disappointed with MH beef stroganoff

[floss187]

I've been saving my long-term cans for an actual emergency so i never got around to tasting anything. Over the weekend, I had 'nothing in the house' despite a room full of food. You know how it goes.. So, i popped open a can of the Mountain House Beef Stroganoff.

While i realize these things are sold by weight, not volume, the can was literally 3/4 of the way full at best. Sure, some settling should take place, but They could seriously fit 3 or 4 more cups of food in each can i think. When space is an issue in my storage room, this rubs me the wrong way.

I was a bit disappointed with the mixture. It was a bit too soupy and never really thickened up despite following the instructions on can to a T. Ehh, it's no five star dinner, but it's more than edible.

An hour later I had wicked gas.
And shortly there after, it went completely through me.

Now, I don't have the toughest stomach around by any means, but this stuff killed me.

To make sure it wasn't a fluke, I had another serving the next day. Same thing. Within 2 hours I was on the throne getting deyhdrated....


Needless to say, I'm probably not going to want to eat this when TP, flushing toilets are not around, and even staying hydrated are key to living.

I'm tempted to open my other varieties as well to try them to see if the produce similar results on my bowels, but don't want to waste all my long term stores, as i do not have a lot of them. I have about 6 cans of stroganoff and about 4 other chicken/rice and breakfast skillet cans for the uber long term storage, the rest is in regular day-to-day rotation items.

Well, thats my #2.

[papajoscochise]

We had the foil packs of the same stuff on our hikes and had no issues with it. In fact it was one of our favorites (in the freeze dried stuff).

Maybe you got a bad batch?

[SgtBooker44]

No problems here either

[ShaynaGirl]

I think it is a great idea to try these foods now vs. later. I also have digestive issues on my best days, and I have regular struggles with dehydration.

I had been curious about this MH entree item -- and now I am forewarned!

I have had good results tolerating plain freeze dried vegetables -- in fact I have a can of green peas open and regularly use these in casseroles and even for dry snacks. Next I plan to try the freeze dried green beans!

[randkl]

I have yet to find an MH food that was even close to other products that were half the price. It's usually crap as food goes, it's expensive as hell, it's crap etc etc etc. We used to feed our dalmation a brand of dry dogfood that had dried peas, carrots etc in it and you mixed in a cup of warm water to make a thin gravy. That's what MH reminds me of.

You can do a web search on MH foods and read a few of the threads and if you're mentally awake as they say, you'll notice one glaring thing they all share. 99% of the folks who advocate MH products will tell you how they had to change them to make them fit to eat. One guy will tell you the veggies were undercooked so he always soaks his ten mins longer than the instructions say....another will tell you his pasta was soft and mushy so he always cooks his ten mins less than the bag says etc. One guy always uses hot sauce, another always uses his own spices etc etc etc. If you prepare it so the pasta's right, the veggies are crunchy....if you prepare it for the veggies, the pasta's crap. You simply can't find many folks who will tell you they make theirs exactly by the instructions as you did and arrived at an acceptable end product. Of course, now five freaks will post and say that exact thing.

You found out while you're still able to fix it. Now you know.

God bless.

rich

[floss187]

Yeah, Again, i didn't expect gourmet food by any means as someone who cooks from scratch 99% of the time, but i was thoroughly let down by the product. It's better than starving.

Would you suggest Saratoga Farms as an alternative, or same thing, different label?

[Supernova]

I use MH foods while hiking and have never been disappointed. I have never purchased any food in #10 cans and have only used the foil packs. I find them extremely convenient and easy to use. I have tried every one of their meals with no problems. However, I strongly suggest that you only use the Chili Mac meals when you will be outdoors and it is windy! Trust me when i say that others who are sharing your air will be appreciative.

[Edition]

I have sampled a few different types of MH freeze dried foods and most I found to be better tasting that I thought they would. Chicken Breasts and mashed Tators are quite good imo.
Spaghetti with meat sauce is rather tasty as well.

I have yet to find any dish they offer to be as good as homemade but they arent bad at all. I have only eaten out of the 2 serving pouches. Can't give an opinion on whether the #10 cans are the same.

[Sanderhawk]

You must be one of the few then. MH stroganoff is one of my all time favs and it never disapoints

[357revolverfan]

Originally Posted by ShaynaGirl

I think it is a great idea to try these foods now vs. later. I also have digestive issues on my best days, and I have regular struggles with dehydration.

I had been curious about this MH entree item -- and now I am forewarned!

I have had good results tolerating plain freeze dried vegetables -- in fact I have a can of green peas open and regularly use these in casseroles and even for dry snacks. Next I plan to try the freeze dried green beans!

This is exactly correct. It doesn't matter what you're storing....freeze-dried, dehydrated, canned, regular food in buckets, etc, etc....if it's not something you eat every day, you need to be trying it, not only to find out whether or not you like it (which might influence what you store) but also to determine how your gastro-intestinal system reacts to it.

