MRE's

[nell67]

Does anyone purchase MRE's to keep on hand? I have been looking at them online and even on ebay they seem to be very expensive.

[Outdoorbuff]

I just bought one at walmat to try and paid $6 for it. It was Freeze dried so you just had to add Hot water to it.

It was not to bad. That is about the going price that I have found. It also depends on what company you get them from.

I notice that all the companies that sell MRE's make it the same and charge more or you don't have much of a product choice.

I thinking of just getting myself a food saver and make my own food and bag it thet way I could make my food the way I want it.

[nell67]

Thats the route I am thinking also,much cheaper to buy a dehydrater and food saver and do it yourslf I think

[Outdoorbuff]

Think about this if you got a Food Saver you can make big pots of your favorite meals and bag in small meals size, also you would have just as much shelf life as the MRE's.


If you look online you can fine plans to make your own dehydrater yourself.

[survival1]

You may want to search the following emergency food suppliers:

www.mrefoods.com
MRE (Meals Ready to Eat)
Food Ration Bars
Canned Food (meat, butter, cheese)

www.theepicenter.com
MRE (Meals Ready to Eat)
Food Ration Bars
Freeze Dried Food
Other Emergency Items

www.meyerscustomsupply.com
MRE (Meals Ready to Eat)
Food Ration Bars
Freeze Dried Food
Other Emergency Items

www.mrestar.com
MRE (Meals Ready to Eat)

[nell67]

Thanks , will check these out.

[RobertRogers]

Yeah, MRE's are expensive compared to what you can make for yourself.

[marcraft]

iv neva been a fan of dehydrated food. my mentality is trapped in the wild west lol, trap for food and keep alot of jerky in your pack jus incase.

[Tony uk]

Lol, My uncle got hundreds of these for me since his mate was in charge of supplys at his base in the army, he also gave me about a black bag worth of lightsticks as well as a winter hat and a pair of light weight DPM trousers and a sleeping bag :)

I could get all that off him but he retired for some medical reason

I loved them, i liked the hot chocolate the most and the chocolate cake, also the boiled sweets where better than some ive had out of a sweet shop

God i want some of them :(

[LtAttiic]

hey everyone, just wanted to point out that those dehydrated meals are not MREs, MREs have all necessary water contained in them.
Tony, you dont know how lucky you are, real military MREs are all but impossible for civillians to get.

[Tony uk]

Yeah i know :D

If you go to a millitery surplus site then there should be some there, Dont buy those freeze dried ones tho thay taste something bad :(

[Tony uk]

Sorry to double post but i just wanted to point out something

Insted of lloking for MRE meals search for compo rations which are the real ones used in the army ( And the best tasteing )

This is what they should look like HERE (http://www.mreinfo.com/british-rations.html) i dont know if you can buy any of there tho

Hope this helped

You can buy these off of the British eBay Site here (http://www.ebay.co.uk/)

[Gumby]

Hi,

I have a few of the Canadian Forces MRE's .... I teach outdoor ed and the groups we get sometimes are cadets and they get to use the real MRE's the reg force guys use.

I can give you a list of the exact contents if you're interested, but good luck trying to find a place to buy them ....

Cheers'
Gumby:D

[RobertRogers]

After the Katrina disaster the government handed out thousands of MRE's as emergency food for the survivors. Suddenly Ebay was deluged with MRE's for sale.

Now they are known as Meals Ready for Ebay!

[nell67]

That is too funny!,but seriously there are lots of them listed on there and they are all going for the regular price you can buy anywhere else.

[Tony uk]

Im Bidding For Them Now

Thanks For this Info :D

[KRASH!]

I have a few of the Canadian Forces MRE's ....
Gumby:D
Would they include Ham? Or Canadian bacon?

[Tony uk]

I loved being in the Army Cadets you learn usefull stuff there in survival and army tactics + the use of weapons :)

[wildernessgrrrl4]

MRE's are pretty good! My brother is in the millitary and he's got a great big box in the hall closet. He likes to have them around incase there's like a giant natural disaster, or something like that. or maybe he likes them better than real food.

Anyways i wouldn't know the actual price range. $6 sounds about right.

[Tony uk]

I found a site selling current issue british MRE's

HERE (http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/ishop/877/shopscr409.html)

[nell67]

80 pounds is equal to bout $160.894 US dollars about $161 for a case not including shipping,wow that seems a little high BUT each pack is a days worth of rations right?

[FVR]

I read all about these MRE's, ya'll can have them. I ate enough c rats and MRE's to last a lifetime. Go ahead, eat them for a week, 3, 4, 5 times a day, you'll see what I mean.

I'll be happy with my rice, tea, buillon, and critter parts.

[Tony uk]

80 pounds is equal to bout $160.894 US dollars about $161 for a case not including shipping,wow that seems a little high BUT each pack is a days worth of rations right?

