MRE “14/41” Emergency Meal Kit (All Beef)

**Please see my notes on MRE longevity and expiration below.**

This package will feed one person for four days or four people for one day, hence “14/41”.

The meal kit is composed of MRE components from my personal stores, which are mostly purchased from supplier overruns the same year they were produced. The kit includes the equivalent of four MRE’s plus numerous additional items. There are 37 food items and 45 total items, all that I could fit in a USPS Medium Flat Rate Box. The box weighs 8 pounds.

Below is a list of included items.

Four MRE Entrees (All Beef)
    Southwest Beef & Black Beans
    Sloppy Joe Filling
    Chili with Beans (or Chili & Macaroni)
    Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (or Meatballs in Marinara or Beef Ravioli)

Five Side Dishes
    Refried Beans
    Mexican Style Rice
    Applesauce with Raspberry Puree
    Mixed Fruit (or Pears)
    Mexican Mac & Cheese (or Garlic Mashed Potatoes)

Six Bread Packs
    2 - Cracker packs
    2 - Wheat Snack Breads
    1 - Cornbread
    1 - Tortilla pack

Ten Desserts and Snacks (one each)
    Chocolate First Strike Bar
    Beef Snack Stick
    Lemon Poppy Pound Cake
    Nut & Raisin Mix
    Maple Muffin Top
    Mocha Dessert Bar
    Toffee Cookies
    Dairyshake (Chocolate or Vanilla)
    Raisins
    Pretzel Sticks

Eight Spreads/Condiments
    1 Cheese Spread pack
    1 Cheese Spread with Jalapeños
    1 Cheese Spread with Bacon
    2 Peanut Butter packs
    1 Chunky Peanut Butter pack
    1 Jelly Pack (Grape or Strawberry)
    1 Black berry Jam pack

Four Drink Packs
    Lemon-Lime Electrolyte
    Orange Beverage Base
    Cocoa
    French Vanilla Cappuccino

Four MRE Accessory Packs (coffee, tea, gum, moist towelette, etc.)

Four MRE Spoons

All components have 0xxx date codes and are from 2010.


SOME NOTES ON MRE EXPIRATION, LONGEVITY AND MY EXPERIENCES

The government established an expiration table based on some criteria, not really sure what that was, but set a 7 -year maximum. The Heat Stabilized Retort Packaging process in theory has no expiration. For longevity, all MRE components should be stored in a cool and dry area, 60 degrees or cooler.  As long as the packages are sealed and exhibit no swelling the food product inside is edible and nutritious.

My extensive experience backs up this theory. I’ve been eating MRE’s since they were introduced in 1981. Since the mid 1980’s I have routinely used MRE’s for camping, hunting and for quick and easy meals. In the past year I have been consuming more MRE’s than in the past. This past year I have been eating MRE’s as old as 2003 vintage from my stored supplies. I am vigilant in inspecting the MRE components for any issues of packaging integrity and signs of swelling and on occasion find a compromised component. Otherwise, I have had no issues with “expired” product. Some components fair better than others, the cheese spreads and applesauce can visibly darken with age upon opening, but are edible.

The most extreme sample I’ve tested was in 2011. A friend had a partial case of 1981 MRE’s that were stored in his garage for several decades cycling from freezing in the Winter and high heat in the Summer. These MRE’s were 30 years old and could not possibly be any good, or so my friend thought. I opened and inspected all the components of a Menu #11 bag. The ham slices were juicy and tasty, just as I remembered them. The freeze dried fruit rehydrated ok, but was lacking the sweetness (I mixed in a little honey and it was very good, one of my tricks). The orange nut cake was as fresh and tasty as I remembered. The crackers had lost a little crispness, but the saltiness made up for that. The cheese spread was very dark upon opening, but tasted ok. Finally the cocoa was a fine treat to cap off my meal. I  WAS shocked myself at how well this MRE held up being 30 years old!