2023 MREs - MRE43

[Smitty]

Procurement documents for 2023 MRE’s (MRE43) can be found, including menus and contents here:

https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documen ... e/m043.pdf

[Amelieee1]

Some pictures of 2023 MREs courtesy of reddit, seems they have made the packaging more similar to the halal meals

[Smitty]

Some pictures of 2023 MREs courtesy of reddit, seems they have made the packaging more similar to the halal meals

Looks like that’s true. The ACR specifies a Type II Horizontal form-fill-seal meal pouch that is clear, formed like a tray and sealed horizontally around the edge. Wonder if they’ll accept both, and if so: I bet wornick will be like “nah”

[NorwegianboyEE]

I've bought some cases of US MRE's annually since 2017 and i feel like the enjoyment factor has gone a bit backwards in some departments. No longer any liquid hot sauce included with almost every menu and the powdered hot sauce is strange, some menus only have 1 drink and no coffee, most of the double main components are gone (prefer more real food), the cocoa and French Vanilla/Irish Coffee drinks are phased out and replaced with the infinitely worse protein drink powder.
Not sure i'll buy any US MRE's in the future unless they up their game.

Ahh work at the museum having gabbed one of the 2017 menu US MRE's from the case as a lunch, those were the times...

[MrFahrenheit]

I've bought some cases of US MRE's annually since 2017 and i feel like the enjoyment factor has gone a bit backwards in some departments. No longer any liquid hot sauce included with almost every menu and the powdered hot sauce is strange, some menus only have 1 drink and no coffee, most of the double main components are gone (prefer more real food), the cocoa and French Vanilla/Irish Coffee drinks are phased out and replaced with the infinitely worse protein drink powder.
Not sure i'll buy any US MRE's in the future unless they up their game.

Ahh work at the museum having gabbed one of the 2017 menu US MRE's from the case as a lunch, those were the times...

I think this is just an reflection of modern day cutbacks, A lot of rations have shrunk over the years and/or the quality has degraded somewhat.
Its not just US MRE's are noticeable in their degradation of quality and size, I used to enjoy them but they aren't as good these days (pitchforks at the ready ) at least the standard versions, or maybe its just I don't enjoy the menus as much? - Bring back the old beef patty with mexican style mac n cheese!!.
Though I am still partial to an MCW when I can get them and I treasure my last half a dozen or so Seafood chowders I have in my collection.

British 24h rations are also much smaller than they used to be, compared to an decade (or 2) ago, with less components though their mains variations have improved somewhat as the old menus seemed to be 'beans beans with every meal'.., also the components which were more geared towards warmer climates mean less chocolate and heat perishable such as pate products and more cereal bar type products, though these started to revert back to be suited to more temperate conditions and aimed at northern european conflicts a few years back. (How did they know we would be back in northern european conflicts again years before they happened? ) But also they seem of an much cheaper quality.

Even my favorite French RCIR has degraded in quality to an extent, the mains although still very good aren't a patch on what they used to be, again they just seem of an inferior quality using cheaper ingredients, the Duck and mash potatoes for example used to have a big chunk of Duck breast with mash on top, now its some sort of Duck mince in gravy with mash on top, same with the Strasbourg sausages, they now resemble hotdogs instead of the proper "meaty" sausages they used to be.

Though to be honest as Ration demand have gotten more popular amongst people these days and prices are...well.....absolutely crazy at times, I find myself buying more and more freeze dried foods for my preparedness collection, although a third of it is still military stuff, it mainly consists of REAL / turmat field meals, and actual MRE's are mostly restricted to just RCIR's and individual British ration meals and components as I can get those cheaply and in quantity.