MRE's (Meals - Ready - to - Eat)

What are MREs?

MRE's are a self contained meal in a waterproof and chemical resistant sealed pouch. They are the main operational food item for the US forces.  One MRE is one meal.

There are 24 menus of each meal and they are shipped in two cases, each with 12 menus in each case, unlike the main British individual ration cases.

Case A contains menus 1 - 12 and Case B contains menus 13 - 24.

Whats in an MRE?

Each MRE contains food and items required for one meal.  On average each MRE contains 1,300 calories and also vitamins and minerals to supply the average person 1/3 their daily recommended amount.

Each menu is different and every year the US military change and tweak the menu's depending on the feedback from the last year.

But generally these are the items you are likely to see in each MRE:

• One entree (main course e.g. Grilled chicken)
• Side dish (e.g. rice)
• Biscuit or bread
• Spread (e.g. cheese)
• Dessert (e.g. lemon pound cake)
• Drink (in powdered form e.g. grape juice)
• Sweets (e.g. M&M's)
• Flameless ration heater (to heat your meal, absent in the Tuna menu).
• Brew kit & Accessories (e.g. Spoon, chewing gum, tea / coffee, toilet paper).

How long (longevity) will an MRE last?

The US food research department have set the official longevity of a MRE at 3 years stored at 80 deg F (roughly 27 deg C).  But this 3 years can be lengthened or shortened by storage at certain temperatures. Our MRE's are stored at a controlled 10 deg C (50 deg F) which equates to roughly 130 months  of storage (the US Army's Natick Research Laboratories don't have data for longevity below 60 deg F, the 130 month figure is for 60 deg F).

How can I eat a MRE?

You can eat it straight out of the pouch. No heating or long preparation is needed.  All the items are precooked.

The Next Generation of MRE's

The US military recently released First Strike Rations, these are designed from the feedback from front line troops in combat theatres.  Most of the items from a normal MRE are stripped out and other items substituted.

The aim was to provide a soldier with an easy to consume but highly energising ration.  The First Strike Ration contains items that can be eaten on the move, with little or no preparation. Also the concept of a 'meal' has been eliminated.  These are designed to be stuffed into a pocket or pouch and then 'grazed' on during daily operations.

Each First Strike Ration has the same calorific value of a normal MRE but in a slightly easier way to consume them.

What this means to civilians is a energy packed ration that can supply you with all the energy you need in a fast and tasty way.

Any Questions?

Please don't hesitate to contact us.