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school me on MREs for a hunting trip

tlsmith22

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Minuteman
Nov 9, 2008
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I understand the military version is best. What all is included in an MRE? Which ones are best and where is best place to buy them? thanks guys
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

Well a standard military MRE contains an entree, a desert/snack, a side, a condiment pack, a spoon and usually a drink/shake mix, and a heater back. Sometimes a few other things will be added in there and I may have missed a minor item. They do work well another thing that is pretty easy to use and is lighter is the Mountain House meals. They taste pretty good and only require 2 cups of water to cook (the exact amount a jetboil stove cooks) Just another option out there that is great for camping.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

another homegrown way for a hunting trip snack is to take your ramen noodle or soup in a pack type of thing, place water with it in a ziploc, place it in an envelope made from that silvery insulation fabric material and duct tape, put a hand warmer in it, in a few minutes hot soup or stew.

the MREs are a bit more convienant and "together" for a meal, but the insulated envelope works well for a "pick me up" along the way to tie you over till you get back to camp or home that evening.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

My hunting meals are old fashioned New England fare... pepperoni, cheddar, snickers bars, jerky, trail mix, etc. That's in the pocket of my wool jacket for noon meal...

If you are at a deer camp or spike camp where you can have some more cooking facilities... bring rice, noodles, cheese singles, bacon, canned beans, eggs, meat, flour, etc. etc. etc. and cook real meals. The perishables will keep for days in a cooler. The Ramen suggestion is good, and there are also other great 'boil up' meals like Thai Kitchen. You can get a ton of stuff at the local grocery store that is a fraction of the cost of MRE's or survival/camping store meals and tastes better. Don't discount pre-preparing stuff at home, either. Bring things you made/froze at home to cook up. Bet it's better than an MRE.

MRE's are ok for backup/survival meals or if what you want is MRE's for the sake of MRE's because they are... MRE's. Very tacticool. But they are known as "Meals Rejected by Ethiopians" or "Meals Refusing to Exit", etc. for a reason.

Cheers,

Sirhr
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

Everytime I go to the field I simply ratf*ck any MREs they give us for Peanutbutter and the crackers. I have survived for weeks only eating that. Alot of the extras in there are garbage and just take up space and weight. Otherwise the vaccuum packed salmon and tuna steaks seem like a good choice also. I'm packing some for JRTC next month. Remember most military MREs have between 1800-2500 calories per meal. Usually 1 is enough for a day not just a meal. I've seen plenty of guys eat 3 a day in the field and come back 5 or 10 lbs heavier. Beef jerky/ some sort of peanut butter packs/ and crackers keep it simple and light
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

If you really wanted to get your hands on a box or two MREs I'm sure plenty of people can get ahold of them for ya. Boxes just have a way of walking away after major exercises and making there way into someones garage for a zombie-pocalypse situation. Not that I have any myself....
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

Screw MREs.

If I pack food hunting I'm taking hoggie bait.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

SOPAKCO & Ameriqual both make civilian based MREs that are better than the Military versions. FEMA buys them in bulk to distribute at times of emergency.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kraigWY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Screw MREs.</div></div>
And here's my question, on the civilian market, why are MRE's so fucking expensive... As others have stated, they suck! Even when I was in, like 'Strive4', I lived for a long time on crackers, peanut butter & only a few select entrees (I use that term VERY loosely). I also took a lot of my own trail mix & those chicken & tuna packets... I like that ramen idea.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

They're not nearly as awful as they used to be, the winter ones are even better, but they are certainly not fine cuisine. They are heavy, and for complete nutrition you should consume basically everything in them. They are meant for sustainment and energy, they are high calorie. Depending on what I'm doing I strip them of things I don't want, and usually all the unneccesary packaging.
They sell them many places, they generally don't come cheaply, unless you can get them from someone that's in, then maybe. Funny considering how many cases I've seen thrown in dumpsters.
If you're concerned about weight, will have water, a heat source and money, go mountain house, it tastes better and weighs less. Or consider dehydrating your own, or concoting from store bought dehydrated foods.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

I have been putting away a few cases of MRE's from

http://www.majorsurplus.com/MREs-C1975.aspx

http://www.majorsurplus.com/Food-C1974.aspx

Surprising they are not that bad and some even taste good cold. Great a Pound Cake Assortment and some Energy Bars (400 Calories)...Just don't snack on an Energy Bar late at night.

The Short Bread Cookies are little the old Animal Crackers and a case of 100 packet were pretty cheap.

