Updated 10.17.23: Hawaii Prime discontinued, removed from list. Updated pricing for other products and added pros/cons.
MREs, or Meals-Ready-To-Eat, have an air of mystique about them within the civilian world.
We all know they’re used in the military, but did you know you can buy them as well?
As interest in prepping exploded post-2020, so has the market for MREs.
People have since realized storing food isn’t such a bad idea after all. And perhaps you’re one of these people!
If so, it can be slightly overwhelming when you first begin your search for the perfect MRE for your family.
To help alleviate the stress, I’ve done all the hard work for you!
So, take a gander, and I think you’ll find that the best MRE for you may be slightly different than what you originally thought after all.
THE QUICK LIST
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Best for Backpackers
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OG MRE Style
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Best for Families
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Best for Emergencies
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Most Consistent
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Best for Camping
Table of Contents
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How We Tested & Rated the MRE Kits
After approximately a kajillion hours of research — actual scientific measure — I concluded the following list of brands represents the cream of the crop within the MRE world.
They’ve all sold thousands of MREs and feature overall great reviews. Not to mention, these consistently popped up all over the internet.
In order to fairly review each of these MRE brands and kits, I considered a few factors.
- Taste: If it tastes bad, you won’t eat it. Plain and simple. With that in mind, I looked for meals that cooked evenly all the way through, brought some spice or variety, and tasted yummy.
- Calorie Content: When you’re out in the field all day — whether that’s camping or an SHTF situation — you need meals with a high-calorie content. So, when looking at each brand, I totaled up the calories to see which would keep you going the best.
- Overall Health & Nutrition: In a post-apocalyptic world, you probably won’t be thinking about MSG, but overall nutrition is important! When reviewing these meals, I went right to the ingredient list. Could I pronounce and easily recognize ingredients, and were they free from things like soy or other additives?
- Convenience: Look, if you’re bugging out, you won’t have your George Forman grill. So, kits that come with their own means of cooking food are extremely important! I took a look at each of these brands from the standpoint of limiting additional cooking gear in your backpack or BOB.
- Value: We can’t all be Bill Gates. With that in mind, I tailored the list to brands that bring the most bang for your buck while also balancing all the other considerations listed.
9 Best MREs (Meals Ready to Eat)
1. Mountain House Adventure Meals
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Pros
- Great taste and variety of flavors
- Easy preparation with just boiling water
- Long shelf life
- Low soy content
- High calorie content (average of 568 calories per bag)
Cons
- Some meals may require longer cooking than instructed
Contains:
- Granola with Milk and Blueberries
- Chicken and Dumplings with Vegetables
- Chicken Fried Rice with Vegetables
- Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
- Biscuits and Gravy
If I was looking for a meal to keep in a BOB in my car or some other region, I would choose Mountain House.
It’s a great backpacking food, and they taste fantastic.
All are devoid of soy, except for the chicken fried rice. At an average of 568 calories per bag, you’re going to have the fuel you need to get the heck out of dodge quickly.
The box expires in 2050, making it the longest-lasting MRE on this entire list.
All you have to do to prep the meals is add boiling water. All of that combined makes Mountain House Adventure Meals tough to beat.
Adventure Meal’s Biscuits and Gravy
This bag is very filling and sits in your stomach like a rock.
So much so that I wasn’t able to finish the whole bag in one sitting — something uncommon for me.
If I had just finished setting up my tent after getting out of dodge due to a disaster earlier that day, this is likely the meal that I would want to turn to. It truly is that good.
Adventure Meal’s Chicken and Dumplings
If you’re from The Beautiful South, you’re automatically a connoisseur of chicken and dumplings. (The best meals are made with a freshly killed chicken.)
Despite the lack of a newly butchered Cornish Cross, I thought that these were fantastic.
If you’re like me and have a hard time getting the dumplings to not be crunchy, though, you’re going to have to let this one cook for longer than the listed instructions suggest.
2. ReadyWise
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Pros
- Wide variety of dishes
- Good taste
- Long shelf life
- Suitable for picky eaters
- Easy to store
Cons
- Some meals can taste bland and may require additional seasoning
- Trailhead Noodles & Beef noodles may not cook soft enough following package instructions
Contents Include:
- Strawberry Granola Crunch
- Apple Cinnamon Cereal
- Teriyaki Chicken & Rice
- Chili Mac
- Trailhead Noodles & Beef
- Pasta Alfredo
- Crest Peak Creamy Pasta & Chicken
- Lasagna
If you’ve been in the prepping field for long, you’ve undoubtedly heard of ReadyWise over and over again.
