MREs are packaged food rations created by the US military for soldiers and disaster relief. They contain an appetizer, side dish, coffee, dessert, and utensils, and can last for three and a half years. Some complain of constipation, and there is controversy over their sale on sites like eBay.
Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs) are packaged food rations created by the US military that are used to aid soldiers who may not have access to food preparation facilities. MREs can also be distributed as part of relief packages to people in disaster areas, such as the victims of Hurricane Katrina. They can also be part of the supplies sent to refugee camps.
MREs typically contain an appetizer, side dish, or cracker or bread, margarine or bread spread, a serving of coffee and cream, dessert, and necessary utensils. They also contain a ration heater, which tends to work by adding a little water to the MREs. This effectively heats the appetizer and coffee. Most MREs contain around 1200-1500 calories.
Entrees vary, and food research specialists try to express variety in MREs. Recently developed MREs include dishes such as jambalaya, fajitas, omelettes, penne, and macchetti. Traditional meals like meatloaf and pot roast are also included in the MRE offerings.
One doesn’t necessarily have a choice of meals, and not everyone who eats MREs would do so by choice. In fact, a common complaint about MREs is that they seem to cause a high degree of constipation. The developers of MRE tried to compensate for this by adding extra fiber to the bread or cracker portion of the meal. Still many who eat MREs have given them rather colorful alternative definitions such as Meals that refuse to go out or Meals that everyone refuses.
Part of the problem with developing MREs is that they need to be made for easy portability and conditions that withstand parachute drops and extreme temperatures. They also need to be able to last for about three and a half years. Preparing a tasty meal while meeting these requirements can be challenging.
An interesting controversy that has occurred since Hurricane Katrina is the number of people selling boxes of MREs on auction sites like eBay. It is believed that MREs distributed to people during the aftermath of the hurricane may have actually been stored. Technically MREs shouldn’t be sold, but they are rarely enforced. Until the government provides eBay with laws specifically prohibiting the auctioning of MREs, the site ensures that there are no disclaimers that are not intended for commercial sale.
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