MREs - What do Soldiers Eat?

[@j.peters1222]

Ah yes the MRE. Otherwise affectionately known as "Meals Rejected by Ethiopians" and "Meals Rarely Edible" by some soldiers in the field. There were other names for it too. To be fair though, the MRE has improved A LOT since it's introduction. They actually got some decent entree options now.

[@nebiyuesayas5600]

Never actually heard the Ethiopian one lol, what's the origin?

[@BarcelPL]

Also, Meal Refusing to Exit, as the sorely lacked fibre.

[@brettscott3759]

@@nebiyuesayas5600 us giving food to other countries that know what we eat is awful 😖...

[@brettscott3759]

@@BarcelPL bro they want you to hold on to that energy as long as possible... imagine being a sniper and eating constipation meds... there are songs in Valhalla dedicated to sniper duces

[@nebiyuesayas5600]

@@brettscott3759 I mean, Injera is delicious, but otherwise yeah idk about our food

[@zacharydavis8197]

Fun Fact: there a little joke about the MRE heaters. The MRE heater instructions are printed on the heater itself. Mostly dry and pretty by the book. However, when it tells you how to lean it against an item to use, it says 'Use a Rock or something' Pretty minor, but for some reason every infantry unit I've been too think it's the funniest thing ever. Like the MRE writers got frustrated trying to explain how to use the heater.

[@kellyalger2394]

Never put it into a milk jug and add water, or do and make sure you put it next to an NCO.

[@Mariner797]

To be fair, there are a lot of idiots. Unfortunately, you know what they say about trying to idiot-proof something.

[@parallax9084]

@@kellyalger2394 what happens

[@alexissandoval1284]

@@kellyalger2394 You get to haul the SAW next patrol.

[@Backroad_Junkie]

And be absolutely sure you never put a match to one in operation. (Funny the MRE's supply the match, lol.) Edit: I understand the non-dairy creamer can be a lot of fun, too...

[@Grabbagar670]

I'm in the US army. We did a large military exercise in Europe that involved driving a large convoy across several countries in Europe. We would make stops overnight at various military bases in these different countries. It's customary in the Army to trade patches, flags and ranks with allied soldiers. Kind of a neat momento of where you've been and who you met. We stopped in Hungary. They have a very small and not-very-well-funded military. I tried to trade patches with their soldiers. I was about to give him my patch, but the soldier pulled out a backpack, handed me a bunch of patches, waved away my patch, and pointed at my boxes of MREs strapped to our HUMVEE. We brought a lot of MREs with us. More than enough to feed us for more than a month. So i gave him a few MRE bags. I was curious what their MREs looked like. They had a "Sergeant first class (equivalent)" who i asked what their MREs looked like. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a plastic wrapped pear and a croissant, and she handed it to me. I told her i didn't need it and didn't want to take food away from them. She insisted that i take it, that they didn't want it. They only wanted our MREs. American MREs are apparently well known for being filling, fairly tasty, varied, nutritious, high in energy, and store for a long time.

[@shishoka]

Hehe. That was the one good part about the Army Reservea for me. I'd come home with a trunk full of MRE's that no one wanted and just tossed to me.

[@dravenocklost4253]

@@shishoka eyy, my brother is finishing basic to join reserves

[@ald1144]

I'm curious what this female Hungarian soldier looked like.

[@eizzeeefromstupidland]

@@ald1144 Horny ahh *bonk*

[@Vinlyth]

guess hungary was hungry

[@brose2323]

My time in Afghanistan I learned about the affects of heat and sunlight on mres. Most of them remained edible. The mixed nut pouch was most likely to fail. The little bottles of Tabasco tended to dry out. That's why they switched over to packets.

[@Shhimhiding]

They’ve brought the bottles back in the last couple of years.

[@kellyalger2394]

I thought that was because of mre bombs

[@tomhenry897]

Packets are cheaper

[@BridgesDontFly]

Thanks to the green new deal we'll be able to get our energy from staring at the sun soon.

[@arcturionblade1077]

@@BridgesDontFly Donnie Deutschbag has you beat there since he's been staring at solar eclipses before it was considered cool.

[@decayingsun5798]

I actually like most MREs. Plus, the included flameless heater is a really nice touch (love the "rock or something").

[@jakolken7131]

the 'rock or something' will always be funny to me

[@firewalker1372]

Never cared for the FRHs in the American MREs. The ones that come in foreign MREs like japans, those heaters actually work to good. I’ve always had to mix a little salt in with the water that went into the heater, with the us ones anyway.

[@normal_handle47]

@@firewalker1372 do you like raw salmon it taste kind good but you will puke if you dont wasabi and soysause

[@jack_5477]

The heater also makes a great hand warmer for those cold mornings you're unfortunate enough to be out in the field in

[@MIMALECKIPL]

I bought recently 4... Menus 15, 19, 20, 23 (23 being the holy grail - Pizza slice). I've already eaten 2 of those. 15, 19. Delicious. Especially if you add chese spread to 15.

[@donaldsherman1]

It’s amazing how fast the novelty of eating MRE’s wears off when you first join the military. At first they’re the coolest thing you’ve ever seen, and then a few weeks later the last thing you ever want to see.

[@underworldguardian704]

Heard that!!!

[@txgunguy2766]

I've been out of the army for almost 20 years but I still eat 1 MRE a week by choice. I freakin love them.

[@casedistorted]

@@txgunguy2766 yeah it’s like when you work at a sandwich shop. You never want to eat another sandwich from there again after you stop working there.

[@strickersniper7909]

The week of ceftx at Leonard wood all we wanted was some sort of normal meal

[@justbrowsing4925]

Some of us just don’t mind eating the same food on repeat. Some people just don’t like it.

[@pointly]

During Hurricane Ike, and Rita, the National Guard gave civilians their MREs. My favorite was the one with pasta. It came with a mini bottle of Tobasco sauce. So good!

[@jessicacolegrove4152]

I have always thought that FEMA should keep a stock of MREs and bottle water to distribute in emergencies

[@kishascape]

@@jessicacolegrove4152 I mean they have a billion dollar stockpile of walkie talkies and various other 2 way radios that sit in a warehouse most of the time. Seems like they could spin it if they really wanted to, but alas desk jockies and bureaucrats.