They’re all over the place. And for a good reason.
This box was a great collection of a wide variety of dishes that will give you options for even the pickiest of eaters in your family.
Everything tasted fantastic, and that’s pretty good for a meal kit that doesn’t expire until 2035.
As such, you can easily store it in a basement somewhere and forget about it until you need it.
ReadyWise Crest Peak Creamy Pasta & Chicken
This one wasn’t bad, but it was rather bland.
You most certainly knew you were eating a creamy pasta and chicken dish, but it was missing something.
This could’ve easily been remedied with the proper spice concoction – say, fresh cracked pepper and hot pepper flakes.
That’s all this dish needed to excel.
ReadyWise Trailhead Noodles & Beef
Beef stroganoff was a staple at my family table growing up, and my family had no problem whatsoever with eating this dish.
It was good.
Just make sure that you cook the noodles till soft. Following the instructions on the package led to ours still being slightly crunchy.
3. MRE Surplus
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Pros
- Varied and enjoyable recipes
- Meals come with their own heaters
- Quick cooking (as little as 10 minutes)
Cons
- Lack of an expiration date
Contains:
- Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Mexican Style Chicken Stew
- Asian Style Beef Strips with Vegetables
- Southwest Beef and Black Beans
- Cheese Tortellini in Tomato Sauce
- Chicken Pesto Pasta
- Beef Ravioli in Meat Sauce
- Creamy Spinach Fettucini
- Hash Brown Potatoes with Bacon, Pepper, and Onions
- Tuna Chunks/Pork Sausage Patty
- Jalapeno Pepper Jack Beef Patty
Not only were the recipes within here incredibly varied (which is fun – ‘tis the spice of life, after all), but they tasted great too!
It was pleasant to sit down to eat lunch with one of these and know I would feel full afterward.
All of the meals contain their own heaters and cook up in as little as 10 minutes.
The only thing you need is a wee bit of water to activate the heater.
Overall, I thought these were great MREs. The only downside is there wasn’t an expiration sticker, so there’s no way of knowing when these go bad.
MRE Surplus Chicken Burrito Bowl
This one was kind of fun. I was once a frequent customer at Chipotle, and this was reminiscent of that.
And while the main dish itself is great, MRE Surplus does a fantastic job with the other included items as well.
I was routinely blown away by the flavor of the craisins, bread, peanuts, peanut butter, and other included goodies.
They were often better tasting than anything you would buy from your local grocery store.
I’m not sure how they swung that — I’m thinking magic — but it worked out great.
MRE Surplus Maple Flavored Pork Sausage Patty
This one was fun. It tasted like a McGriddle.
Though it came with a rather nasty and smashed, chocolate muffin, the entrée itself and the remainder of the meal was excellent.
If you’re looking for a great breakfast MRE, this one will leave you very happy.
4. Legacy Premium
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Pros
- Healthy and natural ingredients
- Good taste
- Suitable for those concerned about food quality
Cons
- Enchilada Beans and Rice was not very filling
Contains:
- Classic Chili Mix
- Pasta Primavera
- Stroganoff
- Enchilada Beans and Rice
If you’re looking for a quick form of emergency meal to store at your home or if you need to feed a large number of people (e.g., you have small children), then I highly recommend Legacy Premium.
Truthfully, I’m a bit of a health nut. Because of this I’m very leery of putting a bunch of funky stuff into my system.
You don’t have to worry about that with these meals.
All of the ingredient lists are short and pronounceable. Even better, there’s nothing strange added to the meals.
If you’re prepping but are concerned about the health value of the food that you’re storing, I recommend Legacy Premium products.
Not only do they taste great, but they’re good for you too!
Legacy Premium Enchilada Beans and Rice
The flavoring on this was great. It tastes like something you would get at your local Mexican restaurant.
Legacy produces a ton of food as well, so if you’re cooking for a large family, this is a great way to go.
I did question how filling this dish would be, though, considering it is mainly spiced rice.
