that's strange. the first time i had clam chowder was from an MRE, and i liked it, but i haven't had a clam chowder i liked since then.

One MRE is not bad, but even though they try to put a good bit of variety in the menus, a MRE is still a MRE. There is a certain sameness to all of them. After several days anything gets old.

Several years ago I had to travel around the state for over a week doing dog and pony shows in different locations. At every stop the meal was excellent grilled steak and baked potato (Yeah, life is rough, but somebody had to do it.) After a week on the road eating nothing but steak and potatoes, I returned home and DW greeted me with, "let's go out to dinner." My response was, "can't we just stay home and eat a hotdog?"

I don't mind MRE's, but I really feel for our guys who have to eat them every day for a extended period.

I liked MRE's and C-rats! What's a good source for them?

You've seen of my replies in food threads.

You think I'm going to like any soup that isn't from scratch? *laughs*

1) Decades. It was part of the "Earthquake food" of the 80s and 90s when my dad was in the military. I stated eating them (to get rid of them, so there was room to replace) in 2004. Probably the oldest was from mid/late 80s.

2) Most of them, none. Only 1 had a funky (-er than usual) taste.

3) No wife.

4) I kept going. Tossed the funky dish, finished the entrees and snacks.

I like m.r.e. have been eating them quite regulary for 20 years or so. am working on a case from 95 at this time have only hade one bad pack love umm breaker

They might not have been 50 years old. C-rations were still being issued in 1980 and were available through civilian shops years after that.

Actually I always liked C-rations. They were never a culinary delight, and some dishes were far less delightful than others (They didn't label them Beans and MFers without good reason), but most were bordering on moderately good and all were eatable if you were hungry. Of course a steady diet of anything tends to lead to a certain level of contempt.

I once worked on a ship that had been stocked for a large celebration that never came. The ship had more steak and lobster than you could shake a stick at. Trying to get rid of it they kept dropping the price. To the point it was $1 for all-you-can-eat. So people dug in. A week later people were bloated on surf-n-turf and couldn't stand to look at it. People started ordering oatmeal, scrambled eggs and BLTs just to have a change of pace. Irony being that those were the same things they complained about before the surf-n-turf was offered.

Nothing wrong with MREs. They are better than the old C-rations. They always go down, stay down and cooperate with the digestive system. I have never had a hint of a problem with them. Of course, some people aren't happy if they aren't complaining.

Bottom line is, in this context, we are talking about survival food. MREs are healthy and easy to work with. If they don't appeal to you I suspect your just not hungry. In which case you shouldn't be eating anyway.

Good to know that MRE's last so well.

Like others, I think they are too heavy and have too much packaging, but yep they do make good survival rations. They also seem really "heavy" not just in the weight sense but in the hard to digest sense. I find the dehydrated backpacker's meals to be easier to digest. I keep both on hand.

I also still EDC my old P-38 can opener. When I was in the Nat'l Guard in the 80's, we were eating C's with late 60's dates stamped on 'em. They said just don't eat 'em if there's a dent near a seam. No problems. The older 60's ones had applesauce, which was quite good (the then current 80's versions had peaches and fruit cocktail -- both good -- but no applesauce). Canned scrambled eggs? Two thumbs down. And the fruitcake? Maybe if I were really really hungry. lol. Brings back memories.

Do they still have freeze dried strawberries in MRE's? The early versions, again going back to the 80's here, had freeze dried strawberries, and man were they good. The MRE's I've had lately didn't have 'em anymore, but I many not have had every variety of MRE.

I keep thinking that for survival food the old C-rations weren't all that bad. If the price was low and the meals selected any of the better ones I would gladly order a couple of cases.

Sounds to me like a potential; business opportunity.

I have an MRE at my desk in case I get hungry and can't leave. It's Beef Enchilada in Sauce. I bought it piecemeal from an A/N store.

There is no expiration date on the cardboard box or the foil wrapper. Either that means it never expires or it was never good enough to eat.

Then again, that sort of sums MRE's up, doesn't it.