Types of MRE - American dry rations (IRP)
MRE (US Army dry rations (American IRP). Today we will take a closer look at each of its types.
Initially, MREs were produced exclusively for the US Army and were not sold externally - strict accounting and control were maintained.
Then, gradually, at the end of the Vietnam War, all the severity gradually faded away. Without hesitation, the cunning military immediately began selling strategic reserves under the counter. This is how the first “market” MREs appeared - original army (that is, government-owned, state-owned), “written off” or stolen from military warehouses. The product turned out to be surprisingly popular: demand exceeded supply almost three times (after all, it was not always possible to steal MRE from warehouses).
Seeing this situation, private companies began producing “civilian” versions of food rations.
Today there is such a variety of them that it is quite easy to get confused, because the differences are in many ways minimal. Nevertheless, they exist.
Army or “Military” MRE.
There are a great many names: army, military, military, government, state. These MREs are the ancestor of many individual food rations - both within the United States ("civilian" versions) and in other countries (military rations). The armies of many countries manufacture their IRP in the manner of the MRE, producing an almost identical analogue.
In theory, military MREs “should not be found” on the open market - this is clearly stated on their packaging. The inscription reads: “Property of the United States Government. Commercial sale is prohibited by law."
Nevertheless, as often happens, they are quietly pushed under the radar. The most important thing when purchasing is to pay attention to the expiration date and storage conditions. Army mre-shki are so army! Who knows where they were lying around before they were “written off” for sale? Maybe in military warehouses in Alaska, in the cold, under ideal storage conditions, or maybe in Iraq, in the sultry heat and under the scorching rays of the sun. However, there is a way to determine this.
Boxes of military MREs are supplied marked with a special "Time-And-Temperature Indicator", or Time-Thermal-Sensor. It is a “smart” sticker that shows at what temperature the product was stored and how long it was in warm conditions (literally “how much heat it absorbed”). She looks like this:
MREs are considered usable as long as the inner circle is lighter than the outer circle. If the circle inside has darkened, it means the food has completely spoiled.
In total, mre military rations contain 24 different flavors (24 different meals) in single-serve packaging. Each has its own serial number: sets 1 to 12 are called “set A”, from 13 to 24 - “set B”. Also, instead of the word set, “menu A” and “menu B” can be used. Every year the set of flavors changes slightly - as a rule, manufacturers replace 2-3 dishes with others to update the assortment line.
| Army MRE - flavor types released in 2013 | |
| 01 - Chili with Beans | 01 - Chili with beans (beans) |
| 02 - Chicken Fajita | 02 - Chicken fajita (grilled with vegetables and tortilla) |
| 03 - Chicken with Noodles | 03 - Chicken with noodles |
| 04 - Pork Sausage w/Gravy | 04 - Pork sausage with gravy |
| 05 - Mediterranean Chicken | 05 - Mediterranean chicken (with tomatoes, olives and spices) |
| 06 - Beef Taco Filling | 06 - Shawarma with beef (beef with tortilla, vegetables and sauce) |
| 07 - Beef Brisket | 07 - Beef brisket |
| 08 - Meatballs w/Marinara Sauce | 08 - Meatballs with Marinara sauce ( tomato paste with garlic and herbs) |
| 09 - Beef Stew | 09 - Beef stew |
| 10 - Chili and Macaroni | 10 - Chili pasta |
| 11 - Vegetable Lasagna | 11 - Vegetable lasagna |
| 12 - Spicy Penne Pasta | 12 - Spicy Pasta with Penne Pasta (short feather pasta tubes) |
| 13 - Cheese Tortellini | 13 - Cheese Tortellini (small dumplings with meat, cheese and vegetables) |
| 14 - Ratatouille | 14 - Ratatouille Ratatouille (lecho with vegetables (meat with peppers, eggplants and zucchini)) |
| 15 - Mexican Style Chicken Stew | 15 - Stewed chicken in Mexican |
| 16 - Pork Rib | 16 - Pork ribs |
| 17 - Maple Sausage | 17 - Pork sausage with maple syrup |
| 18 - Beef Ravioli | 18 - Beef Ravioli (beef with dough and sauce (beef dumplings)) |
| 19 - Jalapeño pepperjack beef patty | 19 - Beef Pie with Jalapeno Peppers |
| 20 - Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce | 20 - Spaghetti with meat sauce |
| 21 - Lemon Pepper Tuna | 21 - Tuna with pepper-lemon seasoning |
| 22 - Asian Beef Strips | 22 - Beef strips, Asian style |
| 23 - Chicken Pesto Pasta | 23 - Chicken with pasta (feathers or spirals) and vegetable seasoning |
| 24 - Southwest Beef & Black Beans | 24 - Beef with black beans (with black beans) Southwestern |
And finally, a moment of tenderness:
Civilian, or "Civilian" MRE
This category includes almost all other rations that are not the property of the army (i.e., the state). The main difference: the number of species. In civilian MREs, instead of 24 types of tastes, either 12 or 6 are presented. In terms of quantity/quality of content, civilian ones can be more/smaller and better/worse. Otherwise, as a rule, these are almost identical to military MREs, produced by private companies, or by the same factories that produce military MREs. Until 2000, only 2 companies were involved in the production of civilian MRE diets: Sopakco and Wornick. Then, after 2005, after the Hurricane Katrina scare, several more companies entered the market. Nowadays (2012-2013) there are five main such companies:
Ameriqual "APack"
Menu C (obsolete, no longer available)
MREStar
Sopakco "Sure-Pak 12"
Wornick "Eversafe"
Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs
Ameriqual APack MREs
Ameriqual is the largest company (there are 3 such large companies) producing MREs for military needs. Initially, it produced rations only for the US Army, then it expanded its range to include civilian options. The brand name is “APack”, or “APack Ready Meals”. By a-pack we apparently mean Army packages (or rather, packaging).
A-pack differs from army ones in just a few minor things:
a) there is no powdered drink in it,
c) there is no napkin,
d) the accessories are not packaged in a separate bag all together, but are placed separately,
d) flameless heater uses salt water instead of the usual one (included in the a-pack).
