RabidWolf- I can speak to a couple of the items you saw on the shelf.
The Kohinoor brand Indian stuff is always great. Retort pouches just like an MRE. Great shelf life. A bit thin, but a whole lot of flavor. I have three or four of them on my shelf right now. All of those Indian food retorts are vegetarian, but most of them have beans, peas, or the like to add some protein. I haven't found any MRE entrées that are much good as add-ins for these, but almost any of the rice sides are perfect to bulk them up to two full servings.
The kind of Thai noodles you got are "soft" not dried. Don't keep them too long. The last bowl of them I had went rancid before I got around to opening it.
And lastly, I've liked all of the BumbleBee brand pouches and cans I've tried.
Cheap "Pad Thai"
Re: Cheap "Pad Thai"
Rattattoo: You are correct about the noodles. I picked up two of those. I must say, that it was surprisingly good. Peanut flavored sauce and even little bits of peanuts. That cut the little bit of heat from the spices nicely. There is a local hibachi restaurant where I live. They provide a little cup of peanut flavored dressing with their salads. Never was a big salad person, but that sauce makes a world of difference. I wish I could find something similar at the grocery.