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nell67
06-03-2007, 06:06 PM
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
06-04-2007, 03:51 PM
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
06-04-2007, 05:19 PM
Thats the route I am thinking also,much cheaper to buy a dehydrater and food saver and do it yourslf I think

Outdoorbuff
06-04-2007, 06:32 PM
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
06-04-2007, 11:01 PM
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
06-05-2007, 08:34 PM
Thanks , will check these out.

RobertRogers
06-06-2007, 08:17 PM
Yeah, MRE's are expensive compared to what you can make for yourself.

marberry
06-06-2007, 11:42 PM
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
06-10-2007, 05:43 PM
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
06-10-2007, 07:35 PM
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
06-11-2007, 03:23 AM
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
06-11-2007, 11:41 AM
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
06-12-2007, 01:47 AM
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
06-12-2007, 11:04 AM
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
06-13-2007, 10:25 PM
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
06-15-2007, 12:15 PM
Im Bidding For Them Now

Thanks For this Info :D

KRASH!
06-24-2007, 03:09 AM
I have a few of the Canadian Forces MRE's ....
Gumby:D
Would they include Ham? Or Canadian bacon?

wildernessgrrrl4
06-24-2007, 07:42 PM
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
07-03-2007, 03:36 PM
I found a site selling current issue british MRE's

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

nell67
07-03-2007, 03:45 PM
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
07-03-2007, 09:50 PM
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
07-04-2007, 06:48 AM
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
07-05-2007, 06:59 AM
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
07-08-2007, 12:00 AM
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
07-23-2007, 01:52 AM
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
08-11-2007, 08:11 AM
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
08-11-2007, 04:51 PM
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
08-11-2007, 05:29 PM
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
08-11-2007, 11:18 PM
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
08-11-2007, 11:24 PM
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
08-12-2007, 02:41 PM
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
08-12-2007, 03:22 PM
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
08-12-2007, 03:39 PM
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
08-13-2007, 03:37 PM
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
08-13-2007, 03:44 PM
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
08-13-2007, 04:11 PM
You're not gonna try mine or Rusty's advi ce from the curing meat thread?...

:confused: :eek:

nell67
08-13-2007, 04:20 PM
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
08-15-2007, 10:52 AM
I used a dehydrater to make dryed fruit but it went off in the thing, now everything that comes out tastes like raisens :(

trax
08-15-2007, 11:52 AM
How did it work out with the roast? Family still talking to you?:) :rolleyes:

nell67
08-15-2007, 02:46 PM
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
08-15-2007, 03:38 PM
awesome! congratulations:)

nell67
08-15-2007, 06:22 PM
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
11-20-2007, 01:33 AM
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
11-20-2007, 03:43 AM
have you tried mres

HOP
11-20-2007, 06:21 AM
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.

marberry
11-20-2007, 08:04 AM
buy survival rations from a navy or military surplus store , shelf life of 4 years so you wouldnt have to replace em as much

Beo
11-20-2007, 09:08 AM
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
11-20-2007, 11:55 AM
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
11-20-2007, 12:02 PM
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
11-20-2007, 12:09 PM
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
11-20-2007, 12:13 PM
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
11-23-2007, 01:10 AM
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.

MCBushbaby
11-23-2007, 03:09 AM
Hands down MREs. Some are actually tasty

Rick
11-23-2007, 09:32 AM
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
01-22-2008, 02:31 PM
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
01-22-2008, 03:09 PM
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
01-25-2008, 01:20 PM
My freind got MREs for christmas:D.

hermitman
01-25-2008, 01:27 PM
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
01-25-2008, 01:39 PM
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.

Beo
01-25-2008, 01:41 PM
C-Rats were better IMHO

Tony uk
01-25-2008, 02:01 PM
C-Rats were better IMHO

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

SGTD00m
04-10-2008, 12:22 AM
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
04-10-2008, 01:12 AM
~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
05-04-2008, 10:18 AM
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
05-05-2008, 10:17 PM
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
05-05-2008, 11:35 PM
I forgot to mention the heaters can make a good fishing tool if you know how to use them.

crashdive123
05-06-2008, 06:49 AM
Don't keep it a secret.

Rick
05-06-2008, 06:51 AM
Cajun - Fishing with explosives is illegal.:D

Tony uk
05-07-2008, 01:26 PM
Cajun - Fishing with explosives is illegal.:D

What A Killjoy ! :(

bulrush
05-28-2008, 09:43 AM
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
06-18-2008, 08:35 AM
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
06-18-2008, 06:27 PM
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
06-18-2008, 06:39 PM
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
06-18-2008, 06:56 PM
The only food stored in the vehicles are Kashi Go Lean bars. I think they have a shelf life of about 100 years.

ericka
07-03-2008, 07:52 PM
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
07-03-2008, 07:55 PM
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
07-04-2008, 09:03 AM
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
07-31-2008, 03:42 AM
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
07-31-2008, 06:59 AM
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
07-31-2008, 04:03 PM
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.

Beo
08-01-2008, 09:25 AM
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
08-01-2008, 02:23 PM
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
08-01-2008, 05:57 PM
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
08-01-2008, 05:59 PM
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
08-01-2008, 06:25 PM
And there are different "versions" of the MREs depending on year of manufacture so that might add to mix as well.

quartermaster
08-12-2008, 03:29 PM
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
08-12-2008, 03:35 PM
OK, I'm not sure what to do here, because he asked for someone polite.

crashdive123
08-12-2008, 03:41 PM
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
08-12-2008, 03:44 PM
very good crash,you HAVE been practicing!

trax
08-12-2008, 03:46 PM
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
08-12-2008, 04:05 PM
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
08-17-2008, 11:40 PM
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
08-18-2008, 06:08 AM
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
09-07-2008, 09:50 AM
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
09-11-2008, 02:37 PM
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
09-11-2008, 02:43 PM
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
09-11-2008, 03:22 PM
Or if your going primitive... :D

Hemingway
09-29-2008, 11:54 AM
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
09-29-2008, 02:02 PM
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
09-29-2008, 02:39 PM
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
09-29-2008, 06:03 PM
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
09-30-2008, 02:34 AM
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
10-06-2008, 02:02 AM
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
10-06-2008, 05:52 AM
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
10-06-2008, 06:14 AM
: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
10-06-2008, 01:21 PM
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
10-06-2008, 02:47 PM
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
10-06-2008, 07:48 PM
Yeah he gets them for free, well becuase he is in the military. How is that funny?

