MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) - Are They Right For You?

MRE History

While there have been always forms of 'mobile meals', it wasn't until the 1960s that the military started to look into the concept of Meals Ready to Eat as a lighter replacement to the existing options at the time.

This led to a dehydrated meal stored in a waterproof canvas pouch known as the Long Range Patrol Ration in the mid 1960s. By 1981 there were 12 meal entrees in a plastic pouch.

Now almost 35 years later, there are 24 meal entrees, including powdered beverage mixes and a Flameless Ration Heater (FRH) that allows the serviceman the ability to have a hot meal.

Currently the US Department of Defense has made it unlawful for military grade meals to be available for commercial resale. But you can find similar civilian MREs from stores like Nitropak.

MRE Benefits

Proper M.R.E.'s are lightweight, standalone meals that come with everything you need including a flameless heater and even untensils. You don't need to add water as you do with freeze dried foods.

This makes them a great option for survivalists, those building a bug-out bag or even campers, hikers or outdoor adventurers.

These meals also tend to be higher in calories so if you're going to be working, exercising or doing another high-calorie burning activity, MREs can help sustain you. For example MREs were given to the relief workers during the Hurricane Katrina cleanup.

Another benefit to these meals is that they have a fairly long shelf life - from 3 - 5 years. So you can buy them and forget about them for a couple of years. If you want to extend the life of your MRE, just make sure to store it in a cool, dry place.

Cautions When Buying:

Be aware that it is illegal for a civilian to buy official military Meals Ready To Eat. However you can get civilian M.R.E.s from places like Nitropak.

Another place to buy is from The Ready Store which also carries a wide variety of meals ready to eat that you can buy in bulk at a decent discount.

When shopping, be aware of what exactly is included in each package. For example some packages include side dishes and more desserts or snacks while others do not. So you might be getting more food for only a slightly higher price.

Another thing to be aware of is that once an emergency hits, most M.R.E's sell out within hours. So if you're preparing for an upcoming emergency, it's best to buy your meals as soon as possible.

Alternatives to Meals Ready to Eat

One alternative to the MRE packages are Freeze dried foods.

They have a longer shelf life (7 to 250 years) verses 3 year for an MREs. Plus they're lighter so they'll be easier to carry.

However on the downside, you do have to add water and they tend to be lower in calories than an MRE - so it depends on what you want.

How To Save On Meals Ready to Eat

One of the ways to save on these meals is to buy in bulk. It will cost you less per meal than if you bought each one individually.

I like the 6 case special at Nitropak (with 12 entrees in each case giving you 72 meals). These are full meals with several snacks, military side dishes and desserts. Plus you get Free Shipping.

Click Here To Shop Meals Ready To Eat

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