A Brief History Of Military Grade MREs And Their Evolution

If you read about past wars throughout US history, you are going to run across many instances where soldiers ran out of supplies. Shortage of weapons, food and other resources can be detrimental during combat. Military grade MRE meals were created to help make supplying food to soldiers much easier, but these rations weren’t the first solution.

There were also LRP rations and MCI rations, which were canned. Canned foods are one way to do it, but sealed packages are much better. These pouch meals last for a long time, and they are also used by civilians to pack food away for emergency natural disasters.

When were the MRE meals introduced? They came on the scene in 1981, and so far, they are here to stay. They are lightweight pouches, so ease of transport was definitely part of the design concerns. You might think that pouched meals wouldn’t taste all that great, but have you tried one? People buy these things for camping supplies, too.

While it was mentioned that these MRE meals were introduced in 1981, it was in 1963 that the military began trying to develop them. Do you know what MRE stands for? The ‘M’ stands for ‘meals,’ and the ‘RE’ stands for ‘ready to eat.’ These meals may have been around now for decades, but they are always being improved upon. They are an important part of keeping America’s military servicemen and women well fed and in good spirits while out in the field.

These MRE meals can be purchased separately or in bulk by civilians. After learning about the history of MREs, maybe you want to now try one. It is very easy to do, and then you can give your honest opinion about whether or not US military personnel are well cared for out in the field when it comes to food rations.


How To Use MREs – Preparation Tips

Meals Ready To Eat (MREs) are the best way to get nutrition while you are away from the house. They are great because you can eat them in whichever way you want. Whether warm or cold, they are pre-cooked and can be eaten from the packaging. Well, here are some of the ways to prepare MREs for the best results.

First, you can use an MRE Heater to heat the MREs. It is the best way to eat the food without necessarily using fire. If you are in an area where it is prohibited to light fires, an MRE heater would always come in handy. These heaters are also perfect for any emergency.

Second, you can also boil the MRE. If you are on a camping adventure and have brought a stove along, you can always use it to warm water and boil the MRE in it. Of course, you need to remove it from the cardboard casing before placing it in the water.

Third, you can heat it using rays from the sun. If you place the MRE on a dark rock, because it will heat up faster, you can warm up your food and enjoy a nice and warm meal. Remove the MRE from the cardboard casing and lay it on the rock facing the sun directly.

Fourth, you can use your car engine to warm up the MRE. Remove the outer casing and lay it on the warm engine. Leave it for a while to make sure it heats properly. Of course, you do not have to leave the car running because you might overuse your battery. Rather, when your car engine is still warm after driving, you can use it to warm the MRE.

Finally, if you do not want to eat the MRE while it is hot, you can always eat it cold and get the same nutritious benefits.


Doomsday Prepping and the Importance of MREs

The doomsday prepping movement is growing. However, many people are not truly considering what will happen when the SHTF. Many people are prepping by buying large quantities of food that they can use if they are holed up in their home. However, many people are not considering their needs, if they need to take their doomsday show on the road.

Food is a major concern for all preppers. If you want to survive a doomsday event, you must consider buying MREs.

Portable Food

MREs are portable meals. Unlike other meals that come in separate containers, you get a whole meal with an MRE. This can make it easier to get the calories you need, without having to deal with multiple containers.

A person can easily carry several MREs on their person and dozens in their car. This can help sustain a person or their family for weeks. That may be enough time for them to locate to a safe house, their emergency shelter or another location.

Self-Heating

An MRE is a self-heating container. This means there is no need to start a fire or use a heating source to warm the food. In an emergency situation, you may not want to have signs of your location.

Since the MRE is self-heating, you will not need to worry about how to start a fire on a cold or windy day. You also get to avoid using your precious matches. In a situation where all of your resources are necessities, it is important to get supplies that reduce their use.

Calorie Dense

MREs are packed full of calories. These calories are needed to sustain your strength and energy at a time when your life may truly depend on it. When you are in a doomsday type situation you need to have all of the physical resources you can.

There are both MRE bars and meals. The calorie levels are different. You should check on the calorie levels of the MREs you buy, to ensure you get the calories you need for your new doomsday lifestyle.

Conclusion

Prepping is not easy to do. You must look ahead to the many possible scenarios that can occur. With doomsday prepping you cannot hope that you will be able to stay in your home. You need to prepare to leave the safety of your house in order to find a more secure location. This requires the use of portable food supplies like MREs.