[@kishascape]

A lot of them came with the mini tobasco. I would save them for the terrible steam tray cooked school lunches. Like the cardboard burgers and the flavorless pizza. I became popular at lunch after sharing them around.

[@danielescobar7618]

They don't have the tiny cute itsy bottle anymore!!!

[@mezmerizer0266]

They used to all come with hot sauce.

[@Btester2]

I've been eating MREs sense I was a young child. My dad was in the army and when he went out into the field they would give him 3 MREs a day and he would only eat one a day and brought the rest home for us kids. We were pretty poor and an MRE was a treat. They are actually pretty good

[@projectdcb7525]

That’s so nice

[@afailureofaanimator6744]

Wholesome

[@LazyLizzy706]

You were poor but your dad was in the army?… I doubt it. The army would give your dad resources if MRE’s were a treat for the family. Your story is very suspicious and it’s making me nervous, man. What are we gonna do, friend? D:

[@sanguisbumb6138]

@@LazyLizzy706 His dad was probably terrible with money or something. I knew a soldier in my time who got into 5,000$ in debt while he was in. He also didn’t pull out, bragged about it, and now he has a kid on the way with a girl he knew for 2 months. For comparison I was able to save up to 20k by the time I ETS.

[@superairsoftmonkey]

@@LazyLizzy706 Its obvious you have no clue what you are talking about. The pay is not good at all until you make sergeant, or make captain. The benefits and retirement is what makes it worth joining.

[@rodrigodiazdevivar6183]

As a trained military historian, a retired Army officer, allow me to compliment you on your research. Sadly, it is hard to convey my compliment to you in a few words.

[@sunlight-sky151]

Oh! You are so brilliant and intelligent, I could read your comment for hours!

[@TooFewSecrets]

Gonna be honest, you really sound like an officer.

[@ferdinandmarcos4092]

You are the cid

[@brrrrrr]

@@ferdinandmarcos4092 who's Cid

[@brrrrrr]

@@kingsly3690 the Indonesian MRE has a packet of rice

[@kylejohnson5179]

My dad fought in Iraq in 2003 when I was just a newborn. He told me that during his time in Iraq, he would see young kids in the scorching desert with no food, so him and his unit would give those kids these MRE’s. His unit had to stop giving them these MRE’s because the Iraqi kids would be killed off by Iraqi soldiers if they were caught with the MRE’s.

[@thatonefpsgamer1339]

That's fuckin horrible. I'm glad hussein was put down for being basically another Hitler

[@MA-kr6yv]

@@kingtigertheheavy2708 i think he did still 😂😂

[@km12370]

@@kingtigertheheavy2708 why insurgents?

[@sneakydalek1632]

@@km12370 cause those were the enemy in Iraq

[@nicknapeem1541]

Killing kids just because they got food, fucking animals

[@MarikuSalana]

There's a creator named steve1989mreinfo who actually opens up many of these older rations. Some of them held up amazingly well over time.

[@ulyssespulido9556]

He was also the one who only got sick from eating a Chinese MRE.

[@MarikuSalana]

@@ulyssespulido9556 I'm surprised he got sick from that since the man eats 40+ year old rations.

[@ulyssespulido9556]

@@MarikuSalana Guess that’s the Chinese MREs for you.

[@koyuik6685]

Then you have the ration that he ate from the BOER WAR, over a 100 years ago… it was literally just dust when he cracked it open.

[@ra_alf9467]

@@koyuik6685 and the civil war ration, which half of it is already fossilized

[@MothOnWall]

I learned D-Ration Chocolate Bars were mostly compacted cocoa powder that tasted more like a potato, but were gently sweetened enough, so that soldiers didn't eat it all in one sitting. It was also designed to crumble so you can add it to hot water or coffee.

[@ianfinrir8724]

It was kinda like baking chocolate.

[@TooFewSecrets]

I don't think they literally tasted like a potato, the design spec was just "as appealing as a boiled potato" i.e. edible but not loved by basically anyone.

[@JasonResnov]

If you want a good video on it, SteveMRE eats an original one from an unopened ration from November of either 1942 or 1943.

[@rihe2692]

@@JasonResnov i wanna make some but idk how

[@JasonResnov]

@@rihe2692 I think the recipe is available online, but there's some things you wouldn't be able to use I think. If you want to find a recipe, just research the Hershey D-Bar, and it should be some of the first things that pop up.

[@Synomayo]

A story involving that emergency ration. During the Boer War a Canadian infanteer was pinned down by enemy rifle fire for a few days. Rather than face death on an empty stomach, he popped open his sacred emergency ration and consumed it. He managed to retreat back to his own lines only to be charged for having eaten the sacred ration. Only in the Canadian and British army would you ever be charged for trying to stay alive on the battlefield.

[@kishascape]

Apparently a guy here on youtube managed to get his hands on one decades later and actually ate it.

[@craggleshenanigans]

@@kishascape Steve1989 is the guy

[@Luna-wg6ic]

@@craggleshenanigans Nice!

[@jasonator69er]

Well that’s stupid. That’s why we need NCOs, none of that stupid bullshit.

[@bababooey7597]

@@kishascape Finally it’s here kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJ3ElKaKhpugapo

[@paleoph6168]

The long awaited sequel to "what food did soldiers eat?" I've always wanted to find out how rations further evolved from tin cans to MREs.

[@brettscott3759]

Money lots of money.... the cans work better much longer shelf life...

[@azimisyauqieabdulwahab9401]

During the war

[@randomstuff161]

@@danielturner1630 aren't you from call of duty world war 2?

[@deusvult6920]

@@brettscott3759 cans make noise lmao

[@Factaly320_77]

I heard that the french army have one of the best food rations in the military world

[@sandovalperry2895]

I was subjected to the early Natick lab test versions of the Army’s freeze-dried rations. We added water to the beef patty and after 10 minutes it was supposed to be eatable. After eating the hockey puck it felt like it continued to expand in our stomachs. Thank god this ration never got out to the troops, it would have been hard to explain to a mother that her son was killed by a beef patty.

