MREs

[Night goat]

Thinking about getting a few cases of MREs to have around in case of an emergency, maybe for my boat, just to have
...

Noticed there are alot on the market, and im familiar with some of the US military ones, they taste alright, but was wondering what you guys think, what you dont like, brands to watch out for....

[Skyvalhunter]

I would suggest buying some and trying it out first. The last ones I purchased the heating packet didn't work well in heating the main coarse. The Salzburg steak was like rubber. I think I got mine thru Cyros(sp). I still get emails from them on specials. Might be better off to buy some mountain house.

[jrebel]

I enjoy mountain house way more than I do military MRE's. 

[cbond3318]

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the cold weather MRE’s. The main courses are Mountain House but then they also come with lots of extras, haven’t finished one yet.

[ctwiggs1]

Since I’m not paid to eat MREs anymore, I don’t 

I would look at other dehydrated food options

[Stein]

If you are going with an MRE, go with the military ones.  You can usually pick them up on Craigslist for cheaper than the civilian kind, just know how to read and understand date codes.

The cold weather versions are good too, you just need to add water.

I use them for hunting sometimes, they are just handy to have a hot lunch without needing a stove.  I even used on in a mountain marathon once although I don't recommend that.

[wadu1]

MRE-MRE's give "C" rations any day still carry my P38 just in case 

[Night goat]

Yeah I bought a sailboat off a guy who thought hed make it to Hawaii with jugs of water, mres, a sextant, a compass and a bible, and when I cleaned it out I discovered it was loaded down with 2 months worth of MREs and some of em were pretty good.... Hard to mess up spaghetti.... Seen the Spanish and Norwegian ones too... I suppose my biggest question is whether some of them are loaded down with preservatives and what not or if they are actually high quality food meant to keep a man in good spirits high energy and in shape....

I mean.... Beats a can of beans, a freezer burnt hot dog and plain top ramen....


But what are the nutritional pros and cons?

[ctwiggs1]

Yeah I bought a sailboat off a guy who thought hed make it to Hawaii with jugs of water, mres, a sextant, a compass and a bible, and when I cleaned it out I discovered it was loaded down with 2 months worth of MREs and some of em were pretty good.... Hard to mess up spaghetti.... Seen the Spanish and Norwegian ones too... I suppose my biggest question is whether some of them are loaded down with preservatives and what not or if they are actually high quality food meant to keep a man in good spirits high energy and in shape....

I mean.... Beats a can of beans, a freezer burnt hot dog and plain top ramen....


But what are the nutritional pros and cons?

You would have to do your own research but I recall the seniors always saying that you weren't supposed to have troops go more than a few weeks on MREs due to nutritional deficiencies.  That may be Army folklore though.

[Stein]

The nutritional value isn't huge.  Some are pretty horrible but the newer ones seem to be somewhat improved.  The bread items in particular tend to be loaded with trans fats, so I would stick to the main course.  I don't think anyone would put together a rational plan to eat them on a regular basis.

[pianoman9701]

I got a 60-day supply of emergency food from COSTCO, along with 20 lbs of black beans, 20 lbs of rice, and 20 lbs of kidney beans from Cash & Carry (can't remember what the store changed its name to), in addition to some medical supplies and 40 gallons of water jugs. A lot cheaper than buying the individual MREs and a lot more food.

[ctwiggs1]

I got a 60-day supply of emergency food from COSTCO, along with 20 lbs of black beans, 20 lbs of rice, and 20 lbs of kidney beans from Cash & Carry (can't remember what the store changed its name to), in addition to some medical supplies and 40 gallons of water jugs. A lot cheaper than buying the individual MREs and a lot more food.

We did something similar.  I ended up buying the Mylar bags and desiccant packets as well.  The rice and beans should be just fine for quite some time. 

FWIW, you can buy 1 gallon jugs for a buck a piece at your local grocery store.  They don't store the easiest but they're cheap.

Medical supplies... Well, being a former 68W helps 

[pianoman9701]

91C here. 

[ctwiggs1]

91C here. 

