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Mountain House Emergency Meal Assortment Kits, Freeze-Dried Survival Food Kit for Disaster Preparedness & Long-Term Storage, 30-Year Shelf Life

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Flavor Name: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches


Features

  • BEST-TASTING COMFORT FOOD - Made in the USA since 1969, we have been cooking up your favorite comfort food meals and freeze-drying them to create the best-tasting and convenient outdoor adventure meals available.
  • EASY TO STORE & QUICK PREP - Just add water and eat straight from the pouch in less than 10 minutes, with no cleanup. Mountain House buckets are also lightweight and easy to store. This bucket weighs 5.04 lbs. and measures 12 (L) x 10 (W) x 12.31 (H). 17 cups of water are needed to prepare all meals in this kit. Ideal companion for your camping trips, RV excursions, and more!
  • HIGH-QUALITY INGREDIENTS Mountain House meals are made with high-quality ingredients, never any fillers. Bucket contains 12 total pouches (22 total servings), freeze-dried to lock in nutrients and freshness: (4) Beef Stew, (2) Breakfast Skillet, (2) Scrambled Eggs with Bacon, and (4) Rice and Chicken.
  • SHELF STABLE - With the longest proven shelf life in the industry backed by our steadfast 30-Year Taste Guarantee, Mountain House is an essential addition to your emergency food supply, ensuring you're always ready for anything that comes your way.
  • RECYCLABLE - Recycle used pouches with TerraCycle for free to reduce your footprint and preserve the great outdoors for fellow adventurers.

Brand: Mountain House


Diet Type: Gluten Free


Package Information: Bucket


Number of Items: 1


Flavor: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches


Brand Name: Mountain House


Diet Type: Gluten Free


Container Type: Bucket


Flavor: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches


Item Form: Freeze-Dried


Recommended Uses For Product: Backpacking, Camping, Emergency Food Storage, Hiking, Quick Meals at Home


Cuisine: American


Allergen Information: Shellfish Free


Specialty: Gluten Free


UPC: 041133816632


Set Name: Essential Meal Assortment Bucket


Manufacturer: Mountain House


Age Range Description: Adult


Included Components: 12 Pouches


Item Type Name: Freeze-Dried Camping Food, Backpacking Food, Emergency Food or Survival Food


Model Number: 0081663A


Part Number: 0081663A


Warranty Description: 30-Year Taste Guarantee


Number of Items: 1


Item Weight: 1.19 kg


Size: Net Wt 41.8 oz (2.6 lbs)


Number of Pieces: 12


Unit Count: 41.8 Ounce


Package Size Name: Bucket


Color: Blue


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Monday, Sep 7

This item is non-returnable:

Non-returnable due to Food safety reasons

View our full returns policy here.