[@StCreed]

Hilarious :)

[@tetraxis3011]

Horror movie stuff. Being killed from the inside by expanding food.

[@CrowLot]

I guess you could say it's inflation 😳

[@canadiangamer4762]

It would be very embarrassing to die from something you ate that would not stop expanding

[@thefarklenator4518]

I actually got to try some of the freeze dried stuff too my dad was stationed in fort nattick for like 4 years

[@jamesmichael5]

I'm actually a big fan of MRE's..they started giving them out at the pantries in my area a couple years ago and I got to try several of them..they still give them out once in awhile but it's not a regular thing

[@FadeRift2001]

You'll grow to hate them if you join the Army and they're all you have for several weeks in the field. By the time we got back I was so constipated

[@thatonefpsgamer1339]

@Bonka you can buy some on Amazon.

[@mantis_toboggan_md]

@@FadeRift2001 No joke. There are items in some of them that are edible, but I generally hate the MREs.

[@joboring8397]

@@FadeRift2001 I ate Ramen noodles every day for lunch when I was in college. Be quiet

[@alexissandoval1284]

@@FadeRift2001 Don't know what you're eating but I didn't have a problem with them any of my tours.

[@CrimsonRaven51]

I was in the army during the Vietnam war. We had “C” rations affectionately referred to as “sea rats.” Some were pretty good like the spaghetti and meatballs or the beans and “MFs” which was good. You heat them up with a pinch of C-4. Anyway, used to get a small pack of cigarettes. Usually Camels or Lucky Strike. Also a couple of packets of Nescafé instant coffee. I wasn’t a cigarette smoker, but big time coffee drinker. Used to trade my cigarettes for coffee and small vials of Tobasco sauce. Ah memories. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@Heroickamikaze]

Beans and Motherfrickers, notorious. Thanks to share your story!

[@S.T.A.L.K.E.R_fan]

We eat rice 🗿👍 Just adding some few meals...

[@theortheo2401]

X to doubt. Pretty sure C4 paste has to be electrically stimulated to burn up.

[@chancedavis6216]

@@theortheo2401 C4 is a very stable compound. It requires electricity to detonate, not heat. You can burn it, shoot it, stomp it or run over it with a duece and a half and it still won't blow up. There's anecdotes and first hand accounts of soilders using C4 as a firestarter.

[@theortheo2401]

@@chancedavis6216 that's why Im saying this, Im pretty sure you can't Just light it up like a candle.

[@williamparker7823]

When I was a kid, my uncle would bring us a few MRE's from his guard trips. It was always fun to pretend we were soldiers and would set up tents in the yard to eat them. Then I got them when I went to the air force and the nostalgia wore off pretty quick.

[@Raptor747]

As much as MREs are the butt of many jokes, I think it's pretty incredible how the militaries of the world have managed to create varied, nutritious, decently tasty, and sanitary meals for soldiers literally in battlefield conditions. That's a logistical, technological, and culinary challenge of immense proportions, and they've succeeded.

[@donaldcarey114]

Deacently tasty? You never had to eat Ham and Mothers.

[@codylucynki1279]

@@donaldcarey114 don't forget Creamy Spinach

[@donaldcarey114]

@@codylucynki1279 We didn't have creamy spinich (the Marines were still using stuff left over from Korea), so I'll have take your word for it. Just be thankful you didn't ever have Ham and Mothers (ham and lima beans).

[@codylucynki1279]

@@donaldcarey114 a friends dad had a couple that hadn't expired so he let us have em and the beef one was amazing but the creamy spinach was like the worst rotten cheese smell and it tasted like musky armpit it was basically a punishment mre

[@donaldcarey114]

@@codylucynki1279 Repackage it and sell it as a diet aid...😆 p.s. The C-rations we had were so old they didn't have expiration dates.

[@paleoph6168]

2:40 I like the detail where all the US soldiers have M1917 Enfield rifles. Despite being second standard, there were more of these rifles than the official standard M1903 Springfield during WW1.

[@thelegostarwarsf7916]

@no face no case Nobody even asked

[@user-op8fg3ny3j]

Well spotted history buff

[@steelmercenarytheodor4929]

@Morbius 🅥 No One Cares

[@theverysneakygun3892]

​@Morbius 🅥 Nobody asked.

[@steelmercenarytheodor4929]

@no face no case No One Asked

[@soldieron9965]

My favorite MRE was the steak and mushrooms! I could eat them every day! The nastiest was the egg omelette MRE, it looked like a yellow sponge. For dessert the creamsicle cookies were amazing!

[@Mattropolis97]

I thought the blueberry cobbler one was pretty solid. As incredibly basic as this is, I have fond memories of making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with that god forsaken unleavened bread

[@johngalt2506]

The omelet also known as the vomlet! They were actually pretty good if you mixed in salt, pepper, and a package of the salsa (if no salsa was available a couple of bottles of Tabasco was a decent alternative). I also used to break up some crackers into it.

[@Smong_Bobby69420]

@@johngalt2506 they took out the "vomlet" I believe

[@johngalt2506]

@@Smong_Bobby69420 they did, starting in 2019 i think.

[@Jeff.78]

Four Fingers of Death, aka hotdogs were my least favorite...couldn't give em away.

[@HazardHowie8492]

Gotta love the instant camaraderie and trade when the MREs get opened. Nothing brings the team together like laughing at Bill because he got the spinach MRE and asking Dave to trade because he got the Chili Mac MRE.

[@illucidate3749]

Ayo that chili mac aint no joke

[@Envious__]

In BCT we had a whole barter system for MREs lol

[@sputnik9501]

please do not speak of the creamy spinach fettuccini

[@guhd4378]

but Dave needs to eat his spinach, how else would he fight if he’s not on spinach? 💪

[@hardcharging]

I remember the chili mac, but at the time the one EVERYONE avoided was the Veggie Omelet. Ugh! Even the tobacco sauce provided in the accessory pack couldn't save it!