Rick
10-06-2008, 07:59 PM
Free is not exactly the right word. They cost him how many years in the service?

Jericho117
10-06-2008, 08:11 PM
14 years, he retires in another 6.

Rick
10-07-2008, 08:43 AM
14 years? Nope. Not free. That's what was funny.

Deer Sniper
10-10-2008, 11:54 PM
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
10-11-2008, 06:43 AM
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
10-20-2008, 09:55 AM
14 years? Nope. Not free. That's what was funny.
Thank you Rick!

Runs With Beer
10-20-2008, 08:39 PM
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
11-12-2008, 05:06 PM
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
11-13-2008, 05:04 PM
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
11-13-2008, 05:07 PM
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
11-13-2008, 06:31 PM
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
11-24-2008, 09:32 PM
Got about a week worth's of MRE's, in addition to my dehydrated stuff and normally well-stocked pantry.

BK-72
11-24-2008, 09:34 PM
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
11-24-2008, 11:09 PM
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
11-25-2008, 09:07 AM
MRE's have a low fiber content. That may be why some have a lack of "movement".

AKOutlander
12-28-2008, 08:58 PM
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
12-28-2008, 10:35 PM
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
12-29-2008, 10:52 PM
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
01-04-2009, 04:21 AM
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
01-04-2009, 08:30 AM
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
01-04-2009, 04:22 PM
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
01-04-2009, 04:24 PM
You can find it here. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14

pete
03-21-2009, 09:05 PM
I also found MRE's expensive, I did find Life Caps and have tried them them keep hunger at bay , provide the nutrients needed so that in an emergency you can concentrate on getting rescued or building shelter etc.. Its calle Life Capsd and is a survical Pill that fits in your pocket or anywhere. I would like to see other people try it also and place comments. I found the best place to get Life Caps is thier web Sit http:www.lifecaps.net and use the coupon code Go Caps and you will save 33%.,

crashdive123
03-21-2009, 09:25 PM
Hmmmm. Vitamins or food.......I'll go with food. Hey, since you'r not busy eating - how about heading over to the Introduction section and tell us about yourself. Do you sell these vitamin pills?

Rick
03-21-2009, 10:43 PM
I just ordered a case of APack meals to change out the food in my big BOB. I also like to take them camping with me. The meals are good and come out to less than $6.00, which is pretty cheap considering everything that's in them. I don't store them in the pantry but they are a lot handier in the BOB.

crashdive123
03-21-2009, 10:46 PM
Rick - where do you get you APacks?

Rick
03-21-2009, 10:47 PM
http://www.readymeal.com/

They make MREs for the government and the APacks are the civilian version.

crashdive123
03-21-2009, 10:53 PM
Looks like they're a couple of bucks cheaper than the MRE's I've purchased. Thanks.

Rick
03-21-2009, 10:57 PM
I think it comes out to 5.83 or something like that. Then you add shipping. I can do one of the meals a day for two or three days depending on how strenuous travel is. Then I have to break in to two of them to up the calories. If you carry something like jerky or trail bars then one a day is about all I need.

SARKY
03-22-2009, 01:25 AM
C rats.....Green ham and eggs yum yum!

Beans
03-22-2009, 01:37 AM
C rats.....Green ham and eggs yum yum!

Ok, you can have the Ham & Lima's for dessert.

crashdive123
03-22-2009, 07:55 AM
3-pack of Lucky Strikes and a couple of Chicklets were often the most edible things in the C-Rations.

NCO
03-28-2009, 06:42 PM
When I was doing my time in the army we sometimes had so called "sissipakkaus" (guerilla backages) for food. One pack had one days food for intens recon/raid operations (around 5000 calories) And some water cleaner tablets, desinfection towels and such. On training mission one pack lasted for two days. All it contained could be bought from your local store. Barring the infamous military crisp bread also known as "vanikka"(plywood) and even that was really good. Nothing high tech in it, but it kept you going better than any of us hoped. Usually if the day was busy, as they always were, we just ate the crisp bread during the day and made warm food inside our tent in the night during our "stove watch".
Thus I state that all you really need is crisp bread.

doc bandit
04-10-2009, 04:36 AM
I had my share of "C rations" while I was at basic and advance school for the Army. Infact I still carry my P38 that I got in basic in the summer of 82. As far as MRE's go you can try Birgade Quartermaster, they some times have them on sale there. Luckly I haven't had to deal with them while I've been deployed in Iraq this tour. We get them when we do our weekend field training, and our yearly annual training. With enough Hot Sauce and Adobo seasoning they don't taste half bad. But I still bring a couple cans of Tuna Fish for just in case of a bad pick of a MRE

crashdive123
04-10-2009, 06:52 AM
What? You don't care for the chicken tetrazzini?

doren
04-10-2009, 09:00 AM
I could have been the Country Captain Chicken.

Alpine_Sapper
04-10-2009, 09:01 AM
What? You don't care for the chicken tetrazzini?

lol. Nah, nah, the chicken tetrazzini is a'ight. It's that nasty Jamaican pork chop in cinnamon sauce "thing" they want to put in there. Not even the tabasco or the jalapeno cheese can make that thing taste halfway decent. But I can scarf through one in like 20 seconds (just don't taste it *shrug*) on a 72 hour defense.

Ken
04-10-2009, 11:28 AM
The ham and chicken loaf. I haven't seen THAT around in a while. It was the most disgusting meat I've ever seen in a package. But still (heh, heh, heh) not as bad as Haggis.

doc bandit
04-10-2009, 07:49 PM
Don't forget those LOVELY dried beef and pork patties, also the dried potatoe patty. which were also nasty as all :censored:

Ken
04-10-2009, 07:55 PM
Don't forget those LOVELY dried beef and pork patties, also the dried potatoe patty. which were also nasty as all :censored:

Agreed. Whatever happened to the Frankfurters with "Bean Component" (Not for Flight or Pre-Flight Use). :innocent:

doc bandit
04-10-2009, 09:05 PM
I personaly liked the Frankfurters with Bean Component. Throw the Beans on a hot engine block and grab a stick and cook the dogs over a small fire. When you ran with a Recon Scout Platoon as their "DOC", you could do stuff like that. I almost forgot about the dried fruit. They were pretty good . Another good use for the Bean Component was the good old bean claymore for ambushes.

