I used to use the MH-style meals (From Costco as well!) for snow-based backpacking excursions as they are easy to use and I often felt lazy. 🙂 As with you, I used the MH #10 items (such as chicken) to add to the meals I put together at home. Worked well and I may do that again.

Thanks, Paul! Very helpful, and good information for future reference. This year, I sprung for the MH Adventure Kit at Costco, which gives me 13 meals for ~$4.50 each. I’ve never done that before because, typically, maybe half of the meal choices were something I really didn’t want to eat. This year, I got lucky and everything in the package was either something I really like or, at least, acceptable, so it was a good deal. The MH #10 cans may be worthwhile in that I can stock up only what I actually like at, hopefully, a good price. I’m looking, however, to experiment with more DIY meals this year and, eventually, just keep the MH meals on stock as a reserve item.

Per MH, about 30 yrs unopened :O
https://mountainhouse.com/pages/our-shelf-life-guarantee

Opened? Per this article, looks like a still good 6-12 months – https://www.thereadystore.com/blog/shelf-life-open-10 THe food in your pack should be fine in other words (and my experience as well.)

I don’t think refrigeration would help. Now that I think about it, a cool dry place probably works best vs the humid environment of a fridge.

Hope this helps.

Mussamun or yellow curry paste
Powdered coconut milk
Dehydrated red/yellow peppers
Dry-roasted peanuts (handful)
Beef jerky
Rice noodles

Put everything in a freezer bag, add 16oz of boiling water and allow 10-15 minutes of rehydration before eating.

I do something similar with the Ramen, too.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004AY48R8
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QIVB19Y

To you as well! My mother in law always mails us some delicious chocolate from Germany. So hard to eat some Hershey’s!

BTW, Merry Christmas to you and your wife.