Carbohydrate meals get burned up rather quickly. If you only eat Mexican-flavored rice, you’ll need something to “fill up the corners” shortly afterward.
That said, the scent of this cooking quickly filled the kitchen, leaving us with an informed expectation of the meal to come.
You add a little guacamole and some lime Tostitos to the mix, and you’ve got the makings of a fantastic Mexican meal.
Legacy Premium Classic Chili Mix
As mentioned, out of all the MREs tested, Legacy was easily the healthiest.
Out of our taste testers, Legacy was the only brand that won the hearts of the health nuts.
While this was a rather thin chili, not much more than seasoned black beans, I still think it would make a fantastic post-disaster meal for many people.
5. Augason Farms – 72 Hour Emergency Food Supply
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Pros
- High-calorie content (1,000+ calories per bag)
- Long shelf life
- Tastes good
Cons
- Requires cookware and heating to prepare
- Soy present in most meals
Contains:
- Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
- Creamy Potato Soup
- Sweetened Banana Chips
- Hearty Vegetable Chicken Flavored Soup Mix
- Creamy Chicken Flavored Rice
While not as convenient to cook in the field as some of the other MREs, there wasn’t a taste tester among us who didn’t thoroughly enjoy the Augason Farms meals.
All had soy present except for the sweetened banana chips. But with an expiration date of 2046, a very large number of calories (1,000+) per bag, and tasty meals, we didn’t mind.
You’re going to need cookware and some form of heating to cook these up. So, they’re not a standalone product.
But it’s fantastic, nonetheless.
Augason Farm Creamy Potato Soup
This powdered mix turned into a very hearty potato soup.
I’m a sucker for potato soup on a cold day, to begin with, and this one didn’t disappoint.
I thoroughly enjoyed the savory pepper flavor of it. After a long day of survival-related work, this one would leave everybody at your table happy.
Augason Farm Creamy Chicken Flavored Rice
You just can’t seem to go wrong with Augason Farm.
The creamy chicken-flavored rice was an instant winner with our taste testers. It was just as good as any recipe you’d find in a Southern Living magazine.
It was a thick dish that left you feeling full. Also, it didn’t make you feel as if you were eating survival food.
Given that morale and mindset are a huge part of making it through any disaster in one piece, we feel this is a further reason for recommending Augason Farm products.
Have you tried Augason Farm MREs? If so, rate them below!
6. XMRE Blueline
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Pros
- Superior heaters and heating bags
- Consistent and quick food heating
- Meals have a decent calorie content
Cons
- No expiration date
- XMRE Creamy Fettucini has a bitter aftertaste
- Soy present in most meals
Contains:
- Creamy Spinach Fettucini
- Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions
- Chicken Chunks
- Hickory Smoked Tuna
- Vegetarian Taco Pasta
- Cheese Tortellini in Tomato Sauce
The first things that stood out to me about XMRE were the heaters and heating bags. Truly superior to anything else that I found!
They heat the food consistently and quickly, and there’s visible evidence of such taking place due to the steam that emanates from the pouch.
There were occasions with some of Army Surplus MRE meals that I wasn’t able to get the food warm enough despite the recommended amount of water and cook time.
The catch was that the taste often wasn’t what you would hope it would be.
The average entrée came in at 218 calories, which though not a lot, was certainly supplemented with the other items included within each MRE.
A meal-ready-to-eat is designed to have calories, and I thought XMRE did a pretty good job of fulfilling that mission.
There wasn’t a visible expiration date that I could find on any of these products, though.
Once again, I think it’s best to assume that whatever type of MRE you purchase will last for 2 to 3 years max.
Much like the Sopacko meals, all of these had soy present as well. The only exception to this I found was with the white chicken chunks.
XMRE Creamy Fettucini
I was excited when I first saw this meal. Anything with the words “creamy” and “fettucini” in the title should be impossible to screw up, right?
Y’all…it was disgusting. Everyone who tried it agreed.
We’re talking about a very nasty and bitter aftertaste that left you looking for a glass of water and a stick of gum.
We liked the fig bars and bread, though. The included corn nuts were rather bland and disappointing.
XMRE Vegetarian Taco Pasta
Heading into this one, I was a bit nervous. But it caught me completely by surprise.
I’ve long worked within the health/fitness industry, spending a great deal of that time teaching nutrition classes throughout my state.