A single-serve Mre A-Pack contains an average of 1,222 calories.
Box packaging (12 single-serve items (2 pieces of each flavor, 6*2) - 14,660 calories.
.
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Menu C MREs
One of the youngest brands on the market. The closest in appearance/content to army mre-shki. The name, initially given as a joke, gradually caught on: since the army mre has “menu A” and “menu B,” then why don’t we make “menu C”? Along the way, the company sells other “survival” food and related goods, gradually increasing its assortment.
Menu C is no different from the army ones - the composition is completely identical. The only differences are the silver packaging of the food itself that sometimes appears on the menu (instead of the traditional brown-marsh one) and also the packaging itself. At the moment (10\2013) it is not produced, but it is still very often and widely found on sale.
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MRE Star
Unlike others, the company was not initially involved in the production of rations for the army. However, it is a certified MRE supplier for a couple of departments of defense (Department of Defense/Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia).
The photo above shows last year's and the year before last's diets. Special attention It’s worth noting that the NEW MRE STAR comes in the following packages, similar to civilian ones:
Mre Star differs from the army in just a few minor things:
a) 4 out of 6 flavors are innovative, absent in the army,
b) a spoon is slightly shorter (but wider) than a military spoon,
c) the remaining 2 flavors (Beef Stew, Cheese Tortellini) have a much better taste than military mre,
d) the packaging of accessories is expanded and contains a spoon, wet wipes, napkins, instant coffee, cream, sugar, salt and pepper.
e) sold in two types: WITH and WITHOUT flameless heater
The flameless heater uses ordinary water.
A single package of Mre Menu C contains an average of 1,150-1,300 calories.
Box packaging (12 single-serve pcs (2 pcs of each flavor, 6*2) - from 13,800 calories.
As for assortment: there are only 6 types of tastes.
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Sopakco Sure-Pak MREs
Just like Ameriqual, it is a large company (the second of 3) producing MREs for military needs. In the photo above (green) - old appearance packaging, in the photo below (red) - new.
A) a slightly different spoon
B) fewer accessories
A single Mre Sure-pack contains an average of 900-1250 calories, with an average of 1060.
Box packaging (12 single-serve pcs (2 pcs of each flavor, 6*2) - from 12,700 calories.
Assortment: only 6 types of flavors
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Wornick Eversafe MREs
Just like Ameriqual and Sopakco, it is a large company (the last of the 3) producing MREs for military needs. In the period from 2001 to 2009, they could not decide on the design/shape of the product, releasing more and more new types. It should be especially noted that the boxes of 10 pieces are OLD and the expiration date has already expired. A new product line started after 2009 and now their mre are produced in boxes of 12 pieces in this form:
The Sure-Pak differs from the military Sopakco in just a few minor things:
A) a slightly different spoon
B) the accessory package contains a napkin, spoon, salt and pepper, instant coffee and cream
A single package of Mre Eversafe contains an average of 1000-1150 calories, with an average of 1090.
Box packaging (12 single-serve pcs (2 pcs of each flavor, 6*2) - from 13,000 calories.
Assortment: only 6 types of flavors
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Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs
Meal Kit Supply, or "Kit-For-Lunch" is the only company that produces custom MPEs. At the moment, they produce (!) 2 times more types of flavors than other manufacturers: in a box of 12 pieces they put 6 different mre with meat (“meat” mre), 2 different vegetarian mre, and 4 mre for breakfast.
A single package of Mre Meal Kit Supply contains an average of 1,300 calories.
MREs differ from other MREs in that they have a higher price (more expensive), but more calories (more filling) and a larger number of dishes. An exceptional feature is that they are the only MREs certified by the Department Food Industry Canada, i.e. the only MREs that can easily be imported.
That's all for now. Bon appetit
What is MRE? American IRP and dry rations
In the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet, there are a lot of contradictions about MREs - they just talk about them, attributing all conceivable and inconceivable properties, even treatment by laying on of hands. In fact, everything is terribly simple: MRE are American dry rations, an individual food ration for the US Army. Whatever they are called because of ignorance in English! Here you can find the “American warrior diet”, and “US soldier rations”, and “military regulated food - MRE”, and many others.
However, we will be smarter - we will translate the original name, adapting it to Russia. MRE in the original sounds like Meal, Ready-to-Eat, which in the correct translation sounds like “Meal, Ready-to-Eat”, or simply “Already prepared food”. In our last article “Dry rations different countries peace" we talked about various types IRP and soon questions started pouring in - everyone was interested in whether MREs were so different from domestic IRPs. On the one hand, we can say that MREs are an analogue of our domestic IRPs and the differences are not so great, on the other hand, given that MREs were developed for the US Army, they still have several distinctive features.
The first MPE-shki appeared already during the 2nd World War and were called MCI (Meal, Combat, Individual). Basically, they were cans of canned food, packaged in boxes. Some of these relics can still be bought - collectors sell them in “almost perfect condition” - unless, of course, you take into account the shelf life that expired a couple of decades ago.
Over the years, having undergone many changes, having gone through the Korean and Vietnam War, closer to the 1990s, MRE entered full-fledged production with a settled diet. The tin can was replaced by sealed foil packaging, third-party dishes were added, and the diet expanded the range of dishes. Today, inside each MRE package is a main dish and a number of other additional food and drinks, as well as all the small things needed for a meal - such as a spoon and BNP.
One MRE is for one meal. They are supplied to the army in two boxes, each of which contains 12 pieces of MRE (that is, designed for 12 meals). The first box is called "Menu A", the second is called "Menu B".
In total, these boxes contain 24 IRPs, different in taste (i.e. 24 different MREs).
Each package indicates the “menu” number (1-24) and the name of the main dish. Changes to the “menu” occur on average once a year, when a new product line is released.
Advantages and Disadvantages of MRE
MRE is complete diet food intended for one-time consumption. It is not intended for long-term storage and, therefore, does not undergo special processing that allows it not to deteriorate for a long time. All water in MPE remains intact - the product is not lyophilized or dehydrogenated. Because of this (the presence of water-moisture in the composition), MRE food weighs more than freeze-dried food containing the same amount of calories. Each MRE weighs on average from 500 to 750 grams. A box of 12 pieces, respectively, weighs 6-9 kg. This is a minus.