Its what you might eat in one day + Other stuff like, Hot chocolate, sweets, chewing gum and matches

1 Pack = 1 Man For 24 Hours, Im sure it works that way :)

[glocker36]

Be careful that you find a good vendor, MRE shelf life really depends on storage conditions. Ask lots of questions before you plunk down your hard earned money.

I have a great vendor that I have bought repeatedly from, 2009 expiration dates, sealed cases and the red dot ont he package that indicates storage conditions is still bright red. The best part is delivered to my door, cost for 2 cases or 24 meals is around $105.

[Sarge47]

I have a bunch of military MRE's that I've purchased locally from a military surplus store. I pay anywhere from $5.00 to $5.50 for a complete sealed pack. Two of these would keep you going for a day. The plus side of these are: a.) the way they're packaged; totally waterproof and moisture-proof. b.) the shelf life. c.) They each contain a heater that is powered by a small amount of water over a chemical in a plastic bag that heats up the entree. I would, however, only use these in an emergency as I don't really care for the taste. Still, it would be better than eating grubs, worms, ants, etc.. SARGE.

[NevadaCarry]

I have two cases of MRE's in my "emergency" closet. My roommate was in New Orleans during Katrina and when I convinced him to come out here, he brought a few cases with him. They were giving them out like candy. I'd like to pickup another case or two. I was in the Army National Guard so I've learned to like them I guess hehe.

[glocker36]

I have bought mine on Ebay and had excellent results. I got 2 cases (24 meals) delivered to Wisconsin for around $105 bucks. If anyone is interested, drop me a PM and I will get you the name of the seller.

All of the MRE's that I bought are newer 2009 inspection date meals that have been stored properly. You can tell by checking the red storage condition stickers on the cases and don't buy unsealed cases. You can find the good stuff, but you need to be careful and ask the right questions.

I always keep a couple of cases on hand just in case. The nice thing is that they are completely self contained, heater, snacks, main meal and dessert with utensils and accessory packet.

All you need is a little water to activate the heater, some liquid for the drink mix and you are ready to go.

[wareagle69]

honestl neel it doesn't hurt to have a couple of cases around but my personal prefernce would be to but a dehydrater and make what you want plus the personel satisfaction of doing so.

[nell67]

I purchased a used dehydrater a few weeks ago,although it didnt have the instructions with it,I have been messing around with it with somestuff out of my garden and it seems to work ok,gotta move the trays around a bit from time to time so it all dries at around the same time. Want to get a vaccum sealer also so I can store more of what I dry in less space.I really want to get away from depending on a freezer for storing the major part of what I put away and also the canning part too because I dont have a "root cellar" at this point so with a power outage in the winter I would likely lose my canned goods,I live in a total electric mobile home and insurance keeps us from putting in a wood stove.We have been considering one of those outdoor wood stoves but they are very expensive.I really like the dehydrater though.

[donny h]

I've been playing around with a food dehydrator, I like it a lot, I make some of my own backpacking food with it.

Home dried foods don't have a shelf life like commercially prepared freeze dried food, so to me, home dried, MREs, and freeze dried are three entirely different types of food storage.

MREs are attractive for their completeness, so I think they're a good choice to stuff in a bug out bag, if you get the ones complete with the warming pack you have a complete meal system, containing everything you need for a hot meal. But they are expensive from a food storage point of view, and heavy from a backpacking point of view.

Freeze dried meals are the ones found at walmart, catch them on sale and they get a little cheaper, these have long shelf lives, and are light as a feather, that makes them perfect for backpacking, they taste better than they used to and are getting better all the time, if you walk far enough from the car they get pretty tasty. Even on sale, accumulating enough of them to have a significant food storage would get too expensive, they're another good choice for backpacking or bugout.

Home dried stuff is great, but it won't last forever. I tend to dry the expensive stuff like berries and pineapples, so it's not that cheap for me, and they don't always look right but they always taste better than store bought. I still buy the cheap dried stuff like bananas and apples, I can't make them for as cheap as I can buy them.

If the goal is food storage for home preparedness, I'm of the belief that simple, store bought stuff is the way to go, rice, beans, pasta, and canned meats, fruits, and vegetables. If I don't need to travel with the food, why pay extra to get lighter food? Why pay more for dehydrated food if I'm at home with an adequate water supply?


One guys opinion...

[donny h]

I purchased a used dehydrater a few weeks ago,although it didnt have the instructions with it

There was only a couple of good pointers in my dehydrator manual, here they are, maybe you've all ready figured these out:

Dip everything in some sort of sugar water, I use pineapple juice, this is supposed to prevent browning from oxidation, it seems to work on everything I've dried, except bananas, which still turn brown.

