Found this online and thought it was interesting; there's a table showing storage of MREs. Also the web site has a LOT of other info -- probably more than you wanted to know.

http://www.mreinfo.com/mre-longevity.html

I'd better dig out that MRE that has been hiding in my kitchen for a few years. <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

[Edit: Just polished off the cheese tortellini and vegetable crackers with apple jelly (a little runny). About to start in on the fig bar and sip some lemon-lime drink mix. All in all, for being made in 1999, still "tasty".]

Great find. I read through the page as well as one of the usnet papers linked off of it. Good info.

Just saw this the other day myself. I usually keep 2 MREs in my vehicle, now looks like time to reconsider. Given the warmer months are upon us, I don't feel it's quite as critical to carry meals, as much as water and energy stuffs (powered drink mixes, power bars, etc.)

Begs the question, what foods do people keep in their vehicles during the hot months?

Michael

Only keeping a couple of granola bars and a six pack of bottled water in my trunk, along with the vehicle survival kit. I decided against anything more than that due to the heat/freeze cycles around here. One less thing to worry about.

I keep 10 assorted cans of food along with 12 bottled water under the shell of my truck. Where I park is secure enough that I can keep the sliding windows open. That definately helps to keep temps down over what you might get inside of a sealed-up car. I also keep it stored in a large soft-sided cooler which should help eliminate wild temperature swings. I rotate it every October and so far have not had a problem with eating it.

Regards, Vince

I keep a few Mainstay Rations. They seem to take the TX heat with no problems.

Whatever you keep, food wise, in a vehicle, rotate it out on a regular basis, and about twice as often during the hot part of the year, say, at least once a month, and you should be O.K. (provided you're not carrying around milk, eggs, mayo, or fresh veggies) <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Troy

I guess you're not planning on having to last more than a day or two out of your vehicle huh? That makes sense on a lot of levels, but for those of US who are a bit more... for lack of a better word, paranoid?! , regular rotation/inspection along with some common sense will work just fine, even in an Arctic environment <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Troy

I forgot to add the Igloo mini cooler that is usually riding shotgun. Contents are typically a sandwich, Gatorade, cheese, hard candy, fresh fruit, trail mix, and other snacks. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

No way I am going to starve in the woods! He he.

Great site thanks. looks like I'll need to clean out my stash.

Water, water and more water....nothing more important....food can wait, but water can't.

I carry no less than 2 gallons in the family minivan and at least a gallon in my trucks...and I use it all the time...

It might be time to inspect that mre I have in the car. It gets real hot here in California. What is a good sight for buying mre's?

Here are three links that have decent prices and you can pick individual entrees. You might also have luck on Ebay.

http://beprepared.com/Default.asp?

http://www.longlifefood.com/

http://www.geoduck.com/epicenter/order.cgi