Any reason why mountain house went smaller size with there meals?

[camping1601]

This was the reason I moved away from there meals. I could eat one of the older ones and still be hungry.

 

[TheGrayRider]

It’s all about the Benjamins…

 

[Trial153]

Peak refuel and Next mile meals are my go to right now. I skip the mountain house even at the original weight.

 

[BugleMeTimber]

I remember emailing them when this transition happened. Sounded like they reduced the packaging to make the van campers happy but reassured me that I could get the old sizes in the pro packs. So, they shrunk the package/serving size but forgot to shrink the price while raising profit margin, got it. I've since moved on to mainly Peak Refuel myself. Lots of better options hitting the market these days.

 

[5MilesBack]

I started noticing this trend about 25 years ago with a lot of products. I remember when Safeguard soap changed the shape of their soap......and in the process each bar lost some weight as well, but still charged the same price. I'm quite sure they figured they could do two changes at the same time and consumers would only notice the shape difference.

In 2000 Dreyer's/Edy's ice cream changed from 2qt containers to 1.75qts, and also kept charging the same prices. I sent a letter to their CEO asking about it, I got a couple coupons in return. Gee thanks. Now all the ice cream makers do 1.5qt containers and charge more for them. No thanks.

Cereal and chip companies are famous for this. Frito Lay's "Party Size" bags are barely single serving size these days. Some bacon companies moved to 12oz at the same prices, some continue with their 16oz packages. I always buy the 16oz. I've also moved on from a lot of products because of this trend, including MH.

 

[Michael Rankin]

I just bought a ton of mountain houses when bi mart had them on sale

$7.99-$8.99 per bag, and they are all 2 servings with at least 500 calories per bag

As long as I remember eating mountain house, the only time they had more calories was when they had a few recipies with 2.5 servings. Those came in around 850 calories I believe

Peak refuel has more calories, but they are $12 on sale $14-$15 when not on sale where I live. They are extremely high in fats to get those calories on most of the recipes. I can’t ever finish one, and typically feel like crap after eating more than half of one.

For me mountain house is still the best option.

They have added quite a few new flavors over the past 6-7 years, and some of the old ones seem improved versus 15-20 years ago

 

[jimh406]

I think they made them smaller to make it easier to finish their meals that aren't very tasty. Can you tell that I'm not a fan?

Seriously though, they are just following the playbook that most companies are. Keep the price about the same and reduce the contents.

 

[Dos XX]

Kingsford Charcoal reduced their 2 pack from 2 20 lb bags to 2 16 lb bags. Same price for 8 lbs less charcoal.

 

[Michael Rankin]

I started noticing this trend about 25 years ago with a lot of products. I remember when Safeguard soap changed the shape of their soap......and in the process each bar lost some weight as well, but still charged the same price. I'm quite sure they figured they could do two changes at the same time and consumers would only notice the shape difference.

In 2000 Dreyer's/Edy's ice cream changed from 2qt containers to 1.75qts, and also kept charging the same prices. I sent a letter to their CEO asking about it, I got a couple coupons in return. Gee thanks. Now all the ice cream makers do 1.5qt containers and charge more for them. No thanks.

Cereal and chip companies are famous for this. Frito Lay's "Party Size" bags are barely single serving size these days. Some bacon companies moved to 12oz at the same prices, some continue with their 16oz packages. I always buy the 16oz. I've also moved on from a lot of products because of this trend, including MH.

The dark roast Yuban coffe I buy used to be $6-$7, and was a 2 lb can

Now it’s almost $10, the can has shrunk, and it has a gigantic indentation for a handle. It’s down around 28 oz now

I just switched to the 3lb can of coffe from Costco

Gatorade used to be 32 oz and under a dollar at Fred Meyer or bimart. Now it’s 28oz, and almost $2 at those stores

 

[S.Clancy]

When I was brand new to backpacking, and coincidentally quite poor, I would buy one Mountain House for each dinner, and since the package said 2 servings I'd split it with my buddy who was even poorer than me. Never really thought to consider much more than that. After a few days we'd be starving. That first pizza out of the backcountry tasted like heaven.

