MRE Basics: Just How "Ready-to-Eat" is an MRE?

*****PLEASE NOTE: This video is NOT meant to say that U.S. troops are not supplied with water. As the title states (pretty clearly I thought, but I guess not) I was simply trying to demonstrate just how "ready-to-eat" (which is IN the name of the ration: Meal, Ready to Eat) an MRE is IF (not BECAUSE, but IF) you happen to find yourself in a situation where you might have one on hand to eat, but for whatever reason you don't have water (again, I'm merely trying to demonstrate the ready-to-eat quality of the MRE, NOT suggest that anyone would purposely go out into the field with no water on them). I realize that 99.9999999% of people know how important water is and would make a point of having some with them. This was simply meant to see how ready-to-eat an MRE truly is (meaning you open the bag and eat it with NO preparation whatsoever--no cooking, no heating, no mixing of drinks or other components that require water...), not a demonstration of how they ARE eaten or are SUPPOSED to be eaten. I hope that clears some things up a bit. Just remember, I'm not suggesting that YOU or anyone else would be found in a survival situation without water on hand (even though sometimes in emergency and survival situations conditions MIGHT be beyond our personal control). This was simply the best way I thought I could demonstrate the ready-to-eat nature of an MRE in an entertaining and kind of fun way. Thank you!*******
Here's a full review of a Chicken Fajita MRE. This one was a commercial one from Meal Kit Supply, but it's still a more detailed look:
• MRE Review: Chicken Fa...
In this edition of MRE Basics we take a look at just how "Ready-to-Eat" an MRE really is. As a result of the fact that almost all of my videos feature MREs being examined and reviewed in a controlled, relaxed environment, the time I take to show and explain everything could make it look like there is a lot of preparation involved. I put all the food components on a tray to present them and almost always use the Flameless Ration Heater to heat up the entrees. One thing I forgot to mention in the video is that it should be remembered that all the entrees and side dishes are fully cooked and can be eaten right out of the pouch. The FRH doesn't cook anything, it merely heats up food and drinks (like coffee) as a convenience to improve the dining experience. It's not necessary at all to use the FRH. The only things that are not truly "Ready-to-Eat" in MREs are the powdered drinks and desserts (instant coffee, cocoa beverages, beverage base powders, cappuccino drinks, tea and cider drinks, dairyshake powders, instant puddings...). While it's true that these components aren't ready-to-eat (or drink) right out of the pouch, it's just a matter of adding some water to them and shaking them up. I guess the government figures that getting water to troops and victims of natural disasters is so important that it's sort of a given that they will have some water available to them if they want to make the beverages. In a true emergency situation most of these powders could be ingested dry if you really needed the nutrients in them (same goes for the salt packet). I certainly wouldn't recommend doing that, but if things get bad enough you never know...

[@plaid13]

If you dont have the little water needed for the heater or drinks... you have much bigger problems then your food being cold.

[@MetroDET2011]

Piss in it

[@brooksysdead]

Any watery liquid will work.. Urine.. Gatorade.. Almost Whatever u have laying around will heat up an frh

[@Yam_Sandwich]

If you don't have water to drink it's usually not a good idea to eat. Digestion uses a lot of water and the dehydration can end up killing you faster if you eat, especially if you eat something with protein.

[@coastguard3357]

I don't get why people say they're gross, most of them like 100% of them look and sound really good

[@SephirothXValentine]

For some people they take some getting used to. Some of them taste great, some are okay, others are... just food.

[@MARKIEBANUNCE]

Back in 1986, when they were still in the dark brown bag with black lettering.....they really sucked Spaghetti and Meat Sauce was good Beef Stew, Beans & Frankfurters, and that was all I liked. Today they're great and there are some Fantastic civilian companies

[@toucanthatcan7376]

i actually got a chance to eat the enchilada one whenever i was in boy scouts several years ago, it was a great camping meal.

[@MorbidBabex]

I use to eat these and missed them so I brought some when I went camping and a guy camping near me said he loved them as well and that it was awesome I brought one

[@matthewtaylor9445]

MorbidBabe I'm actually considering getting a case of them to take for lunch to work. I miss mres

[@jonbyron38]

I ordered a couple of boxes while living at a campground. A couple of meals ended up feeding another guy for a couple of days while he waited for his first check!

[@ReclusiveMountainMan]

It's cool to see an MRE in nature. Thank you.

