Grocery store MRE's

dscrick · 01-18-2008, 03:10 PM

Has anyone looked into the "Grocery store MRE's" available? I like having MRE's around, but the commercial sources for surplus MRE's charge an arm and a leg for them. I was out grocery shopping with the wife and started seeing alot of retort packed foods on the shelves. And at substantially lower prices than MRE's from "Survival warehouse" or whatever. Here's what I've found so far just at the local Kroger:

Tuna in retort pouch (several brands)
Ham, chicken in retort pouch
SPAM in retort pouch
Dinty Moore stew in a retort packed plastic tub (microwaveable OR boilable)

Hormel "Compleats" meals in retort packed plastic tubs (quite a selection of entrees)

All of them seem to have about a 2 year shelf life if you go by the manufacturer's "Sell by" dates, they would probably last alot longer in the cool/dark suggested environment.

The packaging is lightweight like MRE's, the food is full moisture like MRE's, and easy to heat up like MRE's. Most of these things are about a dollar or so.

If anybody has any more examples I can look for list them here!

Deersniper · 01-18-2008, 03:33 PM

These would be a good choice, great idea. I always thought that MRE's were dry and you just added some water, and cooked them in your helmet. If they are low in sodium I'll stock up.

dscrick · 01-18-2008, 03:41 PM

The beauty of MRE's has always been no rehydration required and cook in the pouch convenience (hell in Cuba we used to just lay them on a hot rock in the sun to heat them).

I doubt these are considered low sodium, but I don't think they are any higher than most ready to eat foods. As far as the tuna and such they are just like canned.

.22guy · 01-18-2008, 04:44 PM

Those sound like good option to me. And they might taste better than MREs.

ArkansasHunter · 01-18-2008, 05:02 PM

Whats the shelf life of an MRE ? My son has some on a shelf in his bedroom closet and I fear he might eat them some day.
He was given several by our locale national guard on a field trip years ago and I thought they were very good...A.H

dscrick · 01-18-2008, 05:09 PM

All MRE's have a date code on them that tells when they were manufactured. This link tells you how to read them:

MREInfo - MRE Date Codes

The same page offers this link about shelf life. In general if they have been stored in a cool place (say around 70 farenheit) they should be good 5-7 years

MREInfo - MRE Longevity

mos19k · 01-19-2008, 10:54 AM

Although these aren't your typical MRE's I've found that the Heater Meals are very tasty and last for at least a year. These are a single entrée meal that comes with everything including a small pouch of water to use in the chemical heater. My Wife bought them at our local super market for $2.50 a meal. According to the website they have other types available including one that lasts three years. Just another option.

Home of HeaterMeals Self-Heating Meals & the TrueTech MRE heater for A Hot Meal Anytime Anyplace

Punisher · 01-29-2008, 02:05 PM

Even the stores are on the low trying to help us get prepared for whatever. Im gonna stat stocking stuff like that.

Wingwiper · 01-30-2008, 04:58 PM

I remember it was 1972, near Quang-Tri and I had just finished a Boneless Chicken C Rat. I went to put the cans back in the box and noticed the date of 1942. I suddenly got a strange feeling about eating a Chicken that was canned 30 years earlier and 9 years before I was born.It still tasted good but the Chocalate Cookie was a bit hard and dry. Chicklets were still tasty. So shelf life, that is only for WHIMPS, real men eat OLD food, food that is at leasty 20 years old......... AND only need 4 squares of sh-- paper and can strike a match even if it is dripping. We would boil water and shave in our helmets but the new Kavalar make it a bit difficult. We used C4 to burn for cooking and now they MREs have a add water stove, damn spoiled kids. We had a reciepe book to cook up some meals with the C Rats, wouldn't sh-t for a month. It was odd too, I always got the Menthol 4 pk of cigs and all the Black guys who smoked menthols got Menthols too and my buddies all got the Winstons and Marlboros so I never had anyone to trade with, stuck with Menthols.....

Deersniper · 01-30-2008, 10:59 PM

Wow, I bet that hot water would keep your helmet clean and your head warm. Those were the days of men of steel. Boy are we spoiled!