Since heat rises, the stuff on the top shelves dry faster, load the top with the wetter, thicker pieces, and load the thinner more delicate stuff on the bottom shelves.

That's about it, have fun with that thing! Try some strawberries!:)

[Fog_Harbor]

Think about this if you got a Food Saver you can make big pots of your favorite meals and bag in small meals size, also you would have just as much shelf life as the MRE's.


If you look online you can fine plans to make your own dehydrater yourself.

Is the Food Saver really that good? I've never tried one. Do you have to keep buying their particular bags (or whatever0?

I've never really had the desire to purchase MRE's. They are too expensive for my frugal (okay cheap) self. I tend to buy cans of hearty stews and soups when I find them on sale, and rotate them regularly.

[FVR]

My wife purchased a food saver and I must say that it is great. The pro is that when she gets a deal on steaks, we put them in the bags, suck out all the air and they last a very long time without getting freezer burned.

The con is that the bag material is a little exp., but if you look hard enough you can find deals.

We don't use the bags more than once if we use them for meat, but other foods, we wash out the bags and use again.

[Strider]

I think that MREs are kinda expensive compared to the other cheap and easy camping food you can get. (dried noodles, powdered milk, and so on..) One way to get a bunch (not easy or anything) is to join the military, marines preferably... when you are finished, you sometimes have a lot of MREs left over or they give you the rest reserved for you. Of course, this option isn't really probable...

[trax]

I'm with the "make your own"camp on this one. The amount of effort is negligible, the outcome is tastier and the cost is vastly reduced and there are a lot of things a person can cure or dehydrate for storage with just a little bit of imagination. The big thing to me is....I know what went into the package!:)

[nell67]

gotta roast thawing out in the fridge,gonna marianate it in smoke flavoring and salt and then try it out in the dehydrater,just wish I had the directions so I know I am not making any errors on this one LOL looks like I get to try the first peice!

[trax]

You're not gonna try mine or Rusty's advi ce from the curing meat thread?...

:confused: :eek:

[nell67]

yea,thats my next project LOL I am playing around with the dehydrater right now to see how well it is going work ,thats why I get the first taste...if it didnt work out well???????? YOu can send condolences to my hubby LOL!

[Tony uk]

I used a dehydrater to make dryed fruit but it went off in the thing, now everything that comes out tastes like raisens :(

[trax]

How did it work out with the roast? Family still talking to you?:) :rolleyes:

[nell67]

The roast worked out good,the family loves it and cannot wait for me to do it again,now I need some deer meat LOL.They could definately live on jerky.

[trax]

awesome! congratulations:)

[nell67]

Thanx.Now gotta try out the curing method,and want to try to smoke some to ,a little more labor intensive,but I am willing to learn what ever I need to to preserve more especially meat.

[pursang]

I'm looking for recommendations for emergency food for our vehicles, living in a cold climate it would have to endure freezing/thawing cycles and still be edible, this food would be replaced annually, in the past we've used canned items such as tuna, brown beans, and chunky chicken vegetable soup, but after freezing/thawing the soup becomes something you wouldn't want to eat ! so we were thinking of foods that wouldn't freeze.

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[sam30248]

have you tried mres

[HOP]

Dehydrate some of your favorite meals and vacum seal them rotate them out every once in a while to you hiking pack and use them you wouyld need water and heat for these just cover with water and heat to boil and they are down to your own taste and selection.

[marcraft]

buy survival rations from a navy or military surplus store , shelf life of 4 years so you wouldnt have to replace em as much

[Beowulf65]

MREs are perfect for that and the shelf life is incredable. Pick them cheap at a military surplus store usually you can mix your own contents.

[survivalhike]

Another bit of advise would be to only take them into the car when you go out. Yeah, it's a lot of moving stuff around but your food will last longer.

After my father and I were stuck on a trail for two days without food we decided to get some MRE rations before our next trip out. We're planning on leaving them in a closet in the house except for the times when we load up the jeep and head out on a ride.

[Sarge47]

Another bit of advise would be to only take them into the car when you go out. Yeah, it's a lot of moving stuff around but your food will last longer.

After my father and I were stuck on a trail for two days without food we decided to get some MRE rations before our next trip out. We're planning on leaving them in a closet in the house except for the times when we load up the jeep and head out on a ride.

Live & learn, right SH? :rolleyes: The problem here,as I see it, is that we don't really have an idea where you're talking about. What area of the country are you referring to, if it's here in this country? How cold are we looking at? You can make up your own food packs or buy the "freeze-dried" stuff from any outdoor supplier.

[survivalhike]

Arizona has a really diverse climate, contrary to what people think. Durring the summer the desert is really hot in the day and kinda hot at night. In the winter it can range from 85-90 in the day and 25-40 at night. Where we were last week was in the high desert north of Globe AZ, and the overnight was about 40 by my guess. We had sleeping bags that were rated for that temp, and we were a bit cold in the early morning.