Ken
04-10-2009, 09:37 PM
I personaly liked the Frankfurters with Bean Component. Throw the Beans on a hot engine block and grab a stick and cook the dogs over a small fire. When you ran with a Recon Scout Platoon as their "DOC", you could do stuff like that. I almost forgot about the dried fruit. They were pretty good . Another good use for the Bean Component was the good old bean claymore for ambushes.

I thought this MRE was pretty good, too. Four franks - not bad. I believe that the dried fruit was diced peaches. Came with cheese spread, crackers, brownie, and the accessory pack.

The chow mein and the spiced beef are other ones I miss .........

WillDeerborn
05-02-2009, 11:57 PM
It's hard as hell to find MREs around here and when the surplus store does have 'em they go for anywhere from 6 bucks to 9 bucks a pop...But they were the best food I had while I was in the ARMY.

Rick
05-03-2009, 01:22 AM
Why buy them? There are plenty of civilian versions on the market. Long shelf life, good food, etc. I'm partial to A-Paks but there are a lot out there.

JungleBoy
05-04-2009, 03:29 AM
I'm just surprised no one's pulled out references to Meals Rejected by Ethiopians, or MR. E...

Ultimate Survivor
05-04-2009, 05:54 AM
It's hard as hell to find MREs around here and when the surplus store does have 'em they go for anywhere from 6 bucks to 9 bucks a pop...But they were the best food I had while I was in the ARMY.

you must have had some really bad cooks then MRE'S are the worst i have ever eaten, everybody i know says the same, my brother said the yanks were swapping them for british rat packs as the food was better. but each to thier own if you like them ok, not everyone likes frogs legs or liver

Rick
05-04-2009, 07:31 AM
I'm just surprised no one's pulled out references to Meals Rejected by Ethiopians, or MR. E...

I guess they have.

Alpine_Sapper
05-04-2009, 08:55 AM
you must have had some really bad cooks then MRE'S are the worst i have ever eaten, everybody i know says the same, my brother said the yanks were swapping them for british rat packs as the food was better. but each to thier own if you like them ok, not everyone likes frogs legs or liver

lol. I think he was making a reference to the green eggs and other ghastly pseudo food they used to roll out in the chow halls, or even worse, on LOGPAC when you were in the field and got hot chow. *ugh* I'd much rather go back to the track and eat another MRE than suffer through that gastro intestinal time bomb.

BK-72
05-04-2009, 09:26 AM
It's hard as hell to find MREs around here and when the surplus store does have 'em they go for anywhere from 6 bucks to 9 bucks a pop...But they were the best food I had while I was in the ARMY.


I've noticed the same thing, plus many on-line stores seem to be out of tehm too. The exception being http://www.longlifefood.com/

Ultimate Survivor
05-04-2009, 03:01 PM
it never ceases to amaze me how men can go into battle, see things that would and often does make people sick, then when they leave the service all they seem to moan about is the poor state of the food.:)

crashdive123
05-04-2009, 03:02 PM
Food on a submarine was great.

Alpine_Sapper
05-04-2009, 03:47 PM
it never ceases to amaze me how men can go into battle, see things that would and often does make people sick, then when they leave the service all they seem to moan about is the poor state of the food.:)

That's because no one wants to think about the rest of that crap. But the food is something universal everyone can complain about in a joking fashion.
You know how it is...

Old cadence:
They say that in the Army, the food is mighty fine.
But a chicken jumped offf the table and started marching time.
They say that in the Army, the coffee's mighty fine.
It looks like muddy water, and tastes like turpentine....
etc.

TucsonMax
06-23-2009, 01:57 PM
Costco is having a sale on what they call "Emergency Food Kit" 275 servings, 9 different varieties in a nice bucket for $85 which incudes shipping. Description says: good for 10 or 20 years depending on storage temp. (NOTE: these need water and heat source.) I don't think you have to me a member of costco to buy from them online.
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11219554

Mischief
06-23-2009, 02:05 PM
That's because no one wants to think about the rest of that crap. But the food is something universal everyone can complain about in a joking fashion.
You know how it is...

Old cadence:
They say that in the Army, the food is mighty fine.
But a chicken jumped offf the table and started marching time.
They say that in the Army, the coffee's mighty fine.
It looks like muddy water, and tastes like turpentine....
etc.

GEE mom I wan't to go
Gee mom I wan't to go
Gee mom I want to go home

Rick
06-23-2009, 03:52 PM
Read the comments on the Costco stuff. One guy has $20K in freeze dried food according to him. Seriously.

Schleprok
06-23-2009, 09:21 PM
Have had C rats and MREs. Gotta say the C rats were circa WWII, and we ate them in the early 80s. Pretty nasty tasting, coulda been a time (40 year) thing. Still carry my P38, actually upgraded to one with a built in mini spoon (extra leverage for tough cans)

MREs are good "emergency" food. Not something you really want to eat everyday. Most dehydrated food I have seen are single (or double) serving of one entree.

MREs are a complete meal. I have seen them for $5-$8 for individual MREs.

Contents vary from meal to meal. Even similar meals sometimes vary contents. Such as drink powder, jelly flavor, etc.

MREs can be eaten cold. The heater is activated by a small amount (shot glass) of water. Do Not dispose of the heater in the bush, carry it out please....

For those who have never had the pleasure, let me open an MRE and list the contents.
Menu: Beef Stew (nothing but fingers required to open)
Entree
Heater bag (with instructions)
Strawberry dairyshake powder (may be koolaid, or ??? in another meal)
apple jelly (some have grape and even peanut butter)
crackers
cookies
instant coffee
sugar
non dairy creamer
gum
salt
pepper
wet wipes
toilet paper
tiny bottle of tabasco
and a book of moisture resistant matches (paper matches)

much more than you'd get in a similarly priced dehydrated meal. Plus, you don't have to use up your limited water supply to make it edible.