[@johnbeauvais3159]

The tiny bottle of hot sauce is Tabasco, and it has a long esteemed history with the USMC as Mr. McIlhenny served with the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal. Being a gourmet chef before the war he was aware of how tasteless the C rations became in combat so he created a recipe list that was wrapped around bottles of his Tabasco sauce telling troops how to improve the flavor of their issued rations and ever since Tabasco has gone with the American fighting man, as loyal a companion as his rifle and boots.

[@randominternetguy88]

@waterconsumer69 so that's why it's so popular...

[@donaldsherman1]

I saw more “franks red hot sauce” when I was in. A shame, because I’m a tobasco man myself

[@kylerudert6191]

My grandpa was military he brought mres home when i was young, he gave me one it was the spaghettie one, i fucked up and put that tobasco sauce in the skettie, never again

[@justsomeguywithasandwich5906]

Wow that last line was beautiful. My English teacher would’ve been very proud of you.

[@TheMartianMancumpster]

@waterconsumer69 it's actually vinegar

[@Warmaker01]

When I entered service in the early-mid 1990s, some of the MREs were pretty nasty, but it did get better. Not to mention if you're starving out in the field, you stop getting picky. I remember over the years they added a lot better variety. Some of this stuff was pretty good, in my opinion. I still remember guys would trade a lot to get the cheese spread. Or better yet, the jalapeno cheese spread. I also still recall the MRE cracker challenges we'd have. When I first saw these in the 1990s they did not have a chemical heater to them, that came years later.

[@sarkybugger5009]

IMHO, that orange stuff labelled as _Cheese Spread_ is absolutely disgusting to this non-American. It's the only thing I won't eat, in a UK ration pack. The peanut butter is OK...

[@TooFewSecrets]

Was that the era of the dreaded V.omelet?

[@ntfoperative9432]

@@sarkybugger5009 it was probably government cheese, which is absolutely disgusting

[@djshawn3042]

Why they can’t get real food and eat

[@evill01]

some of the MREs we ate were actually good, couldve been the lack of normal food clouding the judgement tho

[@Elit3Nick]

Hard work also tends to work up an appetite enough to override expectations.

[@evill01]

@@Elit3Nick very true

[@tomhenry897]

When starving eat everything

[@fbksfrank4]

I got gassy, hopefully that is cleared up.

[@paintballgaming1090]

The Pizza MRE slaps but so does that jalapeño cheese spread with crackers

[@VarangianGuard13]

Highly recommend MREs for emergencies, camping, travel and just a new experience in general. If you get the chance, try some from other countries, it can be a chance to try new foods, maybe even learn a bit about what's popular or common for each meal amongst other cultures.

[@PetroBeherha]

There is an entire channel dedicated to trying out MREs from different countries and time periods.

[@VarangianGuard13]

@@PetroBeherha Yes indeed. Steve1989. Great channel, very fun and informative.

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

French, eastern European, and Russian rations are all awesome. French are the best which isn't surprising.

[@fbksfrank4]

Lol 😆, seen Steve mre eat a fresh Russian one, then hearing their tankers got blown up and they had mre expired in 2015!

[@ThatGearCollector2002]

Besides MREs, Mountain House is good too. They last for like 30 years.

[@Tailstraw_xD]

My grandpa used to sneak MREs home from base and share them with me. He always gave me the cheese/peanut butter and crackers

[@TheMilitantHorse]

Bacon cheese spread is always the best lmao.

[@afailureofaanimator6744]

@@TheMilitantHorse jalapeño cheese spread joins the chat

[@anthomations]

Kudos to your grandfather

[@bloodlustshiva1]

@@afailureofaanimator6744 Amen, jalapeno was something you'd fight over.

[@Bajongus]

chili Mac joined the brawl!

[@ColinTherac117]

I used to love MRE's. Absolutely delicious. 2010-2014. The food was always one of the best parts of the army.

[@Lonemite]

Same here, I’d choose them over normal canned stuff all the time if my dad had some in the house.

[@CRAZYUNCLE117]

You ate the jumbelia didn't you?

[@lorddodge2867]

Same, I rationed the EPA (as it is called in my country) and took it back home

[@TheRugbyClubHQ]

This is sarcasm int it

[@lorddodge2867]

@@TheRugbyClubHQ No, in contrast to the cantine, the field food was tasty (or at least eatable)

[@alternator7893]

Back in the mid 2000’s they used to sell MRE’s in a store near my house. Me and my cousin used to go and buy a pack every Friday and they were always different, sometimes you’d get hamburger meat and gravy and other times you’d get chicken and veggies and they were always delicious.

[@rlagustlrb4ever0]

I am South Korean, and my late maternal grandfather was a worker in the U.S. military unit. Korea was very poor in the 70s, and my mother and aunts told me they liked to ate the 'army meal' my grandfather got from the us soldiers those days.

[@fitepanzer3764]

In my old battalion the spoons in MREs were always referred to as 'tactical spoons', and were often used as clips for the radio phone when it broke

[@The_Storm_That_Is_Approaching]

😆 We still use em like that too. I can't tell u how many handsets I've pulled out of bags and been like "wtf"

[@Luizz07]

Tactical spoon moment

[@22steve5150]

The US military has an interesting history with providing odd types of chocolate to the troops, from the super dense, super hard, calorie bar in WW1 to the special desert warfare heat resistant Hersheys bars that were issued starting in Desert Storm and beyond.

[@ianfinrir8724]

The D Ration was also specifically designed to taste like a boiled potato to prevent soldiers from eating it.

[@jacksonsmith1438]

@@ianfinrir8724 that make it better to eat for me as I like boiled potatoes

[@ianfinrir8724]

@@jacksonsmith1438 Boiled potatoes are great. But this is chocolate that tastes like a potato.

[@jacksonsmith1438]

@@ianfinrir8724 potatoes taste potatoes change my mind

[@Shaun_Jones]

I’ve heard D rations referred to as “Dog Biscuits,” presumably because that’s what they taste like.

[@woolwich2517]

Funny enough, As I was watching this I was eating an MRE (Menu 5 to be specific) And to be honest it’s amazing how far military food has come

[@Doom_Guy__]

The creamy spinach MRE is truly a middle finger to whoever gets it.