When I started backpacking at 16 I would buy Burger King double cheeseburgers, they were something like 2 for 2$ back then. I would buy 2/night for however many nights I was out, they were pretty stable until day 4 or so. Then fill in with snacks. The good old days

 

[rclouse79]

They probably discovered in the lab that gastrointestinal distress is directly related to the amount of mountain house consumed. I am guessing the new portion size is the amount the average hunter can consume without an having an early morning panicked race to get out of the sleeping bag before exploding.
They also probably realized that many people don't enjoy paying what it used to cost to have dinner at a sit-down restaurant for a freeze-dried meal. Instead of charging double for the same amount, just cut the original amount in half- problem solved.

 

[7mm-08]

Not saying that they are potentially not susceptible to the same market antics as well, but Peak Refuel is now our "go to" for backcountry meals.

 

[5MilesBack]

When I started backpacking at 16 I would buy Burger King double cheeseburgers, they were something like 2 for 2$ back then. I would buy 2/night for however many nights I was out, they were pretty stable until day 4 or so. Then fill in with snacks. The good old days

Back in the 80's for me and my buddy it was 7-11 green chili burrito's....LOL. We'd take those things skiing, hunting, road trips, etc.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I just bought a ton of mountain houses when bi mart had them on sale

$7.99-$8.99 per bag, and they are all 2 servings with at least 500 calories per bag

As long as I remember eating mountain house, the only time they had more calories was when they had a few recipies with 2.5 servings. Those came in around 850 calories I believe

Peak refuel has more calories, but they are $12 on sale $14-$15 when not on sale where I live. They are extremely high in fats to get those calories on most of the recipes. I can’t ever finish one, and typically feel like crap after eating more than half of one.

For me mountain house is still the best option.

They have added quite a few new flavors over the past 6-7 years, and some of the old ones seem improved versus 15-20 years ago

Only people of the extreme NW know of Bi Mart

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Now days it seems impossible to get quality and quantity in the same package/deal. I find it's impossible to get either no matter what. I have never purchased those kind of meals. while it can be a PITA, I find it best to make meals at home and package them for my hunts. Most of my trips are four days or less.

 

[Gutshotem]

Shrinkflation has really taken off with this current regime

 

[LongWayAround]

I just bought a ton of mountain houses when bi mart had them on sale

$7.99-$8.99 per bag, and they are all 2 servings with at least 500 calories per bag

As long as I remember eating mountain house, the only time they had more calories was when they had a few recipies with 2.5 servings. Those came in around 850 calories I believe

Peak refuel has more calories, but they are $12 on sale $14-$15 when not on sale where I live. They are extremely high in fats to get those calories on most of the recipes. I can’t ever finish one, and typically feel like crap after eating more than half of one.

For me mountain house is still the best option.

They have added quite a few new flavors over the past 6-7 years, and some of the old ones seem improved versus 15-20 years ago

I haven't looked at the nutrition details very closely but I'm curious about your "high in fats" comment. I did not think dehydrating or freeze drying fats was feasible.

Can you post a picture of the nutrition details showing that?

 

[SouthPaw]

The answer is to buy a quality dehydrator and make your own backcountry meals. You have complete control over the macros, calories, ingredients, taste etc, and after a season or two you are ahead on cost. The only only sacrifice is a bit of time.

 

[Michael Rankin]

I haven't looked at the nutrition details very closely but I'm curious about your "high in fats" comment. I did not think dehydrating or freeze drying fats was feasible.

Can you post a picture of the nutrition details showing that?

Here

 

[Overdrive]

HereView attachment 552368

I can't believe that Peak Fuel isn't inclusive, this shows Zero Trans fat. I bet that has the Alphabet people up in arms ready to protest.