The goal is to stay warm, not dry.
As far as Mountain House, there is a middle ground, if you supplement them with olive oil and/or small packets of meat. I still don't eat 'em every day but they have their place. Especially when you get to camp in the dark, maybe cold (and wet) it's nice to climb in the bag, boil some water, scarf it down, and crash.
I agree. The one breakfast Mtn House I tried was a giant fail. But otherwise, the spaghetti, lasagna, beef stroganoff are all pretty good IMO. I usually carry some summer sausage, swiss cheese, pita, dried cranberries and maybe some almonds and I'm good all day. Maybe just eat that instead of Mtn House.
I'll say this, freeze dried and dehydrated have come a looong way since my Boy Scout days back in the mid 70's!
But yeah, end of a long day of hiking and climbing, back at camp, pour some water in, scarf it down and hit the sack. I've made some of my own dried meals and used rice, dried soup mixes etc, etc, but simmering and preparing a meal and dish duty I typically have little interest in at the end of a long day.
Mtn House serves its intended purpose.
disclaimer: I've never eaten them more than about 4 days straight.