I'm looking at MRE's or the freeze dried mountain house meals. I'm undecided because the nice thing about MRE's is that in a pinch you don't really have to cook them. With the MHM's you need to boil water first, which requires fire, fuel, a pot, and water. Not too hard to come by, but in a rain storm or a white out it would be hard to get everything going.

[Sarge47]

Arizona has a really diverse climate, contrary to what people think. Durring the summer the desert is really hot in the day and kinda hot at night. In the winter it can range from 85-90 in the day and 25-40 at night. Where we were last week was in the high desert north of Globe AZ, and the overnight was about 40 by my guess. We had sleeping bags that were rated for that temp, and we were a bit cold in the early morning.

I'm looking at MRE's or the freeze dried mountain house meals. I'm undecided because the nice thing about MRE's is that in a pinch you don't really have to cook them. With the MHM's you need to boil water first, which requires fire, fuel, a pot, and water. Not too hard to come by, but in a rain storm or a white out it would be hard to get everything going.

My bad, the major part of my last post was directed to Pursang. The far northern states where they have wilderness close to the Canadian border will make your AZ winters feel like a day in a sauna.:eek: He never gave his location so that he might get the proper response.:confused:

[pursang]

Thanks for all your help and advice everyone, we live in the southern okanagan of british columbia, Canada, winter temps range from -22C or -8F but most of the winter we sit at -2C/29F to +2/36F. toasty compared to up north we had -39C/-38F a few times, thats like living on another planet ! I think those MRE's are looking pretty good, I was thinking of bringing the stuff indoors and just grabbing it whenever we take a vehicle, but that'll become a pain and it could even freeze sitting in the car while your shopping. I'm thinking I could bring decent tasting food from say april to october and always have some MRE's on board.

[mitch.chesney]

Hands down MREs. Some are actually tasty

[Rick]

You didn't specify if the food in your vehicles is in case you get stranded or if you're storing your bug out food there. Soooo........

You might be interested in these folks:

http://www.ameriqual.com/

Ameriqual is a current supplier of military MREs but they also produce a civilian version called the APack and you can order directly from them.

MREs bother me only because its sometimes hard to find cases that haven't sat around for a year or so already and I don't know what conditions they were stored under. That's a real concern. The fresher the better.

Just remember that not all MREs are military grade. There are civilian MREs that are just as good, but if you are specifically looking for military-grade MREs, you need to verify that information before you buy.

Make sure that the MREs you are buying include a heater. Not all do. If it seems like you are getting an incredible deal, make sure the heaters are included. You could be getting shortchanged.

MREs run anywhere from $40 to $75 per case of 12, depending on what is included.

Expect to pay about $15 for shipping and handling for a case of MREs. You will need to include that into the overall cost unless you purchase them locally, of course. Divide the total price (including shipping) by 12 and that will tell you what you are paying per meal.

If you are buying MREs by the case, you generally cannot pick and choose the type of entrees that are included in the case. If you buy them singly, which will cost more, you can.

Here's a handy MRE storage life chart:

(based on taste testing at U.S. Army's NATIC Research Laboratories)
Temperature (Fahrenheit)..100...90...85...80...75....70....60
Storage Life in Months........22...55...60...76...88..100...130+

High temperatures are not a good thing for MREs or most stored foods for that matter. You also want to avoid fluctuating temperatures especially in and out of the freezing range, which will be a problem for you. That will really reduce the quality.

You might also be interested in freeze-dried or commercially dehydrated foods. Of course, you have to add water to either to reconstitute them. Both have long shelf lives and are lighter in weight than MREs. Might not be a good choice for your vehicles if you just want the food in case you get stranded.

If you are storing the food in your vehicle for bug out then re-consider and move the food inside. You will have a much longer shelf life and better quality no matter what kind you go with.

Hope that helps.

[hermitman]

For cold climates besides mre's there are soups were all you have to do is tear off part and it will heat itself no water.

[Tony uk]

A heater isnt really needed, Although nice. MREs are eddible in cold state or hot. I like to put them in boiling water for about 15 mins to get them nice and toasty. the screech tho is best served child regardless. Also the beverage whitener in british MREs is flamible making a good tinder

[ws3445]

My freind got MREs for christmas:D.

[hermitman]

The heat isn't really needed for survival. The heat can help maintain body heat and moral which is one of the most important things.

[nell67]

Christmas 2006,my oldest son was home from his AIT training,and he brought mre's and a camelback for my daughter and younger son home for Christmas,LOL they were not real impressed with the mre's.

[Beowulf65]

C-Rats were better IMHO

[Tony uk]

C-Rats were better IMHO

That canned goop, The only thing in there good was the one with the sweets :p

[SGTD00m]

A few notes on MREs from some one who has eaten them on and off for the last 15 yrs.

