New year, new MREs

Marine Corps News ^ | Jan 4, 2005 | Lance Cpl. R. Drew Hendricks

[SandRat]

U.S. MARINE CORPS FORCES, PACIFIC, CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii (01-03-2006) -- If you are tired of trying to make Meal-Ready-to-Eat menus more palatable, then your search may be over.

The field rations have progressed a long way from the C-rats of the past, and they continue to change even to this day.

Four of the current 24 MREs have been removed and are being replaced by new and improved menus, according to the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center, located in Natick, Mass. Usually the ASSC only replaces two MREs a year, but this year they wanted to give the list a boost in variety.

“There was a lot of negative feedback on these four MREs, we couldn’t narrow it down to just two,” said Judith Aylward, the MRE Improvement project manager.

Country Captain’s Chicken, Thai Chicken, Beef Teriyaki and Pasta with Vegetables have all been scratched off the MRE menu.

The ASSC has come up with four new main meals and an assortment of new sides and candies approved by servicemembers by suggestion or taste tests.

“If there were four MRE boxes with one MRE left in each, all of them would be Country Captain’s Chicken,” said Sgt. Rusty Campbell, who while deployed in Afghanistan, had eaten MREs for 35 or more days straight. “If you got stuck with one, you just took everyone else’s Tabasco sauce and made the best of it.”

The four new meals include a penne pasta dish, chicken fajitas with soft tortillas, Sloppy Joe sauce to put on wheat snack bread and a cheese omelet breakfast meal.

The new meals were put on trial to ensure quality.

“All of our meals are put through field tests, which allows us to see how well the new meals fare against the current menus,” said Aylward.

The Operational Forces Interface Group is a team that takes surveys from Marine and Army installations throughout the nation. These surveys are used to get an accurate look at what the servicemembers enjoy, and what they just throw back in the box.

“Troop preference is the biggest consideration. We can make the meal fit every regulation, but if you don’t like it you’re not going to eat it,” said Aylward.

The new meals did well in recent taste tests with chicken fajitas being the favorite.

“I might be a little cautious about eating chicken fajitas from an MRE, but the idea does sound fairly appetizing,” said Sgt. Wayne R. Welty, a security specialist at Marine Corps Forces, Pacific.

Main meals are not the only thing needed to make an MRE the gourmet meals they are; sometimes little treats can make an unpopular meal great.

Snacks like the cinnamon scone and the orange carbohydrate drink, which has a strong resemblance to Gatorade, both scored high in the taste test. However, one item surpassed them all; Walnettos, a caramel and walnut flavored candy.

“The Walnettos went over surprisingly well, so we have started to work on a similar chocolate flavored candy,” said Alyward. “We have also been looking at adding more commercial items such as M&M’s, which are big moral boosters.”

Coming up with new menu ideas is a rather large challenge. Nutritionists like Alyward have to meet all sorts of standards.

These standards include nutritional value, weight & volume, and variety. There are even certain stipulations that require MREs to be made with only American-made products.

“There are so many factors to juggle, but the by far the most influential one is whether or not you like them,” said Alyward.

There shouldn’t be too much to worry about if you don’t like the taste of some of the items. Chances are if a lot of people share your opinion, the item will be gone by next year.

According to Alyward, the items for 2006 and 2007 have already been selected and the list for 2008 will be approved sometime in Feb. 2006.

“In the end, we may complain about it but we will still eat it,” said Campbell. “Its just a bonus if it tastes edible.”

Here is a sneak preview at the items slated for 2006 and 2007.

2006 What’s in:

· HooAH! Bar

· Chili with beef

· Tuna fish

· Mango peach apple sauce

· Raisin nut mix with pan coated chocolate discs

· Caramel apple bar

· Chocolate banana muffin top

· Pizza cheese spread

· Chocolate peanut butter spread

What’s out:

· Beefsteak with mushroom gravy

· Chicken tetrazzini

2007, What’s in:

· Meatball with marinara sauce

· Chicken with dumplings

· Cornbread stuffing

· Wild berry and tropical Skittles

· Marbled pound cake

· Apple butter

· Chunky peanut butter

What’s out:

· Jambalaya

· Cajun rice with sausage

[Dutch Boy]

My favorite was C-Rat ham and eggs. They tasted like neither ham nor eggs but I liked them anyway. I'd sometimes trade my "John Wayne" bar for a can of ham and eggs. Thinking back, I may have had some issues I should have dealt with..... LOL

[JRandomFreeper]

I have some input into the process. You can bet your bippy that I'll input my two cents into the process. Ex post facto.

I'm pushing to get more involved in those selection boards, and having been through the service food course, and a real civilian culinary school, I carry a little bit of weight with some folks. It can't just be about the hits with the kids. That's important. But, we also need meals out there for the 5 percenters. With 24 menus, we ought to be able to keep everyone healthy and happy.

This ain't a democracy, and push polling doesn't work for this old sarge.

/johnny

[rawcatslyentist]

Not Chicken Tetrazinni!!! That was one of my favs.
Funny sounding name but delicious!!!

ABC CBS NBC CNN its all the SAME, Propaganda.
Might as well call them all AmeriJazerra.
Show them how much Gravitas Hugh Bris has. Vote with your remote! Shut down the Alphabet channels.