[badkarma]

I have a blog post comparing Mountain House against Wise Foods. Try the Chili Mac


http://surviveinthesuburbs.blogspot....se-foodsa.html

[floss187]

Next time i'm going to order saratoga and try those out. I can only envisinon myself trying hide or be quite and have the unctonrollable urge to let one rip. lol talk about blowing opsec.

[soades]

It always comes back to "use what you store, store what you use."

Never buy bulk without having sampled it to your liking... $1000's of dollars can be saved.

[randkl]

Yeah, Again, i didn't expect gourmet food

Why not? You're paying for it, get the best you can get. If it's not up to your liking, dump it and get what you like now while it's still there to be gotten. Don't settle.

If it's a complicated compounded meal like stroganoff, chicken ala king, lasagna etc, you're probably going to be disappointed. You simply can't make a compound food, one that contains several different types of food, that you can rehydrate or cook all at one time. Either your pasta is mushy or your veggies are crunchy or your meat is like wood pulp. Your best bet is always going to be to buy the simplest single type foods you can and then combine them to make your meal. A single box/bag of pasta cooks as pasta and you take it off when it's done. Add the cheese, a pouch of hamburger or tuna and you have a good meal.

Head to your local grocery store and pick up a pouch of Lipton/Knorr stroganoff noodles and a single serve pouch of cooked hamburger and try that. It will take a pot and a fire, but you'll have a real, *good* meal in 15 mins.

Try all the diff Hamburger Helper meals....with and without the hamburger. Buy pouched meats. Those are great. Lipton/Knorr also puts out something like a million diff pasta/rice/asian/bean/noodle sides....you can make them as is or add your own pouched meat. Every single one of those beats the heck out of MH and they're less than half the price.

http://www.letsmakeknorr.com/Products/

Try the bacon mac.

You can get most of these on Amazon for a buck a piece if you keep your eyes open. The stock changes often and the prices go up and down. Do the subscribe and save and the'll deliver for free.

Got me wanting some chicken rice now. Be back in fifteen mins. lol

God bless.

rich

[DocWal81]

My squad leader banned me from eating chili mac MRE while I was in our humvee. lets just say my butt was a weapon of mass destruction

[hawk55732]

Originally Posted by randkl

Why not? You're paying for it, get the best you can get. If it's not up to your liking, dump it and get what you like now while it's still there to be gotten. Don't settle.

If it's a complicated compounded meal like stroganoff, chicken ala king, lasagna etc, you're probably going to be disappointed. You simply can't make a compound food, one that contains several different types of food, that you can rehydrate or cook all at one time. Either your pasta is mushy or your veggies are crunchy or your meat is like wood pulp. Your best bet is always going to be to buy the simplest single type foods you can and then combine them to make your meal. A single box/bag of pasta cooks as pasta and you take it off when it's done. Add the cheese, a pouch of hamburger or tuna and you have a good meal.

Head to your local grocery store and pick up a pouch of Lipton/Knorr stroganoff noodles and a single serve pouch of cooked hamburger and try that. It will take a pot and a fire, but you'll have a real, *good* meal in 15 mins.

Try all the diff Hamburger Helper meals....with and without the hamburger. Buy pouched meats. Those are great. Lipton/Knorr also puts out something like a million diff pasta/rice/asian/bean/noodle sides....you can make them as is or add your own pouched meat. Every single one of those beats the heck out of MH and they're less than half the price.

http://www.letsmakeknorr.com/Products/

Try the bacon mac.

You can get most of these on Amazon for a buck a piece if you keep your eyes open. The stock changes often and the prices go up and down. Do the subscribe and save and the'll deliver for free.

Got me wanting some chicken rice now. Be back in fifteen mins. lol

God bless.

rich

You show me a gorment meal that will last 25-30 years.

[mefunkymxw]

Originally Posted by badkarma

I have a blog post comparing Mountain House against Wise Foods. Try the Chili Mac


http://surviveinthesuburbs.blogspot....se-foodsa.html

+1 chili mac is the best... when i was in the army it was one of the only mre menus you would look forward to, and subsequently i have bought MH chili mac for my preps... add some texas pete/tabasco and some squeezy cheese (velveeta, etc) and you got yourself the best post apocalypse meal on the face of the planet...

anyway OP, if you ensure that the water is boiling when you add to the mix you have to make sure you dont have excess water... ensure you heat the water up all the way to boiling initially, and give it some extra time to reconstitute... if it is still soupy throw it in the microwave or keep it on the stove for a few minutes to burn off some of the extra water

[randkl]

You show me a gorment meal that will last 25-30 years.

Do you honestly plan to be eating MH for 30 years? If that's why you stock MH, you missed the entire point to this forum, bud.

r

[Robphillips00]

I would second the knorr meals. My wife is gluten intolerant and I sometimes use these to make something quick.
Much cheaper than any freeze dried meal and good to boot.

[hawk55732]

Originally Posted by randkl

Do you honestly plan to be eating MH for 30 years? If that's why you stock MH, you missed the entire point to this forum, bud.

r

Who said you are going to be eating it for 30 years. However, if I buy something and i dont use it right away, it is nice to know it wont go bad in 2 weeks or 2 years.