MRE - Looking for a good source

[Steve in Vermont]

I'm looking for a good place to purchase MRE, particularly with the heater packs. There are several on-line sites but before I invest I thought I'd see if anyone here has experience with a particular company. Thanks.

 

[Moonman]

You are not turning into a BUNKER TYPE are you, worried about the Zombies coming?

 

[M2MikeGolf]

They are technically illegal for re-sale.

 

[GatorFarmer]

MREs are readily available in commercial form from a number of companies. Sopacko and other government contractors offer commercial versions for sale, check the Cheaper Than Dirt catalog, Sportsmans Guide, et al.

However... Commissaries on military bases are authorized to sell them to anyone with shopping privledges - active duty, retirees, reserves, dependents. The ones sold thus are "real" government issue ones. Cost comes out to be slightly more than the commercial ones, but not too badly because you avoid shipping charges.

Thus if you, or someone you know, has comm. shopping privledges, they can contact the store manager and make sure that stock is available, and arrange to purchase however many are desired.

 

[thndrchiken]

When buying "MRE's" be sure to know what you are buying, the ones that are available at SG and CTD are not true MRE's, they have about 1/2 the caloric value of true milspec MRE's. You can usually find an army/navy surplus stores that have them or can order them for you. You can also do a google or yahoo search for them and come up with tons of options. The easiest way to know if you are getting true milspec mre's is the price.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

You are not turning into a BUNKER TYPE are you, worried about the Zombies coming?

Not yet. These will be for (group) day trips to a local wildlife refuge. We can't build fires and don't want to carry a lot of extra gear. But now that you mention it.........

 

[labworm]

Not yet. These will be for (group) day trips to a local wildlife refuge. We can't build fires and don't want to carry a lot of extra gear. But now that you mention it.........

Your kidding, behind every tree you will find pancakes and maple syrup and Vermont Smoked Maple Cured Bacon. God Help Me.

 

[truckemup97]

Your kidding, behind every tree you will find pancakes and maple syrup and Vermont Smoked Maple Cured Bacon. God Help Me.

I gotta get back up there. I didn't look behind the trees. I thought it was growing on the limbs.

I bought a few MREs from Cheaper Than Dirt to keep in the truck in case I'm stranded somewhere. Haven't eaten any, but they were cheap enough to throw under the bunk just in case. There are complaints about the heaters only working about 75% of the time, but in a group, you could share heaters if necessary. I just ordered a few extras.

 

[rocketdog]

armygear.net is the one I hear mentioned most often.

Armygear.net -- MRE (Meal Ready to Eat)--Case of 12

You might like some of the offerings at mredepot. Canned bacon!!!

Results for MRE's, Meals Ready to Eat

 

[ol' geeser]

What is the current shelf life of G.I. MRE's?

 

[Straightshooter2]

What is the current shelf life of G.I. MRE's?

Found this:
Packaging requirements are strict. MREs must be able to withstand parachute drops from 380 metres (1,250 ft), and non-parachute drops of 30 metres (98 ft). The packaging is required to maintain a minimum shelf life of three and a half years at 27 °C (81 °F), nine months at 38 °C (100 °F), and short durations from −51 °C (−60 °F) to 49 °C (120 °F) must be sustainable.

CW

 

[Gunslinger808]

What is the current shelf life of G.I. MRE's?

Reinspection after 5 years, generally disposed of after 7.
The big thing is after a certain amount of time they may still be edible but lose nutritional value.
The vitamins/nutrients break down and are no longer viable.

 

[Andy Griffith]

So, am I correct than an MRE has no longer a shelf life than most any home canned good like beans, etc?

What about those fellers that have "x" years worth for longer than the shelf life? I hope they are rotating!!!!

Ha...I've still got surplus K-rations that taste as good as they ever did.

One thing...get some of the "sample" glass bottles of Tobasco sauce (don't get the packs like you get from a fast food place- it isn't real Tobasco) and keep with your MRE's...that'll make them 100% better. Better have some salt and pepper too.

Don't forget a steri-pen and/or a Katadyn filter.

 

[doublesharp]

Not for mre but, if you're ready to supply the bunker, here's a good place to get Gamma seal bucket lids, mylar bags, oxygen absorber packets, etc.

Lexington Container Company - BULK FOOD PACKAGING SUPPLIES IN KENTUCKY - LONG TERM FOOD STORAGE SUPPLIES IN KENTUCKY - PREPPING SUPPLIES & SURVIVAL SUPPLIES IN KENTUCKY - DISASTER PREPAREDNESS SUPPLIES IN KENTUCKY - EMERGENCY SUPPLIES IN KENTUCKY.

 

[Gunhacker]

And also check locally at the discount "warehouse" type supermarkets.

Out here we have a chain called WinCo and in the bulk food section are food grade 5 gal buckets, Gamma lids, and vac sealed packages of oxygen absorbers, at reasonable prices... especially when you don't have to pay shipping on top of the price.

Don't have Zombies yet to contend with, just the threat of the San Andreas or Hayward faults cutting loose for a wild ride.

 

[Gunslinger808]

Really MREs are all about portability.
Canned foods will last twice as long as MRes if stored in a cool dry place.
Glass containered foods just as long.
As mentioned you have to rotate out the older food just as a precaution.
Another portable type that will last 25 years without degradation are dehydrated foods like Mountain House, or Weiss.
The problem with them of course is you need to carry enough water (or have a clean source).
You can order most survival type dehydrated foods off of Sam's Club or Costco web sites.
And yeah, gotta love the mini Tobascos that come with MREs, they make even the worse one palitable!

 

[GatorFarmer]

Under ideal storage conditions (fairly cool dry place) MREs are supposed to last a max of ten years. I doubt any in government storage get that old, since older ones are sold surplus, given away as humanitarian or military aid, etc.

I would not purchase government spec MREs from a surplus store myself, since one doesn't know why they were surplus. Could be they are just fine. Or could be they had jet fuel spilled on them or baked in the hot sun for months.

MREs only stay "good" the longest amount of time when left in their original package. If you take the stuff out and "rat expletive" them to make them take up less room, shelf life declines.

Technically MREs don't go bad, but just become increasingly unpalatable and nutritionally dubious. Likely ones at the ten year point would be "questionable" in terms of how yummy they'd be.

For camping and such, unless weight is an issue, it's cheaper and easier to just eat cold slop out of cans and packages from your local grocery store. Those Dinty Moore entrees in plastic trays are much like MRE entrees. For the WW2 experience, just saw open a can of beef stew with your knife instead and eat it cold. You get used to it.

Another fun meal choice is to just take along the lifeboat style (Coast Guard approved) emergency ration cookie bars. Ones made in the last few years taste much better than the old ones which were sort of like Flintstones vitamins and sawdust. Now they have a lemony flavor.