[@fordfreak9456]

my favorite mre while in was the spicy penne pasta, i never bothered to heat any of em, always at air temp, just easier

[@RichardT2112]

Loved the sound of the little zombies in the background :)

[@gundog4314]

That must have been fun to do. Kind of like you briefly mentioned, if you have to "eat on the move" just toss the beans and cheese in with the fajitas mix and roll. Should have made this a Tag Vid! Cheers

[@larryjohnston3796]

gundog4314 there fun the first couple of times, try eatting them for 20 years!!

[@Superman-xr1oh]

@@larryjohnston3796 Make your own then.

[@Andovarius]

This video is a perfect example of why you, sir, are the King of the MRE videos. You are always able to add some sort of fresh and informative take on the MRE or MRE-related topic you are covering. Now a summer hike is fine, but I'm wondering if you'd be up for winter hike later this year to show us another MRE or even a Cold Weather version. I'd like to see how you get a fire going to re-hydrate the meals and drinks while sitting on a frozen log in the middle of a snow bank. That can't be too easy...

[@gschultz9]

Andovarius Thank you Andovarius. We'll have to see about making another one in the winter...

[@vektek]

So quick tip, the pouches can be removed and placed in between clothing to at least melt any fats in the packages, and warm them to body temp

[@gschultz9]

Good point. The warmer the day the warmer the food will be (obviously), but anything one can do to increase the temperature (if the FRH isn't convenient to use) will improve the experience. You can put them on an engine block, set them in the sun, or whatever else you can think of. Your method would have softened up the cheese a bit more than I was able to get it by just kneading the package.

[@jonbyron38]

Pouches can also be split open and used as waterproof shingles!

[@sarahdresler9776]

When I was in the Army we duct taped the mre pouches to the side walls of the truck’s engine compartment. They got heated while we drove.

[@PositionLight]

Friend I had in pre-9/11 military said they rarely used the heaters because the time they were given to eat was not sufficient to heat up the food. Also they had to pack out all their trash so the heater would often keep on heating in a pocket or wherever it was stuffed.

[@AutoSear]

When I used to ride dirt bikes, we'd throw the MRE entrees on the engine block of our vehicle while we rode. Come back in an hour or two, and they'd be sufficiently hot. Great video, always enjoy them.

[@gschultz9]

***** Thank you!

[@JLSoftware]

Somehow your commenters never actually figured out what the heater was for. And it never occurred to them that if the meal was not ready to eat, it would not be called Meal Ready To Eat. KZbin Comments - the armpit of the internet.

[@MrGamerman001]

They're as ready to eat as a lunchable without needing refrigeration. I prefer a lot of MRE's served cold unless it is a soup or pasta based MRE. Most of them are as easy as open and eat.

[@offramp100]

In general you should refrain from eating if water is unavailable. Digesting food requires water inside your body so will increase dehydration.

[@blackericdenice]

Yes right. Reframe from sex to because you will sweat out water.

[@larryjohnston3796]

john milton in general we always have water!!

[@Superman-xr1oh]

You do realize that the human body is like 90% water right?

[@mattthegamerhongkong6948]

@@Superman-xr1oh Actually more like 70

[@trishoconnor2169]

Wouldn't water be a higher priority to carry than food? Does it often happen that a soldier has an MRE but no water?

[@gschultz9]

+Trish O'Connor Water is definitely a top priority. I would imagine that the supply chain would include drinkable water at the very top of the list. The point of this video was to answer the question of just how "ready-to-eat" an MRE really is. I guess I just used the "lack of water" situation as a tool to showcase the "ready-to-eat-ness" of the MRE, as anything that requires water to prepare isn't 100% "ready-to-eat". And of course you COULD ingest the powders without water if you really wanted/needed to.

[@jonjohnchen]

+Trish O'Connor use their piss to heat it up

[@BigDippas]

+Hanlin been there, done that lol.

[@johnc8327]

+Trish O'Connor Soldiers always carry water with them. Either canteen or camelback The beverage powders are designed to be used with a "canteen cup" (basic issue). It's an aluminum cup/pot that you can eat/drink out of that fits on the outside of a canteen.

[@jacoblollar4283]

you always have water on you

[@agentp6621]

This was my first MRE in basic training in April 2015. It is still my most hated MRE because I ate it along with the rest of my MREs in training without hearing them up. We didn't have time. This one needs at least some Tabasco. I don't even think that'd do much. Exact same thing I had an issue with was that the beans were bland and the chicken sucked. Mine didn't come with a brownie. I don't remember it coming with cheese spread. So I shuffled to eat my first MRE in basic. I went hungry for lunch that day. I love MREs, just not that one. I had them before I joined. Favorite MRE is spaghetti with meat sauce.

