Contributors to this thread:
After seeing cityhunter's photo of his "blueberry vomit" MRE on the other dried food thread, I may never try one, ever. But I know some of you guys swear by them, so how about posting your opinions of the best and worst MREs?
Eat them daily for a few months and there's no such thing as "best". Lol
Personally, I can't stand them but they do provide a meal if that's all you have.
To me, they are heavy, produce way to much trash and all taste the same.
use the cheese and the hot sauce, they're all the same...
I've eaten part of one. Never again.
they all suck. Dehydrate good food or find the suitable mountain house stuff.
You all must have never been hungry. There were days that I looked forward to getting back to chow.
Cold MRE's suck, but are tolerable. Warm, it's just a meal. Either way, just treat it as fuel, and move on.
The only MRE I had a problem with was the omlette. I lost desire to eat when I had to pour the water out of the bag once I opened it. I guess I just wasn't that hungry that day.
They aren't that bad.Ive had them at a few elk camps where we road camped.I would never pack them in,too heavy
After eating chilimac for 60 days straight, I will eat a MRE over that stuff any day, bon appetite! Dave
Never in the Military but was attached as a civilian a couple times. Most MREs I couldn't stand and went without eating more than once. My "favorite" had to be Ham Slices, and Pork Patties. They actually were pretty good compared to some of the others.
After eating chilimac for 60 days straight, I will eat a MRE over that stuff any day, bon appetite! Dave
I've eaten a lot fighting wildland fires over the years. I usually always ate them cold. Some of the veggie ones have some of the best sides.
I personally don't think there is a bad one. But I'm not picky.
Captain chicken was probably my favorite. But I don't think they make those anymore.
Pork spare ribs probably...but rib-eye steak and tri-tip are also very good.....MRE does stand for "Meaty Restaurant Entrée"....right???....Yes, I have led a sheltered life !!
Joe
Omelette is the worst I remember. Chicken all king I remember being fond of along with the ham slice and some type of bbq pork thing but it's been quite a few years for me. The crackers and jelly/peanut butter were good along with the dried fruit and desserts. Don't ever save the Charms!
Ate them on a weeklong drop camp deer hunt. We looked forward to them each evening. We had rules including you can pick your meal every night but can't have the same one twice. The Vegeburger was actually pretty good and came with mexican mac and cheese which was really good.
Mixed bag, just curious- why would you eat something like that when truck camping on an elk hunt? When I truck camp I have things like rib eye, cheeseburgers, bacon wrapped shrimp, pork chops.
Its been a long time since I've eaten MREs, back in my boy scout days but from what I remember they were something you'd eat as an alternative to starvation. Like after the apocalypse when all the dogs and rats have been consumed.
I can't remember a single good one.
Lou if you cook like that when you hunt, your welcomed at our camp any time you want! Dave
Jaquomo- I went to Montana with mixed bag back in 2011. I tried to get him to go to a good steakhouse or seafood place after our hunt before we came back. We ended up getting pizza at a local dive way out in the middle of nowhere. I was surprised there was even a pizza place in that tiny town(don;t even think there was a traffic light ;-) He didn;t even eat much on the way out or way back. Food ain't high on his priority list! ;-)
Why eat that crap when there are delicious products available? Reminds me of standing in line for two hours to be served Beenie weenies.
Oh chit... is that true mixedbag? I'm a food connoisseur. My stomach is proof. Anytime I'm near the water it's all seafood. Inland it's steak or whatever the local specialty is as long as I'm not in Mexico.
I can live on Mountain House no problem but if there's a snowball's chance in hell of bringing fresh food for the first few days of a hunt I'm all about it.
The weight limit including passengers on that Beaver DeHaviland is like 1350 pounds! Yep.... room for a ribeye a chicken & some salmon I'd say.
WYOBIRDDOG- MH Chili Mac is lethal. I cannot stand myself after eating that stuff. (And I have tolerated my existence for 49 years!). I think Saddam Hussein fed his troops MH Chili Mac in an effort to kill his enemies.
I am interested in MRE's recommendations also. (For truck camping). I like the simplicity. I can pop in a heater and do camp and post hunt tasks while supper is heating.
No cold MRE's or MH meals. I am on a hunting trip. Not in a Russian gulag.