However, MRE packaging is designed to withstand harsh environments and exposure to the elements, meaning you don't have to worry too much about storage conditions. The packaging is thick plastic made from high temperature melt polyethylene, durable and tear resistant. Thanks to this, each MRE can withstand a parachute drop from a height of 380+ meters, or simply a fall from a height of 30+ meters - these are the requirements for factories that produce packaging. Dropped it from a cliff - went down - picked it up - ate it as if nothing had happened. That's a plus.
Ways to use MREs
The very word MRE (meal ready to eat) suggests that it can be eaten on the go, without the time required for preparation. What this means is that MRE can be eaten cold, straight from the package. However, if you heat it up, it will be much tastier and healthier. It is not recommended to eat MRE for more than 21 days, because... It's still not freshly prepared food.
Shelf life of MRE
At an average room temperature of 25+ degrees, the shelf life of MRE is about 3 years. At lower temperatures (cool, about 10 degrees), the shelf life increases to 5 years. As the temperature rises, it decreases. At this point, it is very important to know that many military MPEs are sold “decommissioned” - in other words, they have already expired their original shelf life of three years, but it has been “extended” to 5 years. Before purchasing, pay attention to the shelf life reserve - for fresh MREs it should range within 3 years!
It is more difficult to distinguish individual MRE packages by expiration date than boxes: if the full eight-digit date (day-month-year) is stamped on the boxes, then only 4 digits are put on the boxed packages: for example, 8123. In this case, the first digit is equal to the year, 8 = 2008, and the remaining 3 indicate the day and month. The calculation is based on 365 days a year, i.e. 123 = 123rd day of the year = May 11th.
What's inside the MRE?
Each single package of MRE is designed for 1 complete meal and contains at least 1,200+ calories (5000 kilojoules) (13% protein, 36% fat, 51% carbohydrates) and about a third of daily value vitamins and minerals. The daily diet involves the use of 3 single MREs, i.e. 1 box of 12 pieces is enough for 4 days.
Each MRE unit package typically contains:
Main dish (“hot” dish, such as meat or fish)
Second course (side dish in the form of rice, potatoes, vegetables (stew), etc.)
Crackers (cookies, biscuits)
Peanut butter\jam\cheese spread
Dessert (sweet cookies, such as brownies, or cakes such as muffins (sweet cupcakes))
Candy (M&M's, Skittles, or candy bars)
Drinks (isotonic drinks like Gatorade, instant fruit drinks, cocoa\coffee\tea, etc.)
Accessories (spoon\matches\sugar-salt-pepper\chewing gum\wet napkin(s)\toilet paper or dry large and wide napkin)
Fireless food heater (BNP for cooking)
Some MREs contain additional spices/seasonings.
Let's take a closer look at one of the “menus”:
It includes:
A: Instant (powdered) grape drink
B: Fruit cocktail mix
C: Matches
D: Chewing gum ( chewing gum)
E: Dairy cream (similar without lactose)
F: Instant coffee
G: Wet wipe
H: Large paper "dinner" napkins
I: Sugar
J: Small Tabasco sauce
K: FNP (flameless food heater)
L: Crackers (biscuits)
M: Beef with ravioli
N: Spoon
O: Salt
P: Brownie Cookies
Q: Cheese spread (soft cheese) with bacon
When expanded it looks something like this:
1) Spaghetti with meat sauce + bread with cheese pasta (soft cheese)
2) Crackers (similar to dry biscuits) + cherry-blueberry dessert
3) Small things for food and accessories:
Fireless food heater MRE (BNP)
We talked about similar heaters FNP (flameless food heater) in our last article. They are sometimes called "chemical warmers". We won’t describe it in detail, we’ll just clarify that it is a non-toxic heating element placed in a dense polymer bag with a clip. The MRE heater contains a mixture of powdered iron, magnesium and sodium. It may be different for other heaters.
This “package” is intended for heating hermetically sealed ready-to-eat products. When water is added to this mixture, a thermal reaction occurs, releasing heat, which allows food to be reheated. It is good because it does not take up much space (14 cm * 11.5 cm * 1 cm in height) and does not require an open fire. The bad thing is that the heating time is at least 8-10 minutes, and on average 12-15.
Some of the mre-sheks are used instead ordinary water salted (a salt tablet is usually included in the kit). This is done in order to avoid a transportation ban. According to the law, a flameless mre heater operating on ordinary water is considered a “dangerous” cargo and must be transported with precautions, such as Special Communications. Small change in the formula (so that salt water is required instead of regular water) avoids such problems.
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In our previous article, we talked about what MRE (US Army Meals (American IRP)) is. Today we will take a closer look at each of its types.
Initially, MREs were produced exclusively for the US Army and were not sold externally - strict accounting and control were maintained. Then, gradually, at the end of the Vietnam War, all the severity gradually faded away. Without hesitation, the cunning military immediately began selling strategic reserves under the counter. This is how the first “market” MREs appeared - original army ones (that is, state-owned, state-owned ones), “written off” or stolen from military warehouses. The product turned out to be surprisingly popular: demand exceeded supply almost three times (after all, it was not always possible to steal MRE from warehouses).
Seeing this situation, private companies began producing “civilian” versions of food rations. Today there is such a variety of them that it is quite easy to get confused, because the differences are in many ways minimal. Nevertheless, they exist.
Army or “Military” MRE.
There are a great many names: army, military, military, government, state. These MREs are the ancestor of many individual food rations - both within the United States ("civilian" versions) and in other countries (military rations). For example, in our last article about "" we talked about how the armies of many countries manufacture their IRP in the manner of MRE, producing an almost identical analogue.
In theory, military MREs “should not be found” on the open market - this is clearly stated on their packaging. The inscription reads: " Property of the US Government. Commercial sale prohibited by law.»
