Depends on how hungry/exhausted one is....lol.... I have been in the field during exercises, and a had times when MRE's tasted like steak. *BUT* Under most circumstances, they rank about a 4 for me. There is a reason why EVERYBODY takes their own big bottle of hot sauce to the field with him/her.

In all fairness, it has been eleven years since I left active duty, so I don't know about improvements since that time.