[@Roseabovethis]

good old yellow dyed cheese spread, gotta love it :)

[@sunyoungcho8837]

It was fucking dyed?!

[@marquisdecats8066]

Sunyoung Cho Yes, it is. and it's nasty, but, we still eat it.

[@matthewpinon8515]

Your voice is very relaxing.

[@gschultz9]

+Matthew Pinon You are getting sleepy, very sleepy. Your eyelids are getting heavy, very heavy. You can't keep your eyes open...

[@lizh804]

+gschultz9 I agree with Matt.... it is very relaxing and reminds me of some of my family members in Boston.

[@James-tr9eg]

In a harsh environments. you have 1-12 hours to survive without shelter. After 3 days, you need water or you'll perish. You can make it 3 weeks without food, though I can promise you that you will be pretty miserable. Despite this possibly helpful rule, some people have survived 8 to 10 days without water. That being said, unless you are in the desert it is next to impossible to find yourself without a source of water. MRE's do not require heating nor do I recommend heating them in a survival situation, the smell carries for miles and can attract predators/enemy. 1 reason to ALWAYS carry a role of garbage bags with you not only can they keep you dry but they can be used to fashion a water catch, either from it raining or the condensation building up on the bag. either way the water is 100% safe to drink if collected that way.

[@Superman-xr1oh]

@Worldadventure Lehderp Pollution is everywhere, lol.

[@CitizenRare]

God I love this channel. Gschultz, never stop doing what you're doing. These reviews are amazing.

[@gschultz9]

CitizenRare Thanks a lot CitizenRare.

[@blackericdenice]

I was going to buy some mre but the price was to high just to try it. Thanks to your video, I can almost taste it. I guess the little girl on The Walking dead, that ate the raw turtle would have love your meal.

[@stevekillgore9272]

RIP

[@galliman123]

This is nuts, but I seriously was thinking today while watching Kiwi Dude's MRE reviews would it be great to see one review "in the field" well hey you've answered my thoughts Gschultz! :D

[@gschultz9]

galliman123 Forgot to mention that I'm also a mind reader...

[@driftedtide6998]

Looks great,!

[@rockyraab8290]

Excellent. I think your "Basics" vids are genius. The date codes one was informative, and this one is illustrative. Can't wait to see what's next. The thing I'd like to see is your camera setup - how you work around it while doing your POV work, especially.

[@gschultz9]

Rocky Raab Thanks Rocky! I know these "MRE Basics" videos will probably get a mixed reaction, as they're geared mostly toward a specific demographic (people not very familiar with MREs who might find some of the basic info interesting and useful), while other parts of the audience will find them unnecessary and boring. It's a risk I'll have to take. Glad to hear that a true MRE connoisseur like yourself is enjoying them!

[@nunyabiznez4408]

Damn dude!! Another test the military paid millions of $ on that was never actually done. Great Review/Test!! Keep up the good work.

[@dantyler1558]

Yeah... Really important to keep zombies in mind. Those zombies... A real threat.

[@wandatapscott9617]

Also u get the drink bags because we don't have cups and really are canteen is kinda bigger than what they used to be plus there on are backs

[@eklypse13]

6:19 The chicken has an MRE flavor? Imagine that lol

[@MARKIEBANUNCE]

When I was in boot camp, I never was able to cook one. Literally READY TO EAT Once I got out into the fleet....we had more time to make them more edible

[@gschultz9]

Yeah, that's boot camp for you!

[@kfordudflight]

I found it quite good to mix the cheese spread and tear up the tortillas into the fajita pouch.

[@lindastevenson7232]

what is your favorite mre

[@ogbobbye]

his comment about eating it as you go along is right it is rare that you have the time to just sit down and eat a meal in military or bug out type of situation. A lot of it you wouldn't even take with you because you would have opened it before hand only taking the things you ready needed because of room and weight putting things you can eat on the go in your pockets and a meal pouch or 2 in your pack and you would eat everything cold you have limited water and even the little it take for the heater is a waste not to mention the heater was the first thing you throw in the not taking pile before you left.

