I was serving with the Marines in Vietnam in 1966-67. Our C-rations at the time usually read 1944 or 1945. They generally tasted like crap either way. But they didn’t kill you either. Plus we got gum, four cigarettes, TP and matches!
My digestive system for the last day or so has been pretty grumpy, and it’s highly unusual...
Think I got into a can of clam chowder that was a bit off!
I once opened a can of Hunt’s Spaghetti sauce that was about 6 years old. Except for the level being a bit down, which I assume was due to some evaporation (still can’t figure that, but a water molecule is pretty darn small, and if gas can work it’s way through a metal can, I suppose water can do the same).
Besides for the fact it was a bit down, I could detect NO difference with the same product if I had bought it yesterday.
I did my basic training in 1980. They gave us C-rations for two days (USAF). They were the same thing (same kind of dates, but a decade later), including the smokes.
No smokes in the MREs, but they do have TP, gum, and matches, these days.
Upside is you don't need a P-38 to open anything. Downside is after a while, they also taste like crap.
In the Mexican war, the War Department finally used up the last of the hardtack from the Civil War. That's some old crackers.
/johnny