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Meal ready to eat of MRE is a low cost and portable food that is made, especially for the soldiers. However, the survival industry also is a big consumer of these food products. These often serve as the choicest option in times of emergency. One can use them for humanitarian reasons during salvage operations too. Its broad usage has made this a popular choice of many.
In case, you are here to learn about the Best MRE Brands then we have a post dedicated to this. We have immense respect for the manufacturers that have worked on the taste as well. You can stockpile these as part of disaster management resolve too. You may not know where to start your search from. So, here is a detailed study of what you can do.
What Do The Best MRE Brands Comprise Of?
These were first introduced in 1975 (yes, we agree they have been around, but not like MREs) and have improved a lot over the years. You get non-vegetarian and vegetarian varieties in these meals now. A few packs even contain cutleries, sauce, matches, gum, and flameless heaters. Along with these, in general, you will also get:
An entrée
Bread or crackers
Peanut butter or jelly
A side dish
Cheese
Beverage (mostly powdered)
History Of MRE
To be honest, MREs have been around for a long time. You can trace them back to the 18th century, during the revolutionary war, a time when soldiers would bring kits for cooking. During the civil war, it took the shape of canned food, with WWI it was more of preserved food, WWII food ration was introduced and SPAM had taken a prevalent form. Then came the Vietnam War era, when wet food found its foothold once again amidst the platoons.
Modern MREs come with 150 recipes and can be eaten both cold and hot. These days, even civilians use these packs for emergencies and survival. Mountain climbers, campers, and people taking long trips all indulge in MREs nowadays.
Ease Of Use
The exciting part about carrying these MREs is that there is no need to clean utensils. You can eat right out of the pack, as most of them come with plates and cutleries. These are like use and throw packs that make your life easy.
Benefits Of MRE
MREs are like mystery food that have a long shelf life. They are a complete package that can be used in more than one situation. Here are a few benefits of MREs:
They can be used for crises management
Soldiers across the world use it for sustenance
You don’t need to cook
No preparation required
You just need water
No need to wash the dishes after use
Can be eaten cold or hot
Best selection for food on the move
Review Of The Best MRE Brands
It pleases us that we can discuss this topic with you. Here are the top MRE Brands that you can rely on:
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Okay, if you are looking forward to reserving food and supplies, then these are one of the best choices for you. These have been around for some time now and come with really good packaging. These come with 12 packs per case. These cases weigh 21 pounds on average. These provide you with 1250 calories a meal.
What more can you ask of an MRE? These have everything that you want. To make things clear, we would like to clarify the contents on the whole:
Entrée
Snack
Powdered beverage
Flameless ration heater
Dessert
Accessory pack
Yes, it is a complete set that you can bank on during exigencies or other outdoor activities. On an average the shelf life is 7 years that means you can store them for quite a long time. The truth is, you will find these meals to be enjoyable and that matters after a long day’s hike. Food is all we need and if it is delicious, then it just makes your day.
See, you can even discard a few items that you may find unwanted, to save your space and weight. Many hikers and climbers follow this strategy, so we thought it may help to share. One good thing about this MRE is that it can be eaten cold and hot. It is your choice that makes the difference.
What makes these meals delightful is that they require only 10 minutes to prep up. Each of these buckets contains 29 servings that provide you with solid sustenance. These buckets can hold 12 pouches. You may need a total of 21 cups of water to prepare these meals.
Now, each of these pouches come with:
Rice and chicken teriyaki
Noodles and beef stroganoff
Lasagna and meat sauce
Chicken & noodles
Beef Stew
Granola with Milk & Blueberries
The 30 Year Challenge
Besides, this bucket comes with a promise of 30 years shelf life! That means these packs come with 30 years taste guarantee. This further implies that deep down inside you will know that your family remains covered for disasters and emergencies for the next 30 years. Well, that’s a relief. Isn’t it?
Mountain House is a 50 years company that has been providing food for mountaineers, hikers, backpackers, and survivalists. They are a trusted name in this industry and their food is tasty too.
