emergency. An emergency may mean no power for refrigeration or electric cooking, so make sure you plan around that. Don’t stock up on pasta if you won’t be able to cook it without electricity (more ideas on our family survival food list).

Home First Aid Kit

This should include bandages, gauze, tape, antiseptic and antibacterial wipes, and over the counter pain killers. Most common commercial kits will be fine, and residential kits will be a bit more extensive than auto kits.

Battery Powered Lights Or Lanterns

In the event that you lose power, you may want electric light since it is much safer and longer-lasting than candlelight. Avoid using candles if at all possible. LEDs will last longer than conventional bulbs.

Plenty Of Spare Batteries

Your lights will need batteries, particularly if the power will be out for some time. Be sure to keep a variety of sizes, the next ones to go dead will be the ones you don’t have on hand, guaranteed.

Chargers For Digital Devices

With our digital devices being our lifeline for many functions, keeping a power bank or two charged up and on hand can be a wise move. This way you don’t need to worry about keeping your phone or tablet charged so you can keep apprised of the details surrounding your emergency.

Stay connected, find out when your power will be coming back on, and communicate with friends or family to let them know your situation.

Cold Weather Survival - Driving in Winter Storms
Winter can make travel treacherous once the weather gets involved.

Winter Survival Supplies For The Car

Wet roads can be dangerous enough, but colder weather brings snow and ice that can cause any number of unexpected situations. Clear out a section of your trunk for these essential emergency items this winter.

No matter what causes your breakdown or stranding situation, the following is a brief list of some gear that will help keep you safe and warm until you get help or are able to get going otherwise:

Extra Blankets

In the event that you are stuck on the side of the road and your vehicle is not able to run periodically to keep you warm, you should be ready. Make sure you have a blanket or two, as well as gloves and extra socks. 

Flashlight & Batteries

This is a good combo to have in your vehicle regardless of the season. If you are stuck somewhere and it’s after dark, you may need portable task lighting that your vehicle cannot provide.

Emergency Radio

For areas that have sudden weather changes, or large snowstorms that come in suddenly, like areas near the Rockies and the Great Lakes, an emergency radio with a hand crank, solar, or battery back up is another essential piece of gear that can save your life.

Jumper Cables

Winter is a battery assassin. Nearly everyone has gone to start their car at some point and heard that that slow, angry refusal to put enough juice to the starter. Even though most people have been in this situation, many of them still don’t carry cables. If you get stuck and someone is willing and able to give you a jump, one of you is going to need cables, so you might as well have a set ready.

First-Aid Kit

Most commercial first aid kits will be just fine for most peoples’ needs. Make sure there are the basics, such as bandages, gauze, tape, aspirin or ibuprofen, and sterilizing agents like iodine or alcohol wipes.

Water & Food

Obviously, you won’t need several days’ worth of food and water unless you are in a particularly isolated area. The best things to have on hand are some emergency food bars (or some combination of protein bars and granola bars), and bottled water.

You basically just need what would amount to emergency rations for about 24 hours. Again, unless you are traveling in an extremely isolated area, you should not be on the side of the road for more than a day.

Emergency Vehicle Recovery Supplies

Many people live in an area with lots of traffic or a higher population, in which case these emergency vehicle supplies may be superfluous. If you live in a more rural area, or even on the outskirts of town where you may not see as much traffic or have as high of a chance of someone driving by that may be able to help.

Sometimes, you might even be driving from one place to another and driving through a rural area instead of an expressway or more populated route. In situations like this, you may want to consider carrying some of these with you in case you need to effect a self-recovery.

Sand Or Kitty Litter

These can serve a dual purpose. Primarily, you can use either as a traction aid when stuck in snow or on ice. Additionally, both are sold in quantities large enough that they can be used to add weight above a drive axle. Sand can frequently be found in large bags or tubes, and kitty litter can be found in bags and large heavy pails or buckets. While sand will be cheaper to buy large quantities of, kitty litter is often a coarser texture which is more effective in gaining traction.

Snow Shovel

This basic piece of winter equipment will save you some cold, wet hands now, and possibly some frostbite down the road. While most folks don’t have the space for a standard size snow shovel, a small shovel or even a collapsible model is perfect for digging out a couple of tires to get some traction. 

