I like the taste of some MREs personally (Beef Stew and Cheese Tortellini especially) but I generally strip them down to the entrees as the complete MREs are too bulky.

I'd love mountain house to shape their pro-pak meals like their long range patrol rations (into bricks basically) since they store much better that way.... but they're so expensive I don't buy either.

As far as snacks go, I like clif bars not for the taste but because they don't melt into a mess in the heat, they just get softer. Sometimes I'll pack nature valley crunchy granola bars too.

My "iron ration" is a 3600 cal lifeboat ration (mainstay or the walmart UST one that has a mild apple taste) I generally keep in the bottom of my bag.