Just a WAG, but it seems the main difference is that the MRE has about 840 calories and the FRR is listed as having around 1300 each. Could be the winter ration that thinksnow referred to earlier.
The MRE and FRR are one in the same. Field Ready Rations are the “big picture” and Meals Ready to Eat are the individual deals. Military MRE’s have about 1300 calories while the commercial version MRE has about 840. The winter MRE’s that thinksnow mentioned have about 4500 calories each.
sewalk, you actually cooked your pork patties? That’s nasty, dude. I would rehydrate the beef patty, put the gravy and some cheese on it and slap it between the crackers for a Grunt Burger, but the pork patty was best served only one way. Lick it, salt it, and eat it like a fat pork cracker. Same with the dehydrated hash brown. With water, it was just mush, but salted and eaten dry, it was like a huge potato chip. Come to think about it, most everything was better if you left it dry. Rehydrating stuff only removed the fantasy that it was actually food:)
Pork patty is good. I ate mine straight up tastes like pork cotton candy.
I went on a Navy/Marine ROTC field training exercise back in 1986 for a week. For the first few days we were eating C-rats. They were not very palatable, and using the “John Wayne” portable can opener was a real pain. I received a can of peaches that was bloated into the shape of a softball, and was told by my squad leader to “shutup and eat it!” (I did know about botulism and declined, thank you very much.) These C-rats had been stored at the unit for some time–I think they were dated 1974.
On the last day, we got MRE’s. After eating decade-old C-rats for nearly a week, they were like mannah from heaven. So I guess it all depends on your perspective.
Thanks for the clarification. Me and my WAG stand corrected.
In 1982, I ate a C-Rat from 1971. It was still good, though I wouldn’t recommend it as a general rule. I can’t remember if I was told, or if the year was stamped on the cans, but I do remember it as a fact.
Sir Rhosis
Hijack:
My second hijack, actually.
I recall one of my early squad leaders (an “old salt” from way back in the 70s!), telling us to never never open a can of C-Rat apricots inside an armored vehicle, i. e. tank, half-track, etc.
Any former Marines remember this legend? I’m pretty sure it was apricots.
Sir Rhosis
MRE’s either taste really good or really bad.
It all depends on when was the last time you ate.
I’m not sure of the FRR that demanton and Turbo Dog are talking about, but from what I gleaned from a hangover during the morning of Services training at my CE Tech school, current MREs have roughly 1700 calories in 'em a piece. The Services Sqns in the USAF are now putting the finishing touches on UGRs (IIRC) which are self contained full meal kits for 50 people at a clip. They are palletized, and include everything up to the paper trays and plasticware to eat with. Services did the cooking at Silver Flag, and we (Civil Engineers) got 'em the water and lights to do it with.
Personally, I don’t mind the MREs. There’s nothing I like better than to sit down with a packet after 9 hours of work, just to take a break and grab some sort of tasty food.
Tripler
They are a lot better than the C-Rats. I’ve had those too . . .