what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I know that mre's are not for the palette, but for nutrition, and some people have a hard time digesting them. So what type of mre's are best or "easiest" digestion-wise?

thanks & cheers

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I'm interested in some responses as well because I have several boxes, but have yet to sample any of the goods. I also have heard the horror stories mainly of constipation and to a lesser extent.... taste.

I would also like to know the best case scenario for shelf life of MRE's if anyone has experience.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I have a cast iron stomach and am one of the people that actually LIKE the taste of MRE's. Specifically, my favorite is the Jamacian Pork entree with all the "stuff" that comes with it.

Never had any digestion problems with any of them...YMMV.

Best regards,

Bob

PS, I also love the pound cake dessert!!

ADDENDUM: Most of the so-called "problems" with MRE's are in the person's head. There were tests run on changing the packaging colors and shapes in the late 1990's and the acceptance went from 13% to over 70%, IIRC. I will have to dig out that info from Natick.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

they are all tasty when you are hungry! one a day with PLENTY of water and you are good to go for a long time. mac and beans with tabasco my fave. mike in portland

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I think the beef stew is the best! Then again they all taste good with a little bit of Tabasco.

TAB

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

yep the stew and chili mac are good also....SOOOOOO much better than the C-rats we had when I was in service....

Best regards,

Bob

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

ok

tabasco
drink lots of water
Jamaican Pork

thanks!

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

how much are thye?
All the hikinh stores carry food that you just add water. I've tried a few. They run from about 4 dollars to 8 dollars, for single to two servings, and some of the two servings are large!!!


http://survivalacres.com/
one of the biggest around

http://www.mountainhouse.com/

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

just ran upon a fellow today and got 5 cases (mix of a's and b's, 12 to a case) for $100!!!! ('08 check dates)


I will be calling him first thing tomorrow to buy the 30ish or more cases he had left.
:applause_

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

To what extent, if any, is the FDA involved with oversight of processing and packaging of mre's?
While nutrition is my main concern, I'd still rather not be eating pieces of rats and cockroaches....though I hear they're tasty.

thanks & cheers!

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

http://www.natick.army.mil/about/pao/2008/08-08.htm General press release info from Natick. Look thru their site for the info you want.

What gave you the idea you would see such a thing?

ADDENDUM: http://www.seabeecook.com/rations/ne..._standards.htm

"...meet the Office of the Surgeon General's nutritional requirements as identified in Army Regulation 4025, Nutritional Standards for Operational Rations...."

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

MRE's have nothing to do with dehydrated food.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

actualy some of the MRE's are dehydrated...
But lets not pick apart stuff. and stay generalized....we're talking about rationed meals that can be saved for upto 3 years and some (according to the site) says 7 years.

Whether it's freeze dried, instant, dehydrated, or ready to eat.

Also cosmo, open some up and try them so you know which you like.
Mountain House has a rice, beans and curry mix that I loved, but my girl HATES it! So try them and see what you like.

But hey you're buying for doomsday, well when hungry any edible food will do!!!

Hey I'd love to know where I can get 5 cases for 100.00
5x12 = 60/100 = $1.65 - nice price!

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

With the exception of the drinks (coffee and others), there are NO military MRE's that are dehydrated.That is the purpose of them-not to need additional drinking water to be carried by the soldier for preperation. MRE is a specific term used to refer to military pre-packaged meals for combat use.

If you cannot understand that distinction, you do not know what you are talking about.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Okay, sorry, this Srg is lying ...
http://www.natick.army.mil/about/pao/2008/08-08.htm

"Many retired Soldiers were present to compare the food they grew up on to the latest in ration developments."

“I remember sitting in a helicopter eating dehydrated egg sandwiches,” said Maj. Gen. (ret.) Carl McNair, the Army’s first high-tech aviation branch chief. “It was all we had. I think the Soldiers [today] will be very pleased [with the new rations]. The MRE’s are good.”

Now BOB, I did do some research and I understand what you mean, ready to eat, don't add anything and some are intended to be heated and so they come with some heat type thing, no I didn't read about it yet.

But adding knowledge to someone and helping them to understand is something people with knowlegde should do!

Now If you want to charge for that knowledge, fine so be it.

But when offering knowledge, on a public forum in which we the registered members, especially this site GIM where we offer and help each other with news and ideas to be ready for TSHF... really do you need to be a p***k!

I went on what I read, which you obviously did not do.
So my deduction for what I read was right and your comment is a lack of knowledge and reading.


This is the first time in four years on here that I have counter striked and I don't like it. You are about to be my first person put on ignored!

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I picked up a case of mixed flavor black-market military issue MREs with an '06 check date for $50. I may get another case if the guy still has them available. I felt like I got a good deal.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Ok....."black market military issue"........so were these tax payer paid for mre's IE. ones i have paid for with my taxes??


link for mre's-complete-partial-heater'd etc mredepot.com

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Do they still have the MRE with the Dehydrated Pork Patty?

