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FReeper Canteen~Meals Ready To Eat~13 Nov 08
Serving the best Troops, Vets & Military families in the world! | Canteen Crew

Posted on 11/12/2008 6:01:02 PM PST by AZamericonnie

The Freeper Canteen Presents

~Meals Ready To Eat~



The MRE was adopted as the Department of Defense combat ration in 1975. A large-scale production test began in 1978 with delivery in 1981. MRE I (1981) was the first date of pack.

*Recipe*

MRE Recipe
Ingredients:

1 MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat)

Directions:
Open and consume.
Heating optional.
Discard appropriately


During Operation Desert Storm, MREs were eaten by troops for far longer than they were originally intended. Originally intended for 10 days or less, many troops ate them for 60+ days. As a result, three changes were quickly made to supplement the MREs and enhance their acceptability: shelf-stable bread in an MRE pouch was developed, a high-heat-stable chocolate bar was developed that wouldn't melt in the desert heat (this had been attempted before but the bar had a waxy taste and wasn't widely accepted), and flameless ration heaters were developed as a quick and easy method for troops to heat their entrees.

The military makes a few changes to the menus every year so you will find a different menu listing for each year. In general, though, each MRE contains the following:

Entree - the main course, such as Spaghetti or Beef Stew
Side dish - rice, corn, fruit, or mashed potatoes, etc.
Cracker or Bread
Spread - peanut butter, jelly, or cheese spread
Dessert - cookies or pound cakes
Candy - M&Ms, Skittles, or Tootsie Rolls
Beverages - Gatorade-like drink mixes, cocoa, dairy shakes, coffee, tea
Hot sauce or seasoning - in some MREs
Flameless Ration Heater - to heat up the entree
Accessories - spoon, matches, creamer, sugar, salt, chewing gum, toilet paper, etc.
Each MRE provides an average of 1,250 calories (13% protein, 36% fat, and 51% carbohydrates) and 1/3 of the Military Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals. A full day's worth of meals would consist of three MREs.

*Recipe*

MRE Nachos
Ingredients:

4 – Packages of crackers
3 – Packages of jalapeño or regular cheese
1 – Main meal of chicken or steak
1 – Package of beans

Directions:

1 – Heat beans. Break crackers into dipping-size pieces and spread out on unfolded, main meal box.
2 – Chop chicken or steak main meal into small pieces.
3 – Once beans are hot, spread over crackers.
Repeat steps for cheese packages and chicken or steak main meal. Add seasoning or Tabasco sauce from accessory packet if necessary. Enjoy.

Some of the early MRE main courses were not very palatable, earning them the nicknames "Mr. E" (mystery), "Meals Rejected by Everyone", "Meals, Rarely Edible", "Meals Rejected by the Enemy", "Morsels, Regurgitated, Eviscerated", "Meal, Ready to Excrete", "Materials Resembling Edibles", and even "Meals Rejected by Ethiopians". Some meals got their own nicknames. For example, the frankfurters, which came sealed in pouches of four, were referred to as "the four fingers of death". Although quality has improved over the years, many of the nicknames have stuck. MREs were often called "Three Lies for the Price of One" - it's not a Meal, it's not Ready, and you can't Eat it

*Recipe*

Ranger pudding

When made with less water, Ranger pudding also can be baked into a brownie (but don’t try it with the new MRE stove, because the chemicals in it aren’t healthy. Use an alternate heat source).
MRE Cocoa beverage mix
Coffee creamer
Water

1. Mix all ingredients in cocoa pouch to the consistency of pudding and enjoy.


If you grew up like a lot of Americans, eating casseroles, Hamburger Helper and lots of prepared foods out of a can or a jar, then an MRE is a completely normal, completely acceptable meal for you. If, on the other hand, you are the sort of person who prefers a salad of mixed greens with essence of cranberries effused in a vinaigrette dressing, along with a filet topped with a caramelized red onion glaze, baby carrots and angel hair pasta on the side, finishing with a strawberry sorbet and mixed fresh berries for dessert, then the MRE menu is unlikely to suit you

~U. S. Army Ranger school diet -58 days to a leaner, meaner you~


~From GulfWar1Vet~


I remember the MRE’s when going out to field exercises in Germany. We had a hot meal one day, but for those two weeks, MRE’s were it. Spaghetti is the best one that you can get get. Heat it up in your tin can and what a feast. Get your cheese and crackers, and hot chocolate mix. Yep, what a grand meal! Chicken a la King can be great, but you have to heat it up. Eating it cold, YUCK! Chocolate bars...Mmm..mmm...good. BUT, you better watch out, for it is a great substitute for Exlax. LOL

The MRE’s of today are so much improved than it was 15-20 yrs ago. But it sure beats being hungry!