First the heaters are great but there are 2 huge warnings about them. 1 u must use them in well ventilated areas because the gas they put out as they heat is highly flammable. if using the heater as a means of generating additional body heat make sure not to spill any of the water inside the heater on u it can cause a nasty chemical burn.

A few pages back some one was asking if it was one pack per day the answer is no. MREs are designed to be eaten 3 times a day breakfast lunch and dinner however there are designed for soldiers in combat who are burning over 2000 calories a day. Each MRE on the average contains around 1400 calories so you could get by on 2 a day easy if you had to.

Just got done bounce around e-bay looking at the MRE for sale another note is military grade MREs always come in a tan meal bag. If u find ones in green or brown outer bags they are from before 2000 don't buy them they are no good. Aside from that MREs aren't 2 bad i ate them for 30 straight days when we invaded Iraq and they got the job done.

[Alpine_Sapper]

~1400 calories is the minimum. The packages state they contain between 1400 and 3000 calories. So yeah, two a day would definitely work. I did the math one day sitting in the field though, and the MRE package stated it contained like 2600 calories. When I added it up it basically came out that to get the 2600 calories out of it you had to eat the instant coffee, the creamer, the sugar, and probably the cardboard to. So 1400 is probably closer to the truth.

[Omid]

Thats the route I am thinking also,much cheaper to buy a dehydrater and food saver and do it yourslf I think

I think MREs are a rip off. I agree that doing it yourself is better,

Jjst get a pack of nuts,
Some dried fruit.
Some flour... thats your MRE.

I am thinking of getting a dhydrater but I have to find a good deal. and a coupon code.

[cajun swamp hunter]

Yep, yall are right they handed out tons of them after Katrina. FVR is right after you eat them for a couple of weeks you can keep them. Do not get take this wrong I still bring MREs for meals when hunting or fishing but its not something you want to live on. Guess what comes in almost evey bag-----yep you guessed it a little bag of tobasco--you can almost eat cardboard with a little of that on it! Oh and by the way if you have a rat problem the omlett meal will do nicely for killing them.

[cajun swamp hunter]

I forgot to mention the heaters can make a good fishing tool if you know how to use them.

[crashdive123]

Don't keep it a secret.

[Rick]

Cajun - Fishing with explosives is illegal.:D

[Tony uk]

Cajun - Fishing with explosives is illegal.:D

What A Killjoy ! :(

[bulrush]

I prefer to use dried rice and dried beans and noodles. They are much cheaper and you can spice them the way you want. There is a whole site dedicated to freezer bag cooking. You set up a meal for 1 or 2 people in a freezer bag, add hot water, wait 5 minutes, and eat.

http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/

[steiger589]

An earlier poster stated that he keeps the MRE's in his car. What temperatures can the MRE's withstand? Wikipedia (MRE) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRE) isn't very specific on the subject. Come summer, my Oldmobile packs some heat. You could fry an egg on the roof.
Actual fact: max. temperature registered in my car 130 in summer 2006. Is that hot or is that hot? Can't be good for long term storage of rations...

I figure I'm going to make my own little "emergency package" containing the basic camping gear (backpack, one-man-tent, change of clothes and a weeks worth rations) (http://people.umass.edu/ifranzen/outdoor-gear.html). That way I can be spontaneous when hunting fever grips me and I need some freedom or when the Missus don't let me home :-)

Be seein' you!

Hank

[crashdive123]

steiger589 - If you scroll down on this link, there is a table of time vs temp. Probably not the ideal food item to store in your vehicle unless you rotate it frequently.

http://www.nitro-pak.com/product_info.php?cPath=173&products_id=1594&osCsid=683abeb29ecb7f645ed3bf93b35ab1d3

[Rick]

Short of energy bars or something along those lines, I don't store food in my car. The temperature extremes are too much for processed food of any kind.

[crashdive123]

The only food stored in the vehicles are Kashi Go Lean bars. I think they have a shelf life of about 100 years.

[ericka]

I have purchased several mres from Long Life Food Depot you can buy one or two or buy the case. It is not to expensive and i recieve my order within a few days. I highly recommend the brownies,but i have not bought one yet that i have not like. also i have had mres that are 5 to 7 years old and still taste good. just keep them in a cool dry place and have alot on hand for the unexpected.

ericka

[crashdive123]

The MRE's do have a pretty good shelf life, but it is reduced with higher temperatures. Welcome to th eforum Erika - when you get a chance head on over to the introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself. You can find it here http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14

[crashdive123]

Here's some info on the shelf life of MRE's. http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/safetycentral_2007_7882292

[gm22664]

I have tried MRE's on several occassions and have been really happy with them, except for the cost. My brother and I have been dehydrating food or using pre-dehydrated foods and vacuum sealing it for some time now and have been amazed with the results. The different types of food you can use is really only limited by your imagination. We both have a reflective bag to place our plastic food bag into, which directs the heat back into itself. We just add hot water, let it sit in bag, and bingo...awesome 10 minute meals of ANY variety in ANY location. And you can't beat the lightweight qualities of this method, even MRE's are nowhere near as light.

