Could you live off MRE's????

[hillbilly37]

The worlds at end, you have a choice, eat the lifetime supply of MRE's in the building your in or take what you can and leave...looking for better.

I see alot of folks talk about how they cant eat MRE's long, constipation, nasty taste or what ever and others...like me, who could live off them for ever happily....as far as i know.

Are these meant to be able to keep a person alive and healthy for LOOOONG term or is it basiclly just for short term?

[dirtbag]

Forever?
Sure would get sick of the menu...
Months?
sure. Probably have to go to 2 a day, or risk looking like a blimp...
I think longer might be a problem with trace minerals, vitamins etc.
Boredom would set in looong before that tho
However, given the choice of sitting in a warm bunker, eating MRE's, OR going 'Out There'...and living off the land, well......

[German_EPA]

sit in bunker as long as needed and when the chance will come get out and grab what you can get. in the -worst- case you get back in the bunker and eat mre.

[rationtin440]

Actually, the way it was explained to me during my time in service, MREs are designed for ease of feeding but not intended for use much longer than 21 days due to nutrition issues and the fact that copious amounts of water are needed to aid in digestion and elimination (we were expected to drink 2 full canteens of water with each MRE). Do they beat starving? Absolutely! Are they a good long term option? Well how much water, vitamins and other supplements do you have stored? These are things to consider, including a way to grow veggies to supplement your post shtf diet. MREs, consumed alone, without adequate water and the other things I've mentioned can lead to severe constipation, which can actually become a life threatening bowel issue if not dealt with within about 2-3 weeks. MREs are an excellent part of a food storage plan but should not be relied on solely. Just my thoughts.

[hillbilly37]

Thats what i was looking for, if it is food fit for living off of by itself, if i have the vitamins and water it would....do.

[rationtin440]

Good idea to check on stuff like this hillbilly, that's how you get info you need ahead of time, another thing to remember about MREs is that they were designed to give soldiers a concentrated amount of calories, carbs and nutrition for high stress, prolonged action. One interesting thing I've learned from buddies of mine who are medics in Iraq is that even two MREs per day are not enough for the extreme physical activity that soldiers are engaged in. Now if tshtf and your intent is to conduct guerilla warfare against an occupying foreign military, you may well find MREs to be a very good system. On the other hand if your intent is to bug out to a location which is "out of the way" and you can grow food or harvest local wildlife, the MREs would be very useful for perimeter patrols around your area, or even for barter in the post shtf economy. Hope this helps you out.

[Treesuit]

Though this converation is good it would still be in the best interest to stockpile them in case the SHTF. Living of even 2 MRE's a day is still good while hunting or growing food, which takes awhile.

[rationtin440]

Yes, MREs are good to have as a part of the overall food storage plan, and my apologies if I led anyone to believe that MREs are not good for storing, as that certainly was not my intent. As long as it is understood what MREs are and are not good for, and as long as plentiful water and supplements are readily available, they certainly have a place in preps.

[Big_jo]

Just from a personal point of view, I would say that MREs are a great stop-gap measure, but beyond that I would rather stockpile dried and canned foods, simply because they are so much cheaper and can provide a better variety/nutritional balance.

MREs are great for when you need something quick and easy and you don't have cooking facilities, but aren't a catch all solution.

[Richard w.]

When I was in the Army, I remember hearing somewhere that the troops could eat MREs indefinitely at a ratio of two per day plus one "Hot A" meal provided by the field kitchens.

I understood that the hot meal was for morale reasons, to help mitigate "MRE fatigue". (They do get monotonous after a while, no matter how much you like them.)

I don't think the hot meal was needed for nutritional purposes. I'm just guessing, though, since I haven't seen anything to that effect in print. I find it difficult to believe that powdered eggs, undercooked bacon, and coffee served from a mermite canister is any more nutritious than an MRE.

If anyone can provide any documentation on this issue, please link it or scan it. I'm curious to know what the official policy is.