Nevertheless, as often happens, they are quietly pushed under the radar. The most important thing when purchasing is to pay attention to the expiration date and storage conditions. Army mre-shki are so army! Who knows where they were lying around before they were “written off” for sale? Maybe in military warehouses in Alaska, in the cold, under ideal storage conditions, or maybe in Iraq, in the sultry heat and under the scorching rays of the sun. However, there is a way to determine this.
Boxes of military MREs are supplied marked with a special "Time-And-Temperature Indicator", or Time-Thermal-Sensor. It is a “smart” sticker that shows at what temperature the product was stored and how long it was in warm conditions (literally “how much heat it absorbed”). She looks like this:
MREs are considered usable as long as the inner circle is lighter than the outer circle. If the circle inside has darkened, it means the food has completely spoiled.
In total, mre military rations contain 24 different flavors (24 different meals) in single-serve packaging. Each has its own serial number: sets 1 to 12 are called “set A”, 13 to 24 are called “set B”. Also, instead of the word set, “menu A” and “menu B” can be used. Every year the set of flavors changes slightly - as a rule, manufacturers replace 2-3 dishes with others to update the assortment line.
| Military MRE - flavor types released in 2013 | |
| 01 – Chili with Beans |
01 – Chili with beans (beans) |
| 02 – Chicken Fajita | 02 – Chicken fajita (grilled with vegetables and tortilla) |
| 03 – Chicken with Noodles | 03 – Chicken with noodles |
| 04 - Pork Sausage w/Gravy | 04 — Pork sausage with gravy sauce |
| 05 – Mediterranean Chicken | 05 – Mediterranean chicken (with tomatoes, olives and spices) |
| 06 - Beef Taco Filling | 06 – Shawarma with beef (beef with tortilla, vegetables and sauce) |
| 07 - Beef Brisket | 07 – Beef brisket |
| 08 – Meatballs w/Marinara Sauce | 08 — Meatballs with Marinara sauce (tomato paste with garlic and herbs) |
| 09 - Beef Stew | 09 — Beef stew |
| 10 – Chili and Macaroni | 10 – Pasta with Chile |
| 11 – Vegetable Lasagna | 11 – Vegetable lasagna |
| 12 – Spicy Penne Pasta | 12 – Spicy Pasta with Penne Pasta (short feather pasta tubes) |
| 13 – Cheese Tortellini | 13 – Cheese Tortellini (small dumplings with meat, cheese and vegetables) |
| 14 - Ratatouille | 14 – Ratatouille Ratatouille (lecho with vegetables (meat with peppers, eggplants and zucchini)) |
| 15 – Mexican Style Chicken Stew | 15 – Mexican chicken stew |
| 16 - Pork Rib | 16 – Pork ribs |
| 17 - Maple Sausage | 17 – Pork sausage with maple syrup |
| 18 – Beef Ravioli | 18 – Beef Ravioli (beef with dough and sauce (beef dumplings)) |
| 19 – Jalapeño pepperjack beef patty | 19 — Pie with beef and Jalapeno pepper |
| 20 – Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce | 20 – Spaghetti with meat sauce |
| 21 – Lemon Pepper Tuna | 21 – Tuna with pepper-lemon seasoning |
| 22 - Asian Beef Strips | 22 — Beef strips, Asian style |
| 23 – Chicken Pesto Pasta | 23 – Chicken with pasta (feathers or spirals) and vegetable seasoning |
| 24 - Southwest Beef & Black Beans | 24 – Beef with black beans (with black beans) according to the South-West |
And finally, a moment of tenderness:
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Civilian, or "Civilian" MRE
This category includes almost all other rations that are not the property of the army (i.e., the state). The main difference: the number of species. In civilian MREs, instead of 24 types of tastes, either 12 or 6 are presented. In terms of quantity/quality of content, civilian ones can be more/smaller and better/worse. Otherwise, as a rule, these are almost identical to military MREs, produced by private companies, or by the same factories that produce military MREs. Until 2000, only 2 companies were involved in the production of civilian MRE diets: Sopakco and Wornick. Then, after 2005, after the Hurricane Katrina scare, several more companies entered the market. Nowadays (2012-2013) there are five main such companies:
Ameriqual "APack"
Menu C(obsolete, no longer available)
MREStar
Sopakco "Sure-Pak 12"
Wornick "Eversafe"
Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs
Ameriqual APack MREs
Ameriqual is the largest company (there are 3 such large companies) producing MREs for military needs. Initially, it produced rations only for the US Army, then it expanded its range to include civilian options. The brand name is “APack”, or “APack Ready Meals”. By a-pack we apparently mean Army packages (or rather, packaging).
A-pack differs from army ones in just a few minor things:
a) there is no powdered drink in it,
c) there is no napkin,
d) the accessories are not packaged in a separate bag all together, but are placed separately,
e) the flameless heater uses salt water instead of regular water (included in the a-pack).
A single-serve Mre A-Pack contains an average of 1,222 calories.
Box packaging (12 single-serve items (2 pieces of each flavor, 6*2) - 14,660 calories.
.
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Menu C MREs
One of the youngest brands on the market. The closest in appearance/content to army mre-shki. The name, initially given as a joke, gradually caught on: since the army mre has “menu A” and “menu B,” then why don’t we make “menu C”? Along the way, the company sells other “survival” food and related goods, gradually increasing its assortment.
Menu C is no different from the army ones - the composition is completely identical. The only differences are the silver packaging of the food itself that sometimes appears on the menu (instead of the traditional brown-marsh one) and also the packaging itself. At the moment (10\2013) it is not produced, but it is still very often and widely found on sale.
___________________________________________________________
MRE Star
Unlike others, the company was not initially involved in the production of rations for the army. However, it is a certified MRE supplier for a couple of departments of defense (Department of Defense/Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia).
The photo above shows last year's and the year before last's diets. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that the NEW MRE STAR comes in the following packaging, similar to civilian ones:
Mre Star differs from the army in just a few minor things:
a) 4 out of 6 flavors are innovative, absent in the army,
b) a spoon is slightly shorter (but wider) than a military spoon,
c) the remaining 2 flavors (Beef Stew, Cheese Tortellini) have a much better taste than military mre,
d) the packaging of accessories is expanded and contains a spoon, wet wipes, napkins, instant coffee, cream, sugar, salt and pepper.
e) sold in two types: WITH and WITHOUT flameless heater
The flameless heater uses ordinary water.