Tire Chains

If your state allows tire chains, these are a great way to help give your vehicle extra traction on ice, in snow, and even in slush and mud. Not only that, but you can store them and throw them on if you get stuck, or anticipate getting stuck, and they can be worth their weight in gold. 

Tow Straps & Come-along

These are easy substitutes for a winch or a tow truck in a majority of situations. Not only will you be ready with straps if someone happens by and is able to help, but if not, you have the come-along and can ratchet yourself out of a ditch a few inches at a time. Cheaper than a winch or a tow, and they tuck into a corner of the trunk or other storage area.

Best Mountain House Meals

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Best Mountain House Meals (1)

If you’ve ever done a multi-night backpacking trip (or spent any amount of time hanging out in REI), you’ve probably heard of Mountain House meals.

However, here’s what you might not’ve heard….

The genesis of Mountain House actually dates back to the Vietnam War, when US special forces needed a better option for their rations. Rations in use were far from savory, and the quality hadn’t improved with the years. An old joke about MRE’s was the acronym stood for “Meals Rejected by Everyone.”

So the military sent out contracts to companies, seeking rations that would better suit the soldiers’ needs, and keep vital funding from going to waste. After Mountain House’s parent company won a government contract, the rest was history. For almost half a century, Mountain House has filled the armed forces’ needs as well as a spectrum of civilian customers.

Outdoors enthusiasts rely on Mountain House because, in addition to the convenience of only needing water, the meals taste amazing. In the world of emergency food, this is a home run! But everyone from backpackers and hikers to those preparing for emergencies like storms or pandemics trust Mountain House.

The Short Answer

With close to 50 different entrees and meals from MH, there is definitely “something for everyone.” But if you’re looking for the absolute best of the best, here you go:

Mountain House Classic Bucket

Why It’s The Best:

  • 24 servings
  • Great for large groups or long travel
  • Great deal at just under $110
  • Ideal for emergency preppers
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The Mountain House Classic Bucket is the perfect meal kit for anyone who might need emergency food for an extended time. This meal kit is a favorite among outdoors people and emergency preppers alike. It’s compact and easy to store, meaning it won’t take up space in your storage areas or backpack.

With 24 servings included, the Classic Bucket is such a great deal that we had to make it the first option. There are two pouches of five different meals, meaning you won’t get bored eating the same meal night after night. This feature is the deal-breaker for us because having to care for a family in an emergency is bad enough. You shouldn’t need to dread every meal.

You only need a small amount of water for each meal, which means you’ll be able to conserve water easily whenever it’s necessary. And even though these meals are freeze-dried, you’ll enjoy every bite from the Classic Bucket.

The beef stew comes with tender slices of high-grade beef, potatoes, carrots, and peas. While the beef stroganoff comes with the same high-quality meat, noodles, and mushrooms covered in delicious sour cream sauce. And the granola comes with taste granola, milf, and blueberries.

The other meals include spaghetti with meat sauce soaked in amazing marina sauce. And the chicken fried rice meal contains long-grain rice, seasoned chicken, scrambled eggs, onions, mushrooms, and peppers and carrots.

Mountain House sells some of these products alone, and we’ve reviewed the meals more in-depth below. Together this is the perfect product for anyone that wants delicious MRE’s between access to regular groceries.

Other Great Mountain House Meals

Mountain House Adventure Meal KIT

What Makes It Great:

  • 13 pouches of breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees
  • Insane price at less than $100
  • Convenient for hiking at only 4.9 total pounds
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Mountain House’s Adventure Meal Kit is a smart option for those looking to travel in groups. With 13 pouches of entrees for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this will keep an entire family happy and fed for a whole camping trip. However, the kit weighs less than five pounds, meaning you won’t have a sore back trying to lug around over ten pounds of food in your backpack.

When you purchase the meal kit, you’ll receive two breakfast meals of granola with milk and blueberries, two meals of biscuits and gravy, two chili mac with meat sauce meals. You’ll also find two dinner meals of chicken teriyaki with rice and vegetables, two lunch or dinner meals of lasagna, and three snacks with beef stroganoff with noodles.

The Adventure Kit is also the right decision for anyone preparing for an emergency or foot-shortage. A couple of people could stretch these meals out across a week or so if you need to. Furthermore, the lightweight and compact nature of this meal kit mean you can buy a couple that won’t take up much room in your storage area.