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

MREDepot......still has the cases of dehydraded pork chops in #10 cans.....i have a case of those never have opened it though

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?

IMHO, .... MREs edible ? Maybe. If your starving.

I'd rather buy and store dried goods, rice, beans, canned goods at a fraction of the over priced MREs.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

A few weeks - or even days - of rice and beans - and you are going to wish to god you had something else for a break!!

I have 3 months of Mountain House for my wife and I put away - its not something I would want to eat a lot of in a normal situation..........but it stores for 30+ years and its not FOR a normal situation........and I have about 6 months of rice, beans and othr such foods put away too.


Exactly - and one reason why I stopped posting much after 2+ years here........too many people these days posting their opinions (prejudices) as facts and knowledge without any research, documentation or reasoning - and it doesn't help most newbies and worse, it often misleads them because its posted like fact from God on high.......people racing off posts in a huge hurry to sound like experts........

Expert.....you know what an ex is, something old, used, no longer needed.........and a spurt is nothing more than a big drip under pressure! :D

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Can't handle MountainHouse either, loaded with MSG .... gives me migraines.

Seems to me most folks are buying this stuff to substitute their meat intake.

I put up enough, fish, deer and turkey to fill in the gaps. Chickens are for eggs.

I consider most my preps as fixin's.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

You may have "read", but you damn sure did not comprehend. dried egg sandwiches went out when MRE's came into being. Hell, we had those in Nam.

Try again...you ain't convincing anyone.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

MRE's never had those pork patties. That was a seperate item. The pork chops in MRE's were/are not dehydrated. (the dehydrated ones came out from MH before MRE's were released by Natick)

ADDENDUM: MRE=Meals, Ready to Eat

What part of the English language are you all not comprehending?

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

We have two cases of MREs- chicken tetrazini(fine) and Jamaican Pork Chop(I think.also fine.)

I think it makes more sense to buy dried beans,canned veggies and vacuum sealed rice.

Meat would be considered a luxury in bad times...

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I beg to differ. MRE's did have those pork patties.

ref: http://www.mreinfo.com/reviews/mre/1982-pork-patty.html

I know. I ate them. I recommend rehydrating them but it is optional.

I'm not sure where you are going with the ...not comprehending line.
Color me dense. Whats your point?

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Read this:
Now one could read this and interpret it to mean that dehydrated eggs were in MREs which means BobS is incorrect that "MREs do not have anything to do with dehydrated foods".

One could also read this and divine that the dehydrated eggs were in C-rats aor whatever the pre-MRE was and that MREs are much better. One might infer that MREs do not contain dehydrated foods unlike their predecessors and would likely do so if further compelled by BobS assertion that "MREs do not have anything to do with dehydrated foods".

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I've since answered my own question. Apparently the dehydrated pork patties were nolonger issued in MREs in 1987.

Sorry to muddle the topic.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

McNair was the with the "Helicopter-Air Assault Group" at 101st when that set of tactics was being developed.

This was in the 1960's, LONG before MRE's were developed and he was referring to Viet Nam C-rations (which were TRUELY horrible).

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I apologise, that comment was not intended towards you. I put it in the wrong post. The "comprehending" comment was aimed elsewhere.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Some are of the opinion that MREs have nothing to do with "food" at all. :D

You are quite right: nearly all MRE components are ready-to-eat. I believe only drink mixes are dehydrated.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Black-market MREs = stolen from military warehouses. In other words, you are paying $50 above already paying for them with your tax monies.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Sometimes I think BobS is a "p****," but NOT on this topic.

You misread that quote. That's a Major General talking about what he remembers eating BEFORE MREs.

MRE "food" is NOT dehydrated - it's "ready to eat," sometimes with heating preferred, but it is optional.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Most Americans are pansies.

Much of the Third World survives on beans & rice not only for days or weeks, but YEARS. Personally, I could, too, provided I have Real Salt.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

1982 MREs?

I challenge you to show us ONE MRE that contains dehydrated FOOD today.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

There are military MRE's that may or may not have a certain meal. There are also commercial MRE's. They may or may not have a flavor or meal. From what I understand if they are packaged in the clear package then they were manufactured for customers other than US military.
I have several cases of the commercial MRE's. Can't really say I've had any I thought were disgusting. All of them have been pretty good. I kind of consider them like McD's. Not the greatest thing for you but taste fair/OK and fill you up.
Along with those I've got a lot of Mountain House. Haven't had one there I don't like. Actually I didn't like one that was chicken and noodles. Other than that I think there good. Like others have said.... DRINK A LOT OF WATER with them. I find this especially true with MH products.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I had originally posted to this thread with a simple question as to whether MREs still carried the dehyrdated pork patty.