It’s because of this I’ve had the opportunity to eat a large number of vegetarian meals. They’ve largely been bad.
Anybody who thinks cauliflower is an acceptable substitute for real macaroni and cheese or hot wings deserves to be smacked in my book. (I kid…kinda.)
It’s because of these past experiences; I wasn’t sure what to expect from here.
This one was really good, though! I left with a very satisfying and filling feeling.
7. Good To-Go
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Pros
- Healthy and natural ingredients, no soy
- Small and convenient single-serve packets, great for backpacking
- Long shelf life (listed as 5 years)
Cons
- Long cooking time
- Mixed reviews on taste (Thai Curry was not well-liked)
If you don’t need a bucket of food, Good-To-Go offers convenient, single-serve packets. For this test, I tasted the Thai Curry, but more on that in a minute.
This brand would be a great meal for backpacking.
The packets are incredibly small and easy to pack away in a BOB, though it does take quite some time to cook.
Chicken Pho, Mushroom Risotto, and a Mexican Quinoa Bowl are a few of the other flavors.
The ingredients are all healthy, natural stuff, and there’s no soy present either! All of that’s a massive plus in my book.
Their website lists these with a 5-year shelf life. The one I was issued expires in 2025.
Weighing in at 380 calories, this one will play a small part in giving you some fuel for the road as well.
You’re going to need something else to eat – you won’t be able to rely solely on this – but it will help.
Good To-Go Thai Curry
This was widely touted as one of Good To-Go’s most popular meals, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.
I could barely tolerate the smell of the thing, let alone the taste.
That all said, I recognize there are people out there who might dig this.
Should that be you, Good To-Go does have some benefits as far as brands go. It was one of the healthiest meals I tried.
The ingredient list was short, pronounceable, and natural.
8. Sopacko
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Pros
- Convenient packaging
- Some additional items like crackers and jelly
Cons
- Overall taste is hit or miss
- Presence of soy in all meals
- Lack of expiration dates on the products
- Inconsistent performance of heaters
Contains:
- Spaghetti with Meat and Textured Soy Flour Sauce
- Penne with Vegetable Sausage Crumbles in Spicy Tomato Sauce
- Beef Ravioli in Meat and Textured Soy Protein Sauce
- Chili Mac Macaroni and Beef in Sauce
- Cheese Tortellini
- Vegetable Lasagna
This is one of those packages that I wish I had the opportunity of seeing the delivery man’s face as he delivered it.
I was a little bit surprised that Sopacko would be so bold in their delivery boxes.
A friend of mine ordered an underground vault to bury his guns that came in a similar “look-what-I-ordered” style box. This reminded me of that.
Taste-wise, the meals were somewhere between good and bad.
There wasn’t a thing in here that had me feeling as if I was eating gourmet food. But there was stuff in this box that was difficult to swallow.
If you’re going to be in a survival situation, at least make your food taste good.
And while some readers may not care, I do think the presence of soy matters. Every single meal here had soy as an ingredient.
There wasn’t an expiration date on any of the meals either, but again it’s reasonable to assume a 2-to-3-year life span.
One further complaint I had about these guys is the heaters.
Sometimes they would work without a hitch. Other times I would put in the necessary amount of water, only to come back 10 minutes later to lukewarm sludge.
Kind of hit or miss.
Despite Sopacko acting as one of the bigger players in the MRE market, I wasn’t a huge fan.
Sopacko Cheese Tortellini
Out of every MRE I tried, this one earns the rank of most inedible.
This one I couldn’t even swallow (and you’re talking to a guy who’s eaten cow guts in Mexico and sheep eyeballs in China.)
It tasted like some type of cleaning chemical with a nasty plastic-y tomato paste film on top.
My wife was a huge fan of the included pop-tart, though, and Tootsie Rolls are always winners. So, there’s that, I suppose.
Sopacko’s Vegetable Lasagna
I was pleasantly surprised by this one.
I never have high hopes for anything that advertises itself as vegetarian, but this one was alright. It just tasted like regular, old lasagna without the meat sauce.
