Treo
member
What can I say, my first issued weapon was a musket
Anyone bought MRE's lately?
- Thread starter buenhec
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What can I say, my first issued weapon was a musket
I had to live off of these for about a month after hurricane katrina. They weren't bad...if you were hungry enough. I don't miss them. Except for those pumpkin breads, man that was good. They'd still be an essential for any doomsday survival kit though. The civillian market for these is growing.
cleardiddion
Member
I dunno why but I've always adored the chili mac and the veggie burritos (the tabasco makes it worthwhile).
zombienerd
Member
All the info you could ever need about MRE's.... Details on menus, reviews on civilian counterparts, distributor information (for large orders) links to websites that sell to everyone, etc...
This site will educate you
http://www.mreinfo.com
This site will educate you
http://www.mreinfo.com
Quoheleth
Member
Hey - great website. I'll have to save that so the next time the power is out for an extended time, I have an MRE cookbook.
Oh, wait...
Gonna have to go old school...print, punch & bind.
Q
Oh, wait...
Gonna have to go old school...print, punch & bind.
Q
mljdeckard
Member
I shipped home a case of MREs I found in the atttic of our barracks in Germany in 1993. I don't know how old it was at that time. It was in my mom's pantry, and a couple of years ago she found it and asked me if it was any good. I told her to call the bomb squad for hazardous disposal. I opened it up, and I think some of them were actually vibrating. One of them was (wait for it,) Beans and Franks. Oh yes, I'm THAT old.
No, I did NOT open any of them to see if they were still good.
In Germany, we would have to keep x-number of MREs on hand as emergency rations, we stored them on pallets, stacked in a special staggered way that let a few inches of air between every case. There are also requirements for mouse traps and poisons, temperature, and inspection intervals, but they are supposed to be good for 8 years from date of manufacture.
I remember when I was a boy scout, and our adult leader took us out to the woods for some service projects, and fed us MREs for the meals, and we thought it was the coolest freakin' thing in the world.
When I came back into the military after a ...long interval, I was pleasantly surprised by the new 'light' brown bag MREs. All of them have something good in them. At least compared to the old ones. Someone told me that the army pays $18 for the new ones, but I don't know if I believe it, they retail for less than that.
I tend to hoard them. We will go out to the local woods for a day and a half for drill, and I'll take a couple with me. I'll get issued four more, and usually come home with five. I know, curious hobby. I have them kicking around in my trunk and garage.
No, I did NOT open any of them to see if they were still good.
In Germany, we would have to keep x-number of MREs on hand as emergency rations, we stored them on pallets, stacked in a special staggered way that let a few inches of air between every case. There are also requirements for mouse traps and poisons, temperature, and inspection intervals, but they are supposed to be good for 8 years from date of manufacture.
I remember when I was a boy scout, and our adult leader took us out to the woods for some service projects, and fed us MREs for the meals, and we thought it was the coolest freakin' thing in the world.
When I came back into the military after a ...long interval, I was pleasantly surprised by the new 'light' brown bag MREs. All of them have something good in them. At least compared to the old ones. Someone told me that the army pays $18 for the new ones, but I don't know if I believe it, they retail for less than that.
I tend to hoard them. We will go out to the local woods for a day and a half for drill, and I'll take a couple with me. I'll get issued four more, and usually come home with five. I know, curious hobby. I have them kicking around in my trunk and garage.
punkndisorderly
Member
There isn't a set answer to how long MRE's last. The military ones are indeed better, but some of the companies make civilian versions that include the same entrees. For some reason, selling military MRE's is quasi legal. Military MRE's are all labled "US Government Property, Commercial resale is Unlawful". The military tires to discourage their sale, but there is no law against it. You can find them in surplus stores, but that's about it.
I'd probably avoid ones from the surplus store. At least when I was in the military, there was no "made in" date, so you have no idea how old they are. They have a date, but it's a date where the lot is supposed to be tested to see if they are stil good.
Storage life depends directly on what tempature they are stored at. Most shelf life charts state 1 month at 120 degrees vs 120-150 months at 50 degrees. If you have no way of knowing how old they were to begin with, or how long they were stored, or how they were stored then surpulus may not be the way to go. If you're storing in a vehicle in Phoenix, MRE's may not be the way to go. I'd probably try out granola/survival/sports bars since they would get you by for a while and could be replaced easily and cheaply.
MRE's are also really, really bad for you unelss you're in survival mode and very active. They have like 1,200 calories each. Not good for a quick lunch for those of us with desk jobs.
