In our previous article, we talked about what MRE (U.S. Army Ration Pack (American RTI) is. Today we will take a closer look at each of its types.
Initially, MREs were produced exclusively for the US Army and were not sold to the side - strict accounting and control was maintained. Then, gradually, at the end of the Vietnam War, all severity gradually faded away. Without delay, the cunning military immediately began to sell strategic stocks from under the floor. This is how the first "market" MREs appeared - the original army ones (in other words - state-owned, state), "decommissioned" or stolen from military warehouses. The product turned out to be surprisingly popular: demand exceeded supply by almost three times (after all, it was not always possible to steal MRE from warehouses).

Seeing this situation, private firms began to manufacture "civilian" versions of food rations. Today they are so diverse that it is quite easy to get confused, because the differences are in many ways minimal. However, they are.

Army or "Military" MRE.

There are a great many names: army, military, military, state, state. MRE data is the progenitor of many individual food rations, both within the United States (civilian versions) and in other countries (military dry rations). For example, in our last article about "" we talked about how the armies of many countries make their IRP in the manner of MRE, releasing an almost identical analogue.
In free sale, army MREs in theory “should not be encountered” - this is clearly stated on their packaging. The inscription reads: " US government property. Commercial sale prohibited by law.»

However, as is often the case, they are quietly pushed out from under the floor. The most important thing when buying is to pay attention to the expiration date and storage conditions. Army mre-shki are so army! Who knows where they were lying before the “write-off” for sale? Maybe in military warehouses in Alaska, in the cold, in ideal conditions storage, or maybe in Iraq, in the scorching heat and under the scorching sun. However, there is a way to determine this.
Military MRE boxes come labeled with a special Time-And-Temperature Indicator, or Time-Thermal-Sensor. It is a "smart" sticker that shows at what temperature the product was stored and how long it lay in warm conditions (literally, "how much heat it absorbed"). It looks like this:

MREs are considered usable as long as the inner circle is lighter than the outer circle. If the circle inside has darkened, then the food has completely deteriorated.
In total, mre military rations contain 24 different types of taste (24 different dishes) in disposable packaging. Each has its own serial number: sets from 1 to 12 are called "set A", from 13 to 24 - "set B". Also, instead of the word set, “menu A” and “menu B” can be used. Each year, the set of flavors changes slightly - as a rule, manufacturers replace 2-3 dishes with others in order to update the assortment line.

Army MREs - flavors released in 2013
01 - Chili with Beans	01 - Chili with beans (beans)
02 - Chicken Fajita	02 - Chicken fajita (grilled with vegetables and flatbread (tortilla))
03 - Chicken with Noodles	03 - Chicken Noodles
04 - Pork Sausage w/Gravy	04 - Pork sausage with gravy sauce
05 - Mediterranean Chicken	05 - Mediterranean chicken (with tomatoes, olives and spices)
06 - Beef Taco Filling	06 - Shawarma with beef (beef with tortilla, vegetables and sauce)
07 - Beef Brisket	07 - Beef brisket
08 - Meatballs w/Marinara Sauce	08 - Meatballs with Marinara sauce (tomato paste with garlic and herbs)
09 - Beef Stew	09 - Beef stew
10 - Chili and Macaroni	10 - Pasta with Chile
11 - Vegetable Lasagna	11 - Vegetable lasagne
12 - Spicy Penne Pasta	12 - Spicy Pasta with Penne pasta (short feather pasta tubes)
13 Cheese Tortellini	13 - Cheese Tortellini (small dumplings with meat, cheese and vegetables)
14 - Ratatouille	14 - Ratatouille Ratatouille (lecho with vegetables (meat with pepper, eggplant and zucchini))
15 - Mexican Style Chicken Stew	15 - Mexican Chicken Stew
16 - Pork Rib	16 - Pork ribs
17 - Maple Sausage	17 - Pork sausage with maple syrup
18 - Beef Ravioli	18 - Beef Ravioli (beef with dough and sauce (dumplings with beef))
19 - Jalapeno pepperjack beef patty	19 - Pie with beef and Jalapeno peppers
20 - Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce	20 - Spaghetti with meat sauce
21 - Lemon Pepper Tuna	21 - Tuna with pepper-lemon seasoning
22 - Asian Beef Strips	22 - Asian beef strips
23 - Chicken Pesto Pasta	23 - Chicken with pasta (feathers or spirals) and vegetable seasoning
24 - Southwest Beef & Black Beans	24 - Beef with black beans (with black beans) according to the Southwestern