Yep, always knew there was something I about you that I liked 

[Fl0und3rz]

I got a 60-day supply of emergency food from COSTCO, along with 20 lbs of black beans, 20 lbs of rice, and 20 lbs of kidney beans from Cash & Carry (can't remember what the store changed its name to), in addition to some medical supplies and 40 gallons of water jugs. A lot cheaper than buying the individual MREs and a lot more food.

MREs, I only buy the entrees and some sides separately.  Don't need the heaters, etc.  And I get what I know I'll eat.
Same with MH. 

They are a good part of a plan, along with Mountain House, Spam, Dinty Moore Beef Stew, Mary Kitchen Corned Beef Hash, Tuna, Rice, Beans, Pastas,, all of which are good longer term options, assorted canned fruits and veggies, your own canned goods, and a water source.

[Fl0und3rz]

Also don't forget salt and a multivitamin.

[Russ McDonald]

I have about 5 cases of MRE's. Have never had the experience of eating them in the military.  Navy here.  Got to eat them on fires.  Mine are military and I sort through them.  Have sone buddies that are Army plus my son in law.  Theu say they eat everthing cold and use the heating units for when it is  cold and put them in their jackets for warmth not for th he food.  Medical supplies and used to be a fire fighter EMT

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Alchase]

The nutritional value isn't huge.  Some are pretty horrible but the newer ones seem to be somewhat improved.  The bread items in particular tend to be loaded with trans fats, so I would stick to the main course.  I don't think anyone would put together a rational plan to eat them on a regular basis.

FYI

Each MRE provides an average of 1,250 calories (13 percent protein, 36 percent fat, and 51 percent carbohydrates) and one-third of the Military Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals. A full day's worth of meals would consist of three MREs.

[Cougartail]

I enjoy mountain house way more than I do military MRE's.

[bornhunter]

After about 3 days on those suckers you better have a good supply of beano and stool softeners

[Skyvalhunter]

What suckers MRE's?

[pianoman9701]

91C here. 

Yep, always knew there was something I about you that I liked 

Sometimes, people have to look a long time to find it! 

[Machias]

MREs--Meals Rejected by Ethiopia

[Threewolves]

Been places where the meals were MRE's three times a day for three days or until an MKT would be set up. Me, I can only eat two a day. 

Best served hot, by placing them in boiling water. If they are hot I can eat any of them. The best the MRE Heaters can do is get them semi warm.

Spent some time in the artic you would want to keep the main portions that you are going to eat that day in your shirt to keep them warm, makes it easier to get them semi-warm with the MRE heater. That was for lunch.

Dinner, Also in the artic when the army went from "C" rations to MRE. You keep your main meal "C"  can inside your shirt and used a heat tab when you where not around a Yukon stove. To cook on the Yukon stove "Yuk" you put a dent in the can  and put it on the stove and picked it up every couple of minutes to shake it to distribute what ever it hot inside when the dent popped out it was done. Cooking this way keeps the heat inside the can. Usually, did not wait until the dent popped out. I still cook this way when hunting out of the truck with the jet boil.

Folks that opened the top of the can and put it on the "YuK" would wait until the can was boiling on the top and would start eating only to find their dinner "
C" (that was not inside their shirt) frozen in the middle and burnt on the bottom.

95B4E, both winter and summer NWCTC IQC's, 172nd INF BDE AK
 

[Stein]

I worked with a guy who was a UDT, had a job where he would go out for two weeks at a time with a team swimming around looking for mines and disarming them.  He was dropped with a boat and enough MRE's to last two weeks - every single one the exact same - breakfast, lunch and dinner without any variety at all.  He claimed that was the hardest thing he had to endure, worse than things brushing up against you on a night dive with no lights on.

[SGTDuffman]

I don’t exactly have fond memories of starting pre dawn rucks with a cold “beefsteak with mushrooms” MRE. The gellatanous gravy...  just get a bunch of Mountain House stuff. If you’re a vet, and it seems like a lot of people in this thread are, make an account on ExpertVoice, you’ll get a nice discount on Mountain House, plus lots of other discounts too.

That said, newer MREs are much better than the old ones, but Canadian MREs come with wine.

[Threewolves]

The thing I liked about the old Canadian rations was they came with honey. I also liked the Australian rations, but it was one for the day.   

[getreal711]

Unless they are free and I'm starving I will pass on all mres.