9. Captain Dave’s MRE Entrees
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Pros
- Similar to Sopacko but with a focus on entrées
Cons
- Lacks means of heating
- No visible expiration dates
- Low calorie content per entrée
Contains:
- White Chicken in Alfredo Sauce with Pasta
- Cheese Tortellini in Tomato Sauce
- Pizza Slice with Pepperoni
- Beef Ravioli in Meat and Textured Soy Protein Sauce
- Vegetable Lasagna
- Chili-mac Macaroni and Beef in Sauce
- Beef Taco Filling
- Penne with Vegetable Sausage Crumbles in Spicy Tomato Sauce
- Spaghetti with Meat and Textured Soy Flour Sauce
Captain Dave’s is highly rated within the MRE world, and I really can’t figure out why.
All you’re getting here is the entrees – no means of heating. That’s fine, but I just think if that’s the route you want to go, why not choose something that not only lasts longer but tastes better too?
Opening the box, I realized…these were the exact same meals found within the Sopacko MREs.
They just miss all the other extra additions. It’s all entrée here.
My take: if you like Captain Dave’s recipes but in a full MRE package, just buy Sopacko.
It’s the same thing.
I found it slightly frustrating that there weren’t any expiration dates on anything.
While you can estimate a couple of years, it would be nice to know exactly when these expire.
As far as nutrition, soy was present in every meal — though there weren’t any ingredients listed for the white chicken in alfredo sauce.
Each entrée averages 263 calories. You’re not getting a lot of calories for your money here.
Frankly, I’d skip Captain Dave and go with the Sopacko.
Based on our MRE taste test, Mountain House and ReadyWise earned the top spots with all-around great taste and convenience.
Final Thoughts
But, really, most of these MREs would do the trick in a survival situation. And some may be suited to your situation more than others.
Regardless of your situation, proper food storage is an absolute must. Some MREs can easily help you meet that goal.
Stick with our findings, and I think you’ll be sure to find your winner.
Are there other brands out there you think we should try? Let us know in the comments below! For more meal content, check out the 7 Best Survival & Camping Food Brands & Kits or for cheaper options, check out how to DIY your own MREs.
32 Leave a Reply
Disappointing that you reviewed Sopakco Low Sodium MRE's against the regular varieties. Sopakco MRE's use the same components as Military MRE's as they are a military contractor. The Sopakco civilian MRE's are quality products and often only vary in the packaging and mix provided in each case.
You have to go old school and put the main course down the small of your back while on patrol. Then when you break, it’s nice and warm from your body heat. We used to do this when patrolling the Czech & East German borders, especially in the winter when your MRE would freeze.
Do yourself a favor. Go to YouTube, type in Steve1989MREinfo and watch in wonder. He has over a million subscribers and eats military MRE's from all over the globe. He eats newer and older ones, some as old as WW1. It's fascinating and he is a walk encyclopedia of MRE knowledge. You'll find yourself binging on his videos.
WOW! You all missed the best Outdoor high calorie, to die for, awesome food on this planet. the packaging has a 5 year shelf life which is good enough for me. The food is AMAZING!! Sspecially if you want flavor, low sodium, no chemicals and real food. It's freeze dried, High protein and out of this world. HOW in the world did you NOT add this companies products to your testing??
Well allow me Open your minds because once you have eaten their food, there is no going back to the other crap out there. Not if you like real food.
Peak Refuel
CHERYL, WHAT IS THE BRAND OF THE FOOD YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT? ALSO WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE & DO THEY HAVE A 2 PERSON FAMILY ASSORTMENT. THANKS, BOB :-)
Would lie to see a review of 4Patriots and My Patriot Supply offerings. Thanks.
I also. I recently purchased three of their four week kits. I thought they were the best.
How about lactose free? Way too much cheese in these things.
Some of the items listed are NOT MREs. If you have to add water, they’re not MREs. By definition, an MRE is a “meal ready to eat.”
I believe the MRE's just need water for heating. I ate C-Rations when I joined the Army. Then we switched to MRE's later. You can eat either cold, but MRE's were definitely better if you couldn't heat them up.
Also, I believe MRE's have a shelf life of 5 years.
Some of the original MRE's were dehydrated, Pork Fritter with Potato Patty for one. I obviously survived it. Tasted like dried cat food with a solid chunk of old french fries. Ate it as is, sipping from a canteen. These were the ones which put off the army from freeze dried for a long time.
There are some mistakes I will never repeat again, I have been married 49 years.