Best of all, you can trust Mountain House’s 30-year shelf life guarantee. You’ll also have more room for other necessities like water and other non-perishables.

Mountain House Breakfast Skillet

What Makes It Great:

  • Hash browns, scrambled eggs, and pork patty crumble 
  • Two 1-cup servings in the pouch-size
  • Five convenient sizes for other needs
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Mountain House’s Breakfast Skillet comes in four convenient sizes, with one serving equalling one cup: the Pro Pak (1 serving), the pouch (2 servings), the #10 Can (10 servings), 4-Pack (4 servings), and the 6-Pack (15 servings). This product is great for campers and backpackers, emergency preparedness, hunters and fishers, and remote travelers. The diversity in sizes means you can use this product in any emergency circumstance.

Start your day in the woods with some tasty hash browns, scrambled eggs, crumbled pork patty, peppers, and onions. If you’re camping during a hunting trip, you can prepare breakfast in less than ten minutes. The dense concentration of nutrients gives you the fuel to face any obstacle in your way.

Mountain House thoroughly cooks their meals before freeze-drying them, so your breakfast skillet meals taste fresh and home-cooked. If you need this MRE when preparing for an emergency, the proper storage of Mountain House’s meals can make them last over 30 years.

Mountain House Sweet & Sour Pork with Rice

What Makes It Great:

  • Great dinner option
  • Park, rice, onions, green and red peppers
  • Added pineapple sauces to enhance the flavor
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Once you’re tired and sweaty from a hard day’s hike, Mountain House’s sweet and sour pork with rice is a great all-around meal to replenish vital nutrients. Even if there wasn’t the delicious pineapple sauce, you could tell how far Mountain House’s freeze-drying technology has advanced.

The pork, rice, onions, green and red peppers taste as they would if you made them in your kitchen for a dinner party. If you’re hiking with a group, the pouch size contains 2 1/2 servings to feed the whole camp. And it comes with a 30-year taste guarantee.

If you’re preparing for an emergency, these entrees will last until you need them so long as you store them correctly. We’ve included information after our list, which covers the best ways to save your meals from going sour in the meantime.

Mountain House Classic Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Why It’s Great:

  • Spaghetti pasta with chunks of beef and marinara sauce
  • Great value for a low price
  • The pouch can feed up to two people
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Like all of Mountain House’s foods, the tender spaghetti noodles and beef in the marinara sauce taste as they transported from an Italian restaurant. For nature addicts like me, this meal feels like a luxury as you’re worn out from the day and watching the sunset. Meanwhile, there’s no cleanup required, meaning you can zip it up and huddle in your tent for the night.

Mountain House’s redesigned their trademark food pouches to resemble more like a bowl, which means that eating directly from the bag is easier than ever. Just pour in the boiling water, and you’re good to go in ten minutes or less.

Mountain House Rice & Chicken

Why It’s Great: 

  • The pouch comes in three 1-cup servings
  • Seasoned rice and chicken
  • Additional sauce made with pimentos
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As part of their reputation, this Mountain House meal comes with chicken and rice that taste amazing. They perfected the chicken and rice seasoning, which almost freaks you out because the food tastes fresh as if a cook made it today.

The pouch size comes with three 1-cup servings that can feed at least three hungry friends. With a great deal for that size, the rice and chicken meal is excellent for families looking to explore the outdoors, all while being lightweight. However, if anyone in your group has allergies, this product contains soy and wheat.

Emergency preppers will find this product extra helpful in preparing because it won’t take up much space on your shelf. Just store it in room temperature somewhere dry and sanitized, and it’ll be ready when you need it most.

Mountain House Granola with Milk & Blueberries

What Makes It Great:

  • Real blueberries, dried fruit, and fiber
  • No preservatives, artificial flavors or colors
  • The pouch contains two servings
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This entrée is a great morning option for backpackers because Mountain House’s granola with milk and blueberries contains 34 grams of carbs. The pouch holds two servings, but if you’re spending an extended amount of time in the wilderness, this will serve as a meal for one hungry hiker.

Mountain House shaped this pouch short and wide to make it act more like a bowl, which means a more relaxed experience eating straight from the bag. Also, be sure to hold onto the used pouches since the packaging is recyclable.

