Old MREs

[NuttinItUp]

Does anyone else watch this guy's channel on YouTube?

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2I6Et1JkidnnbWgJFiMeHA

He does a new video about every week or two opening up old (and new) military MREs. A lot of the time they are still edible and he will eat the contents if possible. He has done a lot from conflicts such as Vietnam and WWII. He also does a lot of international MREs as well.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

With the amount of preservatives they put in that crap, I'm surprised he's had a bowel movement in years.

[NuttinItUp]

With the amount of preservatives they put in that crap, I'm surprised he's had a bowel movement in years.

Haha, true to some extent. Although lots of troops have survived on MREs exclusively for months during certain times. (for instance WWII and Vietnam) Also, some of them from different countries and different styles of them (for instance the ones for being stranded at sea) are probably better when it comes to that.

I think it is funny that a lot of the older MREs contain cigarettes.

[Ragnar Hogbrok]

I've eaten so many MREs packed with so many preservatives that I should never age.

[DeltaBoy]

I remember them feeding us Nam era MRE's at  ROTC camp back in the 1980s the canned eggs were a shade of green. I like the more modern ones over the Vietnam and back era ones except for the John Wayne Crackers.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Haha, true to some extent. Although lots of troops have survived on MREs exclusively for months during certain times. (for instance WWII and Vietnam) Also, some of them from different countries and different styles of them (for instance the ones for being stranded at sea) are probably better when it comes to that.

I think it is funny that a lot of the older MREs contain cigarettes.

The old C-rats had cigarettes. None of the actual MREs have ever had them. (they did have matches and, oddly enough, toilet paper that you absolutely wouldn't need if you ate the cheese). We did a lot of trading with the Canadians early in the Afghanistan war (ala 2002). They had some absolutely phenomenal ones, but you had to be able to boil water to warm them up.

My General Orders for modern field chow are:

(1) First Strike Menu 1-3 can kiss my ass.
(2) Always heat up the cheese and drain grease.
(3) Never pop the heater for a UGR-E in Afghanistan, anywhere unless you have appropriate cover and concealment. Immediate firefight will follow.
(4) Use all the salt.
(5) Use all the hotsauce.
(6) First Strike Menu 1-3 can kiss my ass.
(7) If you can crumble crackers in it, do it.
8. Never pop the heater for a UGR-E in Afghanistan, anywhere unless you have appropriate cover and concealment. Immediate firefight will follow.
(9) Pepperoni sammich can kiss my ass.
(10) Don't let the matches get anywhere near humidity.
(11) Drink at least a quart of water after every MRE.

[NuttinItUp]

The old C-rats had cigarettes. None of the actual MREs have ever had them.

True, I was just using "MRE" as a generic to cover all ration units. (Even though I realize this is not technically correct and actual MREs were introduced in 1981, at least in the US.)

The older ones are usually the more interesting reviews, imo.

The oldest one that the above linked YouTube guy ever did a review of was some well-preserved hard tack from 1863 during the Civil War, which was pretty interesting.

[NuttinItUp]

This 70-year old WWII MRE that he just reviewed turned out surprisingly delicious:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zsF4SPelhE

[Snorts]

Does anyone else watch this guy's channel on YouTube?

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2I6Et1JkidnnbWgJFiMeHA

He does a new video about every week or two opening up old (and new) military MREs. A lot of the time they are still edible and he will eat the contents if possible. He has done a lot from conflicts such as Vietnam and WWII. He also does a lot of international MREs as well.

Thanks for this!  I subscribed immediately.

I served in the early 70's and had my share of C Rations.  Too heavy, all canned, but edible.  If you could boil water you could heat the cans.  The ham and eggs was inedible, however.  The beans and franks, universally called beans and mother f_____rs, wasn't much better.

Lurps, short for long range patrols, were a big bag of freeze dried food, packaged in a dark brown bag.  Most were pretty good, but in limited availability.