MRE's poll

Apparently MREs (meals ready to eat) are now in relatively short supply. Which makes me sad. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Consequently the prices tend to go up in such situations.
I was wondering:

How much are the members on this forum would be willing to pay for a case of 12 new MREs? Lets say shipping charge is flat per order, even if you order more then one case.

a) $70-80
b) $81-90
c) $91-100
d) $101-110
e) $111 or more

thanks for any input

I just recently ordered from:
http://www.longlifefood.com/

They have cases of 12 with heaters for $90, shipping included. (Without heaters, $85)
I guess that means I'm in catagory B of your price poll <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You can also order the items in the kits, mains, sides, snacks, etc invididually on that site.

After all those year in the Army, I would not pay anything for MREs! I hate them worse than hunger!! Just me:)

$100 includeing shipping sounds good to me.

Be_Prepared,
Can you tell use what main dishes you got with your purchase?

I get them for $55 locally.

....and where is "locally" so we can raid your stash?

I have some on route that will arrive this week. I'll let you know what combo I get, The last cases from them had 6 meals, 2 of each:
Beef Pot Roast
Beef Ravioli
Beef Teriyaki
Country Captain Chicken
Chicken, Vegetables and Noodles
Chicken Tetrazzini

When I order for Scouts, the old standby is Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce. If you order individual entrees, you can get what you want, but, with the full MRE packs, you get their random sampling.

Their MRE packs are pretty good, they have a main entree, side like rice or pasta or potato, dessert or an energy bar, beverage/electrolyte package, crackers or bread, a spread like PB or cheese, and an accessory pack that has a long handled spoon, matches, some gum, coffee, plastic cow, sugar, and salt. I get the ones with the self contained heater that just needs a little water to work.

Unlike some of the cheaper versions, they use mil packaged things for the most part, not off the shelf food packaged poorly.

MRE Menus

They have the red beans and rice with sausage! Good stuff. Wish it was a little spicier, but that's fixable. Fills you up, sticks to your ribs for all day, warms you up, and has plenty of you-fuel.

I'd rather have my homemade in me, but that's not so portable. These guys are going to get some businees from me.

I would not pay more than $70.00, including shipping. Once hurricane season starts you will see the prices rise. If there is another Katrina-type storm, they will rise sharply.

thanks Be_Prepared

State of Florida might be interested if you happen to have a pretty good supply!

Can't find the article, but they cannot find a good supplier for large quantities of MRE's. Something like that... can't find the article...

Oh! Did I just hear the price of MRE's go up?? <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

The prices not only have gone up but the supplies are drying up. Perhaps there could be some sales later this summer as people unload some of their bird-flu supplies, but those would likely be snapped up by those preparing for hurricane season.

With prices approaching $70-80 PLUS shipping, I've decided to switch to freeze dried backpacking meals supplimented by Mountain House oven kits. Additionally, I've found more foods packed in retort packages at the local Wal-Mart for a lot lower prices. For example, our Wal-Mart had Starkist Tuna Lunch packs with 3 oz of tuna, crackers, with mayo/relish packets. They were only $1.47 each with a 2008 expiration date.

Paying over $6.00 bucks a MRE meal seems a little too steep. For the same price I can have more options at the local stores without paying for shipping.

Just my two-penny contribution.

Does anybody know if Yurika/Eureka Foods is still in business? They were a pyramid type endeavor, but sold some pretty tasting retort packaged foods and might serve as a good alternative to MREs.

Pete

As a follow-up to my earlier post, I just had a shipment of MRE full meals with heaters arrive today for our troop's next backpacking trip. There is a pick list on the side of the box that lists a bunch of entree's, probably what they currently inventory. They pick 6, and send 2 of each. Here's what the latest cases had:

2 Beef Patty
2 Cajun Rice w/Beans & Sausage
2 Chicken Breast, Grilled
2 Chicken w/Vegetables and Noodles
2 Sloppy Joe Filling
2 Veggie Burger (this might not go over big with the boys...)

I also ordered, as usual, a bunch of extra spagetti w/meat & sauce individual entrees. They never turn that down. Those are in stock too.

The other items on the pick list that are probably currently available as full MRE packs, but, weren't in my random assortment were:
Beef Stew
Beef Pot Roast w/Veg
Chicken w/Salsa
Ham & Shrimp Jambalaya
Penne Pasta w/Sausage
Cheese Tortellini
Minestrone Stew
Vegetable Manicotti
Cheese Omlet w/Vegs

Long Life Foods might not be the cheapest, but, their service is great, and they include shipping. I ordered these late Wednesday night last week, and they were in my office this morning with regular free shipping. In addition to the MREs, I ordered a bunch of other stuff, like Millenium energy bars and what they call Carbo Bars, which are actually SOS Food Labs lifeboat rations. (2400 calorie packs, 6 bars). Bon appetit <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Norfolk.....I'm sure they're "pilfered" from the navy around here. Probably not legal, but I ain't selling them.

I had one of the veggie burgers when they first came out. The BBQ sauce covers all hint of what ever it is made out of. A little chewy, but I'd eatten chewier burgers in college.

As for not being the cheapest, I mostly looked at the entrees, and those are mostly three bucks apeice. That's better than what I normally find. They're what, 90 for a case with heaters? For full, current, legal MREs with heaters, thats about the same that I usually see "fell off the truck" cases that are showing thier vintage. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places, though.

I pay $80 for 12 meals with shipping.

Widget, have you had the C-rats that MREs replaced? I love MREs. They are a remarkable improvement over C-rats. I don't get them anymore since my wife got out of the Army.

Want MREs? Be in the middle of a hurricane (or any other major) disaster. Right after Katrina, MREs were everywhere down here. When my father or brother would go to the FEMA center for ice, the National Guard would give them a case (1 per car) each visit. By the time they got power back, they had 25 plus cases, I think. They used 2 or three cases during that time. My brother kept 6 cases for emergencies, gave me 6 (for the same reason), and gave away the rest to church groups and the like. When we first started going down to New Orleans to clean up, would take with us MREs and some of those canned waters from Budwiser, as there was no place to eat.

And as one who used to be paid to eat MREs, I can tell you that the new tan bag meals are light years better in taste and variety then the old brown bag MREs. (When I gave up my weekend job with Uncle Sam, they were just starting to put the flameless heaters in MREs)

.....CLIFF

they're listed here for $69. don't know how much shipping is though, probably be around 80 bucks or so with shipping.

https://www.meyerscustomsupply.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

used to buy mre's still do periodically. now its a few cans of soup ,pasta, pork and beans and such. pockets dont go that deep or the supply is need elsewhere