Best and Worst MREs

[EasyMre]

Hey folks,

I tried Menu 14 Fettuccine today and the main was pretty rough. The taste was hard to take down. I wonder if other feel the same? And, I'm not a picky eater.

The redeeming factors were definitely the Apple-Cinnamon First Strike Bar and the Chocolate Shake. I'll be writing a comprehensive review and sharing soon.

In the mean time, it got me thinking about what your experiences:

• What are the top MREs that everyone should try? (Domestic or International)

• What are the worst MREs that everyone should avoid like the plague?

[Jim_M1988]

Hey folks,

I tried Menu 14 Fettuccine today and the main was pretty rough. The taste was hard to take down. I wonder if other feel the same? And, I'm not a picky eater.

The redeeming factors were definitely the Apple-Cinnamon First Strike Bar and the Chocolate Shake. I'll be writing a comprehensive review and sharing soon.

In the mean time, it got me thinking about what your experiences:

• What are the top MREs that everyone should try? (Domestic or International)

• What are the worst MREs that everyone should avoid like the plague?

Hey Easy,

Sorry to revive an old one, but I thought you asked a fun question.
I'm pretty new to the game so haven't tried a lot. I've only had 2 MRE's, although I do have a box waiting in line - going through the ones that run out first!

I found the MRE to be super processed, although from my experience a lot of US foods are and I've found that most rations project the countries they come from pretty well. I've had the Maple Flavoured Sausage Parry and Meatball Marinara. Thoroughly enjoyed both of them. I have a real soft spot for the US and it just reminds me of the times I've visited and the types of food on offer, with the cured meats, syrups, coffee and nuclear drinks! I've got to say, they've been a favourite and they're a lot more interesting than our British ORP.

Also really enjoyed a german EPA I got. Lots of pate and crackers, plus a fantastic beef and pasta entree. It was incredibly salty, but I like that. The beef was tender and delicious - it was an incredible meal to have come out of a pouch.

I live in the UK so have tried a lot of ORP's. Again, there's lots of tea in there, a mix of coffee and other things that I'm quite used too. They're not bad but none of the meals have really stood out to me. If they were hard to get hold of I certainly wouldn't be going out of my way to get hold of one.

I have a few in line that I'm looking forward to trying next:
Lithuanian
Polish
Italian 24hr
Spanish breakfast
Norwegian breakfast

I've pretty well heard good things about all of them.

Although the jury is still out on the above, I guess to summarise I would definitely recommend the German EPA - especially the beef with pasta if you like salty food.
My favourite MRE was the Pork Sausage Patty - Maple Flavour. Nice maple bun and syrup with it, absolutely delicious! I'll be amazed if I find a nicer MRE meal than that!

What are your favourites?

Take it easy
Jim

[Big_jo]

MREs
The good:
- Beef stew is actually genuinely good, as is chilli and macaroni. The beef patty is a bit meh, would have been ok if my frh had worked properly.

The bad
- Omelette has a reputation for being disgusting, and rightfully so.
- Jambalaya tastes like feet, 0/10 would not recommend.
- Vegetable penne was a resounding failure when my fiancee had one at an MRE picnic we had one day. It became known as the 'sicknic'. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

International:
- Not had a good experience with Spanish ones, mostly just some cans of greasy (very greasy) pork.
- Polish ones have been good in my experience, Bogracz is very nice.
- French rations deserve their place among the top-ranks of military meals, they are genuinely all very nice in my experience (had 4-5 over the years)
- I've had 2 of the Russian rations as well, the a lightweight dried version and the normal one, and I was pleasantly surprised. It was all in-date and the food was good, although I don't think they have much menu variety.

[jfko6]

Video on how to make an inexpensive Jambalaya can be found here.

From the archives: viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3184&p=23346&hilit ... aya#p23346

[MrFahrenheit]

For US MRE's

I have to say that the old cheese vomlette (circa. 2008) was a tough one to swallow tbh, although my ex girlfriend actually liked that one.
So yeah that was really the only one Ive never liked, couldnt get away with that bland spongy textured lump of grey-yellowness.

My favorite of all time has to be the older Beef patty with the dual snack breads and the mexican Mac n cheese.
again a 2008-9 ration I thibk but was my favorite all around, also had cheese combos and cheddar and bacon cheese spread.

A classic if somewhat of a carbo overload.

For International MRE's

The french RCIR's are rathar nice, I remember a duck fillet and mashed potatoes mealand a Pork and pasta mains being incredible, though I was famished on a winter camping trip where I was snowed in for 2 days and that was the only 'real food' other than dehydrated meals and beef jerky that I took on that trip.

The worst has to be the British beans and sausage rations, because despite all the odd rations ive came across during the years and them sometimes being in different languages which I couldnt translate they were all a bit of an adventure, whereas being an Englishman and also from the north I dont think theres anything more boring than tinned British baked beans and sausages being dumped into a retort pouch and then passed off as a ration.
I suppose its a 'taste of home' or supposed to be when out in the field since us Brits of a certain age were brought up on them, but then the same applies to the negative....."Not bloody beans and sausages!"

Oddly enough for a short time we actually got beans and bacon in rations which were great and I would put up there as a favorite, but due to poitical correctness ect...they were stopped once the middle eastern conflicts took off again and rations would be distributed to the locals.