A single package of Mre Menu C contains an average of 1,150-1,300 calories.
Box packaging (12 single-serve items (2 pieces of each flavor, 6*2) - from 13,800 calories.
As for assortment: there are only 6 types of tastes.
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Sopakco Sure-Pak MREs
Just like Ameriqual, it is a large company (the second of 3) producing MREs for military needs. In the photo above (green) is the old appearance of the packaging, in the photo below (red) is the new one.
The Sure-Pak differs from the military Sopakco in just a few minor things:
A) a slightly different spoon
B) fewer accessories
A single Mre Sure-pack contains an average of 900-1250 calories, with an average of 1060.
Box packaging (12 single-serve pcs (2 pcs of each flavor, 6*2) - from 12,700 calories.
Assortment: only 6 types of flavors
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Wornick Eversafe MREs
Just like Ameriqual and Sopakco, it is a large company (the last of the 3) producing MREs for military needs. In the period from 2001 to 2009, they could not decide on the design/shape of the product, releasing more and more new types. It should be especially noted that the boxes of 10 pieces are OLD and have already expired. A new product line started after 2009 and now their mre are produced in boxes of 12 pieces in this form:
The Sure-Pak differs from the military Sopakco in just a few minor things:
A) a slightly different spoon
B) the accessory package contains a napkin, spoon, salt and pepper, instant coffee and cream
A single package of Mre Eversafe contains an average of 1000-1150 calories, with an average of 1090.
Box packaging (12 single-serve items (2 pieces of each flavor, 6*2) - from 13,000 calories.
Assortment: only 6 types of flavors
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Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs
Meal Kit Supply, or “Kit-For-Lunch,” is the only company that produces custom MPEs. At the moment, they produce (!) 2 times more types of flavors than other manufacturers: in a box of 12 pieces they put 6 different mre with meat (“meat” mre), 2 different vegetarian mre, and 4 mre for breakfast.
A single package of Mre Meal Kit Supply contains an average of 1,300 calories.
MREs differ from other MREs in that they have a higher price (more expensive), but more calories (more filling) and a larger number of dishes. An exceptional feature is that they are the only MREs certified by Food Industry Canada, i.e. the only MREs that can easily be imported.
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That's all for now. Bon appetit)
If this article has worked up your appetite, then we remind you that you can order it in our store, in the “” section.
This time we will talk about delicious and healthy food. Or more precisely - about dry soldering.
You can carry canned food in jars on hikes, you can fill your backpacks with fresh food, you can take sublimates for the road. All of these options have their pros and cons. Canned food in jars is too heavy. But they are cheap. A well-thrown can can neutralize an unwary enemy. Fresh food- great for day hikes and picnics. Carrying whole tomatoes, cereals and fresh meat with you on a long route is not the smartest idea. Sublimates- good and nutritious, but require hot, clean water.
Based on all this, many cunning and lazy tourists choose ready-to-eat food packages. That is, dry rations.
In this particular case, we will look at the American army's dry rations - MRE (Meal Ready-to-Eat). It is this tactical snack that helps Uncle Sam's valiant troops bring peace, freedom and democracy to the most unexpected regions of the planet. It is this food that makes ordinary martinets full and aggressive dogs war.
MRE Menu #15: Mexican Style Chicken Stew
which translated into the language of Lermontov and Shnur means “Menu No. 15 - Mexican Chicken Roast«.
All contents are in a thick plastic bag, full of inscriptions. Including those claiming that the package is the property of the US government. Well, it'll be doubly nice to eat Obama's lunch.
The large bag itself is very convenient to use for garbage, a lot of which remains after eating dry food. By the way, residents of roadside villages in Iraq, Afghanistan and other liberated states can tell about this. There, all the roadsides are strewn with these skins from democratic rations.
The package is opened simply by hand, without the help of a knife, scissors or the use of special skills.
Pulled in different sides- and opened it.
In the package we find the following internals:
It looks like a lot of plastic, bags, sachets and packaging. If you lay it out beautifully on the table, you get some semblance of harmony and understanding of what’s what.
So let's get to the content.
Meals and snacks
Mexican Style Chicken Stew
Actually, it's just hot. Tasty, convenient. It's really tasty when served hot. But it’s not enough. I don’t know about the American military, but as a civilian I need two such packages.
Pears
Pears. Essentially it’s jam. So-so to taste.
Cheddar Cheese Pretzels
Cheese pretzels, chips in short. Delicious, nutritious, full of carbohydrates to the brim.
Vegetable Crackers
Vegetable cracker. Whatever that means. Vegetable cookies. Something vegetarian, apparently.
Cheese Spread
Cheese mass. Essentially processed cheese. The most delicious part, in my opinion, is the dry ration. Not serious. For such a pack of cheese, I am ready to sell the enemy a piece of his homeland.
Peanut butter candies. Sweet lovers will appreciate it. And I would exchange it for another pack of cheese.
Beverage Base Powder (Lemon-Lime)
Lemon-lime drink with a natural and not very tasty taste. Did you drink Jupi as a child? This is what he is. Only democratic.
Auxiliary items
MRE Heater
Warmer pack for the main course.
This is, in my opinion, the most valuable part of the whole package. The essence of the work is simple. You open the bag, put the packet with the main dish in it, pour in water from the nearest swamp, close it and wait 5 minutes. Lying in a package chemical element upon contact with water, it heats up and, emitting a vile odor, heats the sealed bag with the main dish.
An additional benefit of this heating pad is that in winter you can tuck the heating pack into your bosom or boot, which will provide you with several minutes of pleasant warmth. Well, or it will burn you with boiling water - it’s up to you to choose what you like.
A set of all sorts of useful little things. Instant coffee, matches, salt, sugar, dry napkin, wet napkin and even chewing gum.
