Best MRE (Meal Ready To Eat) Reviews in 2022

best mearl ready to eatBest MRE (Meal Ready To Eat)

We all know that water and shelter are fundamental for the tough guys out there, but we’re not going able to get it through without food. Food gives you energy and helps your mind focus. It’s not that we cannot survive without eating something (for weeks!), but not eating for just one day will affect your energy levels. Two days without eating and you will also stop thinking clearly.

While having the energy to go through the day, make the difference between life and death.

You won’t have the possibilities or the time to cook when trying to stay alive; MRE (meal ready to eat) is the best solution for the challenging applications. Keep reading to find out what are the best MREs on the market right now.

Top 5 MRE (Meal Ready To Eat) Reviews

1. MREs (meals-ready-to-eat) genuine U.S. military surplus (1 pack) assorted flavor

MREs (meals-ready-to-eat) genuine u.s. military surplus comes with long shelf life. This is original US warfighter rations for the outdoor enthusiasts and the experienced survivalists too. The meal is made to give you endurance and nutrition, and each meal has around 1250 calories.

MREs (meals-ready-to-eat) genuine u.s. According to the manufacturers directions, military surplus (1 pack) assorted flavor

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PROS:
  • The contents are tasty.
  • There are various contents.
  • The life span is very long
  • The meal will heat evenly

CONS:
  • The flavor is random
  • Be careful when opening the bag as it gets boiling

The meals contain ration heaters that are water-activated and flameless, with a nice variety to try. Beverage powders, side dishes, snacks, and accessory packs are the main options. Keep in mind that the ration heaters don’t come with some meal entrees and that the entrees will be randomly picked by amazon.

There are 24 different entrees to ship, so there’s a risk that the entrée doesn’t match the entrée displayed on the photo. They are military meals, and the contents cannot be controlled, so they may vary according to the product availability when packaged.

The meals are typically stored in a climate-controlled environment for 12 to 24 months before being released. It would help if you kept the meals at or even below room temperatures for a longer life span. The meals should last for 1 to 4 years, but the storage conditions affect the life span.

The meals are tasty, and many have been pleasantly surprised by the taste and content. The meat gets quite hot, and the heating is even.

Regardless of the minor problems, the meals are long-lasting, tasty, and easy to use.


2. Captain Dave’s 12 Military MRE Entrees

For those of you who aren’t looking for complete meals, but only for the entrees, Captain Dave’s 12 Military MRE Entrees make a dependable choice.

Captain Daves 12 Military MRE Entrees

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PROS:
  • There are 12 entrees.
  • Vegetarians also have options.
  • The food has five years shelf life span.
  • The selection of menus is excellent

CONS:
  • The flameless ration heaters aren’t included
  • They’re not that cheap

You only get entrees, but the menu selection varies, including at least six different main dishes. You will enjoy a nice variety of chicken and beef dishes, whereas entrée weighs around 8 ounces and provides 1250 calories. It’s all fresh and recent production.

The MRE food comes with a five-year shelf life as the full meal. When you purchase your food, 12 entrees will be selected from various menus. Beef stew, beef taco, chicken noodle stew, chicken fajitas, BBQ chicken with beans and potatoes, macaroni and beef, pinto bean stew, and Asian style beef are some of the menus. For the vegetarians, cheese tortellini or pasta with marinara sauce and veggie crumbles will make tasty options. Turkey chili w/beans, chicken with rice and vegetables, and lentil stew with beef are also some menus to try.

The typical package is a random selection from the menus and contains six different entrees, with meat as the primary option. Every entrée is recent production and has been stored in warehouses with temperature control. The quality is good, and the customer service is very responsive and interested in customer’s feedback.

As the food is tasty and the menus are different, the entrees still stand as reliable choices for outdoor activities or military people.


3. Irprus Military MRE (Meals Ready-To-Eat) Daily Russian Army Food Ration Pack

You may feel like stepping out of your comfort zone with the  Irprus Military MRE (Meals Ready-To-Eat) Daily Russian Army Food Ration Pack, but the meals are worth it. It would also help if you didn’t get discouraged by the labeling (it’s all in Russian), but rather enjoy the surprise when opening your pack. The pack includes three complete meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) that are supposed to be enough for a day.

Irprus Military MRE (Meals Ready-To-Eat) Daily Russian Army Food Ration Pack

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PROS:
  • It has the meals for a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
  • You also get the cutlery and towels.
  • The packaging bag is waterproof and has a handle and zip lock gripper.
  • The food is tasty, and the contents don’t leak.

CONS:
  • The labeling is in Russian, so you don’t know what’s inside.
  • The crackers aren’t very salty.

You will also like about it because it also comes with cutlery, wipes (both dry and wet), and a portable food heater. The pack also comes with anti-wind matches so that the Russians may have thought about everything!

