Re: MRE's for civilians
I'll strongly second what 9H said.
I've eaten many an MRE, and while they're perfectly fine, they're heavy and bulky. But they're ready to eat right out of the wrapper and have a longer shelf life.
I've since discovered Mt House and couldn't be happier with them for backpacking / hunting / general meals on the go in the backcountry. All they need is water and in my opinion they're a step up in taste. Light, small, easy, and they zip closed at the end containing all of the mess. They rate shelf life at 7 years, which ain't bad at all. Don't be fooled by the "hippy" perception of them... they're tasty and easy food, simple as that.