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I am presenting a 1991 Mre Brownie, Chocolate Covered, and a 1989 (I'm pretty sure that is the date) (RCW) Ration, Cold Weather Brownie too.

Both brownie's chocolate was good (Still tasted funny from how I remembered when I first had one when I was a kid.) ... but both brownie's nuts were super fruity smelling and rancid!

As soon as I took a bite out of either one, It felt sharp. It also made that swell, numb feeling on my saliva glands... I spit out the bite on each and the only thing that made the numb feeling go away was washing with Listerine.

Too bad they weren't good anymore... those nuts didn't last that long considering..! If it were a Cookie, Chocolate covered, both would have been good still.

Here are some pictures.


This shows some military ration desserts have a shorter life-span of freshness and I think one of the main culprits is oily nuts that eventually go rancid.

to bad that they have vent rancid.
i think if the rations have been stored in a hot place for some time
speeds up the demolition fast....

al my arctic rations have been stored in a cold dry place since they came to norway
with the us army/usmc.
and havent had one bad one yet. only a chicken stew once but i found a tiny
pin hole in the vacum packing material.

keep the taste tests coming

cheers ken

Hi Steve!

That sudden numbing feeling will stop you dead in your tracks, won't it? I once sampled a early-70's Cinnamon Nut Roll cake from the old MCI and let me tell you. First, it was just a pinch but the cinnamon had apparently become concentrated as it started to burn my tongue. After that the numbness kicked in. My best friend and I sampled the same cake at the same time and we both ended up with our heads over the kitchen sink, gulping water and slobbering like kids at the dentist office.

As for "oily nuts going rancid" I can understand that...

... the same thing happens when I get oil on my nuts!

the same thing happens when I get oil on my nuts!
i would not like to know

cheers ken

Steve, thank you for review and nice photos ! I have made the same experience with the Brownie like you did, see here:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4215

So long mreheater72

mreheater72 wrote:Steve, thank you for review and nice photos ! I have made the same experience with the Brownie like you did, see here:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4215

So long mreheater72

Wow! I wasn't the only one who experienced the horrid rancid/terrible smelling version of a Brownie, Chocolate Covered!


Sorry for your sad experience! I can relate!

LogDayFreshHots wrote:Hi Steve!

That sudden numbing feeling will stop you dead in your tracks, won't it? I once sampled a early-70's Cinnamon Nut Roll cake from the old MCI and let me tell you. First, it was just a pinch but the cinnamon had apparently become concentrated as it started to burn my tongue. After that the numbness kicked in. My best friend and I sampled the same cake at the same time and we both ended up with our heads over the kitchen sink, gulping water and slobbering like kids at the dentist office.

As for "oily nuts going rancid" I can understand that...

... the same thing happens when I get oil on my nuts!

That is a hilarious story FreshHots! I love it! I was doing the same thing with the sink until I looked up and saw my listerine and the next damn thing I'm doin' is swishing like 8 oz of this stuff altogether in my mouth cup after cupfull of it until I finally washed that bitter, swelling, stinging sensation away! Truly priceless!

I hear you, brother!

I once sampled the Blackberry Jam from an MCI. It was really hot out so I thought it would be spreadable. I went to scoop it with an MCI cracker and the cracker shattered into crumbs. I then noticed I hadn't put a dent in the jam so I tipped the tin over and it came out like a black rubbery puck. Had a nice little wiggle to it!

On a whim I threw it really hard at the concrete. I kid you not, that sucker had to have bounced at least seven feet in the air! It was over my head and Im definitely over six feet. I mean that thing launched like a Super Ball! I figured if it worked once it would work again but the second time it shattered into roughly three equal pieces flying off in separate directions. I guess by that time spending about 10 years in the same tin they didn't want to be friends any more.

I still bit into one of the pieces and it was like chewing dried-out jelly. About the same consistency you get with jelly thats dried and stuck to the inside of the jar. No side effects that I can detect but others have commented on a slight 'spring' in my step ever since!

Listerine!? Wow! Not sure what tasted worse but at least it took the numbness away!

Can't wait to see what you dig up, or into, next.

Wow, very interesting, but kind of scary stuff. I have a few brown-bag MRE's from when I was in the Army in 1987-89 and a few very old C-Rations too. I'm wondering what--if anything--I should consider eating! It seems kind of fun and adventurous, but also taking somewhat of a chance! Definitely don't want to experience that numb feeling in my tongue...