How old are we?

[Teddydogno1]

Got these two guys today loose and I'd like to know how old they are. Is there a "photo ID" page somewhere where you find the approximate date of an MRE based on the appearance of the pouch? That is, did the "look" change in a consistent way so that you can tell the age just by the appearance (aside from the OLD brown baggers, that is). Cases are easy, with their prominent dates and hopefully the TTI. But individuals?

I know that some are dated on the outside with the standard code of "last digit of year + julian day". Most of the interior contents are marked the same. But with only the 1 digit of the year, how can you be sure that a meal is 2016 instead of 2006?

I THINK it can be at least fairly reliable to go by that last digit and the meal number/name combo. For example, on the two meals below, I attempted to determine their ages using this type of info.



The one on the left is "Menu 11 Vegetable crumbles with pasta in taco style sauce". It is by Ameriqual, so it has a date code on the back of the bottom seal: 6005. So it was made either Jan 5 2006 or 2016. Based on a list of menus I found online, if it was a 2006, Menu 11 would have been Spicy Penne Pasta. Therefore, the meal on the left must be from 2016.

The one on the right is "Menu 5 Chicken chunks, white, cooked". It is by Wornick so there is NO date on the outside. Looking at the same listing of menus, Menu 5 was only "Chicken chunks" in 2016 and 2017 (maybe 18?), so it must be 2016 or newer.

Am I right? Is there any better way of dating these things?

Thanks!

Rob

[MikeRE]

Got these two guys today loose and I'd like to know how old they are. Is there a "photo ID" page somewhere where you find the approximate date of an MRE based on the appearance of the pouch? That is, did the "look" change in a consistent way so that you can tell the age just by the appearance (aside from the OLD brown baggers, that is). Cases are easy, with their prominent dates and hopefully the TTI. But individuals?

I know that some are dated on the outside with the standard code of "last digit of year + julian day". Most of the interior contents are marked the same. But with only the 1 digit of the year, how can you be sure that a meal is 2016 instead of 2006?

I THINK it can be at least fairly reliable to go by that last digit and the meal number/name combo. For example, on the two meals below, I attempted to determine their ages using this type of info.



The one on the left is "Menu 11 Vegetable crumbles with pasta in taco style sauce". It is by Ameriqual, so it has a date code on the back of the bottom seal: 6005. So it was made either Jan 5 2006 or 2016. Based on a list of menus I found online, if it was a 2006, Menu 11 would have been Spicy Penne Pasta. Therefore, the meal on the left must be from 2016.

The one on the right is "Menu 5 Chicken chunks, white, cooked". It is by Wornick so there is NO date on the outside. Looking at the same listing of menus, Menu 5 was only "Chicken chunks" in 2016 and 2017 (maybe 18?), so it must be 2016 or newer.

Am I right? Is there any better way of dating these things?

Thanks!

Rob

From the research I have done you're as close as anyone can get. Definitely spot on with the 2016 mre, as you point out 2006 would not match.

Unfortunately with Wornicks they don't date the outer bag, so you have to just "date range" them as you've done so well. If you can't open a Wornick, you can't know the exact date I'm afraid. Ofc I'm green to the ration game so I am happy to be corrected and do some learning.

Thanks guys! MikeRE the BFG

[Mpitt]

Another subtle clue: I believe since 2013 US MREs included a french translation which was printed below the English menu name.

[Sailswish]

When did the Trump sitting with Obama graphic on the front start to appear?

[parafireboy]

When did the Trump sitting with Obama graphic on the front start to appear?

I’m never going to look at those bags the same again! LOL

[MikeRE]

Another subtle clue: I believe since 2013 US MREs included a french translation which was printed below the English menu name.

That's an awesome tip, thanks Mr Pitt!

[Oldsmokey]

You should check out my MRE information video. I didn't touch on everything I wanted to but still theta alot in there. Btw this website and it's mre menus list is your best friend when trying to figure out date eras. The menu numbers change occasionally so you can almost always get a good range of a few year spread by checking the menus.

[Teddydogno1]

Thank you, Oldsmokey! I had seen quite a few of your videos, but not that one. I was wondering why someone hadn't done something like that before. They had!

Rob

[jfko6]

MRE Menu 5. Authors Photo ©️ All Rights Reserved.

United States Military Academy. Authors Photo ©️

United States Military Academy. Authors Photo ©️

MRE Menu five, “white chunks,” was an explosive menu. These photos were taken back in May at The United States Military Academy base visit. A review followed later. Suffice to say, from the image, A1 steak sauce went well with the chicken. The mayonnaise simply pictured was considered as an alternative spread for the main entree.

MRE Production Date: 09324

The date had been hand written with a black indelible marker on the outer bag. The expiration date appears to be labeled at 11/2022

Some of the canon pictured here were used in various wars including the Mexican War.