[@FancyCat69]

Same with Asian style beef strips

[@CB-zo9dn]

Only good item would be the Cranberry First Strike Bar

[@ghostsmoke11]

the vegetarian is also horrible

[@rc59191]

@@CB-zo9dn that and the ranger bar are really good.

[@evaporatednut9824]

@@FancyCat69 it's been replaced by Goulash

[@bulldozer9451]

The field kitchen during WW2 was an important part of the soldiers rations during World War 2. The way it operated is really interesting and it deserves a video of it's own

[@hurch1915]

I'd like to see that. You can't have an army without proper logistics.

[@bulldozer9451]

@@hurch1915 Yeah, people have done a deep dive about the kitchen itself but not the logistics

[@ViceN53X]

That First Person POV of the soldier eating his MRE is actually satisfying to watch

[@muhammadfahmi7159]

In Singapore, A and B are Fresh Rations. The other category of rations are known as field rations, emergency rations or combat rations. The US MRE is quite similiar to Singapore Rations.

[@ex-navyspook]

I actually like the newer MREs. They're fairly tasty, you can spice them how you like (although I DID know some guys who were using the little Tabasco or Chalula bottles as eyedrops to stay awake on watch...crazy fu...uh...people), and they'll keep forever. I have some, now, for emergencies. Edited for spelling.

[@davidmelo500]

The canadian ones are amazing. When I was in scouts, they used those sometimes. Don't know how they got them. One time when we were hiking around the niagra gorge on this one trip, It was a beef and vegetable stew that I had. I really liked the dehydrated apricots that came with it. They were surprisingly really good. Every one i tried was really good. Not gonna lie.

[@JayM409]

IMPs, meaning Individual meal Packs. They replaced the older canned rations in the early 80s. The canned meals were good, all brand name stuff, but they came as a 24 hr rations in two small open topped boxes, covered in shrink wrap. You had to open both boxes to eat a meal, leaving you with all these loose items to fill your pockets. The IPMs were an enormous step forward. Each meal in its own package. The lacked variety at first, and some of the meals were awful, like the plain omelette, which we called 'lung in a bag.' I used to have the meals with chocolate bars memorized. One came with a Coffee Crisp. I retired in 2003, so I haven't eaten any of the newer ones, but my son, who served 2006-2012, says there is a lot of variety now.

[@the8madness905]

Call me a madman, but I've always been a fan of eating MREs. Every now and then, an MRE from the United States makes it to my country, and I generally enjoy how complete the meal is, which allows you to not go hungry for several hours.

[@eldridgedavis]

Same

[@thegreatsun6571]

Pro tip, they are designed to keep you constipated.

[@LOLMGS]

Never got one to try out. Maby I get one in the future. Cus from some other persons experience it seems bit nice.

[@chesed_yt1]

i wanna really try is since i have never eat an MRE

[@willwolf8436]

I've enjoyed them for the most part when I did my 8 yrs in the Marines. usually we can make one MRE last a good while if needed. Majority of the time we ate the snacks first when on patrol or in a convoy since it was easier and quicker to eat. I remember when I got out I was at a Air Force base here in Texas with my retired dad visiting the ER and saw a bunch of new boots trying to warm up their MREs in doors and they got in trouble with their DI. After she left I told them they can eat them cold and they were perplexed by my tip. once I left with my dad one ran up and asked if I was serious. I was like, hey kid trust me I've done it more times than I can count you can eat them cold without heating them up. Remember that when your in the field.

[@sinisterisrandom8537]

What's crazy to think is that these foods from the predecessors of the Mre to even early or mid mres can survive incredibly well to this day. Which is mostly contributed to people storing them properly.

[@genericfakename4372]

Not sure if it's true, but I remember reading somewhere that the d-rations was actually tough enough to be delivered to pinned-down troops via artillery fire.

[@AJgaming-ce1ln]

Jesus christ

[@impyssadam]

No way, doooooooooood

[@paulperry7091]

Biological warfare restrictions would prevent this.

[@prorandocopier7945]

Imagine being an enemy soldier, preparing for artillery barrages and then just seeing a pack of chocolate bits take down your whole squad

[@omarmatouq3855]

Speaking of mres, there is ofcourse the infamous legend of the Charms Candy, the candy which flavours can lead to stuff like vehicle breakdowns or even death, and when it was responsible for a us army convoy being ambushed in Iraq in 2003.

[@LOLMGS]

Never heard of that.

[@aj3751]

Ive eaten a bunch of MRE's and never gotten charms. Maybe they took them out of circulation. I hope so, for my sake

[@tomhenry897]

Ate some many get sick at the mention of them

[@sigbauer9782]

The Charms were good, but the wrappers definitely aren't tactical.

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

Before the lifesaving Ration was invented, soldiers had to eat stuff like snakes. Somedays, you'd feed on a tree frog. What a thrill.

[@SharpForceTrauma]

Its the ordeal. A trial to survive, yknow?

[@Eric-fd2xe]

SNAAAAAAKE EATERRRR

[@Regular338Lapua]

@@Eric-fd2xe ID GIVE MY LIFEEEEE, NOT FOR HONOR BUT FOR YOUUUUUUU

[@yoboikamil525]

rations? soldier you see that rabbit? that's your ration if you catch it.

[@faisalal-qassem3758]

based

[@jimmy03827]

It’s very satisfying watching this while eating for a odd reason.

[@rustyplugz698]

I agree! I come back to this video sometime just to watch while eating. It’s weird!

[@katyusha9050]

Same

[@gromit848]

Forgot to mention MREs back you up like crazy and is the most intense crap you'll ever take in your life

[@CRAZYUNCLE117]

Know a guy that ate mre's in the field for 25-28 days without dropping a duce once. Never missed a meal. When he got back to garrison, he went out drinking and loaded up on fast food. Long story short, the screaming and cursing coming from his barracks room the next day made us all think he was being actively tortured. Well, he kind of was.

[@Roblecop]

In my experience this is false. I didn't have any irregularity issues when I was in the Army when eating a lot of MRE's

[@laughingsnake1989]

@@CRAZYUNCLE117 don’t eat the Charms

[@ThisNameIsNotOriginal]

@@laughingsnake1989 Not sure of the joke but I'm thinking of the ww2 candy that they gave in K rations. lol I heard those were some of the best candies.