[Rick]

Welcome GM. Why not go over to the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself?

I like MREs, Apacks, etc. for longer camping trips. They are water efficient so you don't use up what you are carrying just to make a meal. Otherwise, dehydrated is the berries (get it? dehydrated, berries?).

[commoguy]

A few pages back some one was asking if it was one pack per day the answer is no. MREs are designed to be eaten 3 times a day breakfast lunch and dinner however there are designed for soldiers in combat who are burning over 2000 calories a day. Each MRE on the average contains around 1400 calories so you could get by on 2 a day easy if you had to.

Just got done bounce around e-bay looking at the MRE for sale another note is military grade MREs always come in a tan meal bag. If u find ones in green or brown outer bags they are from before 2000 don't buy them they are no good. Aside from that MREs aren't 2 bad i ate them for 30 straight days when we invaded Iraq and they got the job done.

the ones we currently eat are still in the brown outer bag.....secondly mre's are meant to be one a day in a survival situation thus the reason they have 3500 calories. i dont know where you got your info but its not correct.

[Beowulf65]

I totally agree with Commoguy because I read this post and looked at some in my basement and the calorie intake on each package read 2500 to 3500 calories. They give more than one in training because its just that, training but when I was in the Army we had a couple cases per squad (I was LRSD) and we ransacked it taking out what we wanted and pitching the rest or giving them to kids.

[crashdive123]

I believe (not sure) that the 1400 calorie number is for the main course. With some sellers you don't have to purchase the entire "full" MRE. Add in the other items (fudge brownie, cookie, sauces, whatever) and I think you get into the 2500 - 3500 calorie range.

[skunkkiller]

you can dehytrate all most any thing and make your .from tea to steak fish you name it got two dehytraters and love them always make my own jerky soups tea.

[crashdive123]

Here's a bit more info on MRE's. A lot of what I found was contradictory, so I can see why there may be a wide variety of opinions.

http://standeyo.com/News_Files/Food/MRE_Fast_Facts.html

http://www.safetycentral.com/mrfahishliin.html

http://www.mreinfo.com/

[Rick]

And there are different "versions" of the MREs depending on year of manufacture so that might add to mix as well.

[quartermaster]

Please excuse me if I am in the wrong but I am sitting on about 60 cases of Genuine Military MRE's, current production dates with bright red freshness stickers. I have been selling on ebay for 55.00 per case, A or B. They will not stop ending my auctions because they "think" mre heaters cannot be shipped in the meal, they are wrong. DOT has approved this. I have the cheapest shipping on ebay and good feedback ( **EDIT** ) ( 135) . Anyone want any? If I posted in the wrong forum please just be polite and let me know.
Chris

[trax]

OK, I'm not sure what to do here, because he asked for someone polite.

[crashdive123]

I've been practicing Trax, I'll give it a try. Quartermaster - forum rules do not allow you to advertise or link to your site in the body of your post. If you'd like to join the forum. please feel free. You can put a link in your signature - that way everytime you post, it'll be there. If all you want to do is sell the MRE's and not participate, that's cool - just contact the administrator of the site and see about advertising here. Lot's of members use MRE's - you never know....How'd I do Trax?

[nell67]

very good crash,you HAVE been practicing!

[trax]

Helluva lot better than I would have done bro. Where does one pick up this "politeness" thing? One day, perhaps, I'll give it a go.

[crashdive123]

It comes with practice. It does however take some time to master. Every now and then the urge to choke the living ....... well you get the idea.

[laughing beetle]

i am planning on trying some of the freezedried products on my next camping trip...has anyone tried the freezedried icecream sandwich? the concept puzzles me:confused:

[crashdive123]

Welcome to the forum laughing beetle. Freeze dried ice cream is one that I have not tried. When you get a chance, head on over to the introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself. Thanks.

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

I keep MRE's ive got a couple cases of them. twelve meals to the case , the $46.00 for each case is pricey

[Bigdog57]

I like the MRE entrees, and buy a few cases now & then for emergencies and camping. I add the sides and accessories to suit me. I find it takes two entree packets to make a decent camp meal, along with desert and beverage of choice.
But, I wouldn't want to live off them.