The meals are very well protected and don’t get damaged nor leak. The packaging bag is waterproof and has a handle for more comfortable carrying. The zip lock gripper makes it even more versatile, allowing you to eat at different times during the day.

Last but not least, MRE is a tasty, well proportioned, and well-balanced grocery set that is great for the day and easy to carry. The portable heater has fuel tablets.

The package contains army crackers, sausage stuffing, beef meat with vegetables, rice porridge with beef, stew beef, vegetable stew, and protein drink and beverage concentrate. You will also enjoy the fruit jam, energy fruit bar, black tea, sugar, salt and pepper, and instant coffee. The expiration date is 06/2021.

All in all, you get food for a whole day, with everything you may need when eating, which is why the MRE makes an excellent choice for many military professionals or outdoor enthusiasts.


4. Xmre Meals 1300xt – 12 Case With Heaters (Meal Ready To Eat – Military Grade) New Fresh Dates

The Xmre Meals 1300xt – 12 Case With Heaters (Meal Ready To Eat – Military Grade) New Fresh Datesprovides 12 cases with heaters and 1300calories for every meal. The meals have five years of shelf life, even in storage conditions, and temperature may affect the durability. Twelve meals are providing you the nutrients and calories you will need for four to six days. The entrée is various, with chicken, beef, or vegetarian options.

Xmre Meals 1300xt - 12 Case With Heaters (Meal Ready To Eat - Military Grade) New Fresh Dates

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PROS:
  • The heaters work great.
  • It’s a fresh production
  • The cookies are delicious
  • It’s well packaged

CONS:
  • Some expected more variety for the meat
  • It’s a tad bland, according to some

You get regular or vegetable crackers, flour tortillas or snack bread for cracker/bread, and a great variety of corn nuggets, dry fruit mix, and nut raisin mix for snacks. You will enjoy fruit jellies, peanut butter, some MRE spreads, or fruit jams for spreads.

With sugar boosting your energy, it’s good to know that the meals also include deserts such as wet packed fruit, instant pudding, and pound cakes.

The package also includes single/assorted fruit-flavored drink mixes and single-serve instant coffee. You will easily use the heavy-duty military spoon (7-inch) and wipe your hands with the brown napkins.

The towelettes are moist and made with sanitizing soap solution. They’re great to use before eating.

You will also get one MRE military-type flameless meal/ration heater for every XMRE complete meal kit. It all comes in a waterproof outer bag that is military-grade and tamper-proof. It means it takes a fall and some kicking.

The goods outweigh the bad, and the package makes a reliable option on any given military or tactical application.


5. Western Frontier MRE 2019 Inspection Date Case, 12 Meals With 2019 Inspection Date

COVID-19 pandemic has been affected all of us, and many people buy irrationally, preparing for the worst-case scenarios. Having said that, we know that the price of Western Frontier MRE 2019 Inspection Date Case, 12 Meals With 2019 Inspection Date may throw off some, but the pack remains a great value and option for tactical and regular outdoor situations.

Western Frontier MRE 2019 Inspection Date Case, 12 Meals With 2019 Inspection Date

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PROS:
  • The food tastes delicious.
  • There are 12 menus to choose from
  • Every meal provides 1250 calories.
  • You also get utensils and flameless heaters.

CONS:
  • Some think that the chicken could use more flavoring.
  • There’s a lot of plastic used, so environmentalists may not go for it.

Every meal provides 1250 calories (give or take), and you have 12 different meals to choose from. Some will taste better than others, but every option will worth the try, at least once.

To give you an example, the menu 2 includes shredded barbeque beef, jalapeno cheddar cheese spread, seasoned black beans, tortillas, trans-fat-free, barbecue sauce, infused and dried fruits, and carbohydrate fortified beverage powder. The tortillas are fresh, the meat is tasty, and the jalapeno spreads will complete your nice lunch. Should you not want the meat, you could try the menu 1, which contains chili beans.  Cheddar cheese spread, cornbread, crackers, and cheese-filled snack food make an excellent option for cheese lovers out there. You also get the powder for the carbohydrate fortified beverage.

Many believe that the food tastes better than average, so it’s worth paying the extra buck. The meals come with heating bags and utensils, and flameless heaters.

Rest assured that the meals are tasty and will provide you the calories you need for the day, even if you’ll pay a bit more than expected.


What aspects should you consider when buying your MREs?

MRE (meals ready to eat) is a complete meal that comes nicely packaged, requiring minimal preparation. It can be easily stored. Typically used by the military, MRE is now used by survivalists, campers, and preppers who want to eat tasty food with little to no preparation when out in the woods.

Despite what you may think, the MRE is tasty and comes in a nice variety of meals. When you’re buying, here are the aspects to consider:

Durability

It would help if you looked for MRE that comes with long shelf life, with five years as one of the best life spans to get. Proper storage in a dry environment and room temperature will affect the MRE’s durability, so make sure you store it properly.