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • My standard go-to Freeze-Dried food kit
Flavor Name: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches
When it comes to emergency preparedness, the market is flooded with options, but few brands command as much respect as Mountain House. Their Emergency Meal Assortment Kits have become the gold standard for everyone from backcountry hikers to "just-in-case" suburban families. After putting several of these kits to the test, it’s clear why they remain the leader in the industry. 1. Zero-Fuss Preparation In a survival situation, the last thing you want is a complex cooking process that requires multiple pots, pans, and a culinary degree. Mountain House has perfected the "just add boiling water" method. The beauty lies in the pouch itself, which acts as the cooking vessel. You simply: Open the pouch and remove the oxygen absorber (if present). Pour in the specified amount of boiling water. Stir, seal the zipper, and wait about 8–10 minutes. There is zero cleanup—no scrubbing burnt rice off a pot in the dark. If you’re truly in a pinch and can’t heat water, these meals can be rehydrated with cold water, though it takes about twice as long and isn't nearly as "homestyle" as a hot meal. 2. A Shelf Life That Outlasts a Mortgage One of the most impressive features of these kits is the 30-year taste guarantee. While many competitors offer "shelf-stable" food that begins to degrade in flavor after five or ten years, Mountain House uses a proprietary freeze-drying process that locks in the nutrients and taste for decades. This makes them a "set it and forget it" investment. You can tuck a Classic Meal Assortment bucket into the back of a closet or a basement storage room and rest easy knowing that whether a disaster strikes next week or in 2055, the food will still be safe and palatable. 3. Actual Meat and Genuine Flavor The biggest surprise for first-time users is usually the taste. Unlike many emergency rations that resemble flavorless mush or "meat-flavored" soy protein, Mountain House uses real pieces of meat. Beef Stroganoff: Features actual tender chunks of beef and savory mushrooms. Chicken Teriyaki: Contains real pieces of chicken and bamboo shoots. Breakfast Skillet: Offers legitimate pork sausage and scrambled eggs. Because the food is cooked before it is freeze-dried, the flavors have time to meld. The texture of the meat rehydrates remarkably well, retaining a "bite" that makes it feel like a real meal rather than a survival chore. 4. The Hidden Bonus: Multi-Purpose Packaging A pro-tip often overlooked is the utility of the packaging after the meal is gone. These pouches are made of heavy-duty, BPA-free trilaminate foil. Don’t throw them away. Because they are designed to hold boiling water and feature a sturdy zip-lock seal, they serve as excellent emergency water carriers. They are rugged enough to be filled and stashed in a pack without leaking, and the wide gusseted bottom allows them to stand upright. In a pinch, they can also be used as waterproof storage for electronics or as a "hot water bottle" on a freezing night. The Verdict: While Mountain House is often more expensive than bulk grains or canned goods, the combination of a 30-year shelf life, ease of use, and genuine high-quality ingredients makes it an essential cornerstone of any serious emergency kit. Pro Tips: Wait until they are on sale and get a bunch. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2026 by m0sfet

  • These males are great in a pinch
Flavor Name: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches
These meals are great for camping not just an emergency meal. They were tasty.
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2026 by R. Po

  • Great taste for the style of food, Just add hot water.
Flavor Name: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches
I am in love with these meals and they are easy to prepare to eat. The taste is great compared to military MRE's. I have also tried to prepare one with just room temperature water it works good and still good quality when done, I just takes longer to prepare . A great addition to backup food storage supply ! I have a total of 3 pails of this dehydrated food. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2025 by Gary

  • Top quality for any scenario.
Flavor Name: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches
What can you say about mountain house other than it’s quality, delicious, freezer dried meals that will probably last your lifetime. This container holds 12 meals, 4-6 days of survival or camping. Easy preparation, easy clean up. Add this to your survival food storage, or get it for a couple of days camping. Can’t go wrong. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2023 by Secretninja

  • Must have for large family hiking
Flavor Name: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches
Best quality buckets on the market worth every penny! Lightweight and tight seal. Easily attached to any pack for hiking. The buckets are great helpful in having intact product after a long hike. The food is fantastic! Quality of flavor surpassed all others.
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2025 by ZoZo

  • Restaurant quality food
Flavor Name: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches
If you want the best food variety, tastes better than most other brands, ate my entire rations one week before hurricane last year. Easy to make, just add very hot water, stir wait five minutes and stir again, seal and wait another five minutes and wow the most amazing meal.
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2025 by Tryin Nubie

  • Good price good meals
Flavor Name: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches
Living in a hurricane prone area of the US, we have a good supply of emergency items. We also RV/remote camp quite a bit and take emergency rations with us as well. Great for those late night arrivals or just bad weather and we want something fast and filling. Needed a new container and went first to the actual website and saw the prices and then checked here on Amazon and saw I could save a few bucks on the bucket and shipping. I like this bucket as the selection has the meals we really like. Great shelf life, bucket makes for easy storage. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2025 by bluesy

  • Easy!
Flavor Name: Essential Bucket - 12 pouches
Good value, storage life is great! Was sealed very well and every meal inside was individually sealed as well. We tried a few a they taste great for freeze dried foods!
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2025 by Brian Hoover

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