[@Andy-im3kj]

MRE's are worth their weight, for sure. Just pop one package open, regardless if it's a main entrée or a side, it's as good as it gets, and you can eat it straight out of the package versus a mountain house package that requires water to even make the food edible. Personally, in an emergency i'd rather have first on hand ready to eat meals, and then the rest will come on hand when you have taken care of your hunger and have the energy to make a meal with food, water, etc.

[@classnimitz8521]

MRE's are definitely useful. I keep a box of them in a convenient spot incase of emergency. Although in most cases like my emergency kits and bugout bags I prefer sea rations. Three days worth of food in one package, easier to carry around, and they're cheaper. I guess there's advantages to having both on hand though.

[@Andy-im3kj]

Yes indeed, sea rations are also an amazing source of food during emergency situations! Plus they're very versatile!

[@Draganox25]

What happens if your out in the field and you find out your mre is spoiled for some reason and its unedible

[@JenniferinIllinois]

No time to heat your food when you're being chased by zombies. Hehehe...

[@larryjohnston3796]

You can eat any mre cold! Open it and eat it!! We didn't always have the heaters pacs! In the early 90s we had to use a Coleman stove or eat them cold!!

[@Ragnar19999]

That was pretty good, is this gunna become a thing? you also eating MRE's on the run?

[@gschultz9]

Ragnar1999 This was pretty much meant as a one-off video made to demonstrate something specific about MREs. I'm not planning on it being a regular thing, but I have made a couple outdoor reviews in the past and I might revisit this style at some point if it seems like a good idea.

[@MrGamerman001]

Is it true that if you are short on water you can use the ration heating pack to boil natural un-purified water in order to purify it?

[@gschultz9]

+MrGamerman001 That's a very good question. Unfortunately, the Flameless Ration Heater doesn't heat up enough to be able to boil water (only reaches a maximum temp of about 165 degrees F I believe), so it wouldn't be able to purify water. The heaters made by MealSpec (I've done a few videos on them) DO heat water to boiling. Not sure if it would keep the temperature long enough to purify water, but it's certainly a possibility.

[@helennoss3055]

looks tasty Thank you for sharing

[@gschultz9]

Thank you.

[@ToxicVortex8]

i have that exact same alice pack although mine has a solid frame attached to the back

[@SgtBooker44]

MRE used to mean Meal Refusing to Exit. Are they any better?

[@jadoodookun1972]

Hi, quick question. Can ya take a leak in the heating pouch?

[@gschultz9]

+Jadoo Dookun While it might be kind of nasty, I don't really see why you couldn't do it. There is a pretty lengthy conversation about that same topic in the comments here somewhere if you want to look for it!

[@doomgameriksan4322]

where you buy the tray

[@Sonic9078]

Nobody realized that you gotta wipe your ass with toilet paper the size of chewing gum

[@larryjohnston3796]

By the way nobody uses the beverage bag! We generally use our canteen cup!!

[@ShowToddSomeLove]

Seems like this particular menu could've benefited from the seasoning pack

[@stevekillgore9272]

Seasoning options always good

[@xydya]

So if you have no water for the FRH, could you use saliva or urine to get the chemical reaction going?

[@gschultz9]

+FrozenJedi There's a whole conversation on here somewhere about using urine (while a bit "gross" I don't see why it wouldn't work), but I hadn't heard the saliva question before. While it would take a pretty good amount of saliva, it SHOULD work as far as I know.

[@LoserBroProductions]

That is the one Link ate in GMM.

[@DragoChronicSmoker42]

in the beginning where he was walking through the woods it made me think of the Blair witch project lol,good video

[@Dwights_trash_can]

Whoa! at 1:23 you kind of can see the guys face! Anybody else always wonder lol not what I imagined!

[@thecman26]

Nice!

[@CaptainAhab117]

A soldier in the field would have water, and for the heater it doesn't even have to be clean. You could use river water.

[@maddiedonahue9849]

gschultz9 can you do more videos like this but bring water?

[@gschultz9]

I'll see what I can do. I have done a couple other outdoor reviews. Check my other videos for them.

[@SilentShadow07]

Man, I can't imagine eating an MRE without something to drink out in the field. I mean, how are we gonna wash it down?! Good vid though.