Also, it’s wise to buy MRE that has the expiration date displayed. No matter what the manufacturer claims, the expiration date will make it even safer.

Variety & calories

As you typically buy more than just one package, it’s great if you buy MRE that has various meals. You don’t want to eat beef for days, even if the taste is excellent.

Some meals will include meat and vegetables, but also cookies or dry fruit and beverages. Many come with instant coffee, so you stay wide awake throughout the day.

A complete meal should have around 1250 calories, which is enough for a meal.

Package

The bag should be waterproof and durable, taking excess use in outdoor applications. Carrying handle is an excellent detail that solves the transportation problem, but no risk for spillage or leak is fundamental.

Accessories

A reliable MRE will come with a flameless heater, so you don’t worry about how you will heat your food. Cutlery, dry and wet towels can also be included, as comfort isn’t skipped with reputable manufacturers.

Good value for the money

Some MRE may be pricey, mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but you should decide if they’re worth to pay the extra buck or not.

Go online, read the reviews, and don’t hesitate to find out as much as you can before buying. It could be some trial and error until you discover what you like, but it’s the same with everything else in life.


FAQs

Q: Are MREs nutritious enough?

A: Every MRE offers around 1,250 calories (51% carbohydrates, 36% fat, and 13% protein), 1/3 of the military allowance of minerals and vitamins for daily use. You will have to get three MREs for a whole day.

A reliable MRE kit should contain the entrees, side dish, and drink mix, candy, and miscellaneous.

Q: Is it required to freeze MREs?

A: Even if it’s not recommended, you may freeze the MREs. The thing is that MREs are already made to last 3-5 years packaged, and some may last even longer than that.

Should you plan to freeze it anyway, be aware that the packaging could get more brittle and prone to puncturing. The majority of manufacturers provide a five-year shelf-life, but the temperature and conditions of storage will affect the life span.

Freezing will not damage the food inside, but repeated freezing may stretch and stress the pouch, so the bag’s laminated layer could break. The bag is supposed to take 1,000 flexes, but repetitive freezing will affect that number.

Q: How long should you expect MREs to last?

A: Theoretically, MREs are supposed to last for 3-5 years, but many people reported eating (and experience no side effects from it) even after 10 to 15 years.

Even if there is no expiration date displayed on the case, you should look for the “inspection” date instead. As long as MREs are stored around 500 f, your MREs should be good to consume up to 5 years.

TTI (time-temperature indicator) is another element to pay attention to. It’s a light circle surrounded by a darker circle. It helps the inspectors see if the MREs are still good for use. When the inner circle’s color is even lighter than the darker circle’s color, the MREs are good for consuming.

Q: Can you discover if the MREs are fresh or not?

A: There are several methods to find out how fresh/old a case is, and even how new a single MRE packet is. When you buy a case, you will notice a packing date and an inspection date displayed outside of your case. Three years after the packaged date is typical for the inspection date.

Everything included in an MRE packet also has an inspection code date, with “1101” form. It will help you know when every item was packaged. If your item has “1047”, it means that it was made in 2001 (1). Forty-seven implies that it was made in the 47th day out of the 2001 year. You do the math.

Q: What happens if you eat MREs daily?

A: Even if MREs are tasty and nutritious, you shouldn’t eat them for more than a couple of days in a row. Should you consider it a challenge to do it anyway, make sure, you don’t do it for more than 21 days in a row. It will damage your digestive system, for sure.

Q: How does MRE damage the digestive system?

A: We’re talking about the situation when you have been consuming MREs for several days in a row. Celiac’s disease, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer are some of the health conditions caused by excessive use of MREs.

Q: How can you tell if the MREs aren’t safe to consume?

A: As we’ve mentioned, the temperature may affect the durability of MREs, so you should always give a visual check to your packages. The bloated and rancid smell of the MREs means that it’s definitely out of date, posing a high risk for your health. If your MREs are older than 20-30 years, it’s quite the Russian roulette if it’s safe to consume or not.

Q: How to heat the MREs?

A: Most MREs are made to be warmed up before consuming, and you don’t have an oven in the middle of the woods. Reliable MREs are made with flameless heaters, so you may heat them without making fire per se. The flameless heater relies on a chemical reaction, producing heat immediately (it’s very safe), without needing many materials. A bit of water will do.

You take your MRE out of the carton, looking for the heater sleeve as it has the instruction. Tear the top of the heating sleeve, slipping the MRE inside. Some water for starting the reaction will be enough.

After folding the top of the heat sleeve, you should put it in the carton to cooks. You should make sure that it doesn’t leak while heating.

Most of the time, you have to wait 10-15 minutes until your MRE is ready to eat.

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