The granola comes in sizes specific for this product: the 1-Can (10 servings), the pouch (2 servings), the #10 Can (20 servings), and the 6-Pack (12 servings). Mountain House’s granola meals are one of our favorites because we can eat breakfast food anytime, but keep scrolling for more delicious dinner options!

Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles

What Makes It Great:

  • Beef, noodles, mushrooms
  • A rich sour cream sauce
  • Great for backpackers
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The Beef Stroganoff with Noodles is a great dinner to watch the sunset. You only need a pot and some water, and after about ten minutes, you’ll have a fresh meal of high-grade beef, noodles, and mushrooms soaked in a delicious sour cream sauce.

The pouch size feeds up to two people, and it’s great for backpackers because of the rich nutrients and lightweight nature. If you’re traveling in a group, other options like the classic 1-can and #10 can feed more people.

But if you’re hiking solo, the pouch is an ideal option because there’s that need to conserve water. What makes the pouches so great is that you can pour the boiling water directly into the pouch. Other MRE’s cook in pots and pans, which means carrying more gear and wasting more water during cleanup.

Mountain House Raspberry Crumble

What Makes It Great:

  • Tasty, lightweight dessert
  • Premium raspberry sauce with chocolate cookie crumbs
  • 30-year taste guarantee
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Depending on the size, this is an excellent option for backpackers and hunters as a desert. The raspberry sauce and cookie crumbs taste fresh as if you bought them from the farmer’s market, and the size makes for light traveling.

With just a cup and a half of boiling water, this is an excellent option for a side meal. Or if you need a mid-afternoon snack to energize you, the nutrient and carb-rich raspberry meal help to push you through to get that last mile before setting up camp.

However, if you’re looking for a dinner option, obviously this ain’t it.

Mountain House Biscuits & Gravy

What Makes It Great:

  • Buttermilk biscuits & pork sausage gravy
  • A fantastic side for dinner
  • No cleanup needed
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Mountain House’s biscuits and gravy are a perfect addition to dinner, especially when you’re camping with the kids. When you pour the water into the pouch, the biscuits come out hot and fluffy.

Meanwhile, you can taste the flavors locked in creamy pork sausage gravy when its hydrated, making for a meal that tastes homemade. Like some of the other products we’ve listed, Mountain House engineered the pouch to act more like a bowl. This design helps make eating more comfortable while ensuring you don’t have clean up anything besides zipping up the used contents.

Mountain House Scrambled Eggs with Bacon

What Makes It Great:

  • Great breakfast option
  • Crispy bacon that crumbles
  • Fresh-tasting scrambled eggs
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Mountain House’s scrambled eggs with bacon are the perfect meals to meet the sunrise. The smell of the bacon will bring you back to your kitchen, wondering how an MRE of scrambled eggs tastes like your grandma made them in her kitchen.

This meal is an ideal option for hikers and hunters since they lose many calories and nutrients throughout the day. When it comes to the scrambled eggs with bacon, you can start the day will a full stomach.

If you’re planning an extended stay in the woods, Moutain House’s six-pack comes with six 1-serving pouches and is so light you won’t notice it in your pack. All you need is some water and a pot, and you’re ready to face anything in nature.

Mountain House meals are convenient high calorie and the perfect food for survival, backpacking or any other situation where weight and non-perishability are important.

What To Look for In Your Mountain House Meals

Mountain House food serves a variety of customers, from campers to emergency preppers. Initially developed for foot soldiers who can burn over 4,000 calories a day, these meals are a great backup plan for everyone thinking about storing or rationing food.

Mountain House products’ long shelf life means you don’t have to worry about the contents expiring. As long as you store the meals at an average temperature, they’ll be ready when you need them most. Plus, these products are great for anyone needing to conserve water since the meals require little boiling water to rehydrate.

The Purpose of Mountain House’s Meals

Whether you’re climbing Mount Everest, exploring the poles, or even the moon, Mountain House has you covered. They continue to create meals for the troops, while campers and hikers have found these meals to be great alternatives to the effort of lugging around fresh food.

However, the nature of MRE’s means they aren’t ideal for daily consumption. Mountain House’s MRE’s come loaded with carbs and sodium because people spending a long time in nature need to replenish their bodies with these. When the arm is able, they’ll send down other food and the food rations since the rations are a short-term solution in between providing soldiers with freshly prepared meals.

