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Tag: MRE

  • Unboxing Two MRE Cases: MRE Case A (10/27 Inspection Date) and MRE Halal Case (6/27)

    I decided to dig into these two MRE cases that I bought last year: an MRE Case A (Menus 1-12) with an inspection date of 10/27 and an MRE Halal Meals case with an inspection date of 6/27.

    Both temperature reaction stickers were in good condition with no center shading.

    As shown below, I was surprised to see that the cases were not sized the same. The Halal Meals case was about 16 5/8″ long, but the standard MRE case A was about an inch shorter at 15 5/8″. The compression of the standard MRE meals explains the smaller box size, but as I’ll explain below, this spoiled some meal components in the standard case.

    MRE Case A (10/27)

    I was disappointed by this case for two reasons. First, there was one substitution from Case B menu options as listed below instead of my favorite: Menu 6: Beef Taco. Second, compacting some MRE menus to save space caused those menu’s jelly packs to explode and spoil those individual meal components–thankfully, there the contamination was limited to just those items and not the entree.

    This Case A had these menus and substitutions:

    • Menu 1: Chili with Beans
    • Menu 2: Chicken Stir Fry
    • Menu 3: Chicken Egg Noodles and Vegetables in Sauce
    • Menu 4: Spaghetti with Beef and Sauce
    • Menu 5: Chicken Chunks, White, Cooked
    • Menu 7: Beef Strips in a Savory Tomato Sauce
    • Menu 8: Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
    • Menu 9: Beef Stew
    • Menu 10: Chili and Macaroni
    • Menu 11: Pizza Slice, Cheese
    • Menu 12: Elbow Macaroni in Tomato Sauce
    • Menu 22: Beef Goulash

    As shown below, this was my first case with combination brown plastic with clear plastic backing. Perhaps this helps with inspections?

    I’ve already eaten the Beef Goulash, Chicken Chunks, Beef Strips in Tomato Sauce, Chicken Egg Noodles, and Meatballs in Marinara Sauce. All were tasty, but I did add extra tomato sauce to the Beef Strips and Meatballs, both of which I ate as a soup with bread.

    MRE Halal Meals (6/27)

    Each menu in the MRE Halal case was in a clear plastic bag. These are the menus included:

    • Halal Chicken Stew
    • Halal Chicken and Vegetables
    • Halal Beef Stew
    • Halal Saag Chole with Lamb
    • Halal Lentil Stew with Lamb
    • Halal Cherry Rolled Oats with Almond Flavor
    • Halal Vegetable Barley Stew with Lamb
    • Halal Lentils and Masala Sauce
    • Halal Saag Chole
    • Halal Jalfrazi with Lamb
    • Halal Beef Goulash
    • Halal Vegetable Barley Stew

    I’ve already eaten the Saag Chole (with Italian Breadsticks from a standard MRE case menu) and the Cheery Rolled Oats with Almond Flavor. I enjoyed both very much!

    I’m looking forward to trying the other Halal menus as the reputation of these having good, strong flavors is warranted.

  • Remember to Ventilate Your Flameless Ration Heater When In an Enclosed Space

    water-activated mre heater warming an elbow macaroni in tomato sauce entree inclined on a window's sill and next to open window

    While its instructions state that “When ten or more heaters are used inside a vehicle or shelter, ensure the ventilation system is operating or a top hatch or door is open,” it gives me peace of mind to let my flameless ration heater (a water-activated magnesium, iron, and salt chemical heating device for MREs) do its thing on my supper next to a cracked window when I’m indoors as part of its reaction produces hydrogen. Also, it pays to remember that these things get HOT!

  • Vegetarian With a Kick: Mexican Style Rice and Bean Bowl MRE Menu 14

    brown MRE pouch

    Yesterday, I enjoyed MRE Menu 14: Mexican Style Rice and Bean Bowl from Case B. After teaching one class and spending an hour in the library archives pulling materials for a graduate student from the City Tech Science Fiction Collection, I was ready for some sustenance before teaching my evening class. This MRE hit the spot!

    brown MRE pouch next to its contents in a clear plastic pouch

    Menu 14 includes the following items clockwise from the top left:

    • Carboard Sleeve
    • Mexican Style Rice and Bean Bowl Entree
    • Pretzel Nuggets Honey Mustard & Onion Flavor
    • Crackers
    • Peanut Butter
    • Beverage Pouch
    • Water-activated Heater
    • Spoon
    • Crushed Red Pepper
    • Chocolate Protein Drink Powder
    • First Strike Nutritious Energy Bar Cran-Raspberry Flavor
    • Accessory Packet (Coffee, Creamer, Sugar, Artificial Sweetener, Salt, Moist Towelette, TP)
    plastic and foil pouches of food from an MRE

    I tried the rice and beans before adding the crushed red pepper, and I liked the flavor as is and saved the pepper for later. I didn’t try any of the sides of this MRE, because I also brought some dessert from home. I’ll mix-and-match the sides with other MREs in the future.

    open pouch of MRE entree: rice and beans

  • Canned-Style Comfort Food in MRE Menu 18: Beef Ravioli in Meat Sauce

    Last week, I brought MRE Menu 18: Beef Ravioli in Meat Sauce (from a 3/25 inspection date Case B) to work so that I could have dinner quickly between my first class followed by office hours and then my evening class. I was so hungry that I didn’t take pictures of the contents. Suffice to say that it was tasty and filling, and I saved some of the sweets for later.

    Menu 18 included these items:

    • Cardboard sleeve
    • Beef Ravioli in Meat Sauce entree pack
    • Italian Bread Sticks
    • Cheese Spread
    • M&M’s
    • Water-activated heater
    • Accessory Pack (gum, matches, coffee, sugar, sweetener, creamer, and TP)
    • Carbohydrate Electrolyte Beverage Powder: Fruit Punch
    • Spoon
    • Recovery Bar, Salted Caramel Marshmallow Crisp
    • Tabasco Sauce in Glass Bottle

    The Tabasco Pepper Sauce was the real prize in this MRE. I haven’t received a Tabasco Sauce bottle in years from the many cases that I’ve purchased. Apparently, they had been removed for about a decade before being re-implemented shortly before the MRE case this menu pouch came from was produced. So, I should have some more Tabasco to look forward to as I work my way through this case!

    For my dinner that night, I ate the Italian Break with Cheese Spread and the Ravioli in Meat Sauce. The ravioli remind me of miniaturized Chef Boyardee in a pouch instead of a can. I saved the Recovery Bar for another day–maybe a long hike. I’ve already enjoyed the M&M’s mixed with some peanuts and raisins for trail mix.

    While MREs’ main function is ready nutrition, its morale function via its nostalgic, tasty, and sweet contents can’t be understated.

  • Two Desserts for the Price of One: MRE Menu 24, Southwest Style Beef and Black Beans

    sealed mre in thick plastic bag

    A few nights ago, I dug into another of my MRE favorites–Menu 24: Southwest Style Beef and Black Beans from the B Case (packed 3/22 with 3/25 inspection date) that I opened recently. The entree has a mild spicy flavor and the beef, beans, corn, and sauce work well together. As I’ve noticed in some recent cases, the tortillas are stuck together. The trick to loosen them up is to heat them with the supplied water-activated heater or microwave them (removed from the pouch, of course) for 10 seconds or so. The reason that I titled this post two desserts for the price of one is that this MRE includes Cherry Blueberry Cobbler and Applesauce Pound Cake. All around, this is a very tasty meal!

    Menu 24 includes clockwise from the upper left:

    • Southwest Style Beef and Black Beans entree pouch
    • Cardboard sleeve
    • Cherry Blueberry Cobbler pouch
    • Applesauce Pound Cake
    • Hot Beverage Bag
    • Water-activated Heater
    • Beverage Base Lemonade
    • Spoon
    • Accessory Pack
    • Cheese Spread
    • Beef Stick
    • Tortilla, Chipotle

    The Accessory Pack included clockwise from the upper left:

    • Bill’s Brew Freeze Dried Coffee
    • Creamer, Nno-Dairy, Dry
    • Sugar
    • Zero Calorie Sweetener
    • Iodized Salt
    • Chewing Gum
    • Moist Towelette
    • TP

    To make my meal, I emptied the Southwest Style Beef and Black Beans into a bowl and microwaved it for 60 seconds.

    Then, I spooned it out onto the chipotle-flavored tortillas and added cheese on top of the beef.

    For dessert, I microwaved the cherry blueberry cobbler for 30 seconds in a bowl.

    I enjoyed the applesauce pound cake as is out of the pouch!