MREInfo.com

I just bought a case of A-Packs and they are pretty high in trans fats, at 5g per meal. OK for emergencies and the occasional camping trip. I woudn't want to eat them every day for an extended period of time.

From what I could find online, the Eversafes have between 0 and 1 or 2 g per entree, with about half the entrees at zero.

Couldn't find nutritional info on MREstar or Sopakco.

I can see how trans fats might be a necessary ingredient considering the required long shelf life.

A couple questions:

- Are the government-issue MRE's trans-fat free?

- For a soldier currently deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan, how much of their diet consists of MRE's?

Welcome to the forums, wsanders!

Here's some info on a couple of MREStar entrees that I was reviewing last night. I also found a couple of labels from a Sopakco entree and a side.

It looks like it's hit and miss with the transfat - entrees seem low, but the sides and desserts can be high.

MREStar BBQ Chicken Entree, Beef Stroganoff entree, Oatmeal Cookie


Sopakco Chicken Breast entree, Mexican Macaroni & Cheese


As for whether the military MREs are trans-fat free, that's hard to say without looking at all the components. But I'd say that the military MREs probably closely match the counts you're seeing from the civilian MREs.

I also can't say for sure how much of their diet consists of MREs. I'm sure for some, it's just the occasional MRE but for others, it might be for weeks at a time. I think the military originally intended MREs to be eaten for no more than 10 days straight but after Desert Shield, they expanded that to 3 or so weeks. Of course, it can still go on for longer.

Maybe some of our active-duty or formerly-active-duty members can comment on that.

You are welcome kman.

It occurred to me after I posted that the breakout of transfats in the Nutritional Info box is a recent (2006) development, so food items produced before then won't have the number.

FDA has a good list of equivalent trans fat serving size at:

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2003/503_fats.html

That information may be a little outdated: A lot of manufacturers have eliminated trans fats in the last couple years. Turns out good old fashioned lard might be good for you, heh heh.