He's Got A Plan
Zippo Hero

Kill A Commie For Mommie
Seven Dead Monkeys Page O Tunes

[andysandmikesmom]

I have several boxes full of MREs left from the hubbys time in the military...he seldom ate his MREs...just brought them home...

I dont know why we are saving them, except I understand, they will last practically forever...should there be a horrible calamity, and we cannot get food, we will be well supplied for a very long time...

[LibWhacker]

Coming up with new menu ideas is a rather large challenge. Nutritionists like Alyward have to meet all sorts of standards. These standards include nutritional value, weight & volume, and variety.

I'm having trouble with this. What with all the fantastic new chefs being cranked out by the culinary schools, and all the interest in gourmet recipes and gourmet dining nowadays, it seems to me those things wouldn't be a challenge at all, even if they have to worry about keeping costs down.

Just hire some top chefs to come up with the MRE fare and the DoD could give the troops five-star dining in a box, if it really wanted to do it. Heck, I'll loan them some of our cookbooks if they don't want to hire real chefs. There are no real obstacles to solving this problem. It's not rocket science. The only conclusion one can make: They must not want to do it, period.

[JRandomFreeper]

I went to the field (real boonies) in late 2004 with a recent serious dental change in my life. I lived on the jambalaya, because it was one that I could eat comfortably, and the taste was good.

In this day and age of sending older reservists, which are medically fit, but not 18 and able to eat anvils for breakfast.... Some of the older guys need softer stuff. As do some the younger evacuees from the AOR.

/johnny

[processing please hold]

I've got an MRE, Cheese and Veggie Omelet. I haven't tried that. Something about the name. Could it be considered something like a western omelet I wonder?

[SandRat]

The hard part is making it last for nearly forever and still be tasty, OK passable for food.

[Chode]

they shoulda kept the Thai-chicken and the Capt.chicken and got rid of ALL the vegitarian ones... their only saving grace is they have better condiments.

[Drew68]

The spaghetti with meat sauce is pretty good when you add that little bottle of tabasco. Don't even need to heat it up. Tastes better than Chef Boyardee. Those heavy, moist so-called "crackers" with the "cheeze-whiz"-like spread are definately an acquired taste (and one I've never acquired).

Fortunately I'm in the Navy and rarely eat an MRE. Anytime I hear one of my shipmates bitch about navy chow I never hesitate to tell him that I'm sure there is a Marine in a foxhole somewhere who would gladly trade his MRE for the hot chow the Navy serves up. That being said, the food on an aircraft carrier is pretty damn good.

[processing please hold]

Throw your weight around. Those were the best, and they x'd 'em out. I can't believe they voted to get rid of something that good. There's plenty of other packets for them to pass over, but, not those two.

[Dutch Boy]

Approach it with confidence. Never show fear. If it tastes like crap there is always tabasco sauce.

Actually, I've tried a lot of MRE's. They are generally not to bad.

[JRandomFreeper]

Just hire some top chefs to come up with the MRE fare and the DoD could give the troops five-star dining in a box, if it really wanted to do it

I can't say that, but I can quote it.

Thank you. They don't need top chefs. They need chefs and food techs that understand the process. An MRE is a darn fine piece of equipment. The process can destroy flavors and textures. A smart kitchen manager or chef can work around those issues. Top chefs don't always understand the process. Some of the cooks and chefs in the military kitchens do.

/johnny

[processing please hold]

Not Chicken Tetrazinni!!!

I have so many of those. I don't care for them myself. If I'm starving I'll eat them. But I'm not starving now. :-)

[TexasTransplant]

>>>"I have several boxes full of MREs left from the hubbys time in the military...he seldom ate his MREs...just brought them home..."<<<

When I came in from the field the kids would go nuts over my duffle bag, I didn't eat many MREs either, just stuff them in my trouser pockets, the kids would go through the pockets get their hoards and trade amongst themselves, (which was fun to watch) kids have different tastes, I shunned most all of the MREs that were red sauce or vegetarian, the kids liked the red sauce stuff and it took two veggie packs to trade for just about anything.

The little Tabasco bottles were all mine, they are even good after they turn yellow, I'd carry them back into the field with me (just in case)

TT

[processing please hold]

which are medically fit, but not 18 and able to eat anvils for breakfast.

Lolololol. Ain't that the truth. I remember when I used to crack pecans with my teeth. Now I buy them already hulled and in pretty clear packages.

[Drew68]

Just hire some top chefs to come up with the MRE fare and the DoD could give the troops five-star dining in a box, if it really wanted to do it. Heck, I'll loan them some of our cookbooks if they don't want to hire real chefs.

Reminds me of my last cruise. The Navy changed the cook rating from MS or "Mess Specialist" to CS or "Culinary Specialist" and actually had very well paid civilian cooks from five star resturaunts and culinary schools employed aboard our carrier to teach gourmet cooking skills. It must have paid off because there was virtually nothing I ate that I found unpalatable (rotten lettuce in the Gulf notwithstanding but this wasn't the cook's fault). In fact, you could eat the food served on a carrier in a fine resturaunt and be happy to pay the bill. We have it made in the Navy.

[processing please hold]

Lololol I have sooooo many tiny bottles of tabasco sauce, if push came to shove I'd have enough to last for several months.

Please answer me this, is that little packet of paper meant for toilet tissue or napkins?

[tgslTakoma]

See the Kill a Commie For Mommie link at post #23.

[Billthedrill]

Dessert. Throw a little tabasco sauce on it...