MREs - how old is too old? Mr. Wizard experiments

[QuietShootr]

I just ate one I found in the bottom of one of my old duffel bags from 1991. Anyone remember Meatballs in Barbecue Sauce?

It was actually quite good. The retorts were not puffy or showing any sign of spoilage, and the flavor was as I remember it (this one was discontinued long ago, and it was my favorite back when I was a young troop).

T+1 hour, now, and no problems yet

[cqbdriver]

I found a case that I put away in 1985. I opened some around 2005 & found several that had gone bad (ones with meat - chicken loaf, etc). The packages with the meat had busted open. The case was stored in a closet in an air condition house.

My favorite MRE from back then was dehydrated pork patties. I loved them. Luckily, every one else hated them & I could trade any time for them. It came with pork patty, 2 chocolate cookies, apple sauce, crackers & cheese. If they had changed the cheese for peanut butter, it would be the perfect meal.

[QuietShootr]

I found a case that I put away in 1985. I opened some around 2005 & found several that had gone bad (ones with meat - chicken loaf, etc). The packages with the meat had busted open. The case was stored in a closet in an air condition house.

My favorite MRE from back then was dehydrated pork patties. I loved them. Luckily, every one else hated them & I could trade any time for them. It came with pork patty, 2 chocolate cookies, apple sauce, crackers & cheese. If they had changed the cheese for peanut butter, it would be the perfect meal.

I remember pork patties. Not too bad as long as you let them soften up a little bit. This one had dehydrated fruit cocktail in it, too, which I haven't seen in a LONG time. I liked it better dry!

[Littlelebowski]

I would kill for cherry nut cake.

[Alex F]

I used to enjoy the ham slice.

My least favorite was fat (beef) stew.

I liked the cheese better than the peanut butter, though.

[PA PATRIOT]

I enjoyed most of the "C" Rations and the B-2's were my favorite. Since the meat and fruits were canned the carnal sin at any meal time was to forget your "John Wayne" as no one else would ever loan theirs out. I remember seeing many mutilated cans laying about (K-Bar attack) and there owners trying to bum your cookies or crackers.


John Wayne

[K.L. Davis]

John Wayne Bars = Boonie Currency

[The Cat]

I enjoyed most of the "C" Rations and the B-2's were my favorite. Since the meat and fruits were canned the carnal sin at any meal time was to forget your "John Wayne" as no one else would ever loan theirs out. I remember seeing many mutilated cans laying about (K-Bar attack) and there owners trying to bum your cookies or crackers.

I LOOOOVED the Turkey Loaf.

[markm]

How old is too old?

Depends on how well they were stored. I popped open an MRE that I had in my deployment pack for a while. It wasn't but 3-4 years old, but it was wild. I ate the main entre which tasted a little funny. But I knew it had heat abuse when I openned the fruit cocktail stuff and it was all chocolate brown.

I didn't get sick or anything, but I wouldn't have eaten the thing if I saw what the fruit looked like. I don't know where it came from since it wasn't pulled out of one of my known cases.

[tgace]

Who knows what sort of preservatives they put in those things? They may last longer than Twinkees.