I also use the Mountain House packets Wally's sells, as well as the various "Ready-To-Eat Rice Meals" from the grocery stores. Those taste a bit 'processed', but are good doctored up some. I add a foil-packet of meat - chicken, tuna or SPAM.
I eat the various meals occasionally to keep myself accustomed to them - suddenly getting the squirts in the middle of a BO situation would be decidedly uncool. :D
For home use during storms and power outages - it's canned and dry-packaged food - the stuff I normally eat. Only my method of cooking changes.

[crashdive123]

I eat the various meals occasionally to keep myself accustomed to them - suddenly getting the squirts in the middle of a BO situation would be decidedly uncool. :D


That's why keeping some of this in you BOB can be equally important.

http://images.allegrocentral.com/FC/B3/8ab281020bb66dff010bb67ec874614b-PRODUCT-MEDIUM_IMAGE.jpg

[Gray Wolf]

Or if your going primitive... :D

[Hemingway]

Tony uk

I'm surprised to hear you like MRE's so much. I've eaten enough of those for a lifetime and never want to touch one again unless I have to. I just returned from Iraq a couple months ago and had them all the time, and in the 2003 invasion, that was literally all I had to eat for months. Not my favorite thing in the world.

[Tony uk]

Tony uk

I'm surprised to hear you like MRE's so much. I've eaten enough of those for a lifetime and never want to touch one again unless I have to. I just returned from Iraq a couple months ago and had them all the time, and in the 2003 invasion, that was literally all I had to eat for months. Not my favorite thing in the world.


I like them for there convenience and the ammount of contents they contain for there size. The taste is pritty good for me.

However if i had to eat them for months, or anyone had to. Then i would hate the things reguardless of what there like.

[Jericho117]

My dads in the Navy, right now over in iraq. He's gonna send me a couple MRE's. He gets them for free.

[Fletcher]

My dads in the Navy, right now over in iraq. He's gonna send me a couple MRE's. He gets them for free.

he gets them for free???????that's funny as sH%(TTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

[Hemingway]

When you're in the military, you can get an enormous amount of them. In Iraq, the food for the troops is free. Unfortunately, state side, in the Marines, they deduct money out of your pay for your meals, even if they are simply giving you MRE's.

I used to have a lot of them in my garage, but have given most of them away to a friend of mine and his friends who take them backpacking.

[Deer Sniper]

the ones we currently eat are still in the brown outer bag.....secondly mre's are meant to be one a day in a survival situation thus the reason they have 3500 calories. i dont know where you got your info but its not correct.

Also they are designed to constipate, so soldiers in combat do not need a restroom break very often while the bullets are flying. Really no joke!

[Rick]

Also they are designed to constipate, so soldiers in combat do not need a restroom break very often while the bullets are flying. Really no joke!

I'd like to see your source on that one. That's pretty funny. Maybe they were designed so everyone went at once thus establishing a perimeter the enemy wouldn't cross. Too funny.

[laughing beetle]

:eek:SNORRRTTT!!! nuts!!:D (cleans screen again) No more coffee when reading Rick's posts...:rolleyes: Like he says, that hurts!:eek::o

[Tony uk]

Also they are designed to constipate, so soldiers in combat do not need a restroom break very often while the bullets are flying. Really no joke!

I was always told that it was due to lack lack of fresh fruit and veg in MREs that made you constipated

[crashdive123]

Any change in diet is going to change your....err...."habits". MRE's are neither designed to plug you up, nor make you run free, but rather a source of nutrition. If you are not used to the diet they provide, you will notice a change in your......."habits".

[Jericho117]

Yeah he gets them for free, well becuase he is in the military. How is that funny?

[Rick]

Free is not exactly the right word. They cost him how many years in the service?

[Jericho117]

14 years, he retires in another 6.

[Rick]

14 years? Nope. Not free. That's what was funny.

[Deer Sniper]

My only 2 complaints with MRES is that they contain lots of water which makes them heavy, and they are expensive to purchase compared to Kraft mac and cheese, instant oatmeal, raman noodles, rice, beans, etc. ( actually the rice and beans can be kind of heavy ) all high carb and low weight and cost. But I am not in combat and worried about the enemy seeing me heat water.

[crashdive123]

While it is true that they are heavier than a lot of other options, the fact that you do not need water to have a decent meal is what is so attractive in many situations.

[Fletcher]

14 years? Nope. Not free. That's what was funny.
Thank you Rick!

[Runs With Beer]

I dont realy know what they cost, But in 2004 when all the storms came thru here, The nat. guard was giving them away by the cases. I liked them the chillie mac is smoking.

[ADEPT]

I lived on the things for almost a whole year. chille mac is great and I liked the beef stew. No one would eat the curry chicken. We used to dare each other into eating the curry chicken and drinking near beer till we puked.

[Badawg]

i am planning on trying some of the freezedried products on my next camping trip...has anyone tried the freezedried icecream sandwich? the concept puzzles me:confused:

I have not had the sandwich... I have had Japanese Freeze dried neapolitan ice cream and it was like eating sweet Styrofoam. not very satisfactory. Regular old hunts snackpack pudding is WAY better...