[@robinbowie8093]

Personally, I would just pick out the stuff I want and pile it all into a bag and mix! Save the rest for later

[@wandatapscott9617]

I only said that cuz I see a lot of comments about why do they have a drink bag for?? Cuz we don't have cups!! Lol and also the drink bag like for the coffee and hot chocolate can be filled with water and put into the heater to get the water hot then add the stuff

[@Jaybird196]

I don't know why anyone would think MREs are, for the most, any more difficult than eating cooked, unheated food out of metal cans. The only things in the meals that aren't strictly "ready-to-eat" are the beverages. The trickiest part is adding water to the chem heater after placing the retort cans into it. It's a quite a bit quicker than heating up water over a fire, in terms of steps, and actual time consumed (shakes head).

[@CypherRCX]

treat the beverages like a powder, put a bit in mouth, add water to mouth, shake head, drink. if you really NEED to get your drink on in a rush, just drink plain old water.

[@gschultz9]

Jaybird196 I agree Jaybird. I think it probably has a lot to do with people not familiar with MREs seeing the videos and watching all the steps I (and others) go through to get the complete meal on the plate (or tray). Add to that the fact that the FRH can seem complicated if you aren't familiar with them or how they're used. I really don't feel that the fact that you have to add water to the beverages makes the meals not ready-to-eat.

[@quercus4730]

Good video they are ready to eat. It should be understood without water you don't eat. Yes soldiers do run out of water.

[@jonbyron38]

I like em all except maybe vegetarian. My fave camping food. No fuel to find etc. I take them on the train now that every seat has 110V and wrap them in a heating pad!

[@uber301]

Perhaps if constant movement was required, one could open a small hole in the entrées and eat them like freezies.

[@HashimeYT]

While that could work, it would depend on what kind of food you got it the MRE

[@gschultz9]

Noire 「Black Heart」 True, but it is indeed a good idea. Some of the entrees can be rather messy. Cutting a corner off and eating it out of the pouch could be very effective. Obviously it wouldn't work with a beef patty or chicken breast, but many others would be just fine.

[@gamer43215]

(When he breaks the tortilla) Gf: I want a fancy dinner Me: We're out in the field Gf: I'll leave you for the water treatment guy Me: *breaks tortilla and does my best*

[@ragehazard6963]

"I'm in the middle of the woods" *Creaky swing noise and children playing is heard*

[@AmelieBrooks]

but dont you have a fieldbottle whit water in your Equipment ? at least in military situation !

[@gschultz9]

+AmelieBrooks One would hope. Obviously in this camping environment I could have easily gotten some water. I guess the point wasn't so much about whether someone would or wouldn't have water in a certain situation (kind of just used that as a possible reason for not having water on hand), but rather it was about the fact that MREs are supposedly "Ready to Eat" as the name implies. That means no preparation (cooking, heating, adding water to stuff...). As the title stated, it was all about just how literally "Ready to Eat" an MRE is.

[@nikosfilipino]

If I had no water I wouldnt even be thinking about eating.

[@gschultz9]

You might want to think about it. Since the entrees and sides of MREs are "real" food they do have some water content in them. Not to mention stuff like wet-pack fruit and applesauce, which could be at least helpful in such a circumstance. No water is indeed a VERY serious concern, but you do have do your best to keep going until you can (hopefully) find some water.

[@PlanetaryDefense]

+gschultz9 The rule for a survival scenario is that if you have food but no water; don't eat. Digesting the food requires water, you'll only make yourself more dehydrated by eating. You need water more than you need food.

[@Doc-Holliday1776]

Where do you get your MRE's

[@drew3837]

www.angelfire.com/nc/stug

[@otterman4400]

you should have used a full water canteen, they build the MREs expecting you to have water

[@claytonbearden7793]

Man they just added this to the menu after I ETS'd would have loved this, chilli mac, spaghetti, and the imitation pork rib(MRE Mcrib) was the way to go. Goddamn the Vegi Omelet I'm sure even none military know of it's infamy! Usually had a good dessert, but at the expense of being hungry.

[@chrisbreaktherules]

Loved the vid man :D

[@pacefka]

lol it looks like you're out in the bush, but you can hear the playground nearby.

