Make & Model - Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef (Pro Pak)
Package Size - 4.06 ounces
Servings Per Package - 2
Calories Per Serving - 230
Approximate Shelf Life - 25 years
Prep Method / Prep Time - Add boiling water to package / 8-9 minutes
MSRP / Cost Per Ounce - $7.99 / $1.97 per ounce
URL - http://www.mountainhouse.com

This Pro-Pak is half a serving smaller than the standard Mountain House Chili Mac, but has been fully vacuum-sealed to occupy less space. Contains freeze-dried macaroni noodles, beef, kidney beans, and a tomato-based chili sauce.

Tester #1: Patrick Vuong
Utterly stunned. That's my reaction from the first bite down to the last scraps at the bottom of the bag. This Chili Mac is good. And not just cooked-in-a-pouch-while-in-the-middle-of-nowhere good. I mean it's damn good, period. I guess I'm shocked because I first tried Mountain House's Chicken & Dumplings, which is just short of nasty. But Mountain House redeems itself here, combining the best aspects of chili and macaroni in an easy-to-stow and simple-to-cook package. I just might eat this again for lunch tomorrow.

Tester #2: John Schwartze
Pretty decent. Flavor is good, but noodles are still a bit al dente after about 10 minutes. You get about 10 percent of your total carbs and 24 percent of total protein per serving, so this is a good energy food if you're in a jam. With 33 percent of your recommended sodium intake you've got a lot of salt as well, although the taste isn't salty at all. I'm not sure I'd reach for this flavor in a camping situation, but one could do much worse if they wanted to stock up on long-term food supplies. Cooking right in the bag is another nice convenience.

Tester #3: Patrick McCarthy
Good ol' chili mac. Whether it's in this commercial form or inside an MRE, it's a classic. I've never had a chili mac recipe that I didn't like, and this Mountain House version is one of the best. The sauce is smooth and rich, with a nice tomato flavor and mild spice. The ground beef texture is right on, and while the noodles are on the chewy side of al dente, that can be compensated for with cook time. My only wish is for a little more kick — if Mountain House could find a way to include one of those tiny bottles of Tabasco with each pouch, I'd be grateful.