2009 Chicken Pesto Pasta MRE Review

Reviews and taste-tests of any MREs from 1981-present
Post Reply
SentientTootsieRoll
Posts: 463
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2016 2:26 pm
Location: US

2009 Chicken Pesto Pasta MRE Review

Post by SentientTootsieRoll » Tue Mar 09, 2021 4:53 pm

Continuing on with my "choose a random MRE sitting in the closet and try it" adventures, I dug out a 2009 chicken pesto pasta MRE. Given that this ration is 11 years old and I don't know what it's storage conditions were prior to a few months ago, I was curious about this one.
IMG_0088.JPG
IMG_0089.JPG
IMG_0090.JPG
IMG_0091.JPG
Here are the contents of the accessory packet.
IMG_0092.JPG
The chicken pesto pasta and applesauce in their retort pouches.
IMG_0093.JPG
And least but not least, the entire ration fully prepared!
IMG_0094.JPG
Wow, the smell of garlic and seasonings from the chicken pesto pasta with really strong. I never really liked this meal all that much because it was too oily and the flavors were too strong. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you want to look at it, this meal didn't quite pan out. I took a small bite of chicken and it was a bit sour and metallic tasting. I took a few more small bites and got the same result.

The applesauce was pretty fermented as you may be able to tell. Either this MRE was stored in a hot climate for too long or 11 years is simply too long for applesauce to last without fermenting. Of all the MREs I've opened over the years, I'm still not clear on the cutoff point for that. The wheat snack bread was bit stale and hard, paired with the bacon cheese spread, it tasted okay but it was not very enjoyable. I think the cheese spread was starting to go bad, based on the chunky texture. The bacon flavoring was strong, almost to the point of masking the fact that the cheese spread itself is bad.

The tropical fruit punch drink tasted okay for the first few sips but after that, I just didn't enjoy it. It's not sweet like Kool-Aid, it's almost like a sour-sweet and I'm not a big fan of it. I drank half of it and poured the other half down the drain. I guess that really leaves us with the vanilla pudding and the coffee, which were the only stable components in this ration. I absolutely loved the vanilla pudding, it gets messy while eating but that cheap vanilla flavor is amazing.

User avatar
Amelieee1
Posts: 578
Joined: Wed May 22, 2019 1:48 pm
eBay name: Amelieee1
Location: West Sussex, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: 2009 Chicken Pesto Pasta MRE Review

Post by Amelieee1 » Tue Mar 09, 2021 4:55 pm

Im glad this menu is gone, i never really liked it
Check out my ORP menu spreadsheet: https://bit.ly/2NqUFRX | I have: | British 24HR Box Rations | French RCIRs | Type I EPA |Danish Rations

User avatar
Militaryration_guy
Posts: 279
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2020 8:14 pm
Location: The deep south

Re: 2009 Chicken Pesto Pasta MRE Review

Post by Militaryration_guy » Wed Mar 10, 2021 8:55 am

koreyyy1 wrote:
Tue Mar 09, 2021 4:55 pm
Im glad this menu is gone, i never really liked it
That menu was alright when I had it.
A random hillbilly guy intrested in in military rations from across the world :arrow: :mrgreen: :arrow: :!: :?:

ChowLine
Posts: 114
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2016 4:15 pm

Re: 2009 Chicken Pesto Pasta MRE Review

Post by ChowLine » Fri Mar 12, 2021 1:54 am

The Chicken Pesto Pasta, the Chicken Spinach Fettucine and the Mushroom Fettucine all taste like Olive garden rejects. Seriously, these things are all terrible and I cant believe that these ever made it into the MRE. I have had quite a few different MRE's and these are by far my least favorite ever. I have had stuff made in the 1950s that tastes better than these mains do!

User avatar
Militaryration_guy
Posts: 279
Joined: Mon Sep 28, 2020 8:14 pm
Location: The deep south

Re: 2009 Chicken Pesto Pasta MRE Review

Post by Militaryration_guy » Fri Mar 12, 2021 8:56 am

ChowLine wrote:
Fri Mar 12, 2021 1:54 am
The Chicken Pesto Pasta, the Chicken Spinach Fettucine and the Mushroom Fettucine all taste like Olive garden rejects. Seriously, these things are all terrible and I cant believe that these ever made it into the MRE. I have had quite a few different MRE's and these are by far my least favorite ever. I have had stuff made in the 1950s that tastes better than these mains do!
I agree that the spinach and mushroom fetachine is a Olive Garden reject but the chicken pesto pasta was alright
A random hillbilly guy intrested in in military rations from across the world :arrow: :mrgreen: :arrow: :!: :?:

Deadheadmatt
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:45 am
Location: Boise, ID

Re: 2009 Chicken Pesto Pasta MRE Review

Post by Deadheadmatt » Fri Mar 12, 2021 4:45 pm

Did you try heating the cheese with the main in the FRH? Sometimes that helps it to mix better and not be so chunky. But if its bad, that's not going to help with the flavor. Thanks for the review!

User avatar
Amelieee1
Posts: 578
Joined: Wed May 22, 2019 1:48 pm
eBay name: Amelieee1
Location: West Sussex, United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: 2009 Chicken Pesto Pasta MRE Review

Post by Amelieee1 » Fri Mar 12, 2021 5:08 pm

Deadheadmatt wrote:
Fri Mar 12, 2021 4:45 pm
Did you try heating the cheese with the main in the FRH? Sometimes that helps it to mix better and not be so chunky. But if its bad, that's not going to help with the flavor. Thanks for the review!
Oh hey. I didnt think of that. Maybe thats why the breadsticks are so dry, to encourage putting the cheese in the main. I have a spare CPP and probably cheese too, ill try that. thanks :D :D
Check out my ORP menu spreadsheet: https://bit.ly/2NqUFRX | I have: | British 24HR Box Rations | French RCIRs | Type I EPA |Danish Rations

SentientTootsieRoll
Posts: 463
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2016 2:26 pm
Location: US

Re: 2009 Chicken Pesto Pasta MRE Review

Post by SentientTootsieRoll » Sat Mar 13, 2021 3:23 pm

Deadheadmatt wrote:
Fri Mar 12, 2021 4:45 pm
Did you try heating the cheese with the main in the FRH? Sometimes that helps it to mix better and not be so chunky. But if its bad, that's not going to help with the flavor. Thanks for the review!
I actually don't even bother with the FRH with these older MREs, I figure it's not worth time considering it may or may not work. Since I'm doing these at home, I just get a pot of boiling water going and place the retort pouches in that for about 5-10 minutes. In this case, I think the storage conditions and age of this ration got to the cheese before I did so nothing was going to make it edible at this point.

Post Reply