[@Sion_Revan]

MRE, meal refusing to evacuate

[@acer3573]

I had some MRE's in the early 90s. I learned to be wary of certain candies that might have become so hard they could break your teeth. You would also be wary of certain meals, like Escalloped Potatoes with Ham. I was on a morning detail and got last pick for breakfast and had to choose EPwH. By the time I got to the field exercise site my stomach was rebelling. The senior NCO was from the 82nd and had seen combat in Panama. I told him what I ate and he grimaced (!!) and gave me a medical waiver for the morning.

[@cougar2k720]

He knew what you gone through, lol

[@canadiangamer4762]

You poor poor soul

[@nicoderbin5418]

Good thing that meal is no more

[@Jeff.78]

I'll trade you my Four Fingers of Death (hotdogs for the uninitiated) for your EPwH...please!

[@mymomsaysimcool9650]

My favorite MRE during Desert Storm was the Diced Turkey with Gravy. They were phasing it out by that time so the trade value went up fast.

[@goldmanjace]

That was my favorite too

[@thefanwithoutaface8105]

1:04 Unfortunately they didn't work all the kinks out as going by the Terror, it's heavily implied part of the reason so many men died was because the canning process wasn't properly handled.

[@SharpForceTrauma]

"Military grade" at its finest

[@JostVanWair]

The lead seals weren't the issue, but their water purification system being lead-lined might have been far, far worse.

[@Geniusinventor]

Can we all take a moment to appreciate the amazing Animation and Voice in this video? It's very favourable I will say.

[@RE-zl7sy]

Can we all take a moment to appreciate how litte fucking time u put in ur comment? like fr u look like a bot

[@nadersaid2215]

Yeah it is

[@tquans9777]

in my culinary class we had a chopped challenge where the twist was we had had to include these into our meals. it was a huge struggle since you were given random ones and you had to use the entree on your Main dish, appetizer, and dessert. it was very stressful

[@thewizard7780]

I tried out an MRE once during a trench dig activity. I had the cheese tortellini in tomato sauce and someone else didn't want theirs, which was chili and beans. Wouldn't say they were something i'd love to eat every day, but if I were out there in the field, I certainly wouldn't turn them down.

[@brightargyle8950]

I've actually been buying and using civilian versions of MRE's for food on the go or when camping. These are on par with military MRE's but are legal to buy. Comes with a nice menu and good variety of options. Great way to carry a lunch if you are on the road and don't know when you will be near town.

[@TheMilitantHorse]

I read at a fort near where I grew up (Fort McKavett, TX) that has a small plaque about early army rations. It talks about how early US Army tin can food was actually poisonous because the cans were usually improperly sealed. For context, Fort McKavett was a Plains Fort during the Indian Wars (1870s specifically for this fort). They were assigned members of the 9th and 10th cavalry regiments (Buffalo Soldiers), and were often issued canned rations for patrols. Something neat about the US Army of the time. Canning came a long way.

[@lilyofshalott]

Probably botulism, it’s common in old improperly canned meat, actually a bacteria, but generally called a toxin

[@andrewfox96]

Chilly Mac was always the favorite one. Plus the hot sauce inside made some meals edible. The only thing that by eating the MRE is that’s going to stop you up. You’ll not go normally if you get the drift.

[@jonv8177]

Yes chilli Mac is the best, & being "stopped up", is why MRE really stands for Meals refusing (to) exit

[@JohnSmith-xv2ob]

"Hard bread" is a surprisingly pleasant way to describe edible drywall lol. Also, on that note, y'all should do a video on the US Army soldier who killed an insurgent with an UNBROKEN MRE spoon in 2006 thereabouts.

[@justnoob8141]

That dude met Spoon Ghost and had paid his price

[@Daydreamer7070]

Whoever is doing the art for this channel is certainly improving. Very nice.

[@AnchisesGamer]

The heater pack in MRE's is the best if you want to mess with your friends. You can put some water in it, Tabasco sauce, seal it all up in a Gatorade bottle (quickly I might add), and throw that in with your buddies and it creates a CS gas bomb and smokes anyone out of the tent. It's hilarious

[@BlueBoxMadMan]

LMAO

[@Jakepearl13]

Always good to have an extra tactical option to mess with the enemy…or your friends

[@kellyalger2394]

Best when done to a sleeping NCO, depending on how brave you are, you'll become a strong private real fast lol.

[@Stalkergames916]

@@Jakepearl13 don’t know if this count as war crimes but it’s more like tear gas right

[@Jakepearl13]

@@Stalkergames916 the Geneva convention is more like the Geneva suggestion

[@alphabladelm2011]

I’m amazed at the history behind all this. We’ve definitely come a long way. I might just try an MRE just for the heck of it.

[@NFLYoungBoy223]

Don’t eat it😵‍💫

[@LycorisOni]

I've had several different MRE's growing up with a grandfather who still worked for a national guard base. I will tell you some are really fucking good for being an mre like beef ravioli and Meatloaf with gravy. But most are not that great

[@MattMerica76]

Watch SteveMRE and choose one that sounds good to you.

[@fpsgames8188]

Find one that sounds good, lower your expectations a bit, and maybe even wait til you are really hungry (hunger makes food taste better). Also, make sure you will have access to a toilet afterwards, just in case.

[@regancorbett1562]

If you can, go for either the Meatballs and Marinara or the Southwestern Beef and Black Beans. Or the Veggie Crumble, that one’s fire.

[@jaimemunoz5920]

I love MREs. I don't eat them as often as I used to. They're expensive. Hilariously enough I was at Cabela's and I bought some of the freeze dried food there and it was literally just repackaged mre items. Like one of them was pizza and you opened the package and then out came the MRE style package.

[@Top2BottomGaming]

Humanitarian Rations (One meal, for a whole day) Are actually cheaper than eating a lot now. It’s kind of funny.

[@hugosinclair6798]

fun fact, the self heating system for the MRE can be used as an IED to confuse the enemy, seen it used often back when i was doing mercenary work in the Philippines back in 2018,

[@Primus_Phallus]

Where did you fought in the Philippines?

