Homemade MREs, no really....

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by DKR, Mar 6, 2019.


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  1. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    You can tel when Don is watching too many U Toob videos. There is a fellow that does reviews of MREs - well, military rations, actually. ( Steve Thomas. His YouTube channel, Steve1989 MREinfo)

    I found it interesting that many non-US rations were basically commercial canned food with some minor items added (utensils, Esbit stores, etc). and packed to .mil standards.

    The meals run from a single meal - Breakfast, lunch and dinner. - to a '24 hour' ration with all three in a single package. Weight runs from under 2 lbs to over 4 pounds.

    Multiple Vendors will sell you several kinds of US MRE components. What fun is that?

    So, how about your ideas on 'homemade MREs?

    Ground rules:
    Has to be ready to eat. . Heating can make it more palatable, but is not needed for consumption that is, no cooking required. So, for example, Minute Rice, no - retort pouch rice, OK.
    .
    Minimum calories per day is 2,500 cal. More, of course if fine.
    Must have:
    an entree,
    a side (say, veggies),
    a bread item (crackers are OK),
    a 'desert' item . some kind of drink mix - dry coffee or teabags are fine.
    Finally, a 'snack' item (or two) for in-between.

    ANy food item should be able to handle being frozen. I'm not fussing about heat as nearly every food is degraded by hot storage condx..

    Storage - perhaps a 1 gallon ZopLoc bag.

    Anyone wanna play?

    [​IMG]
    I lg pkg of trail mix
    4 Jiff peanut butter minis (goes in soup) (250 Calories per mini)
    Dry soup x 4 and Clif bars x4
    Large pkg of Wet Ones
    coffee packets, 2 sugars and some gum
    4 black tea bags (can also be considered p/o FAK)
    1 pack MRE matches, the white container (seen below) is an Advil 'travel size' tube with strike anywhere matches.

    Stove module
    [​IMG]
    Esbit stove, w/ six heat tabs Modified to hold any of these pots or canteen cup I had 6 tabs, I also have an add-on kit for the stove left in car - with 24 additional heating tabs. Foil = extra wind-break.

    This Chow is is to ensure nobody goes to bed hungry.

    Your take?
     
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  2. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    When I was a kid, a can of chipped beef and Hard biskits and Jerkey was our MRE!
    Now days I might add a can of easy cheese to go along with it! Times have changed, mostly for the better in food preservation. I would definitely do high protean bars and granola with peanut butter! A small sack of almonds, and sun flower seeds! Add a couple cans of salmon and or tuna and your liven good!
     
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  3. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Yeah, it's pretty easy now... even the tuna cans got pop-tops so you don't even need an can opener. Soup, chili is the same...Spam too! There is a lot that stores well and is easy to pack and eat...only problem is all those empty cans rattling when you pack them out.
     
  4. Ura-Ki

    Ura-Ki Grampa Monkey

    LOL, you ain't kidding!
    I crush the ones i'm not going to re use, at least they pack smaller that way! Pack them in leafs, moss, or needles, at least they don't make as much of a racket, and you can use the greenery for other things!
     
  5. sec_monkey

    sec_monkey SM Security Administrator

    yall be :cautious: :cautious: them pop-tops can get damaged more easily
     
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  6. Gray Wolf

    Gray Wolf Monkey+++

    They're convenient, but don't tolerate any rough handling. I used to keep some in the semi truck for emergencies, and when I needed one, I found it spoiled because the seal got broke. Fortunately I had other stuff to eat, so it was a learning experience.
     
  7. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    Hard to beat spam, chili, beans, tomatoes, crackers, tuna, etc in cans or dry, and I add minute rice, oatmeal packets, cous cous, dry soup packets, etc. Canned and dry are good ready to eat, but with rocket stove and canteen cup, a little rice with the tuna sure fills you up better. All good to carry in truck, on foot the weight of the canned food has its limits. A lot of retort food out there now and reasonable, don't know how long it would store or how rugged the packaging. I love the Japanese miso soups, add hot water and eat, but high in salt and limited calories, but they sure do spice up rice.
     
  8. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    @DKR where do you get your heating tabs? I saw some on Amazon but they are not the same. I want the individually wrapped ones.
     
  9. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    I didn't hear anyone mention P-38s or P-51 can openers or just a small basic swiss army knife for opening cans.
     
  10. john316

    john316 Monkey+++

    they can pop coming home in the shopping bag if you are not careful.....
     
  11. john316

    john316 Monkey+++

    does anyone know of a brand of CHILI...CANNED, WITH ALL OF THE "meat" real meat
     
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  12. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    I will think on this some more. I carry tuna in a foil packet in my purse, I don't leave it in the car. Heat gets it. I have also put almond butter in snack size Ziploc bag with celery. If you don't take the celery you can just cut a corner off the bag and squeeze the peanut or almond butter out of the zip lock bag.

    I do carry dried nuts every day in a snack pack along with figs or dried blueberries or raisins
     
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  13. RouteClearance

    RouteClearance Monkey+++

    I find that Hormel and Wolf Brand Chili with no beans has the most amount of meat.
     
  14. oldman11

    oldman11 Monkey+++

    Tuna in your purse??
     
  15. john316

    john316 Monkey+++

    the foil packet of tuna LOOKS weak for storage and transport...
    i like the look and size of spam in foil....but it also looks weak for transport.....BUT...you can protect it in an ammo box
    say you have an ammo box of foil spam.....it is protected from sharps, bugs, rats...............what is the storage life.....what happens if i store it in a car in florida
     
  16. tacmotusn

    tacmotusn RIP 1/13/21

    to store your food in ammo can in florida or other hot climate, use a larger ammo can with the following inside modifications; cardboard wrapped with aluminum foil cut to fit bottom, and top, place one in bottom,save other for just under lid later. cardboard wrapped with foil to come within 3/8th inch of top of can. waffle foam or styrofoam, close fit in bottom, then same foam ends and sides to within 1.25 inch of top. cut a piece of foam to fit snug to foil covered cardboard upper sides/end. place food in can, next top foam, then foil cardboard top piece. close can and date and label. change out and use contents every 12 to 18 months to keep fresh. so far this has worked for me with no spoilage or damage. got a small bag of cut pieces of foam for filling empty spaces in ammo can if necessary to keep it tight fit inside.
     
  17. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    I got the bulk of mine at the local Exchange on base.

    REI carries these as well.
     
  18. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    I'm going to hit the local store to see what I can cobble together. The hardest to find item(s) will likely be some kind of bread item that won't get crushed by the rest of the Chow.

    I'm also looking for an entree (about 300 grams) for the main item, with other filler items - veggies will be difficult. fruit will be easy.

    Gong to do a '24 hour' pack - seems to be the route most .mil folks are going these days.

    Urban exploring at the grocery store - wonder what I'll find....
     
  19. Bishop

    Bishop Monkey+++

    When I was in I trained with a lot of different militarys from all over when I was with the spanish army they had a tube of white stuff that when mixed with water was like a sweet milk.

    Most had beans sardines hummus hard crackers
     
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  20. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    I guess you could use pilot great or communion wafers?

    The Koreans make a hard tack out of barley but idk how to make it.

    Are you looking for store bought?
     
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