Chili with Beans TOTM- Field review

[elandil]

Last week was a long week at work, so I decided to do a field review of a TOTM I had for lunch one day.

Menu was a Chili with Beans. It included a basic accessory pack with a spoon, napkin, coffee, creamer, sugar, and some seasonings. Besides the entree, it came with:

Patriotic Sugar Cookie packet
Pretzel Sticks
M&M's
Mango Peach applesauce
French Vanilla Cappuccino.

Ok, I've tried the MP Applesauce before, I find it cloyingly sweet with no real discernible flavor, not even apple. So, I didn't even try it this time. I was too much in a hurry. I also skipped the FRH for the chili and beverages. Ate, and drank, them at room temp.
The pretzel sticks were bland, not much to write home about.
I will say this though....the Sugar cookies along with the French Vanilla Cappuccino was a great mix....perfect way to end the meal.
The coffee provided was the Deep Rich, and it was sucky just like always. It's better than no coffee, but just barely.
The chili was good, and with the added seasonings was just right for a quick lunch. Not bad at room temp, but would have been better if I had time to heat it up.
the M&M's were saved for my last break with half the pretzels, and made a nice sweet/salty snack to keep me going to the end.
All in all, to me it was more like a Civvie MRE than something Military, but considering the uses I'm not suprised how it was.

Here's my vid review.

[RockyRaab]

Did you drink the coffee cold?

[elandil]

Did you drink the coffee cold?

Lukewarm is the best description.

Not the first time, sure not the last...

[steve1989]

I still have to try out the mango applesauce and really give a college effort on detecting anything different.

TOTMs always have the not too exciting sides/desserts..and those pretzels.. I can't remember the last time i sat & ate those. They are pretty bland!

I wonder if the deep rich coffee is worth mixing with the cappuccino?

I just realized, that TOTM you had was pretty high in sugar! They are simple - and if you can find em for the right price, they are a nice option..just like you said, they are a lot like civvie MREs.

Makin me want some MRE chili n beans..!

[shawker71]

I like the mango applesauce and love the squeeze pouch as well. The ration is exceptionally high in sugar now that you mention it. Quick calories I guess. Those cookies are really tasty and my daughter loves getting them in a ration. I need to find some of the TOTM rations for using when I need a quick lunch.

[RockyRaab]

I can't eat everything in an MRE, and buy more TOTMs than the full deals. I still grumble about the coffee because there's no way to prepare it. They don't put bev bags in TOTMs and if you had a way to heat water, the FRH is moot. Stupid.

I'm another fan of the Zapplesauce pouches. I carry one with me when I play golf for a quick and easy shot of energy. At my age, walking 18 holes demands a refueling somewhere along the trip.

[rabidwolf]

I still have to try out the mango applesauce and really give a college effort on detecting anything different.

TOTMs always have the not too exciting sides/desserts..and those pretzels.. I can't remember the last time i sat & ate those. They are pretty bland!

I wonder if the deep rich coffee is worth mixing with the cappuccino?

I just realized, that TOTM you had was pretty high in sugar! They are simple - and if you can find em for the right price, they are a nice option..just like you said, they are a lot like civvie MREs.

Makin me want some MRE chili n beans..!

I may have some mango applesauce. Might take a little time to look through my stuff and find it. If found, I'll be glad to send you one or more if I have them.

[steve1989]

Yep - I actually like Zapplesauce because it has like 20 grams or so of Maltodextrin - a fantastic slow-burning carbohydrate for a quick boost of sustainable energy, and couple that with what I believe is like 400% or more daily value of Vitamin C - it really is well balanced. Low thirst provoking too - I had Hot Weather MOREs and FSR's in a hot/dry climate recently and realized how incredibly well made/thought out those Rations really are.

This TOTM was certainly a sugar bomb - but as shawker71 mentioned, they are quick calories - better than nothing on the quick-go.

Smart thinking having something like a zapplesauce on the go with ya Rocky, those things are great - you can enjoy it pretty quick/easily, and they really give good sustainable energy that isn't completely pure sugar.

And to rabidwolf - good looking out brother, I appreciate it! I gotta go through my stash and see if I got one - if not and I can't find any I will give ya a holler. Would be nice to compare to a regular and a cinnamon zapplesauce. The cinnamon is my favorite so far.

[shawker71]

I have to agree with Steve, the cinnamon is the best of them all.

[RockyRaab]

That brings up a personal peeve of mine. Why in the Hellespont don't the artificial flavors cinnamon, banana, and watermelon (among others) taste ANYTHING like the real item? Who in the bleep tasted them and said, "That's ..."? Were they taste blind, deluded, or hallucinating?