To each their own for sure. I actually like the taste and consistency of MRE shortbread. And Tania is ok but expensive. Which just goes to show develop your own taste and don't rely on mine, its all good.

I think you made a good purchase.

We keep a 3600 cal Daytrex block in each vehicle, and a 1200 cal Mayday food bar in each backpack. They last a long time, and taste way better than pine bark or nightcrawlers. Who cares about long-term nutrition? You're lost in the woods and you need carbs for energy! And at $7.00?...a big ol' burger costs that much.

When there is nothing else, we have Daytrex or Mayday.

That's what I was thinking, Byrd. They cost about the same as a MH meal, but are way more calorie dense, and it sounds like they last forever and will stand up to being stored in the vehicle or family BOB well. All good things in my book. But...

Taste test tomorrow after school!

Apparently I still have baby brain. I bought Daytrex 2400, not Mainstay. At any rate, we tried them today and they're a hit. I liked them too, except for the dry, crumblieness. They killed my hunger pretty quick though.

The inner wrapping is like Saran wrap and I'm doubtful that they'll make it through a 1-2 year shelf life, but who knows.

At 200 calories a bar, they're more nutritionally dense than granola and Clif bars, but $8 for 12 makes them more expensive than granola bars and in the same ballpark as Clif bars.

They're OK but I'm on the fence about buying more. I don't think they're in much danger in the pantry but we'll see how the troops take to them.

Like Am_Fear_Liath_Mor said, you can make up your own shelf-stable food supply from less expensive grocery store items.

The advantage of Datrex, Mayday, and Mainstay (haven't tried that brand) is very long shelf life, and their claim to not induce thirst when consumed.

Wasa flatbread, natural peanut butter, jerky, aseptic packed tuna or salmon, dried raisins or currants make good choices.

Any meal or snack is more filling and nutritionally complete if it contains complex carbs, good fat, and protein.

Datrex claims a one year shelf life for their rations once the outer bag is open, so long as the individual wrapping is intact. I don't know why they wouldn't keep nearly that long- they're relatively dry, so AG is very low.

I broke up one block of Datrex bars and sealed each individually, but my sealer is a commercial chamber vacuum machine. Not sure if a Foodsaver would work as well.

I haven't tried those specific brands you mentioned, but some of the other ones I've tried would no doubt retain their original flavor and freshness for 3 to 4 centuries. That doesn't say much for their original flavor and freshness...

Okay, just broke the mylar on my Datrex 3600 (coconut cookies) pack. Not bad flavor, but definitely not complete nutrition.
Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Vegetable Shortening, Cane Sugar, Water, Coconut and Salt.

I'm looking at these as a way to increase calories in my 96 hour kit and extend other nutrition sources so the kit will go longer than 96 hours. Plan is to add two Datrex 3600 packs to the food cooler in my truck's 96 hour kit. With the food already in the cooler (MRE's/freeze dried entree's and canned soup), the kit should be good for 10 days +/-. I would not put myself on a Datrex diet, that would get very old, very fast.

They're not meant to be complete nutrition but rather a survival food. I wouldn't want to live on 'em either.

I stock up on nutritional supplements, which I can eat everyday without refrigeration or heating, and rotate the stock.

Jeanette Isabelle