Also you can get 240 Calorie Clif Bars in assorted flavors for around a dollar each at most markets or Walmart in a box of 6

Karsten
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

The military buys lowest bidder. Enough said. Many civilian options that are higher quality.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

During my vacation in the Sunny Southeast Asian War Games, I actually got a case of C-rations that were dated in 1944.

I was hungry . . . they were good.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Killer Spade 13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">During my vacation in the Sunny Southeast Asian War Games, I actually got a case of C-rations that were dated in 1944.

I was hungry . . . they were good. </div></div>

It's funny you should mention that. When I was a kid my grandad fed me and my cousin an old C-Ration that was like SPAM. He thought he was going to get a good laugh, but we liked it!!!
laugh.gif


He did feed us a tube of German Capture cheese one time. It was still fresh, but MAN was it nasty! The germans must really like their cheese.
smile.gif
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

Grilled Chicken Breast and Vegetarian Cheese Tortellini! Take the Vegetarian Cheese Omelet and throw it off a cliff. As others have said, there is a lot of crap in MREs that you dont need that makes them heavy and bulky. We field strip them before going out(if they arent going on the 7-ton) to save space and weight.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

Just go with mountain house( or similar) and be done with it. Chicken based meals are the best but all are better than MRE's. If you don't use them they will likely keep till you need then unlike MRE's which have a terrible shelf life. In a pinch dehydrated food can be rehydrated with cold water although hot water is much better
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kraigWY</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Screw MREs.

If I pack food hunting I'm taking hoggie bait. </div></div>

hey Kraig..i'm guessing that was "pogey bait"
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

If you have a reliable water source, I'd suggest going with dehydrated food since they're lighter to pack in and potentially you'll get more variety that you can select from. Instant noodles or mountain house as mentioned before are good.

Otherwise, you're just as good off packing in cans of pork and beans or chef boyardee and the likes simply because of the weight and it would be cheaper than buying MREs.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

Open and eat. Simple, heating is optional and stinky. Best to save the heater for 4th of july party. Best one ever was the omlet but thats discontinued. They are good, they'll give you gas and unpredictable movements so bring baby wipes. Most people get constopated. However, I heard a horrific story of a guy who didnt know how to cook and wanted to impress his girlfriend, so bring wipes in case. There is tp in the MRE but well, it takes practice.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

Sorry for the speeling errors, on the ipad and i turned off spell check... It was way to hard to search porn with it on.... Anywhoo, good luck
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

Go with mountain house and a small MSR stove, ten times better than a MRE. If you do get some mre's though, Ill trade my M&Ms for your jalapeno cheese and crackers.
grin.gif
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

I usually throw the MRE entre's with a spoon and paper towel in a gallon size bag which I will use for any trash acummilated during the day. For snacks, ect I will take along Cliff or regular power bars and make a trail mix of raw almonds, walnuts, maybe some dried cranberries or other fruit. If the squirrels are acting up, we take some wasabi peas for them. For those unexpected moments-two or three paper towels in a bag that you can wet with your water.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Here2Learn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just go with mountain house( or similar) and be done with it. Chicken based meals are the best but all are better than MRE's. If you don't use them they will likely keep till you need then unlike MRE's which have a terrible shelf life. In a pinch dehydrated food can be rehydrated with cold water although hot water is much better</div></div>

This. The only thing good at all about MREs are the flameless heater. If you have any access to fire leave them far behind and go freeze dried. The Mountain House and Provident Pantry stuff literally lasts 30 years on the shelf and will STILL taste better after all that time than a new MRE lol.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

What kind of hunt are you doing? Are you packing into a camp, packing everyday or just stocking a camp.

Hamburger Helper, soup mixes, rice, potato flakes, etc are my main food source in the backcountry. I make my own meals at home with one complete meal in a zip lock minus water.

Bagels are good for camps, a fried bagel is still tasty at home and my clients loved them. You can get squeeze cheese packets at the store for extra good.

My wife would also make then freeze chili, potato skin soup, camp fire stew, etc for our first night in camp.

I toted Pringles too, the empty can has many uses in camp and to me, well worth the weight for the salty taste crunch after a long day in the field.

If you want tasty store bought freeze dried meals:
http://www.backpackerspantry.com/

Not a Mountain House fan, backpackers pantry has a better menu and actually taste good, my clients preferred them best Vs MH but preferred my home made the best.