Shwanzig · 02-02-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wingwiper

I remember it was 1972, near Quang-Tri and I had just finished a Boneless Chicken C Rat. I went to put the cans back in the box and noticed the date of 1942. I suddenly got a strange feeling about eating a Chicken that was canned 30 years earlier and 9 years before I was born.It still tasted good but the Chocalate Cookie was a bit hard and dry. Chicklets were still tasty. So shelf life, that is only for WHIMPS, real men eat OLD food, food that is at leasty 20 years old......... AND only need 4 squares of sh-- paper and can strike a match even if it is dripping. We would boil water and shave in our helmets but the new Kavalar make it a bit difficult. We used C4 to burn for cooking and now they MREs have a add water stove, damn spoiled kids. We had a reciepe book to cook up some meals with the C Rats, wouldn't sh-t for a month. It was odd too, I always got the Menthol 4 pk of cigs and all the Black guys who smoked menthols got Menthols too and my buddies all got the Winstons and Marlboros so I never had anyone to trade with, stuck with Menthols.....

Very true, they have found can food on Civil War ships that are still eatable, although probably only best to eat if you were starving.

Wingwiper · 02-03-2008, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shwanzig

Very true, they have found can food on Civil War ships that are still eatable, although probably only best to eat if you were starving.

I read somewhere where the Can was invented during the Civil war and the can opener some 30 years later, that is probably why they are finding the cans on the ships, they had no way of opening them......

Shwanzig · 02-03-2008, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wingwiper

I read somewhere where the Can was invented during the Civil war and the can opener some 30 years later, that is probably why they are finding the cans on the ships, they had no way of opening them......

Well the first "good" (as in was tightly sealed) was invented in 1810, and it was actually 50 YEARS before the can opener was invented.

So your probably right, doubt they had a way or even bothered to open up the cans.

billy · 02-03-2008, 03:01 PM

some of those polar explorers died from lead poisoning .
the tin cans were sealed with lead solder.

cruzerbotz · 02-03-2008, 04:14 PM

I think most of the "pouch" foods in the grocery stores are pretty good for storage. All of the tuna "lunch" packages have everything for a light meal. The pouches of tuna, chicken, salmon are all good and have a good shelf life. Just rotate them.

Big Dog · 02-03-2008, 08:19 PM

On roadtrips, camping with the motorcycle, I use a "poorman's MRE" - one pouch of "Ready to Eat" Rice (I prefer the Zatarain's brand) with a pouch of tuna or chicken mixed in and heated in my SS GI canteen cup. Put a half-cup of water in to prevent the food burning on the bottom, and stir OFTEN! Good stuff! Fills me, and I'm one hungry Dawg!
Both can be mixed and eaten cold from the pouches, but do taste better when cooked.

dscrick · 02-25-2008, 10:19 PM

Good idea! A bag of Zatarain's and a pouch of tuna would make some good eating! I'll use that on my next solo camping ride!

lukilao · 02-26-2008, 02:57 PM

I started stocking on costco's stag chili with beans, pink salmon, corn, pineapple chunks, and buckets of 45 lbs. wheat. Those canned items last for at least 3 years from now. and they taste good.

01-18-2008, 03:10 PM	#1
dscrick Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 54	Grocery store MRE's Has anyone looked into the "Grocery store MRE's" available? I like having MRE's around, but the commercial sources for surplus MRE's charge an arm and a leg for them. I was out grocery shopping with the wife and started seeing alot of retort packed foods on the shelves. And at substantially lower prices than MRE's from "Survival warehouse" or whatever. Here's what I've found so far just at the local Kroger: Tuna in retort pouch (several brands) Ham, chicken in retort pouch SPAM in retort pouch Dinty Moore stew in a retort packed plastic tub (microwaveable OR boilable) Hormel "Compleats" meals in retort packed plastic tubs (quite a selection of entrees) All of them seem to have about a 2 year shelf life if you go by the manufacturer's "Sell by" dates, they would probably last alot longer in the cool/dark suggested environment. The packaging is lightweight like MRE's, the food is full moisture like MRE's, and easy to heat up like MRE's. Most of these things are about a dollar or so. If anybody has any more examples I can look for list them here!

01-18-2008, 03:41 PM	#3
dscrick Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 54	The beauty of MRE's has always been no rehydration required and cook in the pouch convenience (hell in Cuba we used to just lay them on a hot rock in the sun to heat them). I doubt these are considered low sodium, but I don't think they are any higher than most ready to eat foods. As far as the tuna and such they are just like canned. Last edited by dscrick; 01-18-2008 at 03:44 PM.

01-18-2008, 04:44 PM	#4
.22guy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 4,427	Those sound like good option to me. And they might taste better than MREs. __________________ My first priority will be to reinstate the assault weapons ban as soon as I take office.