When MRE's go bad, they go really bad! When I was in the Army out at Fort Irwin CA, one of the staff drivers would drive down the gun line (artillery) and toss out a case at each gun once a day, starting with gun 1 and ending with gun 6 (or 8). I was on gun 6 (or 8, we reorganized when we got the new Paladin). We had just gotten our MRE's for the day and were getting ready to dig in when a frantic call came over the radio yelling to not open the MRE's. We were about to shrug it off and dig in anyway when we caught the foul smell of rotten food from the gun next to us in line. We could smell it 150 meters away! Guys were puking from the smell. Guess someone in supply got their date/temperature/humidity calculations wrong.
I'd probably avoid ones from the surplus store. At least when I was in the military, there was no "made in" date, so you have no idea how old they are. They have a date, but it's a date where the lot is supposed to be tested to see if they are stil good.
Storage life depends directly on what tempature they are stored at. Most shelf life charts state 1 month at 120 degrees vs 120-150 months at 50 degrees. If you have no way of knowing how old they were to begin with, or how long they were stored, or how they were stored then surpulus may not be the way to go. If you're storing in a vehicle in Phoenix, MRE's may not be the way to go. I'd probably try out granola/survival/sports bars since they would get you by for a while and could be replaced easily and cheaply.
MRE's are also really, really bad for you unelss you're in survival mode and very active. They have like 1,200 calories each. Not good for a quick lunch for those of us with desk jobs.
When MRE's go bad, they go really bad! When I was in the Army out at Fort Irwin CA, one of the staff drivers would drive down the gun line (artillery) and toss out a case at each gun once a day, starting with gun 1 and ending with gun 6 (or 8). I was on gun 6 (or 8, we reorganized when we got the new Paladin). We had just gotten our MRE's for the day and were getting ready to dig in when a frantic call came over the radio yelling to not open the MRE's. We were about to shrug it off and dig in anyway when we caught the foul smell of rotten food from the gun next to us in line. We could smell it 150 meters away! Guys were puking from the smell. Guess someone in supply got their date/temperature/humidity calculations wrong.
I got two cases from Cheaper than Dirt in 1999. Had them for several years then are them [not all at once though]. They were kept in my basement. I also had about a case from my army days [1986]. Ate them [again, not all at once] about 10 years latter. Everything was still 'fresh'.
Jon Coppenbarger
Member
I have a case of the artic ones in the basement. they have been there like 8 years or so. I wonder if they are still ok as they are from what the package says seem to be more like dehydrated meals. do not see anything in them with moister except maybe the candy.
I think there are 6 meals in the case as they are double meals and designed as one double pack for each day.
I think there are 6 meals in the case as they are double meals and designed as one double pack for each day.
Thin Black Line
Member
We ate 6+ month old MREs stored in connexes that were probably far hotter
than the outside air temp which was 110-130 during the day....and no one
died or barfed. I'm going to chalk up any constipation or diarrhea that people
had as hydration and combat stress issues. But, for all I know the MREs
were only really stored a week at that temp and had been dropped off by a
plane from a cool northern climate?
If it still has a somewhat normal food color to it and doesn't smell too funky,
you'll be fine.
Any single MRE entree type which you're forced to consume for 3+ days in a
row you will eventually hate. Mine was the meatloaf. I was consistently
among the last group of people in line and that's what we were left with.
I can handle the omlette if it's every other meal and same thing with the
jambalaya after I had that as a single choice for X-days straight. I vaguely
recall some other kind of MRE with breaded seafood or chicken in it which I
refused to eat because the texture was way too strange. I wondered if
spam had been slipped into the supply line.
Bottom line, mix up your choices.
than the outside air temp which was 110-130 during the day....and no one
died or barfed. I'm going to chalk up any constipation or diarrhea that people
had as hydration and combat stress issues. But, for all I know the MREs
were only really stored a week at that temp and had been dropped off by a
plane from a cool northern climate?
If it still has a somewhat normal food color to it and doesn't smell too funky,
you'll be fine.
Any single MRE entree type which you're forced to consume for 3+ days in a
row you will eventually hate. Mine was the meatloaf. I was consistently
among the last group of people in line and that's what we were left with.
I can handle the omlette if it's every other meal and same thing with the
jambalaya after I had that as a single choice for X-days straight. I vaguely
recall some other kind of MRE with breaded seafood or chicken in it which I
refused to eat because the texture was way too strange. I wondered if
spam had been slipped into the supply line.
Bottom line, mix up your choices.
Thin Black Line
Member
I forgot to mention that the Tobasco can be good for those of you who
experience constipation....but, do not overuse since it will turn the spincter
knob too far the other direction....
experience constipation....but, do not overuse since it will turn the spincter
knob too far the other direction....
dispatch55126
Member
Beef ravioli and ham slice are good. Eat all others at your risk.
devildog66
Member
I could not even imagine buying those things because I could. Best part of them was the heavy plastic bag on the outside...
Duke of Doubt
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You're pretty hard core if you eat the bag.
Not even remotely on topic................
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