~From Radix (Alternative uses for MREs or Fun With Tabasco!)~


MREs include a small bottle of tabasco sauce. For whatever reason, Troops often save them up.

Take the tabasco stash and pour a bunch of them into the MRE heater (instead of water) and throw that heater in a humvee when your friends are sleeping in it. When they wake up the steam reaction from the heater makes the air hot like tobasco sauce. They start coughing.. (like a mild cs chamber) and jump out of the vehicle. You start laughing.....

~From Old Sarge~


I first met Mister E. (MRE’s) in 1985, while on maneuvers at Fort Bliss. The packs back then were the first-generation meals: about fourteen or so choices, hot sauce in every one, dark-brown bags that looked like Hefty Bags.

As the Mister E’s became more available, I began keeping a small stock of them for camping, survival, and emergencies. As my family got older and bigger, I managed to keep at least a case or so at home. Over the last two decades, they’re as much a part of life in uniform as the uniform itself.

~From Mylife~




*The C-Ration Cookbook*



*The Marine Dinner Date - MREs For Your Sweetie* (hysterical!)


~From M1911A1 (Laughter & Tissue Alert!:)~


Meals, Ready to Eat. They had so many names-
Meals, Rejected by Ethiopians
Morale Reducing Elements
And my favorite: Mr. E

They are a lot better now (or at least a couple years ago when I last had one) then they were when they first came out.
The infamous Pork Patty, Dehydrated was amazing. Dry, it had the taste and quality of Moleskin bandages that had been worn on blistered feet for a twenty mile hump, and then baked in the sun. If you added water, the result was the same, except the chewy crunch was enhanced with a slimy, retch-inducing exterior.

One of my fondest memories of dining with MR. E was being issued Chicken Ala King one morning when it was about fifteen degrees outside. The meal had been kept sort of warm in a tent, but when the pouch was opened the cold air hit it and produced a curious effect; congealed globules of fat rose to the top, and seemed to cling to the plastic spoon that was trying to maneuver between them. Yum!

I started my career on C-rations and in later days I would wax nostalgic about the fruit cocktail. “Lads, you could drink the juice from the can!” I would declare, as the young Marines munched on crunchy, dehydrated fruit. I would tell them about Gorilla Cookies, Pound Cake, Beans and ....well, this is a family friendly place, so I won’t use the real names.

One thing I do miss about being retired is the coffee. There was this wonderful concoction that could be made by mixing two coffee packets, a hot chocolate packet and several sugars and creams. Who knew that somebody would open Starbucks and make money on that stuff we stirred up in our canteen cups?

Something about getting your morning Joe from a Mr. Coffee in the kitchen just doesn’t compare to having the last firewatch hand you that wonderful brew in the frosty gloom of Zero-Dark Thirty, as he smiles and says “ ‘Morning, Top!” ‘cause he knows that the PFC wise enough to provide the old grouch that first cup is likely to have a choice assignment that day.

Yes, I remember Mr. E, but when I stop to think about eating that doubtful chow, the memories that really come flooding back are the Marines I broke bread (or Crackers, Saltine with Cheese Spread) with. I may eat better food now, or on rare occasions go to some fancy restaurant with fine decor, but I’ll never have better company at a well set table than I had eating MREs sitting on the ground.

To those Marines I knew, I hoist a Lemon Beverage Powder to you. Semper Fi!
MsBehavin & I had fun talking about & planning this thread & it is a joint effort so send your thank to Ms, B~!

Great thanks to GulfWar1Vet, Old Sarge, Mylife, M1911A1, Radix & Sandrat for contributing testimonials for this thread! *Applause*



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; military; mres; troopsupport
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To: mylife
Good night, my. Thanks for helping honor our military, and thank you for your service to our country.


381 posted on 11/12/2008 10:33:12 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

Gidday, Kiwi!! How have patrols been going? Your knees?


382 posted on 11/12/2008 10:36:09 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: Grizzled Bear
Good evening, Grizzled Bear....thanks for your service to our country.


383 posted on 11/12/2008 10:43:58 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: MEG33

Oh no, Meg....your poor eye! Still having night critters? How are your newest kitties doing?


384 posted on 11/12/2008 10:47:28 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: HiJinx
Where we headed, down hill, was for the NAVPGS on Friday nights. Off to the Ney Award winning Chief of the Mess there. It cost a little and gave us a break from Friday fare at Bravo Company's chow hall.
385 posted on 11/12/2008 10:48:32 PM PST by BIGLOOK (Keelhaul Congress! It's the sensible solution to restore Command to the People.)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Patrols have been going well thanx, Kathy. And I’ve been taking glucosamine(one huge, horse-choking pill per day) for about three months now, and I have noticed a HUGE improvement with my knees. I used to be really sore after a long Patrol for several days, now I can do two in a row and still feel OK. So glucosamine seems to be working for me.

