# What would you include in your MRE kit? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686 "2019-02-16T20:38:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/21 "2019-02-17T15:47:12Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > The beverage bag doesn’t really replace the canteen cup. It has a couple benefits. > > 1. The beverage bag allows you to heat up your drink using the flame less ration heater. If you don’t have the luxury (the time or the security) to have a fire, you can still have hot coffee. Just fill the beverage bag and slide it into the ration heater, just like a meal. Hot, instant coffee! > 2. The beverage bag works great for storing your cell phone or other electronics, or even a small notebook, small reference cards, maps, etc. Anything you want to keep dry. > 3. The beverage bag gives you a clean, disposable, drink container. The canteen cup easily gets full of dirt, mud or left overs. Using the beverage bag saves the time (and valuable water) of having to clean out the cup. Plus, when you’re done, you dont have to rinse out the canteen cup to make sure there is no sugary water residue left that might attract ants. You can just throw away the bag. The general utility of a waterproof, sealable storage bag is obvious. I have no problems with the beverage bag as a _supplement_ to the cup. As a _replacement_, I just don’t see it. That’s why I asked if soldiers still carried the canteen cup. The beverage bag in the Canadian meal is superior in that it has a simple gusset at the bottom enabling it to be freestanding when filled. > [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Except that they don’t necessarily sell them at the three year mark. If the inspection determines that they’ve been stored properly, they will keep them around. I’ve had MREs that were at least 5-6 years old, so they’re not universally discarding them after 3. That’s probably correct. When I buy MREs, I make a point of buying the freshest available and they’re always right around the three year mark. If I wanted to save money and roll a few more dice, I’m sure older ones are out there. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/22 "2019-02-17T16:22:32Z")
> [@Littleman](#): > > No, older tents have big tubes on the side that ducting plugs into which goes to a separate heater unit. > > Newer ones are domed with two layers spaced a few inches apart, they come on a trailer that also contains a generator + HVAC unit. Aah, so todays troops stay warmer without the risk of CO1 poisoning. Lucky dogs. Oh well, the price of progress I suppose. ������ Still, if the mre heaters haven’t changed in the last 20 years they can still make mre … erm, rapidly expanding gasses device since bombs were expressly and uniformly forbidden in my day and now I have the security alphabet watching me for using that word (well for this week anyway…hi agent Smith) ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/23 "2019-02-17T16:35:59Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > (Do they still use the diesel fueled potbelly stoves or kerosene heaters these days?) > [@Littleman](#): > > No, older tents have big tubes on the side that ducting plugs into which goes to a separate heater unit. > > Newer ones are domed with two layers spaced a few inches apart, they come on a trailer that also contains a generator + HVAC unit. The space heater arctic (SHA) is still in use by Arctic and Mountain units to heat the 10-man arctic tents. Here’s a nice video of the fun. [https://youtu.be/-wWjpZbi6V8?t=511](https://youtu.be/-wWjpZbi6V8?t=511) ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/24 "2019-02-17T16:38:19Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > Aah, so todays troops stay warmer without the risk of CO1 poisoning. Lucky dogs. Staff and Pogues, perhaps. The rest of us are still sucking down CO and diesel fumes while freezing to near death like the founding fathers intended! ---
**Author:** ![Littleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ccd318/32.png) [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/25 "2019-02-17T16:41:08Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > The space heater arctic (SHA) is still in use by Arctic and Mountain units to heat the 10-man arctic tents. Here’s a nice video of the fun. [https://youtu.be/-wWjpZbi6V8?t=511](https://youtu.be/-wWjpZbi6V8?t=511) Oh nice, I didn’t know anybody still had them. I wonder if specific units still get the “Mickey mouse” boots? ---
**Author:** ![Littleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ccd318/32.png) [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/26 "2019-02-17T16:44:53Z")
> [@guestchaz](#): > > Aah, so todays troops stay warmer without the risk of CO1 poisoning. Lucky dogs. > Oh well, the price of progress I suppose. �� > > Still, if the mre heaters haven’t changed in the last 20 years they can still make mre … erm, rapidly expanding gasses device since bombs were expressly and uniformly forbidden in my day and now I have the security alphabet watching me for using that word (well for this week anyway…hi agent Smith) Well the heater units are still diesel powered. Something like an overgrown cab heater basically. The Gen+ HVAC units though are more like an electric furnace/heat pump ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/27 "2019-02-17T17:18:05Z")
> [@Littleman](#): > > Yep, have a gander > [MRE Menus 2016 | MRE Info](https://www.mreinfo.com/mres/mre-menus/mre-menus-2016/) > > Although even this seems off. I see no mention of Skittles , shock-a-lots, tobasco and maybe a few other items I know were in there. > > They changed a little every year or two though so … Skittles are a “Candy II” item. Tabasco is listed as “hot sauce” in the menu. Well, either Tabasco or Tapatio. Watch some of **[Steve1989](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Y7T9UkcUo)**’s reviews on Youtube. Those things are addictive (just one more.) “Let’s get this out on a tray.” “Nice.” ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/28 "2019-02-17T18:14:48Z")
I’ve made a few 20+ hour train trips over the last few years, and MREs came in very handy. I bought single ones military surplus on eBay, but I’m going to get a friend in the reserves to get me two cases just to have for emergency use. I had a cooler, but knew that I would be having a serious need for hot food eventually, and they don’t let you use the microwave in the overpriced snack car. So the flameless heater was great. Only fill to the line, but slosh it back and forth to make sure the heated is saturated. I was able to put in two packets and got both heated. Yes, it’s producing hydrogen gas, but not enough to be any danger on a train - I still prepped my food in the restroom so nobody would freak out. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/29 "2019-02-17T18:45:19Z")
> [@Littleman](#): > > I wonder if specific units still get the “Mickey mouse” boots? Absolutely. I wore them quite often in Alaska–with and without skis and/or snow shoes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/30 "2019-02-17T20:39:29Z")
> [@Littleman](#): > > Yep, have a gander > [MRE Menus 2016 | MRE Info](https://www.mreinfo.com/mres/mre-menus/mre-menus-2016/) > > Although even this seems off. I see no mention of Skittles , shock-a-lots, tobasco and maybe a few other items I know were in there. > > They changed a little every year or two though so … _Chili w/Beans Corn Bread Cheddar Cheese Spread Crackers Cheese Filled Snack Food Carbohydrate Fortified Beverage Powder Accessory Packet A_ actually doesnt sound half bad. Altho I’d prefer crackers to cornbread. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/31 "2019-02-17T21:00:30Z")
What Menu #1 really needs is the _jalapeno_ cheese spread and a double amount of hot sauce. The “Cheese Filled Snack Food” are just [Combos](https://www.amazon.com/COMBOS-Cheddar-Cheese-Pretzel-15-Ounce/dp/B00H6XX67S/ref=asc_df_B00H6XX67S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312155895019&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13861439873539829207&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031472&hvtargid=pla-589243734602&psc=1). The MRE is edible, and tastier the farther you are from real food. As is the case with most lightweight rations, really. We generally keep a case or two of rations around as part of the earthquake kit. The Lemon Pepper Tuna one is stashed in the SUV for emergencies. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/32 "2019-02-17T21:07:11Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > What Menu #1 really needs is the _jalapeno_ cheese spread and a double amount of hot sauce. … The MRE is edible, and tastier the farther you are from real food. As is the case with most lightweight rations, really. > > We generally keep a case or two of rations around as part of the earthquake kit. The Lemon Pepper Tuna one is stashed in the SUV for emergencies. I dont care for spicy food but yeah a extra tiny bottle of hot sauce wouldnt hurt. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/33 "2019-02-17T23:46:26Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > They aren’t as bad as some would have you think. They were certainly better than the first run back in the 80s. Kids today will never know the pleasure of having a dehydrated beef patty. Oh, man, that and its pork sibling… maybe the positive side, and then rather from the command’s side, was that these menu items helped put you in the mood to not mind dealing death. ---
**Author:** ![Littleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ccd318/32.png) [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/34 "2019-02-18T00:03:20Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > What Menu #1 really needs is the _jalapeno_ cheese spread and a double amount of hot sauce. The “Cheese Filled Snack Food” are just [Combos](https://www.amazon.com/COMBOS-Cheddar-Cheese-Pretzel-15-Ounce/dp/B00H6XX67S/ref=asc_df_B00H6XX67S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312155895019&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13861439873539829207&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031472&hvtargid=pla-589243734602&psc=1). The MRE is edible, and tastier the farther you are from real food. As is the case with most lightweight rations, really. > > We generally keep a case or two of rations around as part of the earthquake kit. The Lemon Pepper Tuna one is stashed in the SUV for emergencies. That’s something else that I didn’t see on that list. I think whether the cheese is jalapeno or not is random. Sometimes I’ve even seen chocolate peanut butter. Btw for those wondering or assuming , the jalapeno cheese isn’t remotely spicy. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/35 "2019-02-18T00:20:03Z")
one of my favorite things was a really big chocolate graham cracker like the ones you get from Keebler a army friend used to get mres all the time and would save them for me for when he visited Do they still include then … all the label said was "chocolate covered cookie " ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/36 "2019-02-18T00:59:54Z")
Oh man, the cookie, coated, chocolate flavored, dos were da bomb! The Bar, Oatmeal was a literal colonic cleansing bomb as I recall, once you used your etool to smash it down into bits of oatmeal gravel you could fit in your mouth and chew. Or I guess you could have used it as an improvised projectile against the enemy, it was so hard. Aaaah good memories. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/37 "2019-02-18T19:43:55Z")
Great suggestions like always on SD so many different views that qualify … One thing I would also include is something in the English (UK) MRE’s it’s called a: [Spork - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spork) > [@](#): > > A spork (a portmanteau of spoon and fork), is a hybrid form of cutlery taking the form of a spoon-like shallow scoop with two to four tines. I’m going to order a case of 12 with different menu’s and then try to make my own for family and friends to give away to them. Ten dollars each is the best I can find right now. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2019, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/38 "2019-02-18T22:14:58Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > One thing I would also include is something in the English (UK) MRE’s it’s called a: [Spork - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spork) MREs get around the problem of needing a forking eating utensil by not offering anything with the needed texture or consistency. Most of the meals have the appearance of being pre-chewed by weasels for the consumer’s convenience. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/39 "2019-02-19T00:03:49Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > Great suggestions like always on SD so many different views that qualify … > > One thing I would also include is something in the English (UK) MRE’s it’s called a: [Spork - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spork). So go buy a bunch of plastic sporks at the grocery store and include them. No big deal. Or get yourself a _titanium_ one off of [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/itm/Titanium-Spork-Outdoor-Camping-Picnic-Backpacking-Fork-Spoon-Cutlery-Lightweight/132900866925?hash=item1ef1824b6d:g:W9YAAOSw-QxcJNBf:rk:8:pf:0&var=432199605235). If you really want to do everyone a solid, so to speak, include a couple of bran tablets in every meal. MREs are like any American Involvement overseas - no exit strategy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/40 "2019-02-19T00:32:20Z")
That’s a feature, not a bug. If I have a 72 hour field problem, I appreciate not having to shit that whole time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686.md?page=3)