MRE's and fallacy of freeze dry.

[Rob A]

Mate of mine slipped me a couple of the Seppos' MRE packs.
OK, they weigh a bit.
But the saving in gas to heat them, and add the saving in water if you tramp where water is a premium....
I had hot meal in less than a minute (given that i had dropped the thermalte(???) packs out to get it on the plane) with my gas.
For the grams price, Im defintiely a convert, the yanks have got it right.
Paradigme shift.

[JohnM]

Unless you want to eat straight from the freezer bag, as I do.

In the bush, i avoid washing-up like the plague. Hate it. cooking and eating using the freezer bag/cozy combo is (for me) perfect. With MRE's I'd have to wash a pot afterwards. No thanks.

[photohiker]

You mean these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meal,_Ready-to-Eat ?

[phan_TOM]

For the grams price, Im defintiely a convert, the yanks have got it right

Not entirely, we used to get a few of these when I was in the navy and the galley wasn't open, they are pretty hit and miss. Some of the mains are almost inedible hence they were often referred to as Meals, Rarely Edible/Meals Ready to Expel amongst a whole range of other names, all derogatory (and many unfit for a family friendly forum such as this ). From memory my favourite was a chicken and apricot stew-like main (Note: stew-like...). Plus they come with a snack of some sort, a chocolate bar etc etc which was always a highlight.

[Orion]

the yanks have got it right.

The only "yanks" I know who eat these things are camo-wearing bozos. They really haven't made much of an impact on the average backpacker and certainly not the lightweight crowd. I've never even tasted one. A canned military meal?? Why not just centrifuge some hospital food and make bars out of it?

[Rob A]

Well, because the MREs are good these days, taste good, and are a darn sight better than the backcountry freeze dry. Plus no water, no time, both of which sometimes can be important. Bottom line, for not much weight, you can get a good meal in, cold, no gas no cookin, hot, just a tiny bit of gas, and you can do it quickly.
While I dont mean you need to run out and buy military supplies, you cant get em, but stuff like foiled tuna and salmon, or a pre cooked meat, add fresh veg and noodles or something to bulk compared is a pretty good alternative to the poison commercial, the home dessicated, porridge and scroggin vego lightweights.

[Rob A]

I've never even tasted one.

my favourite was a chicken and apricot

Heres me thinking youd have been doing raw fish and rum

[Orion]

Well, because the MREs are ... a darn sight better than the backcountry freeze dry.

That's a really low bar you're aiming to surmount. I'd add that MREs are probably tastier than dog or cat food (I'm about equally likely to some day taste any of the three).

Plus no water, no time, both of which sometimes can be important.

Granted, they have their place. But (with exceptions noted) 99.9% of trips for 99.9% of walkers, there is plenty of time to boil a little tucker and water is generally easy to come by.

I admit that I do take canned food on occasion, like small tins of fish or metal pouches of curries. But they are heavy luxury items, not staples.


What's the carry out weight of an MRE?

[phan_TOM]

Heres me thinking youd have been doing raw fish and rum

No that was our daily morning tea