Some MREs are better than others. If you like SPAM, try the ham slice. Pot roast is very good, beef stew also.

Schleprok
06-23-2009, 09:22 PM
Also, I save the drink mix if there are kids around. Gives them something besides water in an already weird situation.

oldsoldier
06-23-2009, 10:22 PM
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.

Try cheaperthandirt.com they recently had MRE's for $40 a case BUT MRE's don't keep well in temp extremes I buy a lot of mountian house dehyd's from www.beprepared.com they range from $3.95 fo a single entree' to around $8.oo for one that has 4 servings.

Winnie
06-24-2009, 05:13 AM
I've been looking into emergency food too, yet again the prices over here are approx double what you guys pay. for the moment I've gone for energy bars, Kendal mint cake(OMG that stuffs good!) and a few quick cook dried meals from the supermarket that I've eaten before. I'm a bit dubious about buying MRE's from the internet as I won't know the shelf life till they arrive.
However wychwood jnr's RAF buddy may come thru with other goodies for the BOB!

Rick
06-24-2009, 07:15 AM
Wychwood - There are a LOT of shelf stable foods on the market today. Look for dehydrated soups and I know Heinz has marketed the thermocups in the UK. I think their Heinz Beanz and also Hoops Pasta is available there. Tuna is now coming in self serving, shelf stable packaging as well as chicken. You don't have to concentrate on MREs or the like. Really give your local market a look and I think you'll find many foods that are now shelf stable that you can incorporate into your planning.

Winnie
06-24-2009, 08:48 AM
Great idea Rick, there are plenty of long life items I can use, one of those Doris moments again! (the Kendall mint cake is staying in there tho!!)

Rick
06-24-2009, 10:37 AM
Of course, if the Queen Mum DOES offer up some Royal grub there's no reason not to take it.

Trouble
06-24-2009, 12:21 PM
I never really liked MRE's... some taste like plastic. I usually just make jerky or pemmican, since they both should have a long shelf-life. I'd pretty much agree that dehydrating your own food is better than buying MRE's.

Sarge47
06-24-2009, 01:28 PM
I like MRE's & have gotten many of them for free from a supply Sergent that I befriended at our local National Guard. Yeah, they don't taste all that great but so what, they'll be used in a SURVIVAL situation, right? The price was right & besides, I drink our of a hard-plastic Nalgene bottle. :innocent: Also what do you think, that we're going gourmet now? Most of you guys are talking about eating the local vegetation & insects anyway, so you think they're going to taste better than MREs? :cool2:

Rick
06-24-2009, 02:00 PM
I don't have a problem with them. I have several A-Paks here. But, if you can't get them or don't like them there are alternatives.

Winnie
06-25-2009, 04:28 AM
Of course, if the Queen Mum DOES offer up some Royal grub there's no reason not to take it.

It would be bad manners not to! LOL

Tundrascout
06-26-2009, 03:11 AM
Regarding vacuum sealers - I've been told that the investment in a commercial grade chamber sealer is worthwhile in the long run if you do a lot of sealing - in ease of use, speed and quality of packaging. I believe a lot of the guides up here use the commercial vacmaster series and have considered getting one myself when I can scrape together the cash. Planning on filling the freezer in a few short weeks and considering a foodsaver for the short term. Anyone use one of the commercial ones though?
Also, anyone try running one off of a 2k watt modified sine wave AC Inverter?

As for MRE's, they are great for a long term bunker or cache, a quick meal on the go or a temporary food source, or if a meal is needed without a light source, but I cant see packing a crate of them very far. As with Katrina, I am sure they would be dropped not long after an event. Dont get me wrong, they have thier uses, but also some limitations - it all depends on what you are prepairing for.

crashdive123
06-26-2009, 05:22 AM
Tundrascout - I haven't used aany of the commercial vacmaster series. In looking up some info it seems as though their produt line ranges from a smaller counter top model for under $200 to very large models for thousands of $$$. Not finding a listing of power ratings on any othe the models I would imagine that the smaller counter top model would operate off your 2000 watt inverter. I would definitely contact the manufacturer to be sure befor purchase.

Oscar
07-05-2009, 12:50 AM
i have a book called

Freezer Bag Cooking. Got it on Amazon.com author is Sarah Kirkconnell. The stuff you can make yourself instead of MRE is amazing. I have experimented with a few things in this book and changed them around by just adding stuff together or omitting some also. Each meal just takes hot water and presto in 10 mins you can be filling your belly with darn good tasting dehydrated vegis, sauces, and canned chicken or tuna mixed in. I have not tried canned b eef with anything yet but this is a great helper to get your mind around some food ideas that YOU like. I added powdered milk to every thing i tried and it made for a better creamer dish. Some are watery and gross but will fill your hole. The milk made the recipe. I say try it out and tweak it for your taste. If you explore the gorcery in the dried mix isle area you can steal this and that from different foods and mix them with others.

Dehydrated vegetables are really not bad at all and do taste pretty good.
I tried a wild rice soup with extra powdered milk in it with some extra freeze dried veggis and canned chicken. i was amazed at how good it really was. I placed it in a quart sized freezer bag with about one cup of very hot water and then closed the bag. i made a pouch from closed cell bubble wrap insulation you see in the hardware store to wrap pipes for insulation. It has a crome like outersurface but is all plastic. I used duct tape to make the insulated pouch. I kneeded the pouch gently for 10 minutes while the food hydrated. After that I opened it up, and tried the chicken, wild rice soup dish and it was darn good for dehydrated stuff. I could do that for a while if I had to and the cost per meal was extremely low. plus it will keep forever and is not so calory laden that it gives you the s%$t's.

Jendeere
07-10-2009, 08:05 PM
I have been buying Mountain House products, they taste pretty decent. I have found the #10 cans of food to be cheaper than the pouches, but the pouches are easier to prepare. Just dump hot water right into the pouch. The #10 cans are easy, too but take a little more prep. I bought the 7 day kits for each member of my family in case we have to up and leave. So far we have tried the scrambled eggs with bacon, chili mac, chicken and rice, lasagna and the stroganoff.

