So I was at a gun show a few months back (looking for a replacement cap for my Remington 1100 16g) and picked up a case of 12 MREs on a whim for $50. Guess it pays to go on the last day. Anyway, I got home and did a little research and it turns out I got a pretty good deal. The orange sticker was still orange and the MREs are still well within their first inspection period.
Anyway, they had been sitting in the basement next to our crunch kit since then. I started wondering how these things taste and what the heck is in them. My Wife was out of town this last weekend and I was bored so I called a good friend over and we decided to sit out on the back terrace and have a few beers, smoke cigars and eat MREs.
If you have never seen one of these things up close they come in brownish, heavy plastic pouch. Rip the pouch open and all kinds of things spill out. First of all are two thin boxes, each holding a foil pouch of food. This is your entree and side dish. For my first MRE it was BBQ Pork Ribs and Clam Chowder (weird pair, go figure...) Next to that is a greenish pouch with little water-activated heaters in the bottom for cooking the entree/side dish; a clear water bag to mix the also-enclosed powdered drink mix (elektrolyte?), two foil-pouched pieces of thick bread, a foil-pouched cookie, a squeeze pouch of cheeze-whiz, and a bag holding a whole assortment of things including "damp proof" matches, toilet paper/napkins, tobasco sauce, a plastic spoon, two chicklets, tea, instant coffee, sugar, creamer, a "moist towlette" and packets of salt and pepper.
I have to say, I was pretty impressed. The Pork Ribs entree were like the inside of a McRib or BK Rib sandwich, same taste, size and consistency, and the heater bag worked quite well once we located an adequate "Rock or Something" to lean it on. The side dish of Clam Chowder was the highlight, as good as the stuff Chunky Soups makes in both taste and texture, maybe even a bit better. The bread was very thick, sort of like if someone had taken several pieces and vacuum-packed them into a single piece. That said, it was fresh and tasty. The cheeze whiz looked and tasted like cheeze whiz (the dogs loved it.) Dessert was the large cookie and it was actually quite good too. Matter of fact, the only real dissapointment was the gatoraid drink - it was, well, not good.
Next up with the Beef Enchilada dinner, which though also good across the board was not as good as the BBQ Pork Rib.
Cliff Notes:
Ate a few MREs this weekend.
They were surprisingly good.
Anyway, they had been sitting in the basement next to our crunch kit since then. I started wondering how these things taste and what the heck is in them. My Wife was out of town this last weekend and I was bored so I called a good friend over and we decided to sit out on the back terrace and have a few beers, smoke cigars and eat MREs.
If you have never seen one of these things up close they come in brownish, heavy plastic pouch. Rip the pouch open and all kinds of things spill out. First of all are two thin boxes, each holding a foil pouch of food. This is your entree and side dish. For my first MRE it was BBQ Pork Ribs and Clam Chowder (weird pair, go figure...) Next to that is a greenish pouch with little water-activated heaters in the bottom for cooking the entree/side dish; a clear water bag to mix the also-enclosed powdered drink mix (elektrolyte?), two foil-pouched pieces of thick bread, a foil-pouched cookie, a squeeze pouch of cheeze-whiz, and a bag holding a whole assortment of things including "damp proof" matches, toilet paper/napkins, tobasco sauce, a plastic spoon, two chicklets, tea, instant coffee, sugar, creamer, a "moist towlette" and packets of salt and pepper.
I have to say, I was pretty impressed. The Pork Ribs entree were like the inside of a McRib or BK Rib sandwich, same taste, size and consistency, and the heater bag worked quite well once we located an adequate "Rock or Something" to lean it on. The side dish of Clam Chowder was the highlight, as good as the stuff Chunky Soups makes in both taste and texture, maybe even a bit better. The bread was very thick, sort of like if someone had taken several pieces and vacuum-packed them into a single piece. That said, it was fresh and tasty. The cheeze whiz looked and tasted like cheeze whiz (the dogs loved it.) Dessert was the large cookie and it was actually quite good too. Matter of fact, the only real dissapointment was the gatoraid drink - it was, well, not good.
Next up with the Beef Enchilada dinner, which though also good across the board was not as good as the BBQ Pork Rib.
Cliff Notes:
Ate a few MREs this weekend.
They were surprisingly good.
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