Homemade MREs, no really....

I made these a couple of years ago. They are for two people for one day with about 2,400 calories per person per day. They weigh about 2.75 pounds each 7.5 pounds for two people for three days. I have one in my BOB (3rd menu) and two in a separate bag. I also have extra SOS bar in each bag. Alone, my BOB will supply 2400 calories for 3 days, if necessary. Both bags, three people 3 days. Coffee, tea and drink powder are stored in my camp stove. Not exactly home made but home assembled. They are in gallon zip locks. The granola contains milk powder and dried blue berries.

 

When it comes to chili meat it's strictly a "don't ask don't tell" situation. One of the reasons why I do have canned chili as part of my preps, but when I want chili makes my own.

 

Some things reaching back to my backpacking and mountaineering days:

• Italian dry salami will keep almost indefinitely without refrigeration before unwrapping (or for pre-sliced opening) and is good for a few days after that.
  
• Hard tack goes well with the salami and has more of a half life than a shelf life.
  
• Packaged pre-sliced pepperoni also doesn't require refrigeration until it's opened. I'd just plan on eating the package over the course of a day.
• I used to bring ramen noodles as they cook very quickly and can be eaten dry if needed.
• Cooked chicken ramen with a can of tuna added is actually quite tasty as well as filling.
• I never stress over salt content for this type of food. Odds are you will be doing a lot of sweating sp you will be better off with too much than not enough.
• A package of sweetened jello dissolved in hot water can make for a very quick breakfast. For what you get it's compact and light weight.
  
• Nut/candy/dried fruit mixes (AKA gorp) are also great for a handfull here or there.
  
• I'd personally toss in some of @Motomom34 's toilet paper pills in each "MRE" since meals tend to trigger evacuation.
  
• Last year I discovered the whole grain fig bars at Costco (note - they come in a variety pack, but none of the fruit is actually a fig). Very tasty, and the high fiber content is appreciated.

This is a thread I will be re-reading carefully as I'm reviewing my GHB.

 

@3M-TA3 presweetened hello is brilliant! do you make your own hard tack?

 

Naw, I buy what's still available in the grocery store and like the seasoned ones the best. Still lamenting the loss of Ry-Crisp. They have been working to bring it back for a few years, but there is some silly legal aspect that's been preventing it.

Forgot to put pemmican on my list. This is something I'm looking to try my hand at making. I can't do tough and chewy like jerky anymore since I went to dentures, so I'm looking at things I can make to replace them. If I make it I can control those aspects. I have had jerky in the past,though that was soft enough, soI need to try my hand at that as well.

The Jello was an evolution of sorts. In those days we carried the unsweetened packets of Kool-Aid with us so we could use it to make a distress signal in the snow or on a glacier. It's amazing how far you can stretch the dye in that stuff! Getting ready for a Mt Adams climb (just a somewhat vertically challenged hike that requires crampons and axes, but lots of fun as it's a fairly big mountain) I got the idea to bring some sweetened Jello along for a quick no muss no fuss breakfast and it could also be used as a dye. Why not sweetened Kool-Aid? Size, shape, and it had gelatin so at least a minimal nutritional value. It was also in the cupboard when I got ready the day before. Today I'd only drink the Jello in an emergency (I'm near 100% carb free) but that's kind of what an MRE is all about.

My body works so much better without carbs that I want to make a keto style MRE, so meats, cheeses (hard versions keep well), lots of nuts, etc.. I think I'd also add some vitamins and salt pills to my MRE's, since in use it's likely going to be in a stressful situation.

 

Have used jerky with dentures for 20 years or so. Place a few strips in a plastic bag or container with water and a beef bullion cube and let it reconstitute for an hour or so before you use it. Heated is best but even cold it beats a beef and gravy c-rat. If soaking makes it too bland just pull out one of your mini Tabasco bottles (ain't they handy?) and season them up. I'll add that hard tack is very simple to make in batches and can be seasoned with any number of dried spices you choose.

 

have you tried making hamburger jerky?

 

I'm going to try this soon! Never thought about soaking it.

