Sharing Mountain House meal!?

[Backwoods]

Whats your opinions and thoughts regarding Sharing mountain house meals to save pack weight?

[Ron.C]

It really depends on what else you are bringing to eat. We shared MH meals on a canoe trip one year, but we were supplementing the MH meals with fresh fish. Unless you are both light eaters, I think you'll regret not having a meal each.

Having said all that, compare the size of a regular MH meal to one of the MH propacs. The propacs are smaller then the normal MH and just enough for me, but not enough for my partner. And they are limited in meal variety.

Ron

[buckdynasty]

I'd say its a bad decision to try to share one. The guys and I have always found a mountain house dinner for 2 is only good for 1.

[KodiakHntr]

Depends on how strong your friendship is. Will he be ok not eating the last day or two because you need to eat?

My hunting partner and his wife did the shared meal our first trip for sheep.... She is tiny, and he ain't very big. He spent a lot of time looking at the ground for berries.

[Blainer]

Extremely light, pack more, you will need calories

[Lastcar]

You can look at adding calories to the meals other ways. Oils tend to be a great way for minimal weight. Coconut oil, olive oil, MCT oil.

MCT oil is said to have a ton of benefits for day to day wellness and performance. That on a hard and long trip in the back country would be ideal.

MCT oils are more rapidly absorbed and metabolized so they are used for fuel by the body. Instead of the body preferring to store them if adequate carbs are present in that same meal like other fats and oils.

234 calorie per oz, which very high. Mixed with food it's very easy on the stomach.

It also helps "move things along". So don't go crazy with it. But the right amount will make sure you aren't packing any extra weight in your internal fanny pack.

I bring it in a GoobToob in a ziplock and add a squirt or two to every meal.

One way to do it.

On on the other hand you do lose some of the psychological perks of a big hot meal at the end of a hard day. Same caloric result but sometimes the benefit stuffing yourself with hot food when you might be hating life.

[srupp]

Hmmm a extra package of Idaho potatoe flakes can add some bulk to a meal.highly advise not to share a meal pouch..not enough there for anyone over the age of 9.
Steven

[ditch donkey]

i wouldnt be sharing, shorting yourself calories on an extended pack trip just to save some weight sounds like a bad idea. i prefer to keep fueled up as best as possible, if im eating well its easier to keep my head in the game and stay on the mountain longer.

[Rob]

I would look at other ways to lose pack weight before I looked at food. 1 spotting scope instead of two etc..

[TravisC]

1 mountain high meal is somewhere in the 250-600 calorie. You will burn that on your first vertical climb to a good spotting spot. There's no way I'd share unless you have other means of calories and fats. It would not be a very fun trip if you stomach is growling come day 2 of a 10 day trip or even a 3 day trip.

[sawmill]

3000 calories a day minimum to hike the mountains. Do the math. And don`t share the spoon, that`s just creepy.(Unless you hunt Broke Back Mountain)

[landphil]

No fricken way I'd share a Mountain House Breakfast Skillet with anyone. Ever again. Anyone who wants to pack one of them all the way up a mountain can eat the whole thing as punishment. Their other meals can be pretty good, and no way anyone would get 1/2 once I started into it. But I use food like a 454 LBC uses gas, so YMMV.

[GetLethal]

I wouldn't, the weight savings wouldn't outweigh (hehehe) the lack of calories imo.

[jtred]

My hunting partner and I share a MH meal between the two of us but only if it's supplemented by fish(cutties from the alpine lakes around here) or grouse that we get along the way. What we have done at times is put as much water in as possible and add couscous to stretch them. We also often have a round of noodle soup to start. One alone would not be enough for the two of us, we're both pretty hungry after a day of hiking in the the mountains.I wouldn't want to run short on food myself.

[jessonml]

I add rice noodles to mine and don't share ... My favourite type is the chicken teriyaki. Unless you eat like a bird and can fly to the mountain tops as well, I wouldn't suggest sharing.'

[Pemby_mess]

It also depends on which type of MH meal it is. They seem to range anywhere from 450-1100+ calories each w/ very little variation in weight. If your partner's done this before he probably knows which ones will work for two people vs not.

I find that I'm generally OK on 2000/day for up to a week and I'm a pretty big guy. Long days in the mountains require 3000-6000 calories per day expended but you don't need to replace all those while you're out there - you are already taking lots with you in your fat reserves. You just need to keep your blood sugar up. I do this by taking lots of snacks. If you,re moving a lot if find its more important to eat little bits often (like every 2hours) vs taking huge amounts of calories with me. Think dense foods - peanut butter, nutella, nuts, coconut, dried fruit, cheese, sausage.

Having said all that - calories are probably the last place I will try to shave weight.

[Pemby_mess]

Oh another thing - don't forget the backpacking virtues of ramen noodles. Cheap, light, calorically dense and their macro nutrient profile is actually pretty balanced. Most people avoid them for heath - but its mostly the sodium which is abundant in the MH meals too. High sodium is going to kill you while you're hoofing it around in BC's mountains.

[plumbcrazy]

We always pack a 2-portion mountain house per person per meal. You have to remember, that's the only calorie intake your getting. Don't be caught short, or you won't be able to make any climbs.

[dracb]

If you have blood pressure issues or are sodium intolerant you need to lok closely at the sodium content of the MH meals.

[Iltasyuko]

Just thinking of sharing makes me hungry.

[TARCHER]

You need a pack for your dinner yourself, for sure