Spoon
Spoon of general arms model. Strong, relatively disposable and lightweight. Fits perfectly into MOLLE straps and is quick to grab. In short - a very useful thing.
Hot Beverage Bag
Sealed bag with instructions. The same lemon powder is poured into it, filled with water and placed in a heating pad. The taste is a rare abomination. But, if your water has been treated with disinfection tablets, then the smell of bleach will be slightly less noticeable.
Cardboard for holding a hot main dish. This is to avoid burning your hands on the hot main course. Convenient thing. After use, you can use it, for example, to fan the coals and fry normal food at the fire. Or not.
MRE meal rations contain a fairly high amount of calories.
Crackers – 180 kcal, cheese – 250, drink – 150, pears – 290, main course – 200. Vitamins A, calcium and iron – 8% each, vitamin C – 15%. The soldier ate a little and was already full, ready to continue his great mission. Plates full of side dishes and meats are a thing of the past!
A couple of crackers with cheese is already 430 kilocalories! Chips – 210 kcal. At one time - about one and a half thousand. More than half the daily requirement.
To summarize, the overall feeling from the dry ration is very positive. One a day is clearly not enough for me, but I can live. The best option- two dry rations a day, and you can even take a tank with hostility.
The presence of auxiliary elements such as a chemical heating pad or a cardboard holder for a hot dish greatly simplifies life. The dishes are tasty, varied, and considering the total number of options - there are about 25 menus - they turn life almost into a holiday.
Types of MRE - American dry rations (IRP)
MRE (US Army dry rations (American IRP). Today we will take a closer look at each of its types.
Initially, MREs were produced exclusively for the US Army and were not sold externally - strict accounting and control were maintained.
Then, gradually, at the end of the Vietnam War, all the severity gradually faded away. Without hesitation, the cunning military immediately began selling strategic reserves under the counter. This is how the first “market” MREs appeared - original army (that is, government-owned, state-owned), “written off” or stolen from military warehouses. The product turned out to be surprisingly popular: demand exceeded supply almost three times (after all, it was not always possible to steal MRE from warehouses).
Seeing this situation, private companies began producing “civilian” versions of food rations.
Today there is such a variety of them that it is quite easy to get confused, because the differences are in many ways minimal. Nevertheless, they exist.
Army or “Military” MRE.
There are a great many names: army, military, military, government, state. These MREs are the ancestor of many individual food rations - both within the United States ("civilian" versions) and in other countries (military rations). The armies of many countries manufacture their IRP in the manner of the MRE, producing an almost identical analogue.
In theory, military MREs “should not be found” on the open market - this is clearly stated on their packaging. The inscription reads: “Property of the United States Government. Commercial sale is prohibited by law."
Nevertheless, as often happens, they are quietly pushed under the radar. The most important thing when purchasing is to pay attention to the expiration date and storage conditions. Army mre-shki are so army! Who knows where they were lying around before they were “written off” for sale? Maybe in military warehouses in Alaska, in the cold, under ideal storage conditions, or maybe in Iraq, in the sultry heat and under the scorching rays of the sun. However, there is a way to determine this.
Boxes of military MREs are supplied marked with a special "Time-And-Temperature Indicator", or Time-Thermal-Sensor. It is a “smart” sticker that shows at what temperature the product was stored and how long it was in warm conditions (literally “how much heat it absorbed”). She looks like this:
MREs are considered usable as long as the inner circle is lighter than the outer circle. If the circle inside has darkened, it means the food has completely spoiled.
In total, mre military rations contain 24 different flavors (24 different meals) in single-serve packaging. Each has its own serial number: sets 1 to 12 are called “set A”, from 13 to 24 - “set B”. Also, instead of the word set, “menu A” and “menu B” can be used. Every year the set of flavors changes slightly - as a rule, manufacturers replace 2-3 dishes with others to update the assortment line.
| Army MRE - flavor types released in 2013 | |
| 01 - Chili with Beans | 01 - Chili with beans (beans) |
| 02 - Chicken Fajita | 02 - Chicken fajita (grilled with vegetables and tortilla) |
| 03 - Chicken with Noodles | 03 - Chicken with noodles |
| 04 - Pork Sausage w/Gravy | 04 - Pork sausage with gravy |
| 05 - Mediterranean Chicken | 05 - Mediterranean chicken (with tomatoes, olives and spices) |
| 06 - Beef Taco Filling | 06 - Shawarma with beef (beef with tortilla, vegetables and sauce) |
| 07 - Beef Brisket | 07 - Beef brisket |
| 08 - Meatballs w/Marinara Sauce | 08 - Meatballs with Marinara sauce (tomato paste with garlic and herbs) |
| 09 - Beef Stew | 09 - Beef stew |
| 10 - Chili and Macaroni | 10 - Chili pasta |
| 11 - Vegetable Lasagna | 11 - Vegetable lasagna |
| 12 - Spicy Penne Pasta | 12 - Spicy Pasta with Penne Pasta (short feather pasta tubes) |
| 13 - Cheese Tortellini | 13 - Cheese Tortellini (small dumplings with meat, cheese and vegetables) |
| 14 - Ratatouille | 14 - Ratatouille Ratatouille (lecho with vegetables (meat with peppers, eggplants and zucchini)) |
| 15 - Mexican Style Chicken Stew | 15 - Mexican Chicken Stew |
| 16 - Pork Rib | 16 - Pork ribs |
| 17 - Maple Sausage | 17 - Pork sausage with maple syrup |
| 18 - Beef Ravioli | 18 - Beef Ravioli (beef with dough and sauce (beef dumplings)) |
| 19 - Jalapeño pepperjack beef patty | 19 - Beef Pie with Jalapeno Peppers |
| 20 - Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce | 20 - Spaghetti with meat sauce |
| 21 - Lemon Pepper Tuna | 21 - Tuna with pepper-lemon seasoning |
| 22 - Asian Beef Strips | 22 - Beef strips, Asian style |
| 23 - Chicken Pesto Pasta | 23 - Chicken with pasta (feathers or spirals) and vegetable seasoning |
| 24 - Southwest Beef & Black Beans | 24 - Beef with black beans (with black beans) Southwestern |
And finally, a moment of tenderness:
Civilian, or "Civilian" MRE
This category includes almost all other rations that are not the property of the army (i.e., the state). The main difference: the number of species. In civilian MREs, instead of 24 types of tastes, either 12 or 6 are presented. In terms of quantity/quality of content, civilian ones can be more/smaller and better/worse. Otherwise, as a rule, these are almost identical to military MREs, produced by private companies, or by the same factories that produce military MREs. Until 2000, only 2 companies were involved in the production of civilian MRE diets: Sopakco and Wornick. Then, after 2005, after the Hurricane Katrina scare, several more companies entered the market. Nowadays (2012-2013) there are five main such companies:
Ameriqual "APack"
Menu C (obsolete, no longer available)
MREStar
Sopakco "Sure-Pak 12"
Wornick "Eversafe"
Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs
Ameriqual APack MREs
Ameriqual is the largest company (there are 3 such large companies) producing MREs for military needs. Initially, it produced rations only for the US Army, then it expanded its range to include civilian options. The brand name is “APack”, or “APack Ready Meals”. By a-pack we apparently mean Army packages (or rather, packaging).