Right now, vitacost.com has the 7 day kit on sale for $99.80 if anyone is interested. 7 day kit (http://www.vitacost.com/Mountain-House-Products-Just-In-Case-7-Day-Unit-3-Full-Meals-Per-Day) Its the cheapest place I have found for mountain house foods unless someone is having a good sale.

Rick
07-10-2009, 08:18 PM
Jendeere - If you haven't figured it out we're all about storing what the family will eat. Most of us anyway. If they eat Mountain House, good for you. Just don't spend a small fortune on foods that no one will like. It will just add one more misery to your predicament. And don't forget to add in some comfort food. If you have kids then marshmallows or something similar could be a real treat in a bad situation. Food is a good way to lift the spirits.

crashdive123
07-10-2009, 08:22 PM
And Spam, don't forget the Spam.

Jendeere
07-10-2009, 08:22 PM
Jendeere - If you haven't figured it out we're all about storing what the family will eat. Most of us anyway. If they eat Mountain House, good for you. Just don't spend a small fortune on foods that no one will like. It will just add one more misery to your predicament. And don't forget to add in some comfort food. If you have kids then marshmallows or something similar could be a real treat in a bad situation. Food is a good way to lift the spirits.

Rick, I agree completely with you. I am all about stockpiling my pantry and couponing for the best deals on things we do eat. I just meant for long term food storage that is what I am storing.

Rick
07-10-2009, 08:27 PM
So did I. No one will be very happy if they are used to eating bacon sandwiches at night then are forced to eat rice cakes during a disaster. You want to plan your long term storage with items everyone will eat. If everyone likes Mountain House, that's great. Nothing wrong with it. i happen to like some of their entrees.

If you wind up in a shelter some place or out in the desert then having something you enjoy to eat will help make the experience a little better. And the comfort food will give a lift to the spirits in an otherwise bad situation. Keeping a positive mental outlook in a bad situation is essential to surviving it.

toughsord
07-12-2009, 11:27 PM
my uncle is in the army and often gets all the extra mre's when he comes home. great for over night fishing trips

ncffp163
07-22-2009, 02:31 AM
I'm just surprised no one's pulled out references to Meals Rejected by Ethiopians, or MR. E...

"Meals Refusing to Exit":innocent:

TangoFoxtrot
09-07-2009, 12:56 PM
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.

WOW MRE's Make sure you drink planty of water with them. They use to bind me up something terrible.:tongue_smilie:

Nath1985
12-06-2009, 03:27 PM
I use pack' n' go MRE. There endorced by some famous explorer guy.

Two that I have atm are lamb with palif, and beef shepherds pie. Havent tryed them yet, mite do a review on "mre taste" lol

Trabitha
01-25-2010, 05:08 PM
Thats the route I am thinking also,much cheaper to buy a dehydrater and food saver and do it yourslf I think

I agree, Nell. We're making 3 serving soup packs that accommodate our own tastes. Just add water to the spice packs, rice, and dried veggies and there ya go! We're vacuum sealing them and storing them. They're great for hiking/camping trips IMO. Fast, easy, take up little room, and well...I like soup! LOL!

Side note:
Military MRE's sold on line are usually sold in pieces because the seller has already cherry picked what he/she wants to keep. They also have an expiration date IF they are stored properly...and we can't know how they were stored. The military MRE will contain the right amount of calories per pouch...usually you can get away with stretching one meal into 2 because of it's calories. Store bought packs don't have ENOUGH calories in them. Three packs that can run about 6.00+ each...have barely enough calories to get you through a day.
Just an FYI on that one if no one touched on it already...

Rick
01-25-2010, 06:33 PM
You might be interested in A-Pak meals, then. They are an MRE manufacturer for the military. The A-Pak is their civilian version and you order direct from the manufacturer.

http://www.readymeal.com/

Trabitha
01-25-2010, 07:29 PM
Great! Thanks again, Rick!

crashdive123
01-25-2010, 08:12 PM
Trabitha - The date on MRE's are the "born on date" not the expiration date.

Durtyoleman
01-25-2010, 08:12 PM
I ate mre's when I was in the army 20+ years ago (before the added heater packs and as they came out). They we edible. Taste was not a major concern after a 20 mile hike with full pack but they were better than a feast of grubs...lol. Most were not too bad and we did alot of tradeing of portions of the packets, some wanted the dried fruit others the meat ect but it worked. Even the folgers coffee was a welcome change after a day of just water.
D.O.m.

Trabitha
01-25-2010, 08:25 PM
Trabitha - The date on MRE's are the "born on date" not the expiration date.

I know, but if you do the math on an MRE stored in perfect condition, you find it's estimated expiration. Like I said, you don't know how they've been stored or handled when you purchase them. Like beer, the "born on date" can give you a lot of insight on the shelf life.

That site that Rick posted is a great option. One MRE can be eaten per day to "survive", but if you're hoofn' it 2 is more than sufficient. Not to mention their prices are really good. ;)

linkmissing
02-06-2010, 02:43 PM
Right now Emergency Essentials has a special for 21 main course pack for $35.99

crashdive123
02-06-2010, 03:13 PM
Right now Emergency Essentials has a special for 21 main course pack for $38.99

Thanks for the heads up. Since your link is missing, here's one you should try. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14

Beans
08-14-2010, 03:24 AM
On a training excrise in 1963 the USMC issued us Assault Rations that had been canned in 1944.

Everything inside was ok to eat except of the largest Tootie roll I have ever seen. We were advised to toss that as it was wormy.

It even had a full pack of Lucky Strikes Cigerettes. I gave them away since I didn't smoke. I understood even they were ok to smoke.

Alec_end
08-26-2010, 08:03 PM
There is a really good Army surplus near where is live and the guy that runs it is an ex-aemy officer. He has real ary MREs for sale for $45 each so about $40 U.S for a whole days wouth of combat rations.

beetlejuicex3
08-29-2010, 10:17 AM
We did a review of MREs on *****************our survival blog recently. In short they taste as good as most alternatives but they don't last as long as conventionally thought (only 1-5 years) and when you look at their calories per weight, per volume and per $ there are better alternatives for short term food rationing. For longer term items, freeze dried foods last much longer though they ar slightly more expensive than MREs.

One exception, if you can get your hands on any first strike rations, do so.

