I like food. MREs are food... Nothing special about them, except that (like all US field rations), they are "fortified" with vitamins. They do not have enough roughage and are supposed to be supplemented with fresh fruit over long term usage. The "crackers" are pilot bread - as mentioned, pretty bland (commercial pilot bread is, objectively, not much better IMHO) - better than nothing.<br><br>MREs generate a lot of garbage due to the packaging. It all fits back into the outer pouch, tho. I do not find them as reliable to break down into components as C-Rations because the packaging is not as durable - the intact and sealed outer pouch is an important element w.r.t. rough handling. They do not have as long a shelf life as freeze-dried and probably not quite as long as canned goods for practical reasons (it can be difficult to detect spoilage sometimes). I would rotate at 5 years or much sooner if subjected to high temperatures during "storage".<br><br>They are convenient and if three per day are fully consumed offer generally enough calories for active Westerners except in cold climates. They are generally tasty enough. I have lived on them for months at a time, occasionally (or sometimes once a day) supplemented by T-rats - mass-heated canned goods, basically.<br><br>They won't kill you and are convenient. I do not use them recreationally, but it has nothing to do with taste or adequacy.<br><br>The only time I gripped about the chow was when there was not enough <grin><br><br>Regards,<br><br>Tom