I am in the process of approaching some large organizations for sponsorship for the NZ Guardian Angels. If I am successful in getting a sponsor we should be able to grow by leaps and bounds. Here’s hoping...

How are things in Alaska?


386 posted on 11/12/2008 10:48:45 PM PST by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Glad to help.

Somebody posted a picture of a P-38. Wow, seeing that was like stepping in to the Time Tunnel! We used to call them John Waynes, and when the great man passed on we started calling them Dead Dukes.

There is a whole generation of fighting men and women who have probably never seen one. Now I know how my father felt when I asked him what those funny ice tongs in his garage were used for.

BTW, while my dad was a WWII POW there was a dog in the camp called “D-Bar” after a fortified chocolate bar they used to get in the K rations. I wonder if there are any pets named after MRE components? “Ham Slice,” “Country Captain” and “Cocoa Beverage Powder” just don’t have the same ring to it as “D-Bar,” do they?

Happy Eats, Canteen!


387 posted on 11/12/2008 11:00:55 PM PST by M1911A1
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To: DieHard the Hunter

Good that you found glucosamine and that it is doing the job for you. I used to take it all the time, but got out of the habit...I need to get back on track. It does work.

The best of luck with finding a sponsor.

Alaska is doing well, but winter seems to not want to come and stay. It gets cold, then wrms up, then snows, 4+ inches yesterday, but at freezing and now windy today. The flocked trees I can see have lost their blanket of white. Vacation to central California starts next week.


388 posted on 11/12/2008 11:25:23 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: M1911A1
I wonder if there are any pets named after MRE components? “Ham Slice,” “Country Captain” and “Cocoa Beverage Powder” just don’t have the same ring to it as “D-Bar,” do they?

Pretty good bet there are. But the ring is a little off. LOL!

Not only do we thank you for your service to our country, but thanks to your Dad as well.


389 posted on 11/12/2008 11:33:18 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: BIGLOOK

Aloha, Hawaii.....


390 posted on 11/13/2008 12:46:43 AM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

I survived..with another lesson under the belt..
I still have nightly raccoon visits..and there’s a tame wild tom turkey in the neighborhood that the kittens are facinated by when he comes to visit My older Silky kitty and the turkey get nose to beak through the glass door..Fun to watch.
Still very mild days here with a freeze in the forecast later in the week. Drive carefully..I thought only Texas drivers drove crazy in the snow.
;o)


391 posted on 11/13/2008 12:55:54 AM PST by MEG33 (God Bless Our Military)
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To: philly-d-kidder
Good morning, philly...((HUGS))...are you finally getting some rest? Very cool camel!!


392 posted on 11/13/2008 12:56:29 AM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

I have been getting some shut eye!! woohooo... My Boss is wondering when I will return Hahaha


393 posted on 11/13/2008 1:01:38 AM PST by philly-d-kidder (The Phillies Parade was awesome!! Did I tell you Phillies are world champions!)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

I use the CVS triple strength.. it is like a miracle worker once a year!! One Bottle!!


394 posted on 11/13/2008 1:03:43 AM PST by philly-d-kidder (The Phillies Parade was awesome!! Did I tell you Phillies are world champions!)
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To: LUV W

Hello.... top of the Mornin to Ya!


395 posted on 11/13/2008 1:10:46 AM PST by philly-d-kidder (The Phillies Parade was awesome!! Did I tell you Phillies are world champions!)
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To: MEG33

We’ve got ducks coming up on the deck and looking in the door. One of these days I expect at least one not to fly when I open the door and go out to the corn bucket.


396 posted on 11/13/2008 1:10:51 AM PST by Kathy in Alaska (~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

so do you like Camels from the Holy Land??


397 posted on 11/13/2008 1:11:59 AM PST by philly-d-kidder (The Phillies Parade was awesome!! Did I tell you Phillies are world champions!)
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To: HiJinx

howdy Hijinx!!


398 posted on 11/13/2008 1:12:53 AM PST by philly-d-kidder (The Phillies Parade was awesome!! Did I tell you Phillies are world champions!)
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To: philly-d-kidder

399..woohhoo


399 posted on 11/13/2008 1:13:22 AM PST by philly-d-kidder (The Phillies Parade was awesome!! Did I tell you Phillies are world champions!)
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To: philly-d-kidder

400..Double woohhoo


400 posted on 11/13/2008 1:13:55 AM PST by philly-d-kidder (The Phillies Parade was awesome!! Did I tell you Phillies are world champions!)
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