Truck camping:
Back then - crap food, hot dogs, Snickers, Pringles, beer, canned peaches.
Mid-life - Tiny propane grill and Coleman propane stove. Delicious fresh food of all sorts. Grilled steaks, steamed fresh veggies, corn on the cob, potatoes, rice, etc... Still my setup for weekend trips.
Later life (now) - 14' go-anywhere camp trailer with stove, oven, fridge, freezer. Whatever I want that tastes great, is nutritious, easy to make while prepping for the next morning's hunt.
No reason to eat prison food in a base camp unless you've spent enough time in the joint to develop a taste for it, or if your wife is such a terrible cook that MREs are an upgrade.
+ on the lethality of Chili Mac. Dear Lord!
Mule Power- he may have changed a bit since then, but I wouldn't count on it! ;-)
I'm like you, I can eat MH all week while hunting. But at some point, I want a good meal! :)
MRE's are ok, but like some have said, too much weight for backpacking.
I was given a bunch by my brother-in-law when he was in the National Guard. He would take all the ones that nobody liked, or were abandoned when real food was available and bring them home. Only one I remember as being really good was some kind of mexican enchilada dinner.
Another thumbs down on Chili Mac. I've woken myself up in the night from the stench.
Z,
Don't subject yourself to an MRE. Just pre make some meals in a ziplock bag. Throw the bag in boiling water and let them heat whilst you complete the nightly chores.
You'll thank me.
They are all good except for the egg omelet. That thing is like eating snot. I prefer mres to mountain house for day trips. I don't need to expend my water to hydrate the food and they come with everything you need. One or two days out its mres. Amything longer dried food.
When I was in the Marines we could get them for like $20 per case(officers had to buy theirs). I have never had one I couldn't choke down, but I can't say I ever had one I liked either.
heat packs work good !!Lou Blktail Bob was shocked how good they were esp the pound cake and Brownies!!
After my meal is done the heat packs make a good boot dryer
Nick is correct on the trash ! heavy i dont see that MH u need a stove and water and fuel to eat that sawdust !
Nick is correct on the trash ! heavy i dont see that MH u need a stove and water and fuel to eat that sawdust !
MRE's are misunderstood. I have enjoyed them wit good friends for a lot of years. They supply all you need to survive but they are designed to be supplemented by local items. A bit of small game cooked with any MRE makes it better. Adding fiddle head ferns or a local green really cheers them up at camp. Change your focus and you will enjoy this meal base.
Nobody mentioned making MRE bombs. However many years ago Natick labs change the heating components eliminating or making it difficult to make the MRE bombs.
I just eat them from time to time because I like them. I usually keep a few in my truck to give to that Will Work For Food guy at the intersection. I have quite a few left over from the last hurricane.
Hey, let you borrow my P38 if you give me your Maple Nut Bar! Wish I had a quarter for every time I made that deal back in basic:)
City, an MRE is fine dining for Bob compared to what he usually eats :)
Jaquomo knows how to hunt. I'm with him dudes. I like the steaks and bacon and eggs and oatmeal and spaghetti dinners , Roast cooked in the Dutch oven with onions potatoes carrots and some apples or cabbage. Some barbeque mmmmmmm I want to go huntin./
God bless, Steve
Jacuomo,my partner brought them and no sense wasting food so that's what we ate instead of hot dogs/burgers ect.. Mulepower,I plan to eat good for the first 2-3 nights out there then it will be mountainhouse.Now I like a good steak before heading in for the week or 2.Pizza, I can eat everyday,but a good steak is close 2nd.Now when I road camp in Wy.,we have a coleman stove and eat a little better.I'm getting soft with age.But really,the MREs never bothered me.The chicken ala king is real good but would be dangerous to sleep in same tent with me afterwards Joe, I think its probably best to let you make out the food list or you may starve.I don't need much food,but won't fly in without some snickers bars
MRE's and mountain house both have good and bad meals depending on personal tastes. I never had a problem with MRE's until my heater failed when I was eating hash browns w/bacon after riding out a rain storm for 18 hours in a hammock...yuck! The next year I had a MSR stove and some mountain house meals. My favorite is snacking on the mre crackers & cheese paste.
BP
sixby we r talking about meals away from a base camp !!!