I am not an MRE fan but I have not eaten the newer ones. Like all rotten potatoes, puking ala king, etc. We just laid them in the sandy sun to heat up. They stop me up! I could not drink enough to loosen the bowels when eating them everyday until we had some locals food then just the opposite. A lot a wasted weight and space in an MRE.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

MRE have their place and we have some in the basement for emergencies. Having said that I am not a big fan. We put together a lot of our own meals by dehydrating and pre-packaging meats, vegtables, spices, etc. for hunting and backpacking trips. Not at all difficult and much better tasting and less expensive.

http://www.backpackingchef.com/vacuum-seal-bags.html is a good source.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: KYpatriot</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Here2Learn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just go with mountain house( or similar) and be done with it. Chicken based meals are the best but all are better than MRE's. If you don't use them they will likely keep till you need then unlike MRE's which have a terrible shelf life. In a pinch dehydrated food can be rehydrated with cold water although hot water is much better</div></div>

This. The only thing good at all about MREs are the flameless heater. If you have any access to fire leave them far behind and go freeze dried. The Mountain House and Provident Pantry stuff literally lasts 30 years on the shelf and will STILL taste better after all that time than a new MRE lol. </div></div>

You can get Civilian MREs with the heaters! If you don't use them you can always make 'MRE bombs'!
laugh.gif


Also, Mountain House makes good freeze dried meals, but they are not near the same amount of 'stuff' you get with an MRE. If you run across any MREs with 'Charms' in them....throw them away, or trade them in! They're bad luck!
wink.gif
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

The only thing I ever learned about MREs is that a few tasted okay, but all of them will build one hell of a turd.

A guy gave me a case of them one time. I have eaten worse food.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

There are plenty of grocery store dry goods that will be way more palatable: Beef stew, bag soups, & *pasta dishes to use with backpack burner kit... flavored rice bags, instant potatoes, etc. Some can be stripped and pasta combined in ziplock to conserve bulk/space.
*If you need to limit sodium in diet, some of these options should be checked.

Add jerky, nuts, crackers, cookies, tuna envelopes, coffee bags, hot chocolate, and a few condiments and your GTG w/o a nasty MRE.
If your conscience of Oz' of backpack weight across days; Mountain House or equivelent is the way to go. Otherwise, for daily pack the 'ole corner store has all you need and more.

 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Boomholzer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There are plenty of grocery store dry goods that will be way more palatable: Beef stew, bag soups, & *pasta dishes to use with backpack burner kit... flavored rice bags, instant potatoes, etc. Some can be stripped and pasta combined in ziplock to conserve bulk/space.
*If you need to limit sodium in diet, some of these options should be checked.

Add jerky, nuts, crackers, cookies, tuna envelopes, coffee bags, hot chocolate, and a few condiments and your GTG w/o a nasty MRE.
If your conscience of Oz' of backpack weight across days; Mountain House or equivelent is the way to go. Otherwise, for daily pack the 'ole corner store has all you need and more.

</div></div>

This is actually a good idea, and I have done this myself in the past. A good 'Foodsaver' goes a long way. I got tired and lazy, and started picking up Mountain House and AmeriQual MREs. AmeriQual is 30 minutes from me, and I can get them 'hot off the press', so I know the dates are good.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

There's nothin better than cold five fingers of death, or a track pad, maybe a chalk block may be your style. A warm omelette with ham is like heaven in your mouth.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VJJPunisher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There's nothin better than cold five fingers of death, or a track pad, maybe a chalk block may be your style. A warm omelette with ham is like heaven in your mouth. </div></div>LOL!
laugh.gif

Screw that: Why would anyone eat MREs if they didn't have to?!!
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

Hmmm, don't remember that one... Think it was before my time... I'm sure it's delicious though
grin.gif
. Thanks.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

The only thing good about MREs is you can 100 mph tape 3-4 of the boxes together, stacked one on top of the other and make a little chest of drawers type thing with em......If your in tent city long enough.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: J-Ham</div><div class="ubbcode-body">VJJ, what's a 'track pad'?</div></div>

Actually what we always called a "track pad" was the chocolate covered oatmeal cookie bar, looked just like a bradley's track pad, same era of mre as the ham slice FM mentioned though
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

no JJ... ham slice and dehydrated pork patty were WAY different... ham slice was good... pork patty wasn't even edible....lol

we called oatmeal cookie bars (what I'm assuming you're calling a "chalk block") a "John Wayne bar"
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Force_Multiplier</div><div class="ubbcode-body">no JJ... ham slice and dehydrated pork patty were WAY different... ham slice was good... pork patty wasn't even edible....lol

we called oatmeal cookie bars (what I'm assuming you're calling a "chalk block") a "John Wayne bar" </div></div>

Pork and hamburger patties were good if you saved the soup/bullion packet from a meal and rehydrated them in the beef broth.

