MRE's?

[MrNoodly]

I haven't had any experience with MRE's, but they seem to make sense for vandwelling. Are any of them actually tasty?

 

[Scott_1776]

No

 

[Noah]

Not to mention expensive... You can keep a few on hand just in case, but eating them regularly doesn't make sense.

 

[Ziggy Moon]

Some of them can be tasty - although it could take being stranded in a desert, starving and dehydrated that will make them taste their tastiest though <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br><br>I agree with Noah's assessment&nbsp; - Expensive, and keep only a few for emergencies.<span id="post_message_1277978518"></span>

 

[gymrat]

I find some are pretty good. A friend has a large supply of them that we take to the deer lease each hunting season. We have had problems with some of the water activated heater included with them (would not heat). We don't eat them for every meal and for only four or five days at a time. Find them better than the canned C-rations we had in the 1970's.

 

[James AKA Lynx]

Try some before you buy a bunch.<br><br>James AKA Lynx

 

[Zil]

I always liked the canned field rations better than the mre.&nbsp;&nbsp; The exciting anticipation as we opened the little cardboard box. Chicken and gravy, heated in the can in boiling water in a helmet over a camp fire, All the little goodies, pb and crackers, chocolate bars, TP, the little can opener, cookies, four cigarettes to trade. ahh the mud, dust, smoke and carnage, as our caissons went rolling along.

 

[katelyn]

The backpacking dehydrated packets aren't too bad, they are expensive and are full of sodium though.&nbsp;

 

[coultergeist]

I was in the military for over ten years.&nbsp; I have had lots of experience with them.&nbsp; There are some meals that are pretty good.&nbsp; They have heaters with them now.&nbsp; That helps a lot.&nbsp; The spaghetti is probably about the best.&nbsp; Good meal and great stuff to go with it.&nbsp; They are pricey on the civilian market though.&nbsp; Figure $75 to $100 for a case of 12.&nbsp; Sometimes you can find them cheaper, but that's about average.&nbsp; One thing to consider is they are geared towards soldiers who will be very active in a day.&nbsp; A single whole MRE is usually well in excess of 2000 calories.&nbsp; We would usually just get issued one a day for lunch.&nbsp; Often times, we would just eat parts of it and one would last several meals or snacks.&nbsp; <br><br>They are good to have for emergency purposes though you can get emergency dehydrated rations much less expensively from other suppliers.

 

[BamaDuke]

I always have a couple of cases of the "civilian" MREs in the RV.&nbsp; Most of mine are between 1300 and 1600 calories per meal. Real MREs can be up to 3000.&nbsp;Mine have the heaters, utensils, entrees, sides, bread, condiments, snacks, paper goods, coffee, tea, drink mix, and dessert.&nbsp; I pay about $72 per case of 12 with shipping.&nbsp; It would be very tough to get a meal as good as these for this amount of money, if you truly counted everything it takes to prepare a meal, including time spent cooking and picking up the items.&nbsp; I do not live on them, but one or two a day would easily keep you going.&nbsp; Mine even have T-paper and gum.&nbsp; Be careful of the gum. It is actually a mild laxative <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif"><br><br>I keep one or two in the Jeep at all times, just in case of weather. As mentioned above, the taste is good on most, great on a few, and horrid on one or two.&nbsp; I do not buy the breakfast meals, just the dinners.&nbsp; A couple of water bottles and an MRE would weigh nearly nothing, but could&nbsp;turn a really bad experience into an inconvenience. The kids think it's cool, too.<br><br>Bama&nbsp;

 

[idn88]

I find many quite tasty. &nbsp;Considering how much is in each and how many calories, there good for me for a day of food intake, so the price really isn't that bad. &nbsp;They were designed for soldiers in combat situations - high calorie, high sodium. &nbsp;If it wasn't for the sodium I would likely eat more often. &nbsp;However I always have some around for emergencies, and dig into them when just don't feel like going to the store.<br><br>www.mreinfo.com has everything you might ever want to know about MRE's.<br><br>You can get single meals on that online auction site if you have never tried them, so trying a couple might be a good start. &nbsp;&nbsp;I have found my favorites to be the ones with something I would be likely to eat by choice outside of a MRE, even though they don't taste the same. &nbsp;For example, if like chili with beans, then the MRE version is probably acceptable to you. &nbsp;If you don't like chili and beans you will HATE the MRE version.<br><br><br>&nbsp;

 

[highdesertranger]

I keep 2 cases in my truck at all times.&nbsp; just in case.&nbsp; I find most acceptable as far as taste.&nbsp; some I really like.&nbsp; they are a little pricey but if you look at as calories per dollar they aren't bad.&nbsp; I wouldn't want to live off them but if I had too, &nbsp;they would work.&nbsp; but I cut my teeth on backpacking food from the 60's and 70's so mre's are a vast improvement.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[MK7]

I heard they cause constipation and very expensive. And you'll get fat due to the extremely high calorie content meant for active soldiers.<br><br>Excellent for emergency food, survival and such though. I'd still go with Mountain House freeze dried in cans though. They have 20+ years of shelf life and less expensive. They taste pretty good too. Don't get the cheaper brands such as Wise, they taste horrible. <br><br>But isn't one of the perks of living mobile is to be able to buy fresh food everyday in small quantities?

 

[Spirituallifetime]

I personally wouldn't consider MRE's for van dwelling, I can take canned food for much less money. Before MRE's I would take dehydrated food backpacking and bicycling because they weigh much less than canned food. In my experience some are good and some are not.

 

[Johnnomads]

If you're on a sodium restricted diet, then MRE's are not a good choice. Otherwise they are generally tasty and nutritious, a better value would be to buy the entrees rather than the full meals. I used to buy cases of 72 entrees from www.cheaperthandirt.com

 

[HWJ]

I picked up a few from Mountain House before I went on a back packing trip, to see if they were any good. I had no troubles with them, but a few of my friends reported abnormal stomach problems when they ate them.<br>I would test them and keep them around for emergencies, or REALLY lazy days...

 

[TxGypsy]

You are much better off to make your own, it is cheaper and probably better for you. &nbsp;There are lots of products that are dried or don't need refrigeration. &nbsp;They even have things like tuna in little mylar bags now. &nbsp;There are all kinds of dried fruit, jerky, small cans of fruit in syrup, packages of peanut butter crackers, small packages of chips, cans of orange juice, individual servings of soy milk, nuts, trail mix, granola bars, ensure, individual packages of instant coffee, individual sugar packets, cookies, etc., etc.<br><br>Take a slow walk through the grocery store and see what all doesn't have to be refrigerated and has a long shelf life. &nbsp;Put it in a gallon ziplock bag and remove as much air as possible.<br><br>

 

[Ziggy Moon]

Good tip, TxGypsy!<br><br>Maybe add some Mylar bags and a vacuum sealer and you'll really be set to make your own Meals, Ready-to-Eat. <br><br>"Don't Forget the Moist Towelette". <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[highdesertranger]

x2 on the vacuum sealer they work great.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[Pikachu711]

<p>I'm ex-military so I'm somewhat partial when it comes to MRE's. Most of the time I've eaten MRE's&nbsp;I have enjoyed them to some degree. Now there are some items that I'm not to fond of but for the most part they aren't bad. But they aren't nor should they be the mainstay of your diet. Look for other options for your food supply.<br><br>When it comes to MRE's they are a good option if you buy them at a reasonable price. They have an excellent shelf life, can be eaten cooked or not and are a good back up food supply if you're low on your regular food supply.<br><br>Yes, I recommend MRE's!</p>