Overall, this is a tasty alternative for traveling in your RV or living an active lifestyle. They may not be as delicious as a homemade meal, but are its best substitute while on the move. To your surprise, even veterans in our team swear by this product. This is a genuine product that is here to encourage active living.
#3. Sopakco Sure-Pak
The first thing that we noticed about this MRE is that it is made in the USA. That looks quite impressive and we wanted to give it a try right away because of this. Nothing better than the feeling of a home cooked meal, when you are out in the field. This has a shelf life of 5 years and needs to be stored at 70 degrees for that. They are honest and inform users about the fact that higher temperature reduces this life.
All in all, you get 12 meals in each case with 6 different flavors. It comes with waterproof packaging that makes it an ideal MRE during a crisis or natural disaster. The meal is accompanied with a flameless heater. Each meal pack contains:
Entrée
Cracker or wheat bread and spread
Side dish
Beverage powder
Dessert
It also comprises of a condiment pack that includes a napkin, spoon, creamer, salt, pepper, sugar, wet nap, and coffee
You will find the menu to be quite agreeable with beef stew, beef ravioli, cheese tortellini, cheese omelet with vegetables, grilled chicken breast, vegetable lasagna, chili macaroni, and more. Each of these packs is full of 900 to 1250 calories. The manufacturer recommends a minimum of two meals per day within a window of 72 hours.
Though this brand is not known for making meals for the American military, yet the food is quite similar to the ones made for the military. The one thing good about the brand is that it offers flexibility when it comes to the options for making purchases.
The brand offers a myriad of product lines allowing you to purchase any meal individually or you purchasing the entire case. This is certainly a positive aspect. The menu is quite exhaustive and the calorie count goes from 1000 to about 300 calories. You can get an idea of the calorie count by reading the names of the food. Here are the items that are included in the package.
Mixing bag for beverages
Ration heater
Plastic spoons
Snacks
Beverage mix
Spread
Bread or crackers
Desert
Entrée
Waterproof pouch
Each box contains 12 meals of a different variety
So you see that this is a full meal set that is designed to fulfill your nutritional requirements. The product has a very decent shelf life so you can store them for an extended period. If you are out on an outdoor these meals are perfect to end the day with. We all love tasty and nutritional food and this product does not disappoint in any way.
There may be certain items in the meal that you do not eat but you can always share it with your friends or just discard them in total. You always have the choice to eat these meals hot or cold. Go ahead and pick up a meal of your choice.
#5. Meal Kit Supply
Are you still looking for the Best MRE Brands? Well, maybe it is time you stopped doing so. This meal kit is ready to consume, durable, and mobile. This kit has all the components of a nutritious meal.
The brand never compromises on the freshness thus giving the kit a decent shelf life of 5 years. So, in terms of quality, you will good value for the money you spend. This kit comes in two and three-course meal variants of 800 calories and 1200 calories respectively.
The good thing about these meals is that you have the flexibility to consume them cold or hot. This supply kit is packaged and prepared by the American military and the menu is the same as that given to the army. Here is a list of some of the items included in the kit.
A flameless heater
Napkins
Spoons
Condiments
Instant coffee
Electrolyte drink
Dessert
Spread
Bread
Side dish
Entree
The food in the kit is very easy to prepare and yes, it does provide you with complete nourishment. The meal is yummy and leaves no scope for complaints.
You can pick and choose whichever item you want to consume and maybe discard the rest in case you do not have anybody to share with. This kit is your best travel companion for your outdoor activities. The best part is that this meal kit is not expensive at all. Do not hold yourself back anymore go out and buy this today.
We respect our soldiers for the service and that is why we thought of covering a post about the Best MRE Brands. These are packed with nutrition and are good to eat. You can take them for trekking, camping, and other outdoor expeditions too.
Featured image source: Youtube
I am Jerry Gonzalez, and my heart beats for the great outdoors, especially in the breathtaking landscapes of Helena, Montana. Engaging with fellow enthusiasts online and at local hunting clubs has been a rewarding experience, and I find great joy in sharing knowledge and experiences with like-minded individuals. My goal is to empower my fellow hunters with well-informed choices, regardless of their experience level.