Placed between two crackers it was the best mystery meat since a blindfolded Seka met John Holmes.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

I am with most everyone else. Mountain House of Backpackers Pantry is the food I take with me when I go out. Just about every meal I have had has tasted good for being out in the woods. My brother likes Wise but I have yet to get some to try so I cannot comment on how they are. They are so simple to make, boil recommended water (-2oz my preference) and pour into packed, stir, seal, shake the bag about ever few minutes, then open and eat.

If my wife will eat them they have to be good LOL
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EricF517</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mountain House of Backpackers Pantry is the food I take with me when I go out.</div></div>The spaghetti is quite good.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EricF517</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mountain House of Backpackers Pantry is the food I take with me when I go out.</div></div>The spaghetti is quite good. </div></div>

I can't do spaghetti, nor can I eat it when we go out to eat. I make my own homemade noodles at home and my own sauce.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EricF517</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EricF517</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mountain House of Backpackers Pantry is the food I take with me when I go out.</div></div>The spaghetti is quite good. </div></div>

and my own sauce. </div></div>

me too
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

I must be the only one here who actually likes MREs. Never had to survive off of them for weeks on end, so maybe I just haven't been burnt out...but during camping trips and traveling, they're basically a delicacy for me. When available I'll pick MREs over almost anything else to bring along outdoors. During busy days at SHOT Show I'd skip the hassle of trying to find lunch in the casino or play Russian roulette with the snack bars and just eat an MRE instead.

Getting legit meals that aren't the stripped-down civilian shit is difficult around here, but I've yet to encounter a menu that I wouldn't eat almost everything within.

What's really funny is that most of my friends think I'm a picky eater.
shocked.gif
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Arbiter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I must be the only one here who actually likes MREs. Never had to survive off of them for weeks on end, so maybe I just haven't been burnt out...but during camping trips and traveling, they're basically a delicacy for me. When available I'll pick MREs over almost anything else to bring along outdoors. During busy days at SHOT Show I'd skip the hassle of trying to find lunch in the casino or play Russian roulette with the snack bars and just eat an MRE instead.

Getting legit meals that aren't the stripped-down civilian shit is difficult around here, but I've yet to encounter a menu that I wouldn't eat almost everything within.

What's really funny is that most of my friends think I'm a picky eater.
shocked.gif
</div></div>

that might be it... except for the old omelette w/ ham I don't remember much being to terrible from basic training... then I had to live mainly off MREs for 4 months... after that about all I could stomach was the beef stew, doctored w/ salt, crackers, cheese, and tobasco ... probably because I could rarely find it during that 4mo... then as new ones came out, they just got worse in my opinion.. vegetarian and all... by the time I got out of the Army, I'd eat damn near anything before an MRE of any flavor
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

I use them for duck hunting and they are the cats ass!! All I gotta do is scoop a lil of the nasty lake or swamp water into the heater and I can still watch the sky without worrying about my food at all it just goes on its own! I don't think they are bad and I absolutely love the chili with beans.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

The only reason anyone would still like MRE's is because it's a novelty they get to eat once a year during hunting or something like that.

I have a couple cases in case of emergency. And by that I mean hell freezing over coupled with zombies and a giant asteroid with a little nuclear war tossed in.

If I'm going hunting there are more than enough other things I can take to eat.
 
Re: school me on MREs for a hunting trip

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YourMotherTrebek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The only reason anyone would still like MRE's is because it's a novelty they get to eat once a year during hunting or something like that.

I have a couple cases in case of emergency. And by that I mean hell freezing over coupled with zombies and a giant asteroid with a little nuclear war tossed in.

If I'm going hunting there are more than enough other things I can take to eat.</div></div>

I used to love Pizza Hut, because it was something I'd get to eat on rare occasions. Then I spent the better part of two years eating Pizza Hut every day...because it was the only real food offered in school.

To this day, I won't willingly go out and buy Pizza Hut...but I will unhesitatingly inhale slices when it's free and I'm hungry.

Everyone's tolerance level for "This many times, and no more" probably varies depending on the item and how much variety gets mixed in..but it's there eventually.