Passing along some info an Airmen gave me last time I was on the local AFB, but Epicenter is a website that sells MRE's if you don't want to buy from Amazon. I believe they sell equal parts pre-packaged MREs and the components so you can mix and match to your hearts content.
Also, while not an MRE thing, be sure to have things like Liquid IV around. Those things are awesome.
Hi there. There is definitely a need for your article. However, I am surprised by the low quality of your selections. it's sad. I do not purchase any of your choices. I want healthy, tasty, and organic. I purchase Numanna organics, Nutristore Foods, and Northwest Fork, as well as freeze-dried fruits and vegetables from North Bay Trading Company, and keep tons of fresh dried bean varieties on hand from Rancho Gordo in Napa Valley. Nutrition, flavor, as well as longevity, is important. If we have to survive on MRE-style foods for more than a few days, calories alone will not cut it if the food is filled with sickening artificial ingredients and is low density nutrition relying on carbs to fill a surviors stomach. Many of the companies you posted have artificial flavors and chemical preservatives that are not good for anyone's health. There are zero organic ingredients in these suggested companies' products and a lot of filler crap. That's not survival, that's an early trip to the grave. There are so many better choices for all the right reasons, why choose junk that lines the pockets of the producers but makes the prepper feel like crap, and does not have enough nutrients, and makes a person feel sick if they eat it every day? Balance is key. balance of what a budget can afford and quality of ingredients needed to stay alive and also feel good.
A mix of MREs and Dehydrateds. Personally I prefer Dehydrated as they weigh a lot less, and generally taste better than MREs. Every MRE I've tried tastes like the Chef dumped a bottle of One-A-Day vitamins into it, and a week of eating them makes you as constipated as an owl.
So as long as water isn't an issue o my trek, I'll take Dehydrated every time.
Good review of the options out there. The biggest drawback or hurdle of either option, is the expense. Cases never go down in price, only up.
Okay poop hits the fan people burn more calories trying to survive bring on the various MRE's.
My wish is that they list how many meals per carton not just telling me how many pouches per box. I eat 2600-2700 calories a day something tells me I could rip thru more than 1 or 2 pouches a day trying to sustain myself.
If we are talking end of the world, great, whatever has longest shelf life and most calories. If we are talking electricity loss for a few weeks, then I want to stay as low carb as I live now. Would like caloric breakdowns carbs, fats, protein, To better help make choice.
Can you add "My Patriot Supply" MRE's to your list to test or compare? Thanks
Ok... So well and good.
but what happens to all of this if nothing ever happens?
I am not a mormen, but grew up in the sf bay area, and always had something set aside if the big one hit. but now at age 61, some of these new style "storage/camping foods" will out live me. but after i die anyone finding my "stash of things" will be in hog heaven for some time.
To one like me HEALTH is better then some other things, i can not eat salt. i know people who must avoid sugar. and some out here get bad sick from msg. and then soy is just a very bad cheep c**p food substitute.
yes i have stocked up on (my choice of) caned and dried foods . but it is only part of a meal/diet.
i have eaten some of the mt house, and the salt does not over kill the taste, or dry out my lips. (something salt does to me) I hate the salt on the fry's at the junk food places, heck even a baked potato rolled in salt messes up my insides. but yes salt is in my storage vault.
not heard of this hawaii stuff. will need to check them out.
Thanks for the info..will look into..be safe everyone..
Many people have special dietary needs, such as diabetics or those where the high carb count and sodium alone in these would be dangerous in a short time. Looking higher protein/carb ratio is what MANY people need over junk food.
For those that plan ahead there are far more cost effective ways and lots of them to circumvent the use and cost of MRE's. I can pack a cooler, just for size reference, that would last me alone 2 weeks depending on variables. (Water not included, but also planned for.) Not eating good, but eating and surviving.
Nothing wrong with the MRE's etc, but they are very pricey and not everyone can pop for a serious quantity of those. In 70 in Nam I was eating C-rats packed the day I was born in 54 and they were edible and made a terd. Today's MRE's are much better and again, if you are fine with the cost, stock up.
I always tell forward thinking folks to not forget their pets when it comes to food and water. My big dog if he plays a couple times a day can consume 3/4 gallon in one 24 hour period.