01-30-2008, 04:58 PM	#9
Wingwiper Banned Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 789	I remember it was 1972, near Quang-Tri and I had just finished a Boneless Chicken C Rat. I went to put the cans back in the box and noticed the date of 1942. I suddenly got a strange feeling about eating a Chicken that was canned 30 years earlier and 9 years before I was born.It still tasted good but the Chocalate Cookie was a bit hard and dry. Chicklets were still tasty. So shelf life, that is only for WHIMPS, real men eat OLD food, food that is at leasty 20 years old......... AND only need 4 squares of sh-- paper and can strike a match even if it is dripping. We would boil water and shave in our helmets but the new Kavalar make it a bit difficult. We used C4 to burn for cooking and now they MREs have a add water stove, damn spoiled kids. We had a reciepe book to cook up some meals with the C Rats, wouldn't sh-t for a month. It was odd too, I always got the Menthol 4 pk of cigs and all the Black guys who smoked menthols got Menthols too and my buddies all got the Winstons and Marlboros so I never had anyone to trade with, stuck with Menthols..... Last edited by Wingwiper; 01-30-2008 at 05:01 PM.

01-30-2008, 10:59 PM	#10
Deersniper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,124	MRE's Wow, I bet that hot water would keep your helmet clean and your head warm. Those were the days of men of steel. Boy are we spoiled!

01-18-2008, 03:33 PM	#2
Deersniper Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,124	These would be a good choice, great idea. I always thought that MRE's were dry and you just added some water, and cooked them in your helmet. If they are low in sodium I'll stock up.

01-18-2008, 05:02 PM	#5
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 11,267	Whats the shelf life of an MRE ? My son has some on a shelf in his bedroom closet and I fear he might eat them some day. He was given several by our locale national guard on a field trip years ago and I thought they were very good...A.H

01-18-2008, 05:09 PM	#6
dscrick Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 54	All MRE's have a date code on them that tells when they were manufactured. This link tells you how to read them: MREInfo - MRE Date Codes The same page offers this link about shelf life. In general if they have been stored in a cool place (say around 70 farenheit) they should be good 5-7 years MREInfo - MRE Longevity

01-19-2008, 10:54 AM	#7
mos19k Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Miami, Fl. Posts: 331	Although these aren't your typical MRE's I've found that the Heater Meals are very tasty and last for at least a year. These are a single entrée meal that comes with everything including a small pouch of water to use in the chemical heater. My Wife bought them at our local super market for $2.50 a meal. According to the website they have other types available including one that lasts three years. Just another option. Home of HeaterMeals Self-Heating Meals & the TrueTech MRE heater for A Hot Meal Anytime Anyplace

01-29-2008, 02:05 PM	#8
Punisher Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 88	Even the stores are on the low trying to help us get prepared for whatever. Im gonna stat stocking stuff like that.

02-03-2008, 03:01 PM	#14
billy Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 15,746 Images: 10 Blog Entries: 158	some of those polar explorers died from lead poisoning . the tin cans were sealed with lead solder. __________________ ignint mcnugget... the slug o love sez... remember kids two warning shots to the head for safety!

02-03-2008, 04:14 PM	#15
cruzerbotz Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 16	I think most of the "pouch" foods in the grocery stores are pretty good for storage. All of the tuna "lunch" packages have everything for a light meal. The pouches of tuna, chicken, salmon are all good and have a good shelf life. Just rotate them.

02-03-2008, 08:19 PM	#16
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,642	On roadtrips, camping with the motorcycle, I use a "poorman's MRE" - one pouch of "Ready to Eat" Rice (I prefer the Zatarain's brand) with a pouch of tuna or chicken mixed in and heated in my SS GI canteen cup. Put a half-cup of water in to prevent the food burning on the bottom, and stir OFTEN! Good stuff! Fills me, and I'm one hungry Dawg! Both can be mixed and eaten cold from the pouches, but do taste better when cooked. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

02-25-2008, 10:19 PM	#17
dscrick Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 54	Good idea! A bag of Zatarain's and a pouch of tuna would make some good eating! I'll use that on my next solo camping ride!

02-26-2008, 02:57 PM	#18
lukilao Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 7	I started stocking on costco's stag chili with beans, pink salmon, corn, pineapple chunks, and buckets of 45 lbs. wheat. Those canned items last for at least 3 years from now. and they taste good.