Each individual MRE meal kit contains approximately 1200 calories and 1/3 of the military’s recommended amount of vitamins and minerals. It is important to note that the average citizen will not require the suggested 3 MRE meals a day to keep them sustained, particularly if they are not burning excessive calories. Depending on storage temperatures, the average shelf life for an MRE is 11 years.

MRE menus have come a long way from their humble beginnings in the 1970’s. There are now 24 different meals, including 4 vegetarian meals, to choose from. This range of menu items is bound to please even the most picky eater as it is the military's wish that its servicemen and women are well nourished while on duty.

Each MRE comes with an entrée, a side dish, bread or crackers with an accompanying jelly or spread, dessert, candy, hot and cold beverages, hot sauce or seasoning, an accessories packet, and a flameless ration heater. 2010 entrees vary from chicken pesto and pasta to cheese tortellini.

Although everything in an MRE pack can be eaten cold and right out of the individual pouches, it is highly recommended to take advantage of the flameless ration heater, as it enhances the flavor of the food. All that is required to heat your MRE is a small amount of water. This causes an environmentally friendly chemical reaction inside the pouch, causing the temperature of the water to rise rapidly, heating the food in 12 minutes.

If you are interested in MRE meals, you can purchase them online.  Below are auction items where you can buy military MRE cases at discount prices.

NEW!!! Army Military MRE Camping Meal Chicken & Noodles    US $.99

Case A Military MRE's Meals Ready to Eat Insp 2010    US $36.00

Cold Weather Meals Mre's    US $50.00

Fresh Sealed Case-B MRE's (Meals 13-24)Test Date 11/11    US $41.00

MRE- Military Rations- Meals Ready to Eat (Lot of 13)    US $22.50

MRE's Case A Meals 1-12 Insp-10/11 Good through 2018    US $39.00

MRE's Case B Meals 13-24 Insp 10/11 Good through 2018    US $39.00

UNOPENED BOXES OF CLASS B MILITARY MRE's    US $40.00

Military MRE Entree Minestrone Camping Food 2010 Sealed    US $.99

26 MRE Entres and Side Dishes in Packets    US $41.00

MILITARY MRE MRE'S SNACK CHEDDAR/NACHO CHEESE PRETZELS    US $1.75

Up to 25 cases MREs Meals Ready to Eat. Military Grade    US $65.00

View Page:   1  2  3  4  5

The ER Food Bar is prepackaged into a daily ration. Each ration provides 100% of the daily nutrients, vitamins and calories needed to survive an emergency. There is no cooking or preparation require. Emergency rations are specially formulated not to provoke thirst and come in a variety of flavors including lemon-vanilla. There is no cholesterol. For those having food allergies, emergency rations do not have nuts or tropical oils. ER Food Bars have a 5-year shelf life.

MREs have been used by the US Military for years. MREs have a shelf-life of five to eight years. Military MREs are, basically, field rations. However, todays MREs are distinctly different and better tasting than were the old C-Rations. A complete MRE meal will include an entrée, a desert, a snack, a side dish, crackers or bread, a beverage base and an accessory pack which includes instant coffee. MREs are best warmed but may be eaten cold. MREs are not a long-term storage food. The best use for an MRE is to be prepared for an emergency or disaster of short-term duration.  You can buy military MREs or try the various civilian MREs available which are just as good.

Freeze dried foods are generally pre-seasoned and pre-cooked. All that is needed to prepare freeze dried foods is to cook or to rehydrate the foods using hot water. Freeze dried foods are the easiest and fastest of the long-term food foods to prepare. Since most freeze dried foods are seasoned, they generally better taste than other emergency foods.

Dehydrated foods are either a single ingredient food or mix. A single ingredient food would be, for example, rice. Mixes include, for example, soups. The mixes have been seasoned and are a complete meal. However, most dehydrated foods are single ingredient food without any seasoning. Dehydrated foods need to be cooked. Water is added to rehydrate the raw food. Dehydrated food may be cooked either on a stovetop or by adding boiling water and allowing the food to steep. When using only boiling water to cook dehydrated food, preparing the dehydrated food will take much longer than would the freeze dried food because freeze dried food has been precooked. Dehydrated foods have a shelf life of at least 25 years.