[Badawg]

While it is true that they are heavier than a lot of other options, the fact that you do not need water to have a decent meal is what is so attractive in many situations.

Wait... Decent meal??? Have you eaten one of the pork cutlets? Decent is not the word I would use for that!:eek:

[crashdive123]

Wait... Decent meal??? Have you eaten one of the pork cutlets? Decent is not the word I would use for that!:eek:

OK - decent might be a stretch for the Chicken Tetrazini (sp?), but the meat loaf......yum. Of course, I've eaten 30 year old C Rations and while they were edible when you're realllllllllly hungry sticking to the cardboard from the Lucky Strikes is the way to go if you're not.:D

[BK-72]

Got about a week worth's of MRE's, in addition to my dehydrated stuff and normally well-stocked pantry.

[BK-72]

Also they are designed to constipate, so soldiers in combat do not need a restroom break very often while the bullets are flying. Really no joke!


Hmm well I don't know about that, I've heard of the problem second hand but I can't say I know anyone personally that have experienced it.

I had one years ago that made me throw up though....

[Ole WV Coot]

Also they are designed to constipate, so soldiers in combat do not need a restroom break very often while the bullets are flying. Really no joke!

If and a big IF I get to the point I have to eat one I can guarantee I may pucker but sure won't constipate. Bring back the C goodies !:eek:

[crashdive123]

MRE's have a low fiber content. That may be why some have a lack of "movement".

[AKOutlander]

It should be stated that civilian MRE equivalent meals do not have the same calorie count found in a regular MRE. While you can survive on less calories, you will welcome the extra calories to perform all the tasks necessary in a survival situation.

[doug1980]

Also they are designed to constipate, so soldiers in combat do not need a restroom break very often while the bullets are flying. Really no joke!

That's close but not entirely accurate. MRE's are meant for "Bare Base" consumption where a Mess Hall or DFAC is not yet established. That being said, water is most likely still being cleaned and filtered using a ROPU (Reverse Osmosis Purification Unit) which uses chlorine among other chemicals to purify. Water from a ROPU will give you the runs so the Military made MRE's in such a way to help equal things out. Basically MRE"s that constipate and water that gives the runs taken together make you regular. :D

[Beans]

I have eaten/ been issued/ K rations assualt pack. C-rations and LRRP rations.

The K ratios came with a full pack (20) of smokes, a Hugh Tootie Roll and some *stuff that disolved in water.

* field ration D: to be eaten slowly (in about half an hour). Can be dissolved by crumbling into a cup of boiling water, if desired as a beverage. Ingredients: chocolate, sugar, skim milk powder, cocoa fat, oat flour, artificial flavoring, C. 45mg, Vitamin B (Thiamin Hydrochloride :-(

The assualt ration was a smaller packaged unit of the standard "k" ration


C rations. Beanee & weanees and meatball /spaghetti were the best, Ham & lima's were the worst. I never ever seen any meatloaf or Tuna. the Army must of gotten those.

http://gruntfixer.homestead.com/files/crats.html


The LRRP meals were good with Chile con carne and beef hash being the best. The USMC comschawed them from the Army when we could.

http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/10118479

I have not tried any of issued MRE's

[ricm123]

Every time I contemplate ordering MRE's I always figure that I can shop around and put together more food for less money.

I'm sure the prepared kits are easier to transport in a grab it & go situation, but I'm more concerned about having plenty of supplies on hand at home. I'm also a cheapskate.

Generally, I can stock up on non-perishables at Walmart & Aldi for a fraction of the costs of professionally packed meals. Making the lists and procuring the goods is often somewhat challenging and fun.

Being retired, I have plenty of time to shop around for deals and put together boxes of foods that I know I like. (I do steal ideas from the military and professional suppliers.)

Home canning has my pantry well stocked with vegetables, and I browse weekly sales for items I can't (or don't) can myself. Nuts, fruits, candy, tuna, and other items usually have pretty good shelf lives and stock can be rotated.

Dried beans can be prepared and canned (any time of year). Folks think I'm nuts for canning food that keeps in its dried state, but having a 16 oz jar of pintos ready to heat & eat is very convenient. I can't stand having empty mason jars sitting around very long.

[crashdive123]

Good info Ricm123 (hey, you have the same last name as me:D) How about cooking on over to the introduction section and tell us about yourself. Thanks.

[ricm123]

Good info Ricm123 (hey, you have the same last name as me:D) How about cooking on over to the introduction section and tell us about yourself. Thanks.

I've done that in the "About Me" section. My profile should be up to date.

I don't see an introduction section ?

[crashdive123]

You can find it here. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14