Had to giggle, but no sane person is going to care about a dash of MSG that's been cleared by the FDA for decades, or any other "healthy eating" guidelines under a SHTF situ. Can't fight, build, plant, heal or repair on an empty stomach. You'd want high fat with protein. In a forced SHTF you would need energy to attend to a whole new list of work items every day to survive. I would advise some Wally World Equate hi-potency multi-vitamins/minerals, and are better than nothing despite their iffy absorption and value. Pain meds too. Only thing to prevent consuming some MSG should be if you have a known problem or reaction to it, and very few do. In a real SHTF unless the reactions were nasty, I'm eating.
Just got a flat of the more expensive brand (today is 4-25-21) of spaghetti and meatballs in sauce and the outdate on the can was 12-2023, and I know for a fact are good for at LEAST 6 years after that stored in a cool dry basement. Entire flat, 12 cans, with protein, carbs, fat, all with excellent support for work, stress, energy, healing needs cost $14. Aldi has good pork and beans at 59 cents a can that is very healthy and lasts a decade on a shelf.. Blue food grade 55 gallon drums of water high on the list. You DO NOT drink water caught off your roof, as the Giardia and other diseases in it from bird and mouse and critter droppings on your roof could easily kill you in a SHTF situ in several ways.
The maker of that spaghetti and meatballs is Chef Boyardee - and some of you may know they were one of the companies making the early C-rats in their infancy. They KNOW about food storage.
I didn't find it that interesting but you can easily download the Mormon Guide To Food Storage online free. Part of the Mormon belief system is they ALL have one YEAR of food stored, per person!
Good article, well done. Thanks Aden!
Well, if you get cramps and diarrhea with MSG, it's really important to know which MRE's have MSG, otherwise you're worse off.
Looking for the pallet type 6-month to 1 year options buy once cry once keep it packed away and then keep my home canned and dehydrated foods I make myself for daily eating.... where did all the pallets gooooo? Costco used to have a hell of a deal and it was nutristore and Augason Farms used to have an option too but I can’t seem to find them anymore.
Amazon has some Augason Farms items.
None of these companies "get it." You can make your own ready to eat meals that are vastly superior and that actually fit dietary restrictions.
I've found Valley Foods to be great quality with no additives. Give a try if you get the time.
If you are just storing food at your house waiting for the next pandemic or quarantine event just go to Costo or Sam's Club: Spam, canned chicken, canned tuna, canned beef (if you are lucky enough to find it), spaghetti (best carb food density in your pantry) salt pepper and other multi-seasoning like Adobo, etc. Add a large can of multivitamins to make up for lack of veg. Optional: Olive Oil, Canned tomato paste and other canned foods. Just rotate these out ever 2-3 years as they are easy to us in normal cooking. I'm still eating vintage Obama era 2016 tuna today and it tastes fine in tuna salad and tuna melts. That will go a long way and you will not need to pay a premium for so called pepper foods - buy those 10+ year buckets for your underground bunker.
That's what I do. If you don't have to CARRY them,canned goods are the way to go. Imho. But I'll probably never need to "bug out" either.
Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) are Ready to Eat.
As Is.
You can eat them cold, they're fully cooked, no need to add anything.
The heaters only warm the food, they don't cook it.
Freeze-dried foods (Mountain House) are NOT MREs.
They cannot be eaten as is, so they aren't Ready to Eat.
You have to add water to reconstitute the food.
They are precooked, but are NOT Ready to Eat.
Simple concept, poor choice of terminology.
Well said.
Thank you for clarifying for the non-veterans who read this.
I remember when MREs were new to the military...we still had vast amounts of C-rations (the little OD green cans in a cardboard box) in the supply chain at the time. The more recent MREs are light years better than the intitial ones. And the initial ones were light years ahead of C-rations, IMHO.
As to the comment in the article about Captain Dave’s only being the entrees. It’s common in the military to “strip” your MREs. Meaning open the bag, take everything out and “cherry pick” what you’re willing and able to carry on top of your basic load of gear. Most of us went light on food, heavy on ammo and water. So entrees, peanut butter, cheese, the trail mix packages and maybe a dessert or two, perhaps a single heater but usually not. The rest got left behind. That’s all in your ruck and in your pockets for ready access.
But you can eat freeze dried food without reconstituting it with water. You're just gonna end up really thirsty.