Camping With Meals Ready To Eat
MREs are aptly named because its acronym stands for Meals Ready to Eat. Originally, these meal packs were designed for servicemen and women for field operations but they are handy as well for civilian campers and survivalists. Current MREs developed from c-rations and k-rations used in World War II by GIs with better nutritional value and taste.
An individual pack of MRE contains a main and side dish with bread or crackers and a spread like a traditional Western meal. It also contains a drink, dessert, utensils and an accessory pack of seasoning and napkins.
A neat thing about the MRE meal is that it comes with a flameless ration heater so you can enjoy a hot meal. However, the package can be eaten cold if required.
In military MREs, each package contains 1200 calories but if you get civilian MREs, the calorie count may vary but still fit in the same ball part range. For survival and camping purposes, the civilian type is just as good. For example, the strict requirements of military grade MREs being able to withstand a parachute drop of 1200 feet really does not apply for regular individuals.
Moreover, although military MREs were developed to withstand harsh conditions, military MREs for sale in the second hand market might not be as fresh. This is because these rations are probably leftovers from a field mission so even though military grade MREs are considered the best, their expiration date might have been moved up because it was they were submitted to rough conditions like the heat of a burning desert. And unfortunately, the buyer would not know because the sale is not regulated through normal channels.
MRE meals make sense if you are a camper or a hiker because they are lightweight and pack a lot of nutritional value. However, for your purposes, it is best to consider the civilian MRE.
Related posts:
- What are Military MREs?
- Multipurpose Camping Canopy
- Did You Remember the Kids Camping Chairs?
- Solar Lights for Camping and Other Outdoor Activities
- Portable Gas Grill for Camping