[@chrisstarks6870]

Seriously?... no offense to OP, just the comments he received. Quick and to the point during any disaster/Zombie Apocalypse: During downtime, fish out main course and make it quickly accessible (stuff it in a quickly accessible pouch.) While running, reach into outside pocket, grab main meal, tear it, and slurp down calories while screaming in fear at the monstrosity that can't quite catch up to you because it is not as well nourished as you. Rinse and repeat for all the rest of the packets in MRE, because we all know you have a near unlimited number of 15 min of downtime during a zombie apocalypse to plan/build a dramatic storyline. Lol, sorry, but MRE's are extremely "ready to eat" during almost any situation. I've been to war and lived off these things for months at a time and there is not many alternatives that are as accessible and boast the same calorie content. Just too keep comedic themes going: Try to pass a bowel movement and die to zombies, in the most embarrassing pose imaginable, because the multiple "cheese-spreads" you have ingested have you trying to pass a football through a straw and you hate chicklets gum. lol ( IDK if the gum is actually a laxative)...

[@crimsonthunderx3814]

To be honest I want to get one of these.

[@Jerry-zf3ip]

Do you review these for general fun, or as a means to evaluate them for something like a bug out bag, emergency disaster kit, etc? If for the latter I would tend to advise against it. Obviously in a real emergency food is food, but for sedentary emergencies you would be better off making your own food rations of peanut butter, canned meat/fruit/veggies, and long shelf life carbs. MREs have a very high amount of sodium, saturated and trans fat. For someone out in the field moving a lot, it's not that big an issue (barring long term health complications from trans fat), but for waiting until say...a flood is over, there are better options.

[@nobodyhome7334]

Hay Ah , SGT. Shultz , Are those Tanks and Machine Guns I'm hearing off in the distance ?

[@russjames8512]

He hears nothing, he sees nothing, he knows NOTH-THING!!! (like if you actually get the reference, lol)

[@boblongbow9170]

I'd vote for more toilet paper!

[@bjmartinphotography]

I wouldn't want to carry out the used packaging. Are you allow to bury it and hide the signs?

[@gschultz9]

+B.J. Martin In a training situation I'm sure an effort would be made to properly dispose of all the trash generated, but I'm sure that in a real-world combat situation you'd just do what you could do--and burying it to conceal your activities would probably be the best idea.

[@mrsarg777]

Hi there gschultz! Where'd you get your Alice pack? I tried to look up medium Alice pack and none of them looks like yours so I assume they're a different size.

[@gschultz9]

+mrsarg777 Sorry, I just saw this. Sorry it took so long to respond. Even though Alice packs haven't been used for some time by the military they still seem to be pretty easy to find at Army/Navy stores. I got mine online at The Sportsman's Guide ( www.sportsmansguide.com/ ) a few years back. I don't know if they still have them in stock, but wouldn't be surprised if they did.

[@fewr.x]

Where in the US do you live?

[@stevendiaz9949]

Zombies are the enemies

[@JerryJ26]

So you go thru the bother of preparing a bug-out bag but don't bother to include water???

[@wooduu]

Who doesn't bring water with them when they want to survive? Even so, most downgrade things for weight reasons or speed and stop when water is found.

[@gruntlife4697]

I have a question I live in Florida and I want to get some mres but the surplus stores near me don't sell the ones I want (chili and macaroni) and on online the only sell the entre not the entire package

[@gschultz9]

+Poopy Puppy You know, I'm not really sure. I was going to recommend going to XMRE or Meal Kit Supply because they used to sell individual meals in addition to cases, but they don't seem to at the moment. And it doesn't look like either of them are currently offering Chili and Macaroni anyway (Chili with Beans, yes, but not with Macaroni). I'm not as familiar with what the other companies have available. Good luck in finding some complete meals. If you can't find any maybe you should grab some of the entrees. Better than nothing I guess.

[@gruntlife4697]

+gschultz9 okay thank I guess I'll have to keep looking

[@Levi-qu8yl]

Would these work for hiking? Im planning on hiking to a point that would force me to sleep in the woods for a night and was wondering if these are the best thing to bring to eat that wouldnt take up too much space.

[@gschultz9]

Sorry it took me a while to respond to this. I think an MRE or two would be perfect for what you're describing. In general the drawback of MREs is the weight. Freeze-dried foods (like those from Mountain House) are lighter and easier to carry. But for a short trip the convenience of the fact that MREs are "ready-to-eat", don't need preparation and are a complete meal might just be what you want.

[@jonbyron38]

2 of us took 7 for two days of camping. Seemed plenty. We camped by Lake Michigan so plenty of water too☺

[@rranee]

I NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU GOT THAT MILITARY PACK AND WHERE U GOT IT SO I CAN GET ONE.CAN YOU GET IT ONLINE?