Greenbeetle

beetlejuicex3
09-07-2010, 02:36 PM
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+


Hey Rick,

Im not sure that shelf-life chart is up to date. Apparently the newer MRE storage life is much lower. Check this (http://www.mreinfo.com/us/mre/mre-shelf-life.html) out at MREInfo.com and let me know what you think.

greenbeetle

Rick
09-07-2010, 02:50 PM
Yeah, looks like a lot has changed in three years since I posted that. The new chart comes from Readymeal and they are a supplier so that new chart is good in my book. Thanks!!!

huntermj
09-07-2010, 07:48 PM
There is a really good Army surplus near where is live and the guy that runs it is an ex-aemy officer. He has real ary MREs for sale for $45 each so about $40 U.S for a whole days wouth of combat rations.


Is that 40.00 per meal?
You should be able to buy a case of 12 for 80.00 delivered.

Beans
09-08-2010, 12:24 AM
Our local military commisary just put out some meals Labeled T.O.T.M. Tailored
Operational Training Meals.

I thought i would pick up a couple of these and try them out the next time I plan to go prospecting.

http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/totm/TOTM%2010%20_includes%20Modification%20changes_.pd f

The TOTM is a totally self-contained packet
consisting of a meal packed in a flexible meal bag that is lightweight and fits easily into military field clothing pockets. There are 3 sets of menus available. Each set is comprised of twelve menus. Each case contains one of each menu for a total of twelve meals per case. The TOTM may also be easily adapted for disaster relief efforts. The net weight per case is approximately 20
lbs. and .95 cubic feet, while each pallet weighs approximately 1,023 lbs. and is approximately 52.7 cubic feet.
Menus typically contain an entrée, wet-pack fruit, a beverage base, flameless heater, dining kit, and other assorted components.


Anyone tried these meals??

Pepper
01-14-2011, 10:10 AM
C rations were so much better , heavier but better !

Beans
01-18-2011, 10:55 AM
C rations were so much better , heavier but better !



I am glad that you liked the Ham and Limas. the beef slices with the layer of fat on top of meat when you opened the can. the chopped Ham and eggs.

I have no issue with the beans and franks or the spaghetti with meatballs. I liked the "John wayne crackers and peanut butter" refused to eat the apricots but the rest of fruit was great.

IMHO the freeze dried LURRP rations, the ones in the forest green pouches, were the best, that is when you could heat the water you used.

crashdive123
01-18-2011, 02:09 PM
There were only a couple of things I liked about C Rations. Lucky Strikes and Chicklets.

Old GI
01-18-2011, 03:03 PM
Lima beans? ......... So that's what they're called.

Pal334
01-18-2011, 03:45 PM
Sssssh,, this is a family show :)

Beans
01-19-2011, 05:44 AM
Lima beans? ......... So that's what they're called.

On this forum "YUP":2:

campnut
02-26-2011, 06:14 PM
I just use a dehydrator and vacuum sealer

Ssgt_DimeBag
04-03-2011, 07:27 PM
I like MRE's to carry in my pack when ever hiking or camping.
My wife also makes these and they can be tweaked in many recipe for your needs.
Some call them "Survival bars".

http://www.practicalhacks.com/2008/08/04/homemade-energy-bars-cheap-delicious-and-surprisingly-easy/

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=198804&posts=9

http://readynutrition.com/resources/make-your-own-survival-bars_01092010/

BENESSE
04-03-2011, 07:52 PM
Thanks DB333, I have the links bookmarked and will certainly try the recipes later. Good resource to have!

Ssgt_DimeBag
04-04-2011, 05:57 PM
Thanks DB333, I have the links bookmarked and will certainly try the recipes later. Good resource to have!

Your welcome BENESSE,I like them on day hikes.The kids like them also.There not to hard to make although it did take a couple of time and a little tweaking to get them to my likeing......I like plenty of brown sugar in them.I'll see if I can get her to post some recipes in the recipe thread.

BENESSE
04-04-2011, 06:01 PM
Given the choice, I'd rather make my own and keep it all natural--no additives, no crap.
I'd prefer brown sugar as well, maybe honey.

Melissa Montana
04-07-2011, 12:04 AM
Yeah I'll set something up sometime.Right now i don't have any of them with me,but when we get back home I'll post some.
I hear ya Benesse i don't like additives myself.Honey is also a good ingredient.

rockriver
02-22-2012, 05:18 PM
I got lucky and found a pallet of milspec mre's last year with a vvery healthy inspection date. (can't remember right off hand) I promptly dropped $800 @ $50 a case. Not a good staple, but I have many other supplies to rely on, and just keep the MRE's as a need to use type item. I will probably start cycling them out this summer.

Rick
02-22-2012, 05:24 PM
I hope you bought a case or two of Exlax.

rockriver
02-22-2012, 09:04 PM
That's funny Rick. I didn't, but I don't plan on eating them 3 meals a day.

wholsomback
02-23-2012, 04:58 AM
From my time in the military the best thing to remember about MRE's is drink alot of water.I have found it better to dehydrate and package my own food.Then add water wait a few minutes and walla food.One good recipie is:
One dried carrot sliced
one potato sliced dried(small)
2 slices of your favorite jerky cut into bits
1 T dried onion
1t dried garlic
2 T powdered milk or brown gravy mix
seal all ingredients

To prepare boil 2 cups of water,cut open pkg. and drop contents into boiling water remove from heat and cover for 3-5 minutes.serve.
Works as the same basis as ramen noodles.and they are compact and do not take up alot of space.There are tons of ways to make a food pack out of dried ingredients as long as you have access to a water source.

dscrick
02-23-2012, 03:38 PM
I get the TOTM meals at Wright Patterson AFB commissary once in awhile. They are basically a stripped MRE in less heavy duty packaging. Not bad for "Training" to eat MREs! Not that I need any training, had to live on them for 7 months once

Kosuki
08-08-2012, 04:07 PM
MRE's are great for short term (5 Years) but not long term. Long term I go with Company's like THIS (http://wisefoodstorage.com/). short Term I may go with MRE if the price is right but I also have These (http://www.quakekare.com/3600-calorie-emergency-food-bar-p-19.html)

I am not saying one was is better than another, MRE's have a great track record, but only a short term storage 5 years. It is a great item to carry in a car emergency kit, back packing, out on a boat, and more. For long term I buy in bulk from Wise Foods.