A-pack differs from army ones in just a few minor things:
a) there is no powdered drink in it,
c) there is no napkin,
d) the accessories are not packaged in a separate bag all together, but are placed separately,
e) the flameless heater uses salt water instead of regular water (included in the a-pack).
A single-serve Mre A-Pack contains an average of 1,222 calories.
Box packaging (12 single-serve items (2 pieces of each flavor, 6*2) - 14,660 calories.
.
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Menu C MREs
One of the youngest brands on the market. The closest in appearance/content to army mre-shki. The name, initially given as a joke, gradually caught on: since the army mre has “menu A” and “menu B,” then why don’t we make “menu C”? Along the way, the company sells other “survival” food and related goods, gradually increasing its assortment.
Menu C is no different from the army ones - the composition is completely identical. The only differences are the silver packaging of the food itself that sometimes appears on the menu (instead of the traditional brown-marsh one) and also the packaging itself. At the moment (10\2013) it is not produced, but it is still very often and widely found on sale.
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MRE Star
Unlike others, the company was not initially involved in the production of rations for the army. However, it is a certified MRE supplier for a couple of departments of defense (Department of Defense/Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia).
The photo above shows last year's and the year before last's diets. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that the NEW MRE STAR comes in the following packaging, similar to civilian ones:
Mre Star differs from the army in just a few minor things:
a) 4 out of 6 flavors are innovative, absent in the army,
b) a spoon is slightly shorter (but wider) than a military spoon,
c) the remaining 2 flavors (Beef Stew, Cheese Tortellini) have a much better taste than military mre,
d) the packaging of accessories is expanded and contains a spoon, wet wipes, napkins, instant coffee, cream, sugar, salt and pepper.
e) sold in two types: WITH and WITHOUT flameless heater
The flameless heater uses ordinary water.
A single package of Mre Menu C contains an average of 1,150-1,300 calories.
Box packaging (12 single-serve pcs (2 pcs of each flavor, 6*2) - from 13,800 calories.
As for assortment: there are only 6 types of tastes.
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Sopakco Sure-Pak MREs
Just like Ameriqual, it is a large company (the second of 3) producing MREs for military needs. In the photo above (green) is the old appearance of the packaging, in the photo below (red) is the new one.
A) a slightly different spoon
B) fewer accessories
A single Mre Sure-pack contains an average of 900-1250 calories, with an average of 1060.
Box packaging (12 single-serve pcs (2 pcs of each flavor, 6*2) - from 12,700 calories.
Assortment: only 6 types of flavors
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Wornick Eversafe MREs
Just like Ameriqual and Sopakco, it is a large company (the last of the 3) producing MREs for military needs. In the period from 2001 to 2009, they could not decide on the design/shape of the product, releasing more and more new types. It should be especially noted that the boxes of 10 pieces are OLD and the expiration date has already expired. A new product line started after 2009 and now their mre are produced in boxes of 12 pieces in this form:
The Sure-Pak differs from the military Sopakco in just a few minor things:
A) a slightly different spoon
B) the accessory package contains a napkin, spoon, salt and pepper, instant coffee and cream
A single package of Mre Eversafe contains an average of 1000-1150 calories, with an average of 1090.
Box packaging (12 single-serve pcs (2 pcs of each flavor, 6*2) - from 13,000 calories.
Assortment: only 6 types of flavors
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Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs
Meal Kit Supply, or "Kit-For-Lunch" is the only company that produces custom MPEs. At the moment, they produce (!) 2 times more types of flavors than other manufacturers: in a box of 12 pieces they put 6 different mre with meat (“meat” mre), 2 different vegetarian mre, and 4 mre for breakfast.
A single package of Mre Meal Kit Supply contains an average of 1,300 calories.
MREs differ from other MREs in that they have a higher price (more expensive), but more calories (more filling) and a larger number of dishes. An exceptional feature is that they are the only MREs certified by Food Industry Canada, i.e. the only MREs that can easily be imported.
That's all for now. Bon appetit
What is MRE? American IRP and dry rations
In the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet, there are a lot of contradictions about MREs - they just talk about them, attributing all conceivable and inconceivable properties, even treatment by laying on of hands. In fact, everything is terribly simple: MRE are American dry rations, an individual food ration for the US Army. They don’t call them anything because they don’t know English! Here you can find the “American warrior diet”, and “US soldier rations”, and “military regulated food - MRE”, and many others.
However, we will be smarter - we will translate the original name, adapting it to Russia. MRE in the original sounds like Meal, Ready-to-Eat, which in the correct translation sounds like “Meal, Ready-to-Eat”, or simply “Already prepared food”. In our last article “MREs from different countries of the world” we talked about different types of IRP and soon questions started pouring in - everyone was interested in whether MREs are so different from domestic IRPs. On the one hand, we can say that MREs are an analogue of our domestic IRPs and the differences are not so great, on the other hand, given that MREs were developed for the US Army, they still have several distinctive features.