[@hugosinclair6798]

@@Primus_Phallus rather not say other than in the southern end

[@HighKnight]

They can be detonated? How does that work?

[@kvtn1p]

A mercenary? PMC or just contract work? That sounds fucking awesome.

[@hugosinclair6798]

@@kvtn1p contract work to hunt communist rebels

[@Solnoric]

The P38 opener is one of those things to just have around. It's tiny, effective, and inexpensive

[@fredgervinm.p.3315]

I have my original "John Wayne" from PI 1979...

[@tomfrazier1103]

As a kid, a lot of middle aged men had them on their keychains, and trenching tools in the trunks of their Olds 98s.

[@Solnoric]

@@tomfrazier1103 yeah, I've got a couple tucked away in the camping gear.

[@steveskouson9620]

I've got 2, WWII famous airplanes, on my keyring. P-38, and the P-51. I prefer the P-51, both in can openers and fighters. the P-38 is too short. steve

[@hyenapeacekeeper2220]

Honestly, the vegetable crumble pasta MRE that you mentioned is pretty good, definitely one of my favorites. I'd eat it in a civilian setting anytime

[@Twiska]

"An army marches on its stomach." Effective, long-lasting rations are the most significant military advancements... ever.

[@HelloWorld-uw5wj]

I'd say it's guns

[@N3gativeR3FLUX]

@@HelloWorld-uw5wj how are you going to feed your troops? Gunpowder?? No, actual good food full stop.

[@ryansextremegaming]

6:58 Most soldiers wrapped the cans in spare socks. It was a requirement for soldiers to eat and change their socks every time they stopped.

[@its.Andy1]

Chicken pesto pasta, meatballs in marinara sauce, Mexican rice and bean bowl, Mexican style chicken stew, and maple pork sausage patty were my all time favorites🤣

[@ironman2536]

Lived on MREs for 6 months with on Operation Restore Hope (Somalia). There were only the basic 12 different one during my military time ('91-'94). One fun game we would play is try and get your battle buddy to finish one of the crackers in 1 minute. No one ever could, cause it would expand in your mouth. It was so funny to watch. 🤣

[@DoingTheBestICan]

MREs actually have a decent selection of entrees now. I'm a sucker for Southwest Beef and Black Beans, or even the Beef Stew. The breakfast ones are still pretty terrible, though. Especially the omelet, lovingly referred to as the "vomelet", because it looks like puke, and makes you want to as well.

[@billgalloway6383]

Never had an MRE, we ate C-Rats back when I served.

[@kkbuilder695]

Ah yes the old scrambled eggs that tasted like you were chewing on salt water

[@jonv8177]

Beef stew, I shudder just remembering it. Better is Chili mac, & shredded beef in bbq style sauce

[@jaywill5352]

Southwest black with cheese spread mixed in slaps

[@jacobrardin2445]

@@jonv8177 shredded beef is OK but god damn it gets old FAST compared to some of the others. there's only one side and the rest is just dedicated to making a meh tortilla wrap out of it

[@monkeycat48]

I’m told civilians who haven’t even serve in the military I mean I haven’t served the military either have use them on camping trips or any nature hike. I never really knew too much about an MRE until I got in touch with my friend from high school. She introduced me to the MRE it was delicious I literally look at this Video every time like I’m hungry. She served as a drone operator in the US Army

[@devinallen7706]

During a Russian Famine in the 1930s: “Comrade, lend me a hand for dinner.” Some guy: ok. “wait comrade what are you doing?” “NOOOO!”

[@LOLMGS]

This was random. but ok

[@shadowrfox]

The MRE now a days are actually pretty decent. I would recommend people try at least one to just get an idea of what they're like now.

[@pleon13822]

Who’s watching this and eating some food here

[@shanenichols5476]

I am

[@TimmyTheGreat24]

Me

[@kevin8712]

You dun caught me in the act.

[@mattwalters6834]

I do a lot actually; makes you really appreciate what you got.

[@anwarziadah3594]

Me

[@juciefruut8433]

USA: “So basically we will be replacing your current rations with this MRE which tastes better and its more compact” Marines: “We’ll keep these crayons thank you very much”

[@alexissandoval1284]

Meanwhile Airmen get their standard tea, crumpets and a full English breakfast complete with fine china.

[@thisismagacountry1318]

The 64 pack crayons are the best. Your Recon Corpsman has your back.

[@Obozo_Gaming]

@@thisismagacountry1318 Is that the one with the crayon sharpener? I feel the sharpener gives the crayons a slightly....sharper...taste. And make them taste better overall.

[@crazychase98]

@@alexissandoval1284 We get bag of nasties on the flight line. I prefer MRE's

[@aidanmolloy8813]

I'm a Canadian air cadet and I had the chance to have a Canadian MRE. I will say they are much better than people say. Nobody wanted beans so I took what was left stuffing it in my pockets. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the nutrition bar. It wasn't horrible but wasn't great either. It was great to stuff into my breast pocket and eat whenever I was a bit hungry.

[@cac_deadlyrang]

IMP?

[@n3rdf0xx04]

Even though the only meat I can have now is fish and poultry, I've always wanted to try MRE's, both American and foreign, like the JSDF salmon and rice MRE

[@iplyrunescape305]

7:19 damn the rice so good, his hair grows for a few seconds

[@ZIONOMANIA]

RICE SUPERIORITY

[@history-jovian]

Yeah

[@freelancenerd4804]

In the mid 80’s I was camping with my dad and uncle and my uncle had a C ration I think from the late 50’s. I was 6 sugar cookies in a can, they were delicious and a really fun time. A lot cooler then the MRE’s I got in the 90’s

[@notfound4048]

I wanna buy some for travelling ,looks surprisingly convenient

[@300kyuubi]

Same

[@Patrick_3751]

A video on the history of US military rations? That's just really...... NICE!!! (Props to anyone who gets that reference! lol)

[@afailureofaanimator6744]

Coffee type 2

[@nathanjimenez2640]

Now let's get this on a tray

[@ADHDWOOHOO]

Nice, m'kay. Let's pull off that key...and lift that tab.