Good Hunting
Kosuki

Beans
11-23-2012, 12:31 PM
I pick up as couple of MRE meals every time I shop at the commissary. These are fresh and I store them in the house, so the shelf life is somewhere around 8 years from the time I get them.

I am too Old and banged up to Bug out so I can store as many as I want.

Adventure Wolf
12-02-2012, 11:52 AM
I got an army surplus guy that I frequant a lot. I'm probably his best customer :)

Anyway I can get a days worth of meals for about $5.25 but I can also make things myself.

I'm not big on the MRE thing. I'm only here because I like the outdoors.

Highhawk1948
12-02-2012, 05:23 PM
I have 3 cases. Too many hurricanes in Florida.

jerrynj
02-16-2013, 05:57 PM
I recently prchased a case, which contains 12 mre's from an army base in Alabama. It cost me $92. I like to bring one with me everytime I go into the wild for more then a day just in case. I rarely have to eat them lol, but they are good

TheZombieHunter
10-13-2013, 03:24 PM
You can gather similar stuff and create your own. The main “cost” to the DIY MRE is the Microwave Completes meal, the rest of the “ingredients” average $.04 each per meal, less if you can buy them in bulk or on sale.

Ken
10-13-2013, 03:48 PM
You can gather similar stuff and create your own. The main “cost” to the DIY MRE is the Microwave Completes meal, the rest of the “ingredients” average $.04 each per meal, less if you can buy them in bulk or on sale.

Why only a "Microwaves Complete" meal when there are so many alternatives today? Think about all of the warming-optional foods sold in supermarkets that now come in pouches. Tuna, Chicken, Salmon........... Most have shelf lives of several years.

Also - Many of us dehydrate and vacuum seal foods that are outstanding for home-made MREs.

Ken
10-13-2013, 04:03 PM
http://www.fromvalskitchen.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/StarkistTunaPouches.jpg (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=SccxcCGAnY7FuM&tbnid=OZuzu1xHi5tc_M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fromvalskitchen.com%2F2012%2F review-starkist-tuna-flavor-fresh-pouches%2F&ei=h_xaUsPrA-z54APok4CADw&psig=AFQjCNGnamgKE9YBNsvxFZCn76JUYiUDkA&ust=1381780994627233)

http://www.bumblebee.com/images/products/ProductImages/24084CF.png (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=wmr8uZSmFoq9_M&tbnid=0n0oqKfRjDPQNM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bumblebee.com%2Fproducts%2F2% 2Fbumble-bee-premium-pink-salmon-skinless-boneless-pouch%2F&ei=X_xaUrTXCMj84APUwYCQDg&psig=AFQjCNFFToq2_OJN8M6zH5k9RkaSq_hEVw&ust=1381780949249663)

http://www.sweetsuekitchens.com:8080/images/Products/SS-Premium-Chicken-Breast-98-Fat-Free-pouch.jpg (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=WQ7QIPgrnaftoM&tbnid=XmsrfhiQjL3gOM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shtfmovement.com%2Ffoods-food-preparations-gardening%2Ftopic19750.html&ei=O_xaUoGVFJP-4APVq4CQDA&psig=AFQjCNEbWiX4JQiKQy76pCIGyw28tmwafg&ust=1381780569621503)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FIyoeTd-L._SY300_.jpg (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=45nyCjV5c8JWKM&tbnid=rodn37myPsdPLM:&ved=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBumble-Bee-Chicken-Southwest-Packages%2Fdp%2FB001CAR1PE&ei=G_xaUviDN_P94AOTioGADw&psig=AFQjCNEbWiX4JQiKQy76pCIGyw28tmwafg&ust=1381780569621503)

http://www.foodservicedirect.com/productimages/OT467546S.jpg (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&docid=_lgsdxmes4V5NM&tbnid=hDk9IAi8h-M3RM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foodservicedirect.com%2Fprodu ct.cfm%2Fp%2F111639%2FArmour-Star-Classic-Homestyle-Beef-Stew---8-oz.-pouch.htm&ei=n_taUpD5GZTE4AO8_IGIDg&psig=AFQjCNGKKXXMIUbKbA3Mf7ebnLUbQFCzyQ&ust=1381780670853050)

http://www.packworld.com/sites/default/files/styles/lightbox/public/images/issues/02.00/images/Features/s_pw_0200_115.jpg?itok=VKK9EFch (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=YRmC_Yqh5viOvM&tbnid=Rk5thn9XbL85IM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.packworld.com%2Fmachinery%2Fc ase-packing%2Fretorted-food-pouches-ready-market-push&ei=APxaUoVhy_ngA4eXgPgK&psig=AFQjCNGKKXXMIUbKbA3Mf7ebnLUbQFCzyQ&ust=1381780670853050)

dscrick
10-16-2013, 11:23 AM
Spot on Ken. All of the foods you pictured are in fact packed exactly like MREs. Retort pouches, no refrigeration required, ready to eat, long shelf life. At far less cost

Fedupfrog
03-18-2014, 04:52 PM
I worked for an outdoor school and we used to tell our students that MRE's were three lies in one
They are not a meal, they are not ready and they are not edible. :bat:

hunter63
03-18-2014, 06:12 PM
Hunter63, saying Hey and Welcome.

I guess it depends how hungry you are or what is available.
If our service guys can eat them, I can as well...if I need to.

canid
03-18-2014, 07:40 PM
http://www.packworld.com/sites/default/files/styles/lightbox/public/images/issues/02.00/images/Features/s_pw_0200_115.jpg?itok=VKK9EFch (http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=YRmC_Yqh5viOvM&tbnid=Rk5thn9XbL85IM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.packworld.com%2Fmachinery%2Fc ase-packing%2Fretorted-food-pouches-ready-market-push&ei=APxaUoVhy_ngA4eXgPgK&psig=AFQjCNGKKXXMIUbKbA3Mf7ebnLUbQFCzyQ&ust=1381780670853050)



Retorted food pouches ready for market push Knauss and Esskay introduce foods in retorted pouches without foil for retail. StarKist Seafood sells a foil-based pouch of tuna to foodservice accounts. Will others follow suit?