[@gschultz9]

+Ki Neil I did get mine online from sportsmansguide.com . I don't know if they still sell them, but if not do a search for an ALICE Pack (mine is medium, but they come in large as well), and you might want to think about getting a frame for it too if you're going to give it some heavy outdoor use. If you can't find anything at online stores check eBay.

[@calebpilcher7134]

Couldnt you spit into the flameless ration heater? Nasty but it might work?

[@crxftinqnifght8450]

Not enough, urinate instead.

[@DrSlipstream]

You could also just put the meal packets in your pockets or down your shirt on the go to heat them up a bit more.

[@DrSlipstream]

My bad, just saw someone else commented this!

[@gelmir7322]

can you used MRE's to lure zombies into death traps?

[@05Rudey]

I was thinking of getting an MRE for a day hike I have planed, rather than taking my usual metal pot and stove. Is it worth it?

[@gschultz9]

+05Rudey I think it would be worth trying out. You might like the experience (and the luxury of not needing to carry a stove and cooking implements), or you might decide you like doing it the old way. Either way, it's worth trying! Maybe get a couple MREs and try one out before the hike to make sure it's something you'd want to eat in the first place. Wouldn't be good to be out on your hike and bust out the MRE only to discover you absolutely hate it and then have nothing else to eat with you!

[@05Rudey]

Thanks for the advice, I think I will give one a try, MRE's just seem perfect for a day hike. I know I won't starve to death, but a good warm meal just ads a bit of comfort to the day. Thanks again, I love your vids..

[@user-iv5yt3ec2x]

good

[@YukiKuchiki]

Where can I get a backpack like yours?

[@OreoBunny123]

The video said that it was a medium Alice Pack. You could get one online*, outdoors supply store (like Pro Bass Shops), or maybe even the camping section of a sporting goods store and/or big retailer (e.g. Target). *One commenter said, "I tried to look up medium Alice pack and none of them looks like yours so I assume they're a different size." However, you could probably still find something you like.

[@YukiKuchiki]

Oh! Thank you very much :D

[@LC128]

Great I like them pitty cost so much in the uk

[@ovidiuhopirtean5159]

I like the video, big big like... but water is esential to survive 2L as minimum so why not to heat te food and drink (water or the beverige inside MRE) ? You don't have water only in very hard conditions ~ is my point !!

[@therideneverends1697]

have thay discontinued supplying matches in all of the MREs? or only some of them?

[@sunyoungcho8837]

They add brown packaged matches now but only some have em

[@jonbyron38]

Only sometime last time I got a case. But then when i was serving they gave ya cigs too but most everyone had a Zippo too

[@sinomen2013]

Why use water when u can spit in it

[@kalobplowman8001]

achuly most soilder don't warm up the mre

[@gschultz9]

+bio wolf I know I never did when I was in the service, but that's because I was in WAYYY back in the days before they even had FRHs in the MREs!

[@kakaobohne2004]

Nice Video :D that was something Different :3

[@gschultz9]

kakaobohne2004 Thank you.

[@hancockbrewer1465]

I know on one will want to do it, but if you can pee in the heater it will work. Yes is sounds bad but it will work. The outer food pack is the only thing that comes in contact with the heater. Let me just say the MREs that I have had are just fine cold.

[@CypherRCX]

I am not sure, but I think the intro was a 30 second walk to his backyard.

[@gschultz9]

It was actually a wooded area at a state park campground in New Hampshire. Unfortunately it was very close to a playground--thus all the talking, yelling and swing noises.

[@s0nnyburnett]

gschultz9 Never mind the man with the camera in the woods stooping over his big bag kids!

[@gschultz9]

s0nnyburnett Yeah, right?

[@bombygriz]

gschultz9 Wait, are you in NH? I come from Claremont but I'm now in college in Florida. Got into MREs from yours and others' vids down here. Small world.

[@gschultz9]

It really is. I'm actually in MA, but it's still New England, right? We were camping in NH for a couple nights and I took a little time to run into the woods and make a quick video.

[@hopatease1]

no coffee? If that is military one they sure have gone to the dogs. I used to carry a small jar of coffee and we had heat tabs that we used heat up it if we wanted it hot put your canteen cup on some rocks ( or something ha ha ) and a heat tap heat the water up enough to have coffee most every thing else was eaten cold out of the pouches they cam in in my 22 years in the Seabees I think I ate more c rats then mres and ate most of them cold out of the cans.

[@larryjohnston3796]

And we always always have water!!