If you were the MRE developer...

[DIRTYDAVE]

LOL, no I am fine Dave. I don't really think it was from the MRE. I think it was more of some kind of a flu bug or something. I spoke to my friend who is in the medical field and since I was not throwing up, it was unlikely that it was food poisoning. Usually, and perhaps you have noticed this, when you eat something that you causes you to throw up, usually you don't eat that same item or even want to think about eating it for a long time. I got food poisoning from eating Krystal hamburgers along time ago and it took me a good six years before I ate there again. Same with Red Lobster and a restaurant here in FL called Miami Subs. I can easily eat the Beefsteak MRE again with no problem and since then I have eaten about four MREs, roast beef last night, so I am not afraid to continue eating MREs...after all what would life be like if I could not eat my beloved MREs? HELL, THAT'S WHAT...LIVING HELL!

But I am getting off topic a bit here. Dave, you can have 1 Redneck MRE per case, that is fine. We will just have to serve together in the same unit if a war ever breaks out so that I can give you mine...

Some other menu items for the Redneck MRE or R-MRE as we should call it could be boiled peanuts and some Skoal tobacco or Redman chewing tabakki...LOL! Perhaps some pork skins/rinds?

And it should include a Jeff Foxworthy item, like a sticker to put on the helmet or a rebel flag patch that can be embroidered on the arm underneath the American flag.

How am I doing Dave, are those some good items to include?

[DangerousDave]

Well, I can remember 1 time where I messed up. This jerk put 3 or 4 drops of turbine oil in my Pepsi while we were at work, because we were PO'ed at each other. I went into a severe vomiting/etc. state for about 48 hr's. I think my liver was damaged permanently. I think I can understand where you're coming from, Dirty. I want idea's for Redneck entree's. Pork rinds are the snack. I don't use any tobacco, but a good Marlboro or Newport comes in handy at very high stress levels. How about "Wild Turkey Surprise" for an entree. It would have to be a mixture of turkey leg meat and oyster dressing. I'm just kidding YALL.

[kyle]

yea I'm with you, dehydrated Wild Turkey,way better than my lame beer idea.Just gotta LOVE the SOUTHERN BOY'S.I'll bring tater salad.

[GigaBuist]

I thought kturnerga had some pretty good ideas for making MREs more Southern friendly. I might be a damned yankee, but I'm still 25% purebred hillbilly.

Tea shouldn't heave lemon in it -- maybe sometimes, but that's the damned yank in me coming out again.

Never had MRE cornbread... but I'd wager anything labled cornbread is going to disappoint the southerners. Once you've had grammaw make some out of a seasoned cast iron skillet... yeah.

I'm only two MREs into this gig, so I cannot comment on what I'd actually make, but one this is obvious at this point:

Whoever decided that the entree pouch should cut along the skinny siide instead of the wider side is an idiot! I gave them the benefit if the doubt and ate my 1st the 'normal' way -- did the next one sideways. Way friggen easier, and you can actually SEE into the pouch then.

The whole packing of the individual meals needs to be addressed too. Its just way too bulky, and I was hearing that before I ever came here just off of my 'gun boards' where people often talk about hunting/camping/BOBs and such.

[BackwoodsPundit]

I would definately create a variety of brakfast MREs - Heater Meals have these, but they seem expensive - like 7 bucks for just the entree!

I would want to have at least 6 different breakfast meals besides the eggs they currently have. why not pancakes? Waffles? eggamuffin? ok I know I am stretching it with that one... Also a buttermilk biscuit - yeah I know, not likely.

I would, like others, get rid of the veggie entrees - maybe even add 3 more and package them 2 of 6 each to their type of case.

I would add more chili mac to the chili mac meals

I would add a good hungarian goulash to the menu.

Maybe Steak Diane

and I would use my wife's meatloaf for a meatloaf MRE that people would go gaga for If only they could package her homemade brownies too.

If I could, I would include a frozen snickers bar with every MRE, or at least, a quick freeze pack sort of like the heater packs I have buddies over in the middle east for over a year tell me they forget what a snickers tastes like.

Now if only I could make an MRE that tastes like my ribs - but of course these take like 6 hours to took.

[Treesuit]

Hey guys, Here is my take on the dream MRE. Especially from a solider downrange in the sandbox.
First start with the A-packet: get rid of the lemon tea packet; give it to the Brits or something. Keep the seasonings; lose the salt, put more toilet paper in, and some hard candies like life savers for road marches, keep the cocoa and espresso drinks, maybe put some chocolate blocks in for some quick fix snacks.
Now for the main meals. Lose the CCC, meatloaf, and pork rib. Bring back the ham and chicken loaf, BBQ beef slice, and have a breakfast entrée like the Canadian Sausage and Hash browns or the Ham steak with mustard. Keep the breakfast items all together, same thing with dinner and supper units.
For the side entrée, have something like more pastas to complement the main meals, put more wheat snack bread in instead of crackers. Put the peanut butter and jellies into one tube instead of two and then put them in the same pouch. Use more fruit but make into dried fruit that is softer to chew. Then take out the Kool-aid mixes and replace them with more familiar sports drink brands. The Special Forces community has had these for years. Also put more instant soups in like Lipton cup-a-noodles.
Lastly, for the deserts. I would bring back the MARS bar and the vanilla pound cake with chocolate chips (remember that!), lose the orange, and pineapple ones (eewww, gross). Put more familiar sports bars instead of the disgusting “hooah” bar and then some dehydrated ice cream, like the civilian manufacturers make. Also I would put in more familiar candy bars for fun but make them more heat resistant. That and I would keep the cookies but make them softer.
Then to save on size I would vacuum shrink seal the bag to get all the air out, and on all the pouches put a side notch to zip open, and leave out all the cardboard. Then on the outer bag have a pull apart top with a zip lock closure underneath to zip lock the remaining food items in it if you don’t have time to eat a lot. That way it makes it lighter to carry if even you don’t strip it down.

[DIRTYDAVE]

We are on the same page there treesuit. I couldn't agree with you more on your suggestions. More wheat snack bread? Yeah baby, yeah! PB and J together in the same meal...damn excellent idea or mix it in together the way they do in that jar in the store where it is striped in together or ala AquaFresh toothpaste, the white stripe down the middle. Ziploc enclosure? Well, that is f...ing common sense and why the f...ing military does not do that, I have no clue! I do have to disagree with you on the kool-aid, but then I am psycho for bev base powder, just ask kman! I have acquired I think all of his drink mixes for all of my crackers.

It is interesting to read your experiences in the field there treesuit, keep 'em coming.