I think we decided the whole package was ~1300 calories, depending on the meal. I personally like MREs for the job they were designed to do. The 2005-2006 production of MREs include things like: White chocolate/rasberry cookie, cheese nips, smoke house almonds,and chocolate peanut butter spread. They got rid of Country Captain Chicken in 2005 and introduced a new omelet. In 2006 they're getting rid of the beefsteak with mushroom gravy and the chicken tetrazzini. I think MRE's are great for what they are. In a short survival situation, or the first couple of high paced days of a longer survival situation, I would choose MREs as a food source. The package is self contained besides drinking water and water to activate the heater. Unlike other food options, three MREs are not three meals. Three MREs contain three entrees, three desserts, three sides/snacks and more. In ROTC, completing 6 two hour missions a day, plus setting up and tearing down a camp, three MREs was more then enough food each day. I threw away almost as much food each time I got new MREs as I ate so I wouldn't have to carry the weight, and I for one didn't lose any weight. That said, yes they do constipate you, yes they are a hellva lot better hot, and yes I did enjoy that first hot meal afterwards.