Military packing <---> Civil packing

[housil]

Thanks. I may have a friend in Germany pick up a few for me the next time he comes over. Given the import restrictions on meat products, it might be a problem sending them over.

Does a 125g package really make a 500g serving like their web site says?

I had eaten "a couple" of them...



The taste is a little bit "swiss like" (=neutral old restaurant kitchen joke), you should add some spice, how ever you like it. Salt or pepper...
500g is very "optimistic", but an entree is enough to let the hunger disappear.

The civilians have a shelf life of only 2 years - they are different made as the military ones for the Bundeswehr!!!! They don´t have a "best before" date.

Left is genuine Bundeswehr, right is civilian one for the international market

They are OK for mountain climbers or other how have to reduce the weight of package, but you allways have to add hot water...

[MCIera]

The Mountain House items (including the ones in the RCW/LRP package) are loaded with salt whether you can taste it or not. Way too much for old folks.

The pictures of the retail items on Reiter's web site has the same 4 color print as the packages that you noted are the military packages. Not sure if they have changed packaging, but I also noticed that the packages in your picture are 80-85g, whereas they say the dry weight on their packages are 125g (which is about what the Mountain 2 person packages weigh.) Perhaps that's where they're getting the 500g?

I think what they used to have on the DSCP site about the old RCW is kind of funny.

The RCW provides sufficient kilocalories to meet energy expenditure during heavy exertion in extreme cold, while limiting sodium and protein content to reduce the risk of dehydration in arctic environments. The sodium content is 5 grams per ration.

That's 5000mg of sodium! over twice the US RDA and at the upper limits of the MRDA of 3000-6000mg.

The taste is a little bit "swiss like" (=neutral old restaurant kitchen joke), you should add some spice, how ever you like it. Salt or pepper...
500g is very "optimistic", but an entree is enough to let the hunger disappear.

The civilians have a shelf life of only 2 years - they are different made as the military ones for the Bundeswehr!!!! They don´t have a "best before" date.

Left is genuine Bundeswehr, right is civilian one for the international market

They are OK for mountain climbers or other how have to reduce the weight of package, but you allways have to add hot water...

[dirtbag]

I had a ' swedish Hotpot', which is potatoes and minced meat... 125 gm's swells right up ! I could hardly finish it, and it was very good ! No spices needed.
I would buy this brand anytime, as it's as good or better than mountain house

[Nawt]

Thanks. I may have a friend in Germany pick up a few for me the next time he comes over. Given the import restrictions on meat products, it might be a problem sending them over.

Does a 125g package really make a 500g serving like their web site says?

Hello MCIera,

They make a 400-500g serving. Depending on how much water you want to add. The packaging recommends around 300-400 ml. of hot water. If find the menues verry good. Not like home made, but good tasting.

Kind regards,

Nawt.

[MCIera]

Thanks for your feedback dirtbag and Nawt. 400-500g of food is a healthy sized portion, adequate for a "growing boy" The Mountain House food claims to rehydrate to about 566g, but that is supposedly to feed two people engaged in heavy activity (e.g. backpacking/climbing), which I find to be a bit optimistic.

[C-rats]

I have a question for you guys about these aluminum food trays ---- How well does the tray "hold up" if you heat it directly on top of an ESBIT stove? If you heat the tray long enough to get the food hot throughout the meal, does the aluminum start to degrade or warp?

Thanks for your answers!


`rats

[Nawt]

Hi C-rats,

The aluminium packs are not suitable for heating them directly on any stove or fire to my knowledge. They'd probably shrink, wrap around the food and burn. They hold hot water alright (they contain freeze dried food)

Regards, Nawt

[C-rats]

Hi Nawt!

I guess I should have been more specific..... I'm asking about the EPA entree trays (the gold colored rectangular ones).

Sorry for the confusion.

[German_EPA]

C-rats:

my experiences with that tray and esbitcookers are very good. the only thing: you have to stir all the time that the food isnt burning on in the tray.

the tray doesnt change his form but better take it in hand with gloves or a cloth because its very hot... but its aluminium - it gets cold very quick.

shrinking and wraping around isnt possible

[housil]

I have a question for you guys about these aluminum food trays ---- How well does the tray "hold up" if you heat it directly on top of an ESBIT stove? If you heat the tray long enough to get the food hot throughout the meal, does the aluminum start to degrade or warp?

Thanks for your answers!


`rats

The EPa trays



are especially designed and made to be heat up straight on the ESBIT stove:








You need half an ESBIT cube to heat up an EPa entree, also you have to "stab" some little holes (e.g. with a fork) in the cover to allow the steam and increasing preassure to escape. Otherwise the tray will puff up like a

it will melt/burn a little bit right over the flame - but thats "normal". You can cut off the cover and stir up while heating to avoid it

You also can see it in the video section
http://www.mreinfo.com/videos/german/ge ... meals.html
at 3:50 when the NCO is teaching in basci training how the prepare/heat an EPa.

We always warm the up straight on the ESBIT stove, but put them into boiling water is also possible