There was a response that MREs NEVER contained dehydrated food to which I had some personal disagreement with.

Anyways, I'm really sorry I got involved with this thread. I have no idea as to what's in MREs now-a-days as its been a few years since i served my country and dined on field rations. Hence, why I posted the original question.

Peace out.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

For the record, I have never had any military Experience, nor do I want to. If you would like to share your experience's and knowledge of the military and all please fill us in.

How was I to know that MRE's first came out in 1982. And that the writer didn't make note of the differences. Your help in educating me in this aspect is greatly appreciated!

Any other info you would like to share would be greatly appreciated.

But please, Do you need to be so nasty?
This is not a military site, I will not salute you or drop and give you 20!

But I will respect your choice to goto war and fight what you believed was right. I do respect that you fought for our country!

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

88 - 92' The beef patty was dehydrated. I think they called it freeze dried. Is there really a difference? As well I remember the pears being freeze dried. Personally, I liked the beef stew best.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I had to do some research. Because, damn if I don't remember that f'in beef patty. :puke::puke:I must have been getting some older ones as I was in the Marine Corps from 88-92 and the Army from 86 - 88. I dealt with that damn beef patty the whole time. But, it looks like the freeze dried stuff was phased out in 88'. Here's the historical menus. Also, I don't understand all the hostility and bickering on GIM. This place sure has changed. Going downhill as of late....Link so some whacko won't accuse me of making something up from a recollection based on personal experience.MREInfo - MRE Menus

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

.

http://goldismoney.info/forums/image...es/biggrin.gifI'm a going with these,
they have a 50 year shelf life :bear_tongue:

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown :thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown :thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown :thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown :thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown:thumpdown :thumpdown What a tool..................:confused_ma:At first, I thought I was dealing with someone too young to have experienced the freeze dried stuff. So you're a Vietnam Vet? and resident MRE expert? No, just a tool.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I rather enjoyed the ham slices.

Disclaimer: my knowledge of MREs harken from the 84' - 90' time frame. Menu items may have changed and or are no longer available.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

:haha::haha::haha::haha::haha::haha::haha::haha::h aha::haha::haha::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2 ::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

:hahaha::hahaha::hahaha::hahaha::hahaha::hahaha::h ahaha::hahaha:

Thanks I needed that, first time on GIM in 4 years I have been upset with a post.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

I admit I may have over-reacted and was not clear nyself-for that, I apologise. Let me start again...


Natick Research and Development Center was where the concept of the MRE was developed in 1975 to replace the, then issued, C-rations. They were tested in the late 1970's and first issue was in 1981. There were several generation and name changes during that time.

The first meals were loaded with salt, preservatives, fat, and MSG, and were the cause, during testing in CONUS, of the slang term Meals, Rejected by Everyone. They were. The packaging made the situation even worse, as the ptinting was small and hard to read, so if you never paid attention, the best you could "enjoy", was "mystery meat". IIRC, they were accepted at something like a 16% rate (that may be too low-I am too lazy to look it up on Natick's site right now), but at any rate, it was so low, Natick almost stopped the program after the first tests.

Oregon Freeze Dried (commercial name-Mountain House) during this time had been accepted in the civilian world by this time (having been introduced in the 1960's) for their freeze drying processing of various foods. Yes ,the corn turned to mush, the beef had TVP's, etc....and most importantly, required water to become edible. To offset this, the light weight of the meals OFD packaged was lighter than anything Natick had come up with, and in comparison taste testing, faired far better, as MH meals were at least recognized as food. OFD agreed to work with Natick under contract to provide, SEMI-Dehrydrated meats and other components to the Army for trials. The big difference is the foods were NOT dehydrated to the same level as the foods supplied to DoD for the Executive storage program or commercial items.

These early meals were not marketed as "dehydrated" to the soldiers, but that water could be added if desired. Due to the salts, however, to make the food palatable, the individual's water load had to be increased OR intestinal blocking would occur. This is the origin of the "constipation" claims that, unfoundedly, still exist today.

Fast forward to 1995 and a new revolution in processing was developed by Natick (along with Womack). To make a long story short, more commercial packaging, foods, and brand names were introduced to the packages (that was sarcsm, to be clear). There were real advanced in the food processing techniques, but they came mostly from the industry. Natick developed the packaging anf heaters......several variants, 2 of which ended up in production-the frist released one in 1996 and the second in 2005 IIRC.

The meal menus have changed over the years, but the current production is listed on Natick's site.

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

Thank-you for the info BobS!

Re: what is the most "edible" MRE?
 

As I recall the standard joke about Meals Ready to Eat was that it was three lies in one abbreviation. :s9: