# 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:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/41 "2019-02-19T00:36:31Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 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. 😃 That used to be the case, but they now have a decent fiber content. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/42 "2019-02-19T16:36:00Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > That used to be the case, but they now have a decent fiber content. See what guestchaz said above: > [@](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/43 "2019-02-19T17:43:00Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > 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. LOL. I remember being tossed one of those out of the back of a deuce and a half in Graf in the middle of winter and having to eat that fucking thing. I always felt that the name on the packet should have read “Dehydrated Pork Pattie (with real bone chips)” or something. ---
**Author:** ![Pithily\_Effusive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pithily_effusive/32/252_2.png) [@Pithily\_Effusive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pithily_Effusive)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/44 "2019-02-20T08:21:47Z")
I’m so sorry I never shared this experience with my fellow veterans. While you guys were eating sand from your messkits saying, “Good morning, First Sergeant,” I was devouring a fresh cooked breakfast at the hotel where I was “billeted” before I came out with my camera and took photos of you practicing to keel keel keel! I would include in your MRE kit a picture of me in front of my hotel, in my dress blues, next to my rental car. Ooorah. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/45 "2019-02-20T12:32:49Z")
**Moderator Warning** > [@Pithily\_Effusive](#): > > I’m so sorry I never shared this experience with my fellow veterans. While you guys were eating sand from your messkits saying, “Good morning, First Sergeant,” I was devouring a fresh cooked breakfast at the hotel where I was “billeted” before I came out with my camera and took photos of you practicing to keel keel keel! I would include in your MRE kit a picture of me in front of my hotel, in my dress blues, next to my rental car. Ooorah. You’re receiving a warning for trolling and threadshitting. Do not return to this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/46 "2019-02-20T14:38:59Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **guestchaz** : > > The tuna casserole was one of the better mre menus when I was in. The omelet and the burrito were not. I’ve never had actual MREs, but I was on a canoeing trip in the 90s where we had freeze-dried rations. The “enchiladas” was terrible. Even a bunch of teenage boys engaged in heavy physical activity who hadn’t eaten any real food in a week had a hard time getting those down. We all agreed that the next time, we’d skip the enchiladas and just double down on the roast beef one instead. And I’ve never been able to understand the purpose of a spork. There is a set of foods which can be eaten with a spoon, and a set of foods that can be eaten with a fork. A utensil which could be used for the union of those two sets would be useful. But a spork can only be used for the intersection of those sets. Just a fork, or just a spoon, would either one be equal or superior in every way to a spork. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/47 "2019-02-21T00:32:33Z")
In addition to the food, they should include a rock or something in case you don’t have one handy. ---
**Author:** ![Littleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ccd318/32.png) [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/48 "2019-02-21T01:54:00Z")
> [@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) > > 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. > [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > 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. > [@silenus](#): > > 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. 😃 They do include a fairly sturdy spoon. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > In addition to the food, they should include a rock or something in case you don’t have one handy. I thought I was the only one who found that wording funny. What’s it called when something like that is just blatantly out of place? Least official sounding language possibly ever actually printed in or on any military property ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/49 "2019-02-21T02:17:19Z")
I tried a couple MREs a few years ago. They weren’t bad at all! Winco (a local grocery store) had a bunch of MRE heaters in their bulk section. No MREs or components, just the heaters. ?? I haven’t looked the last few times I’ve gone to that store but they’d been there for months. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/50 "2019-02-21T02:35:48Z")
An inspirational message, like, “Don’t stop believeing, hold on to your feelings!” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/51 "2019-02-21T06:14:34Z")
I hear soldiers often trade MREs so each gets one they like? Does a battalion just get, say, 10,000 MREs in one big box with numerous different types? ---
**Author:** ![Littleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ccd318/32.png) [@Littleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Littleman)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/52 "2019-02-21T06:38:32Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I hear soldiers often trade MREs so each gets one they like? > Does a battalion just get, say, 10,000 MREs in one big box with numerous different types? Like was brought up, there is A box and a B box 1-12 and 13-24. Typically roughly even numbers of both boxes on pallets. Which would be drawn by a company from the battallion…typically. Trade , yeah sure, but it all depends. Sometimes they are handed out without choice. Sometimes you just grab them yourself. Sometimes they’re provided even when other options are available. Sometimes its more a matter of trading individual items, though some command will discourage that because each one is properly balanced as it is paired so you’re supposed to eat it all as a set. There’s a whole subset of recipes people have invented from random items found in different ones. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/53 "2019-02-21T10:27:36Z")
My personal MREs would include tubes of Marmite, Vegemite or Cenovis, as well as little bottles of _garum_ or tubes of fish paste or Kalles kaviar. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/54 "2019-02-21T20:26:07Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > My personal MREs would include tubes of Marmite, Vegemite or Cenovis, as well as little bottles of _garum_ or tubes of fish paste or Kalles kaviar. Just ask long as you’re not the person picking the menu for everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686/55 "2019-02-21T20:38:27Z")
> [@Littleman](#): > > I thought I was the only one who found that wording funny. > > What’s it called when something like that is just blatantly out of place? > > Least official sounding language possibly ever actually printed in or on any military property [Not even close to the only one](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22a+rock+or+something%22&client=firefox-b-1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjardv11s3gAhWk34MKHe22D2YQ_AUIDigB&biw=1408&bih=703). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-include-in-your-mre-kit/829686.md?page=2)