The trick is to open the MRE, add the required water, close it back up (w/the help of a paperclip), and then place it inside your shirt, with the T-shirt (or long-johns) between you and everything else that you are wearing.

This "preheats and rehydrates" your meal from the start of your morning to the time that you want to eat. Your meal will be at least 98.6 degrees and ready for the MRE Heater to warm it up properly.

Breaking down your MRE's will reduce the volume (air) that you are carrying around and allows room in your ruck to carry additional items. It also allows you easier access to specific food items that you want (ie: blueberry muffin during a break)

I like to carry a couple of C-Rats like a can of chili, beef stew, chicken & dumplings, etc. A C-Rat every couple of days in the field does a lot for one's morale.

I love breakfast! I'll bake some biscuits and hard boil some eggs at home and bring those along with some raw bacon, and also bring some instant grits or oatmeal. This allows me to have my bacon, eggs, grits (or oatmeal), and biscuits for the time that I'll be in the field.

I am in the habit of saving some salt, pepper, Tony Chacherie's seasonings, taco sauce, ketchup, grape (& strawberry) jelly/jam packets from fast food restaurants to add to my meals.

When I am going to my boat, I keep some of the condiment items as I travel and eat along the way. This keeps some fresh condiments coming into my BoB as I come and go.

These are some of the "tricks" that I use.