Reliable Sources for MREs

oremike · Feb 11, 2023

I liked C-Rats best over MRE's. And I am of the old school that said if you didn't like a menu item well then you just weren't hungry enough.

Koda · Feb 11, 2023

Cavedweller said:
There are good arguments for both. The advantage of MREs is just that - they are ready to eat. You don't need to have extra water available for cooking. Freeze dried foods may taste better and store longer, but in SHTF if the supply of water is an issue for any reason, whether seasonal or situational, they may not be practical. Having some of each is probably a good idea.

EDIT: Budget wise, tho, better alternatives can probably be found in the civilian market, such as common canned foods. Having a few MREs in the emergency kit in the car or bug out bag is not a bad idea, however.

Thats a good point about ready to eat and not needing water.
I think canned goods would be a cheaper and more tasty solution too. Dont canned goods last way longer than their stamped "best by" dates?

Koda · Feb 11, 2023

oremike said:
I liked C-Rats best over MRE's. And I am of the old school that said if you didn't like a menu item well then you just weren't hungry enough.

Somewhere theres a limit to this, I think. Im pretty certain Id die before eating bugs and worms and such.

Cavedweller · Feb 11, 2023

Koda said:
Thats a good point about ready to eat and not needing water.
I think canned goods would be a cheaper and more tasty solution too. Dont canned goods last way longer than their stamped "best by" dates?

Yes they do. As long as the can doesn't develop a bulge, indicating microbes growing inside, or get rusty, canned goods will last a long time. Also, dented cans are to be avoided as they might develop a pin hole. Usually, if problems develop in canned goods in long term storage, it's more often in canned fruit than anything else. So it's a good idea to keep an eye on those. But I had some canned soup in storage for 19 years, and the last can tasted just as good as the day it came from the market.

Koda · Feb 11, 2023

Cavedweller said:
Yes they do. As long as the can doesn't develop a bulge, indicating microbes growing inside, or get rusty, canned goods will last a long time. Also, dented cans are to be avoided as they might develop a pin hole. Usually, if problems develop in canned goods in long term storage, it's more often in canned fruit than anything else. So it's a good idea to keep an eye on those. But I had some canned soup in storage for 19 years, and the last can tasted just as good as the day it came from the market.

whew, good to know. I just ate a can of chili I found buried in the back of the pantry, expired in 2020....

Good to know about canned fruits though...