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Best tasting MRE/dehydrated foods

30K views 50 replies 36 participants last post by  Mountain_House 
#1 ·
I just went through my first "REAL" natural disaster, in my life. The Noreaster that hit Southern New England. A wake up call to say the least. IT CAN HAPPEN TO ME! My only downfall was not enough back up gasoline. Other than that I did just fine.

To the point. My girlfriend is ex-military and says MREs just plain suck. I want to put it out to the forum and those of you who actually tried these things. What is the best tasting MREs/ dehydrated foods on the market today? Cost is of little importance to me cause I budget a part of my income regularly to "Emergency Gear". I cannot put a dollar amount on my survival, and I refuse to waste my hard earned dollar on cheap crap. With this being said I put it out to you the good and knowledgeable people of this forum to guide me in an area to which I know nothing about. Thanks-chinagreen
 
#7 ·
To the point. My girlfriend is ex-military and says MREs just plain suck.
Of course she would say that. It's the soldier's way. Even when the food is ok, it sucks.

MRE's are ok. For lightweight, convenient food on the go, they are ok. Not great, but ok. I have eaten thousands of them.

My favorite part of an MRE is the compressed oatmeal cookie bar. It is food direct from the gods of war. Second would be MRE cheese (especially the jalepeno cheese) and the MRE crackers. Beyond that, it all starts pretty much tasting the same, anyway.

I have friends who really like them. And kids tend to think they are the coolest thing on earth.

I have to say that the current MRE's are way better than they were when the first came out. The dehydrated pork patty---what the hell was that thing, anyway??????
 
#9 ·
MREs are a decent choice for short term disasters. No cooking required, no cooking smells, etc. They're bulky and expensive for what you actually get. But they do the job exceedingly well. They just don't make a good long term diet.

I'm not a fan of them myself, but I keep a few cases on hand simply because they make sense in some situations.
 
#10 ·
I have eaten quite a few MRE's over the years whille wildland firefighting. I'm not a huge fan of them but they will work when needed. Yes, I have a couple of cases on hand. (I double dog dare you to try the Omelet)

As for all freeze dried and dehdrated products out there the only commercial that I really like is Maryjanesoutpost.org. All the rest have far too much sodium for my taste. MH is the absolute WORSE!

For dehydrated I've been experimenting with making my own meals. It's really quite easy if you have a dehydrator.
 
#11 ·
I have to say I like Mountain House meals but if you want to put a little money in it try some from Packit Gourmet.
They are geared towards backpackers but they are awesome. Never heard a bad word on any of them.

Having said all that, why not make your own?
You already like it and you know where it comes from.

Or do it like I do and make meals from dry ingredients at hand. You pack it up now and use it when you need it.
To extend the shelf life pack it in your freezer.
Check out these links.

Happy Hammock Hanger

Freezer Bag Cooking

-HikerDad
 
#20 ·
While not a true MRE a store in my area has MTR & Kohinoor brands of Indian food and I haven't tried a variety of either brand I don't like :thumb: I have been taking them in my lunch on fairly steady basis for about 6 years now. All the ones I currently have expire in July 2013/2014 so self life isn't too bad. They are single serv entree's not an entire meal/cracker/dessert package like an MRE but are heat & eat and pre-cooked in a foil pack. I don't mind a regular MRE but have thought about buying some dessert's & other add on's from regular MRE's, just to keep with them in my BOB.
 
#29 ·
If they're anything like Tasty Bite, they will last for years past their "best by" date, like most foods. This weekend, I ate a Tasty Bite that was dated 2008 and it tasted every bit as fresh as if I had gotten it yesterday. Now, I doubt the retort packaged foods will last as long as canned foods, but they do have a pretty amazing shelf life.
 
#21 ·
My girlfriend is ex-military and says MREs just plain suck.
When she get hungry enough, she'll eat em' and like em'. Just goes to show you she hasn't ever been real hungry.

I have to say that the current MRE's are way better than they were when the first came out. The dehydrated pork patty---what the hell was that thing, anyway??????
The dehydrated pork & beef patties were great ! Throw them in with some Rahmen noodles and you have a gourmet meal.

When the military went from C rats to MREs, it was like going from eating rocks to eating hamburger steaks. Some folks today are just too soft
 
#26 ·
MRE's charm is in the fact that they are self-sufficient. No heating needed other than adding a little water to the (included) heater. Good for grab-and-go "food".

That's were the charm ends for me. MREs cost more than freeze-dried food, they include stuff you really dont want(tobasco, mints, salt/pepper etc), you dont really know what all is in that bag until you open it, and no expiration date is included. They also taste much worse than many freeze dried foods. All you need to prepare freeze-dried is a way to boil water.

Go to your local wallmart or camping store and get a variety of Mountain House freeze dried entrees from the camping section and try them out one evening along with an MRE. Once you and your spouse find some freeze dried foods that you like, order the #10 cans that can be stored for 30 years in the pantry. MREs require freezers to last that long.

Don't throw away your MREs though, they are great for feeding homeless or giving to folks in disaster areas.
 
#31 ·
MRE's charm is in the fact that they are self-sufficient. No heating needed other than adding a little water to the (included) heater. Good for grab-and-go "food".

That's were the charm ends for me.
Dude, Dont ever eat the Charms from an MRE! You will unleash the worst luck you have ever experienced!

Some people dont believe that there is Evil in MRE Charms, but they will learn the hard way.
 
#30 ·
I like most of the MRE's but Pot Roast,Meatloaf,Sloppy Joe,Chili Beans,PorkRib,Maple Sausage,Meatballs,BeefStew,Spaghetti,Chili Mac,Beef & Blackbeans are all great for me. The real military MRE's are my favorites because I seem to get more to eat. Some think they are expensive but the price is cheap when you consider they can last 10 yrs if properly stored.

In the MRE tray packs Burgundy Beef,Roast Beef and Pork Carnitas are all very good. I steal the older ones from the stash when the woman is gone for a few weeks.

MH freeze dried Breakfast Skillet,Ground beef,Scrambled Eggs w/Ham & Peppers,Chili Mac,Beef stew,Strawberries & Beef Stroganoff .

Other than the MRE meals I use the tray packs and freeze dried food with rice or instant mashed potatoes. I like eating and keep a rather large stash of all this stuff that will last many years. I won't be trading gold for a miserable case of beans to some dreamer.

Red
 
#37 ·
I'll pass on some recent MRE tasting notes to you from my last order with Emergency Essentials:

Brownie with Chocolate Chips
Soft cookie with lots of chocolate flavor. Very few chips. Nice, light dessert.

Chili & Macaroni
Very good quality ingredients and a great tasting mixture of macaroni and beef chili. Better than Mountain House, etc.

Cheese Tortellini in Tomato Sauce
Rich and thick sauce. Aromatic and flavorful. Quality throughout. Add Parmesan cheese for a feast.

Peas and Pasta
Total crap. Mushy, foul smelling garbage and not because the package was broken. A bad idea made worse by producing it. The package calls it an HDR (Humanitarian Daily Ration). There’s nothing humanitarian about what’s inside of it.

Macaroni and Beef in Sauce
Nice and thick with rich chili flavors. A bit too hot. Not bad, just a little too spicy for daily consumption. It is satisfying, though.

Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake
Not at all bad. Good lemony flavor. Rich tasting with a nice poppy seed/cake texture. Get more of this.

The black bean re-fried beans are great on BBQ potato chips.

Bon appetite
 
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