I just read that as:

Reported food pouches ready for pocket mush

finallyME
03-20-2014, 10:04 AM
I worked for an outdoor school and we used to tell our students that MRE's were three lies in one
They are not a meal, they are not ready and they are not edible. :bat:

I ate them at least 50% of the time for a year. I would take them over McDonald's any day. Interestingly, the only ones that I found that didn't like them were the ones that didn't like the normal chow hall and would skip a free chow hall meal to pay for McDonald's.

RandyRhoads
03-20-2014, 12:17 PM
Same with me. A lot of times they'd be better then the idiot cooks "food". How do you mess up cooking rice and corn dogs...

I loved them, especially those cold weather ones. Those were filling. The only thing I found to not like in an MRE was rice pilaf. Everything else I fully enjoyed.

Still never bought any because of the price. One cool thing is my local base (Travis AFB) sells each part individually. They sell entrees, snacks, etc..

finallyME
03-20-2014, 12:27 PM
I have a couple friends who were "spoons". Most of the ones I knew didn't "cook" anything. They just heated up the stuff in the big packages. Basically an MRE for 50 people.

RandyRhoads
03-20-2014, 02:04 PM
Yeah. These were packaged corn dogs. Heat and serve. Wtf over. Why is my rice still crunchy and my Corndog half frozen. I've been on foot for a week sleeping in dirt tired and cranky and you're too busy playing on your iPod to fully heat anything. You had one job sir, one job...

Adventure Wolf
05-28-2014, 10:00 AM
I keep a couple cases of MREs around, and I might pack some MREs with me if I'm going on an extended expedition. One thing I don't like about them is the lack of fiber constipates the heck out of me. I need something to keep stuff moving through the intestinal track. They are also bland and should only be eaten in emergencies as MREs are not food, they are wood chips and cardboard. You can make your own MRE substitutes that are better for you, taste better and don't clog up the intestinal track. I know a girl that can do this well. If need be, I can rustle up some receipts.

point man
05-28-2014, 10:51 AM
I actually enjoy MRE's even though I ate them by force. Well it wasn't force but there was nothing else to eat.

I have 5 cases but I got them when the gettin was good.

I agree with ken.

If you are hard up for MRE's try to find the meal packages rather than the complete package. There is allot of redundancy in those packages ie.. Tp , salt, pepper, sugar, coffee, Tabasco and drink mixes. Those thing all add up the cost.

Just out of curiosity, what's a days worth of MRE's? Three? One is a days worth of calories. You may be used to eating more volume but an MRE is a desperate times type of meal. Most desperate times don't consist of three squares a day.


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rn4j0r
05-28-2014, 10:56 AM
My dad picks up MREs from the local Army Surplus store in town. We use them for camping trips or I use them when I go out into the woods by myself for backup. Alternatively, you can purchase them on eBay.

Rick
05-28-2014, 12:37 PM
I too enjoy MREs. I really like the drink mixes. I just think they are too expensive when there are so many alternatives. I can't say I've ever had a problem with them. One meal is an all day thing for me.

RandyRhoads
05-28-2014, 06:47 PM
I too enjoy MREs. I really like the drink mixes. I just think they are too expensive when there are so many alternatives. I can't say I've ever had a problem with them. One meal is an all day thing for me.

I'm pretty sure they never expire. We ate ones I'm pretty sure were from the civil war and they were fine besides some ingredients separating.

Great Dane
05-28-2014, 06:55 PM
I hope I never see another MRE in my life :ohmy:

hunter63
05-28-2014, 07:54 PM
I still think that Thanksgiving Dinner should be MRE's.............

doomed preppers
10-07-2014, 11:24 PM
I don't really like MRE's they make a lot of garbage to carry out and, don't taste very good. Mountain house makes some good dehyrated foods but, like you said they are pricy
I like fishing lol

wildlearner
10-29-2014, 10:32 PM
I come from generations of all sorts of military branches, and for what its worth. I like them, and anything else dealing with dehydrated foods.

Tokwan
10-29-2014, 10:44 PM
hehehe...love em.....less garbage actually...cos its only the packings..instead of the inner parts being gutted, and all the packings of other stuff..hehee

wilderness medic
10-30-2014, 01:51 AM
MREs are a not the best option to carry around my area. Too much packaging and water content/weight. Dehydrated meals work much better, can carry a lot more supplies for the same weight in MREs. But I have always liked the taste of MREs.

Tokwan
10-30-2014, 04:05 AM
I do have dehydrated rice as rice is my staple food. However the MREs are usually, beef ,chicken, sardines (in curry)...I get from thenMalaysian army..part of their opts rations.
Dehydrated fruits and coffee after the meals ...heaven!

LowKey
01-10-2015, 12:00 PM
I was gifted 3 boxes of MREs from MRE Depot for Christmas (the best kind of MRE. Free.)
Guess they had a special recently or something?
These are the mysterious Menu C rations.
Just cracked one meal open, just to try it in a non-threatening environment.

Picked a Brisket and Garlic Potatoes. Sounded good for lunch.
It actually was pretty good, IMO, except for one thing.
Nearly 1600mg of sodium in the meat, which I discovered after I dug the carton back out of the recycle bin.
I don't eat that much salt in a day (unless it's on bacon) so that was an incredibly crazy amount all at once.
Good thing I don't have high blood pressure. At least, I didn't, until now...
Are they all going to be like that because they are supposedly "arid region" contractor rations?

crashdive123
01-10-2015, 02:01 PM
A lot of the long term storage foods (retort packaging, dehydrated, freeze dried, etc) have a high sodium content. Not sure if its use is preservative in nature or sodium replenishment for high activity. It is important - especially for those that have high blood pressure concerns.

canid
01-10-2015, 06:00 PM
I think it's probably for both purposes myself, but the later is pretty critical, especially if one is drinking as much wate as they might crave under prolonged strenuous activity in the field. It may also help retention and to reduce the frequency of urinary output.

LowKey
01-10-2015, 10:52 PM
I'd think the last thing you want to do in a desert situation is reduce urinary output artificially. That's a sign of dehydration you might not want to miss.