CHILI_MAC - 6 PAK (same as 2+ Cans) DISASTER & CAMPING    US $33.94

NEW!!! Army Military MRE Camping Meal Chicken & Noodles    US $.99

Case A Military MRE's Meals Ready to Eat Insp 2010    US $39.00

Cold Weather Meals Mre's    US $50.00

Fresh Sealed Case-B MRE's (Meals 13-24)Test Date 11/11    US $41.00

MRE- Military Rations- Meals Ready to Eat (Lot of 13)    US $22.50

MRE's Case A Meals 1-12 Insp-10/11 Good through 2018    US $39.00

MRE's Case B Meals 13-24 Insp 10/11 Good through 2018    US $39.00

26 MRE Entres and Side Dishes in Packets    US $41.00

Up to 25 cases MREs Meals Ready to Eat. Military Grade    US $65.00

Very Fresh Case-A MRE's (Meals 1-12)Test Date 6/2012    US $46.00

2 Cases 24 MRE Genuine Military Meal FRESH 2011 SEALED    US $189.99

View Page:   1  2  3  4  5

Most survival experts say that in case of an emergency, you should have a kit prepared to provide you with food and shelter for the first 72 hours.  That is how long you are expected to hold out for until help arrives.  Looking around your house, if you were to be stuck in there without clean food or water, can you make it?  That is why you should have a clean source of drinking water available and emergency ration packs such as MRE meals ready to eat stocked up.

For drinking water, that is easy enough to get as you can buy gallons of pure bottled water.  For survival food supplies, there are many options such as canned food, freeze dried food or MRE meals.  All are excellent options in an emergency and it just depends on your preference of taste, storage and the convenience factor.

CHILI_MAC - 6 PAK (same as 2+ Cans) DISASTER & CAMPING    US $33.94

NEW!!! Army Military MRE Camping Meal Chicken & Noodles    US $.99

Case A Military MRE's Meals Ready to Eat Insp 2010    US $36.00

Cold Weather Meals Mre's    US $50.00

Fresh Sealed Case-B MRE's (Meals 13-24)Test Date 11/11    US $41.00

MRE- Military Rations- Meals Ready to Eat (Lot of 13)    US $22.50

MRE's Case A Meals 1-12 Insp-10/11 Good through 2018    US $39.00

MRE's Case B Meals 13-24 Insp 10/11 Good through 2018    US $39.00

26 MRE Entres and Side Dishes in Packets    US $41.00

Up to 25 cases MREs Meals Ready to Eat. Military Grade    US $65.00

Very Fresh Case-A MRE's (Meals 1-12)Test Date 6/2012    US $46.00

2 Cases 24 MRE Genuine Military Meal FRESH 2011 SEALED    US $189.99

View Page:   1  2  3  4  5  6

Obviously for canned foods, you will need to know where to find your can opener in an emergency.  Will you need to reheat it or can you eat it cold?  For freeze dried food, they can also come in cans or vacuum sealed bags for individual meal packs.  All you need to do is pour water and it tastes just like the original recipe.  For MRE meals, they also come in individual ration packs and if the pack calls for it, a flameless ration heater to eat up the entrée.  Regardless of what decision you make on emergency food supplies, these are also very good options for hiking, camping and backpacking for their convenience, portability, and being lightweight.  Also, let’s face it, sometimes it is also fun to eat out of your individual meal pack and explore the different menus.  Some of these are quite delicious to eat and families have even incorporated them into their regular meal plans.

While it is all fun and games to taste test the emergency rations, there comes a time when you have to decide what you should have in an emergency situation.  Do yourself a favor and be prepared for a crisis situation by having a disaster kit stocked in your house with MRE meals and freeze dried food cans and pouches available.