[@ADHDWOOHOO]

@@nathanjimenez2640 nice hiss.

[@STLSF]

All it's missing is a nice hiss.

[@Oliveria663]

I've eaten 3 years expired skittles out of a MREs, real moral boost.

[@Bushes21]

History that is SUPER intertaining is hard to make good job

[@ryanthede4689]

Wish you would have covered UGR-A, UGR-B, UGR-E, arctic, and First Strike rations as well. There's a lot more going on with modern rations than just MREs

[@NoName-sy3di]

So whats the difference between first strike rations and regular mres?

[@ryanthede4689]

@@NoName-sy3di First Strike rations have a lot of the same components as a regular MRE, but they're meant to be eaten without heating and it's considered a whole day meal instead of a singular meal. Think of it as three field stripped MREs in one. They also have items that aren't in regular MREs like Bridgford sandwiches. They're normally only given out to people that are deployed

[@NoName-sy3di]

@@ryanthede4689 so mres are just general rations now and first strikes are ment for people who are deployed and are maybe on like a patrol or something and dont get the luxury of eatting multiple times or heating it? Thats cool

[@ryanthede4689]

@@NoName-sy3di basically yes, but it's more eat as you go. There was always a saying when you were in the field or on deployment, "chow is continuous"

[@NoName-sy3di]

@@ryanthede4689 ahh id imagine its not so fun eatting like cold beef brisket that tastes like a bike tube out of a retort pouch

[@rescue08jrgaming72]

00:01 The bag says beef shredded in barbecue sauce but the bag spills spaghetti and meatballs when it’s dropped

[@sonofkarma5461]

I’ve actually Eaten an MRE Before (I got Menu item 4) (which is Spaghetti with beef and Sauce) and I loved it

[@azimisyauqieabdulwahab9401]

Chicken Strew?

[@CRAZYUNCLE117]

I enjoyed it as well. From the original menu, that was always #2.

[@jessetellez3924]

That's the one MRE everyone fought over. Lol

[@arober9758]

Very good job fellows!! Congratulations. Absolutely delicious. 2010-2014. The food was always one of the best parts of the army.

[@Thomas-rl9xd]

Please do a video on the battle of Delville wood. As a South African it would be truly amazing to see our troops remembered on this channel. Thank you...

[@restyclips7572]

The MREs are very tasty, when in holidays in Afghanistan, me and my friends sometimes come to a nearby bazaar to buy one and it was enough for 3 or 5 of us and we really enjoyed its food items but didn’t eat its bacon or pork as these were not halal and leaved them, and now people here liked them and would brought some from bazaar to enjoy it.

[@2balkan4you]

RealLy , I hope your safe

[@ehrenzigeuner6917]

MRE enough for 5? lol are you serious?

[@restyclips7572]

@@ehrenzigeuner6917 I mean it has many items like cheese spread, crackers, chocolate bars, coffee, Dried fruits etc. which is enough as one time meal for 3

[@dravenocklost4253]

@@ehrenzigeuner6917 pretty sure he is a civilian , and clearly not American. Often a normal portion from a restaurant here is too big for a European.

[@OdinsOtherRaven]

MREs are tested by POGs in a controlled environment where they took their time and use the heaters. And add little tid bits to enhance the meal. I had to carry my own bottle of Tabasco sauce to cover the nasty taste of unheated meals because there wasn't enough time to heat it up properly.

[@rickdeckard7161]

Love the content. Now a comparison of countries in WW1 and WW2 rations would be cool. Mentioning the VC rice 🍚🌾 was commendable Nonetheless, great content as always

[@Gloria-victrix99857]

0:30 This guy looks angry, which makes it even better, I just find his facial expression funny.

[@yowman98]

Really cool to see how they have evolved over the years, kinda shocked you missed the cold weather MREs though! Far and away the best

[@mando686]

Best MRE's are the U.S. RCW (Rations Cold Weather) because some of the dehydrated meals are better than restaurant food and the Spanish MRE which has a big block of milk chocolate and rum in it. The Italian MRE is pretty good too, with all the pasta meals in it.

[@Cuddlez]

Back then when I was in the military I would always go far the pasta. Specifically either spaghetti or the ravioli and I would use the cheese spread and mix with it. For the sweets, I always hope I get the energy bar if I don't then I would ask my battles if they have and would trade. Lastly, for the drink I go with the mocha and mix it with the coffee if they have. MRE might not be to other people's taste but I rather have them than to none whenever I'm out doing field operation.

[@hipcheck6611]

Fun fact, when my dad was in the 1st gulf war in desert storm, his squad was given exclusively chicken cacciatore for over a month or so straight for lunch and dinner. The man won’t eat it to this day 😂

[@homiekitten6161]

I love how there is probably a ton of friendly fire going on there at 9:58

[@dontkickmychick6076]

Walking in front of someone spraying lead down range. Smart.

[@bry10101]

I'm glad that in the video the soldier places the MRE heater on a "rock or somthing".

[@jamesthegoo7600]

At 7:12 one of the guy's hair glitches out when he takes a bite

[@randomperson58925]

I've been eating MRE's for awhile. Almost all are pretty good. With exception to the maple pork. Candy can vary and sometimes if it's the skittles it's just a solid brick I ate like a candy bar.

[@CRAZYUNCLE117]

The maple pork MUST be heated up. Eating it cold, it tastes terrible. Eating it hot is good, but a little messy.

[@randomperson58925]

@@CRAZYUNCLE117 Yea, we had a 5 min chow time so I couldn't heat any food up. It wasn't the worst thing, couple of guys got smoked for getting cracker crumbs everywhere lol.

[@CRAZYUNCLE117]

@@randomperson58925 Yea, but you get used to it. When I had to lead some support personnel through a field problem, by the time they we getting their heaters running I was packing up to leave. You never heard such childish whining from adults outside an anifa rally.

[@JokersAce0]

0:35 Judging by his face, that's one intense food preserver.

[@familyfriendusenarme8221]

Always wanted a video on this topic, specifically since the short appearance on "what did soldiers eat?" Happy to see the food improved over the years, imagine being sent to fight at the other side of the planet and having to eat low quality food 💀💀💀