You should still bring along fruit or something fibrous to add variety to your diet and aid digestion.

Long 30-Year Shelf Life

Since 1986, Mountain House allows independent researchers to conduct studies on the shelf-life of their products. After 30-years, the products Mountain House tested were still edible. One spokesman from the company even said meals made 30 years still tasted fresh when he tried them for an experiment. When Stored Properly, you can always rely on Mountain House products.

How Much Food Do You Need?

I know this sounds obvious, but you should purchase according to how much food you’ll need. If you’re planning for two weeks or more, consider buying the Classic Bucket or Adventure Kit because a couple of these products can last a family for a month or more.

If instead, you’re planning a single night camping in the woods, the lower-priced individual meals will better suit your needs. What’s so great about Mountain House is that their products aren’t a one size fits all in terms of sizing–you can customize your orders to suit a spectrum of needs.

Remember however, that it isn’t meant to be your sole source of emergency food. For longer term disasters, you should carefully work through our survival food list to assemble a well-stocked pantry.

Prepping YouTuber Morgan, and “baby Rogue” give us a look at the Mountain House breakfast granola with blueberries (one of the best featured above)

FAQs 

How do I prepare the meal?

Mountain House designed their meals to have the most straightforward preparation process.

  1. Boil 1.5 cups of water over a small fire.
  2. Unzip the package and remove Mountain House’s oxygen absorber. It’s a small square that keeps your meals fresh. It won’t kill you if you forget to remove it, but it’s a nasty surprise when you’re chowing down.
  3. Carefully pour the boiling water into the package and stir for half a minute before zipping the bag up.
  4. After four minutes, you can unzip the package and stir it again. It’s not mandatory, though.
  5. Overall, you want to let the zipped up bag sit for 8-9 minutes (though you will be tempted to try to eat it earlier, it will still be crunchy I promise). You can eat the contents right out of the package, or bring along your bowls, plates, and silverware.

How much does a Mountain House classic bucket usually cost?

Mountain House’s classic bucket will cost you a little over $100, but the contents make this a worthwhile investment:

  • 3x Beef Stew (Gluten-Free) – Tender dices of all-natural beef, potatoes, peas, and carrots.
  • 3x Beef Stroganoff with Noodles – Savory beef, noodles, and mushrooms smothered in a creamy sour cream sauce.
  • 2x Granola with Milk & Blueberries – Crunchy granola, milk, and real blueberries.
  • 2x Classic Spaghetti with Meat Sauce – Spaghetti pasta with chunks of beef in a creamy marina sauce.
  • 2x Chicken Fried Rice (Gluten-Free) – Long grain rice, delicious chicken, scrambled eggs, chopped onions, mushrooms, green peas, red peppers, and diced carrots.

How much water do you need for a Mountain House meal?

You only need a cup and a half of boiling water! The great thing about Mountain House meals is that you don’t need much in pots and pans. All you need is a single pot for boiling water.

If you pour the water into the bags, all you need to do is dry off that pot, which means less wasted water in the long run.

How long do Mountain House meals last?

This shelf-life surpasses any nearby competitors, but you still need to store Mountain House meals in a dry and clean house. Exposure to extreme temperatures (hot or cold) or damage to the packaging can spoil them. A suitable temperature to keep your meals at is 75 degrees F.

As long as you follow these guidelines, your MRE’s will be ready to eat whenever they’re needed. Once you open the packaging, you want to finish the food quickly and treat any leftovers like regular food. Once you hydrate the contents, the food inside will act just like a daily meal regarding spoilage.

Where can I buy Mountain House meals?

You can buy Mountain House meals on the their main website, or on Amazon (like we listed above). You can also check brick and mortar vendors near you such as Walmart or REI.

Bottom Line

If you’re planning an extended stay in the wilderness, Mountain House is an excellent investment. When you’re exhausted from a day’s walk, the last thing you want to do is go through preparing a meal from scratch. With these meals, all you need is the meal and water to boil.

Mountain House is peerless when it comes to producing high-quality meals for soldiers and civilians alike. Their low price for quality emergency meals has cemented Mountain House’s reputation as the best company in the industry.