Does anyone have a really good source for MRE's for overnighters and multi-day trips? I'm not terribly happy with the dehydrated meals I've tried and wanted to branch out. All the ones I have found on the 'net so far require you to buy a "grab bag" combo pack. Either it's a surprise what meals you are getting or you have to take the good with the bad. Does anyone out there let you pick exactly what you want? Thanks!
theEpicenter.com
http://www.geoduck.com/epicenter/order.cgi?page=mre_military_meal_ready_to_eat.html&cart_id=
enlist in the national guard
haircuts, uniform and MRE’s …
all free!
you don’t want to eat them do you?
After 4 years of eating them and stinking like MREs I can’t imagine why anyone would torture themselves.
Well…my rationale
-Better tasting than the dehydrated meals I’ve tried
-Don’t have to carry along as much water since I wouldn’t need any for cooking, just drinking
-Self contained, all inclusive and travels in the boat well
a tip and a warning
first, ‘field strip’ the MREs, that is take out anything not useful or that you won’t eat. Pull all of the pouches out of the cardboard boxes as well. If you do that the MRE will pack down to half its original size
second, MREs have a distinct underlying odor to them (maybe the preservative). After a few days of eating them you will also have that distinct underlying odor to you. It takes a few days for the odor to leave your system.
Think about it…
Who gets MREs for free? That’s already been answered…
If they get them for free, they don’t like them, and they don’t eat them…maybe they’ll give them to you, or sell them (very cheaply) to you.
That is where I got mine.
Some of them are ok in “a pinch”, but I certainly would not eat them on a regular basis.
And…I would make an effort to assure that the ones I did eat were not too old.
Beat the hell out of C rations!
BOB
They work well if you’re in a group…
The other people will feel so sorry for you that they will give you some of their real food… seen it happen.
try this
There are some great MRE type meals found at most all health food stores (i hate that word…isnt all food suppose to be healthy?)
Anyway…try the Wild Oats or Blueberries or any of the other type of organice supermarkets.
They make many types now.
Some great aisian and Indian MRE type meals as well as americanized dishes such as beff storganoff and that sort of thing. I get all my camping, backpacking, and paddling food there.
nm
Dehydrated Options?
Thanks for the other tips. I had heard about stripping them (the MRE’s) down to their individual componenets to save space, weight, etc. Like I mentioned earlier, I don’t plan to eat them all day every day or anything. It’s just seems like a good quick and easy back up…maybe I’ve just had some really crummy dehydrated meals. Can anyone suggest a good brand of dehydrated meals? I’ve tried a few from Mountain House…chicken & rice (really bad) and beef stroganoff (so-so) as I recall.
Regular Food
Check out the “Instant Foods” in your supermarket or commissary. You’ll be surprised what can find that’ll make a gourmet meal at half the cost of the MRE’s. A packet of cooked noodles and some flaked tuna or chicken comes to mind first.
But, if you persist on using MREs don’t forget to pack a bottle of Texas Pete (or your favorite hot sauce). Adds instant flavor.
M.R.E.
Meals
Rejected by
Ethiopians
One served at the Range in training is doable…three a day for weeks on end suc_s.
BTW… 1200 calories a piece
You don’t eat 3 MREs a day, unless you are really exerting yourself. You should normally eat 2 a day. Actually, you shouldn’t eat them at all. Like people pointed out there are plenty of other options that are better for you.
Here’s THE link
http://www.longlifefood.com/
Complete selection, full meals or mix and match, best prices. By the case or individual pouches.
NOLS cookery…
To eat well on the cheap in the out of doors type places…
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0811731081/ref=pd_sl_aw_alx-jeb-9-1_book_5988130_2
Beware
Guard and reservists (and active duty military as well) can get into deep doo doo for selling anything that is issued to them, even things they are allowed to keep after they are discharged.
I used to run a couple of Army Navy stores back east and guard units would routinely drop into my store looking to sell MRE’s on the way to or from their weekend or two week duty. We would also purchase BDU’s, helmets and other assorted stuff form people who had been discharged. This practice was cracked down on in the mid 80’s and several large wholesale dealers were tossed into jail over it.
You can purchase “fresh” complete MRE’s or their seperate entree packs from several sources on line, but they are not cheap. The newer stuff is definitely better tasting though.
Cheaper Than Dirt
used to carry just the entrees as well as the heater packages and Trioxane fuel. I’ve tried some and they’re OK, but there are much better alternatives out there. The ones I’ve still got have been relegated to the basement emergency disaster food stash.
I have…
deployments with Army SF…and yes, we were, how to put it softy, “Active”.
For paddling use, touring in cold weather would suffice, as the extra calories would help keep the metabolism stoked to fight the cold…
Commissaries…
I’ve found MREs at our local commissary at Ft. Eustis in Newport News, Va. If you know someone who has access to a commissary, perhaps they can buy a few MREs for you.