So you’re interested in eating like a king on the go, in any situation? Ok well, depending on your pallet it might not be quite like eating like a king.. but an MRE might be the way to go. If you aren’t familiar with what an MRE is, you might have already seen them around but just not have been aware. Although they are most commonly found in the military, you’ll also see many outdoor enthusiasts utilizing them.
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What are MREs?
MRE stands for Meal, Ready-to-eat. They are self-contained, individual field rations that were designed to be used my military personnel in combat situations. MREs have a long history, dating back to the Revolutionary War where personnel were given rations for one day. During the civil war, military personnel in the U.S. were given canned goods as rations. This continued to progress through out history and peaked in WW2 when militaries began issuing rations based on combat scenarios, such as mountain rations and jungle rations. Since then, companies have become more and more innovative and the taste and quality has greatly increased with technologies such as the Flameless Ration Heater (FRH) which is a water-activated exothermic reaction product that emits heats allowing your MRE to become a hot meal. The entire goal of the MRE is to have a nutritional “meal” that is ready-to-eat in the heat of the moment. This is especially true in combat situations, which due to MRE’s long history with the military, it’s all they were pretty much made for. Troops have to eat, and they have to do it on the go due to the active combat situation in front of them.
Why use MREs?
Primarily for convenience, MREs are easy. They allow you to put together your daily calories, in one easy to pack and carry package that you can literally eat whenever you want. Apart from that there are several other benefits to MREs such as requiring very minimal time to prepare. Most of these meals are essentially open the package and eat. They are also offered in so many different varieties, you could have everything from a hamburger to spaghetti and meatballs, to a stir fry. Best of all, MRE’s carry an extensive shelf life, with most of them lasting anywhere from 3-5 years at minimal.
Where do you buy MREs?
Your best place to buy MREs, especially for former military ones is eBay. Just be aware if you are buying US Military MREs, they all have a disclaimer since 1997 advising “US Government Property Commercial Reseal is Unlawful”.
You can also find MREs at any Army Surplus Store, or Gun Show.
How much do they go for?
Military MREs usually go for $60-$80 per case with a case usually containing 12 MREs.
Make sure you check any MREs before you buy them to ensure they are actually military quality. You should also ensure that they are not leaking or damaged. Otherwise, enjoy your meals!
Ben