Hi,
I wonder about availability & prices of backpacker food like "Backpacker's Pantry" or "Mountain House" in countries like Peru, Argentina, Chile. Anyone who can tell about previous experience? How easy/difficult are they to find? Is it better to bring as much as we need upfront?
We're planning for some mountaineering objectives and I found those products very helpful during my US trips. Thanks for your notes, darc

The selection is not good, if at all. Maybe in Peru you will find leftover meals in climbing shops in Huaraz. In Mendoza ARG there is a small selection, not much, and it's expensive. In Santiago CH the selection is very bad and expensive. If you really must have it, bring it from home, but realise that Chile is now very strict on importing dried meats - they DO check for it at the airport. Arg is also against bringing in dried meats, but is not as strict in policing it. There is plenty of good expedition-suitable food in the supermarkets of Chile and Argentina.

D

I haven't been to Argentina, but I've been to the rest of the mountainous countries in South America. I've never seen freezed dried food anywhere in Latin America unless we brought it ourself. Two trips to Latin America I brought it, but the other eight trips we just shopped locally. It's easy to find things like soup, noodles, canned meat, crackers, bread, fruits and cereals, etc. etc.

we brought the freeze dry from US to Chile and Argentina, have not seen any of it in the stores there

Scott wrote:I haven't been to Argentina, but I've been to the rest of the mountainous countries in South America. I've never seen freezed dried food anywhere in Latin America unless we brought it ourself. Two trips to Latin America I brought it, but the other eight trips we just shopped locally. It's easy to find things like soup, noodles, canned meat, crackers, bread, fruits and cereals, etc. etc.

One of the outdoor gear shops in Quito had some but not much selection. Otherwise second Scott on buying local produce etc. Especially if you have mule or truck transport. Cheers!

There were some freeze-dried Mountain House-style food packages in the outdoor stores on Avenita Las Heras in Mendoza in February, but it was at least twice as expensive as it would have been in the USA, and the selection was limited. There was a good selection of the usual supermarket dried foods like instant potatoes and minute rice at the Carrefour Supermercados downtown and in the Walmart in the southeast suburbs. We bought some excellent salamis and hard cheeses (gruyere and edam) at the Central Market on Las Heras--they are heavy, but dense with calories and flavor. Just tell the clerk you're looking for "comida por las montanas". He'll offer you a selection to taste. Mmmmm!

Sorry if I just drifted a bit off-subject....