The first MPE-shki appeared already during the 2nd World War and were called MCI (Meal, Combat, Individual). Basically, they were cans of canned food, packaged in boxes. Some of these relics can still be bought - collectors sell them in “almost perfect condition” - unless, of course, you take into account the shelf life that expired a couple of decades ago.
Over the years, having undergone many changes, having gone through the Korean and Vietnam Wars, closer to the 1990s, MRE entered full-fledged production with a settled diet. The tin can was replaced by sealed foil packaging, third-party dishes were added, and the diet expanded the range of dishes. Today, inside each MRE package is a main dish and a number of other additional food and drinks, as well as all the small things needed for a meal - such as a spoon and BNP.
One MRE is for one meal. They are supplied to the army in two boxes, each of which contains 12 pieces of MRE (that is, designed for 12 meals). The first box is called "Menu A", the second is called "Menu B".
In total, these boxes contain 24 IRPs, different in taste (i.e. 24 different MREs).
Each package indicates the “menu” number (1-24) and the name of the main dish. Changes to the “menu” occur on average once a year, when a new product line is released.
Advantages and Disadvantages of MRE
MRE is a complete nutritional diet designed for single consumption. It is not intended for long-term storage and, therefore, does not undergo special processing that allows it not to deteriorate for a long time. All water in MPE remains intact - the product is not lyophilized or dehydrogenated. Because of this (the presence of water-moisture in the composition), MRE food weighs more than freeze-dried food containing the same amount of calories. Each MRE weighs on average from 500 to 750 grams. A box of 12 pieces, respectively, weighs 6-9 kg. This is a minus.
However, MRE packaging is designed to withstand harsh environments and exposure to the elements, meaning you don't have to worry too much about storage conditions. The packaging is thick plastic made from high temperature melt polyethylene, durable and tear resistant. Thanks to this, each MRE can withstand a parachute drop from a height of 380+ meters, or simply a fall from a height of 30+ meters - these are the requirements for factories that produce packaging. Dropped it from a cliff - went down - picked it up - ate it as if nothing had happened. That's a plus.
Ways to use MREs
The very word MRE (meal ready to eat) suggests that it can be eaten on the go, without the time required for preparation. What this means is that MRE can be eaten cold, straight from the package. However, if you heat it up, it will be much tastier and healthier. It is not recommended to eat MRE for more than 21 days, because... It's still not freshly prepared food.
Shelf life of MRE
At an average room temperature of 25+ degrees, the shelf life of MRE is about 3 years. At lower temperatures (cool, about 10 degrees), the shelf life increases to 5 years. As the temperature rises, it decreases. At this point, it is very important to know that many military MPEs are sold “decommissioned” - in other words, they have already expired their original shelf life of three years, but it has been “extended” to 5 years. Before purchasing, pay attention to the shelf life reserve - for fresh MREs it should range within 3 years!
It is more difficult to distinguish individual MRE packages by expiration date than boxes: if the full eight-digit date (day-month-year) is stamped on the boxes, then only 4 digits are put on the boxed packages: for example, 8123. In this case, the first digit is equal to the year, 8 = 2008, and the remaining 3 indicate the day and month. The calculation is based on 365 days a year, i.e. 123 = 123rd day of the year = May 11th.
What's inside the MRE?
Each single package of MRE is designed for 1 complete meal and contains at least 1,200+ calories (5000 kilojoules) (13% protein, 36% fat, 51% carbohydrates) and about a third of the daily value of vitamins and minerals. The daily diet involves the use of 3 single MREs, i.e. 1 box of 12 pieces is enough for 4 days.
Each MRE unit package typically contains:
Main dish (“hot” dish, such as meat or fish)
Second course (side dish in the form of rice, potatoes, vegetables (stew), etc.)
Crackers (cookies, biscuits)
Peanut butter\jam\cheese spread
Dessert (sweet cookies, such as brownies, or cakes such as muffins (sweet cupcakes))
Candy (M&M's, Skittles, or candy bars)
Drinks (isotonic drinks like Gatorade, instant fruit drinks, cocoa\coffee\tea, etc.)
Accessories (spoon\matches\sugar-salt-pepper\chewing gum\wet napkin(s)\toilet paper or dry large and wide napkin)
Fireless food heater (BNP for cooking)
Some MREs contain additional spices/seasonings.
Let's take a closer look at one of the “menus”:
It includes:
A: Instant (powdered) grape drink
B: Fruit cocktail mix
C: Matches
D: Chewing gum (chewing gum)
E: Dairy cream (similar without lactose)
F: Instant coffee
G: Wet wipe
H: Large paper "dinner" napkins
I: Sugar
J: Small Tabasco sauce
K: FNP (flameless food heater)
L: Crackers (biscuits)
M: Beef with ravioli
N: Spoon
O: Salt
P: Brownie Cookies
Q: Cheese spread (soft cheese) with bacon
When expanded it looks something like this:
1) Spaghetti with meat sauce + bread with cheese pasta (soft cheese)
2) Crackers (similar to dry biscuits) + cherry-blueberry dessert
3) Small things for food and accessories:
Fireless food heater MRE (BNP)
We talked about similar heaters FNP (flameless food heater) in our last article. They are sometimes called "chemical warmers". We won’t describe it in detail, we’ll just clarify that it is a non-toxic heating element placed in a dense polymer bag with a clip. The MRE heater contains a mixture of powdered iron, magnesium and sodium. It may be different for other heaters.
This “package” is intended for heating hermetically sealed ready-to-eat products. When water is added to this mixture, a thermal reaction occurs, releasing heat, which allows food to be reheated. It is good because it does not take up much space (14 cm * 11.5 cm * 1 cm in height) and does not require an open fire. The bad thing is that the heating time is at least 8-10 minutes, and on average 12-15.
Some of the mre-sheks use salt water instead of regular water (a salt tablet is usually included in the kit). This is done in order to avoid a transportation ban. According to the law, a flameless mre heater operating on ordinary water is considered a “dangerous” cargo and must be transported with precautions, such as Special Communications. A slight change in the formula (so that salt water is required instead of regular water) avoids such problems.
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