Also, every time Mrs. 3M needs a Taco Bell fix I scoop up a bunch of their taco sauce packets just for camping and MRE's. Tabasco is better, but the packets are small and handy.

Excellent idea,I was also thinking about using it as a base for pemmican.

 

The rise and fall of Ry Krisp
That's how the cracker crumbles: Remembering Ry-Krisp as it ends

“The rye cracker category has declined in recent years, and sales of Ry-Krisp have fallen,” said Daniel Hare, a spokesman for ConAgra. The Nebraska food conglomerate acquired Ry-Krisp in 2013; the brand was just one piece of a massive deal to purchase the food holdings of Ralcorp, a descendant of Ralston Purina. “The brand is no longer a strategic fit for our portfolio".

Killed off by a massive Ag conglomerate.

There is still hope for the true lovers
Waiting for RyKrisp to Return – RyKrisp.com

Or you can buy Wasa crispbread...

 

Has anyone posted a recipe for pemmican here?

 

The Pemmican Manual
Making Pemmican pdf
Pemmican: The very portable high energy protein food

here are a few link @Marvin L. Steinhagen

 

@Motomom34 found some of the DR Krackers at the Free trade/social justice/aging hippie market. All he other stuff was Organic, free range, sea safe or some other marketing gimmick - and it showed in the price$$$$

The so-called Asian market only gave one surprise
Giant White Beans in Tomato Sauce AKA Albanian Grosh - from, duh, Albania.
a 500 gr can for $1.99 (1.1 lb can) cheaper than coking for myself...

Also scored some kippered herring in Horseradish sauce. If this is any good, I'll switch my local procured herring to go with horseradish....

I found some nice recipes for tuna and potatoes fritters.- so far no luck finding that in the can - normally a Product of Spain....

 

Another article: https://urbansurvivalsite.com/pemmican-original-survival-food/

 

For y'all that want instant coffee this is what I pack.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HMCMADE/?tag=survivalmonke-20

I generally only drink black coffee and this is precreamed and sugared but they really got it right. I can't say how surprisingly that was.

 

I usually like cream, no sugar, but Vietnamese coffee is wondrous! Going to give this a try.

 

I got the Thai Blead and Brew. Not creamer, but whole milk with cream - the packet has sugar as well - a single packet is 90 calories.



Sugar is only 4 calories / gram (US sugar packs are ~3 to 4 grams)

Dry whole milk (with cream not removed) is about 160 calories for 34 grams (I double checked) or a 1/4 cup - about ~5 calories /gram. This is a USDA "Nutrition database" figure. All of my dry milk for LTS is non-fat.

I'll drink the coffee in the packets well before the cream goes bad

 

I saw these at the store and grabbed one. Having it for dinner tonight



Prego makes a almost exact copy


It's the same company - Prego has "Italian" flavored Chow, Pace is Southwest themed Chow.

These might be interesting for folks to look at.. ~ Shelf stable, the best by date on the one I just picked up is OCT 2019. I got this at the local Commissary - which is notorious for trying to sell outdated food. Check the label in any case.

1 package is one serving, 270 calories, net weight 9 oz - a bit more than a MRE entree. Sugars are very low - just 4 grams, one reason I'm eating this. Sodium is on the high side at 890 mg - just over 1/3 of the USRDA for sodium. Heat in boiling water and serve in pouch to save on clean up.
***
Edit to add - the Ready Meal, pictured in fact - was heated in boiling water. Tasty - you could taste the cheese, and the chunks of chicken were both large and white meat. This would make a good part of a dinner meal.
***

1 pouch, and a side of fruit (either from a cup or a couple of fruit bars) and you have a 300 calorie meal. Coffee or tea to go with. Desert is a pair of KIND bars @ 200 calories each. Total with coffee - just under 800 calories to go to bed with....

Tomorrow is Kippered mackerel snacks on rice crackers with almonds for breakfast.
I'll try the Dr Kracker to see how they work with the fish as well.
For the HMMRE "Breakfast meal" I would also add the can of squid in ink (olive oil) and a pair of the Biscotti biscuits. Some coffee and a good start to the day - even if not heated.

 

(Shivers)

 

Mikey - Try it, you'll like it!