And finally, a moment of tenderness:

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Civilian, or "Civilian" MRE

This category includes almost all other rations that are not the property of the army (i.e., the state). The main difference is the number of species. In civilian MRE, instead of 24 types of tastes, either 12 or 6 are presented. In terms of quantity / quality of content, civilians can be larger / smaller and better / worse. Otherwise, as a rule, these are almost identical military mre-shki, produced by private companies, or by the same factories that produce military MREs. Until 2000, only 2 companies were involved in the production of civilian MRE rations: Sopakco and Wornick. Then, after 2005, after the Katrina panic, several more companies entered the market. Today (2012-2013) there are five main such companies:
Ameriqual "APack"
Menu C(obsolete, no longer produced)
MREStar
Sopakco "Sure-Pak 12"
Wornick "Eversafe"
Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs

Ameriqual APack MREs

Ameriqual is the largest company (there are 3 such large companies) that manufactures MREs for the military. Initially, he produced rations only for the US Army, then expanded the range with civilian options. The brand name is "APack", or "APack Ready Meals". By a-pack, apparently, Army-packages (or rather, packages) are meant.
It differs from the army A-pack in only a few minor things:
a) there is no powdered drink in it,

c) no napkins
d) accessories are not packed in a separate bag all together, but are put each separately,
e) The flameless heater uses salt water instead of regular water (included in the a-pack).

A single Mre A-Pack contains an average of 1,222 calories.
Packing-box (12 single pieces (2 pieces of each flavor, 6 * 2) - 14,660 calories.
.

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Menu C MREs

One of the youngest brands on the market. The closest in appearance / content to the army mre-shki. The name, at first given as a joke, gradually caught on: since the army mre has "menu A" and "menu B", then why don't we make a "menu C"? Along the way, the company trades in other "survival" food, and related products, gradually increasing the range.
Menu C does not differ from the army ones in any way - the composition is completely identical. The only differences are the silver packaging of the food itself (instead of the traditional marsh-brown) that sometimes appears on the menu, and also the packaging itself. At the moment (10\2013) it is not produced, but it is still very common and ubiquitous on sale.

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M.R.E. Star

Unlike others, the company was not originally engaged in the production of rations for the army. However, she is a certified mre-nik supplier for a couple of defense departments (Department of Defense/Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia).
In the photo above, last year's and the year before last's rations. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that NEW MPE STAR comes in such packages, similar to civilian ones:

From the army Mre Star differs in only a few minor things:
a) 4 out of 6 tastes are innovative, absent in the army,
b) the spoon is a little shorter (but wider) than the army one,
c) the remaining 2 flavors (Beef Stew, Cheese Tortellini) taste much better than in military mre,
d) the packaging of accessories has been expanded and contains a spoon, wet wipes, napkins, instant coffee, cream, sugar, salt and pepper.
e) are sold in two types: With flameless heater and WITHOUT it
The flameless heater uses ordinary water.
A single pack of Mre Menu C contains an average of 1,150-1300 calories.
Packing-box (12 one-time pieces (2 pieces of each flavor, 6 * 2) - from 13,800 calories.
By assortment: there are only 6 types of tastes.

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Sopakco Sure-Pak MREs

Just like Ameriqual, it is a large company (second of 3) producing MREs for the military. In the photo above (green) - old appearance packaging, in the photo below (red) - new.
It differs from the army Sopakco Sure-Pak in just a few minor things:
A) a slightly different spoon
B) fewer accessories

A single Mre Sure-pack contains an average of 900-1250 calories, with an average of 1060.

Packing-box (12 pcs one-time (2 pcs of each flavor, 6 * 2) - from 12,700 calories.
By assortment: types of tastes in total 6

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Wornick Eversafe MREs

As well as Ameriqual and Sopakco, it is a large company (the last of 3) producing MREs for the military. In the period from 2001 to 2009, they could not decide on the design / shape of products, releasing all new types. It should be especially noted that boxes of 10 pieces are OLD and the expiration date has already expired. A new line of products started after 2009 and now their mre are available in boxes of 12 pieces like this:

It differs from the army Sopakco Sure-Pak in just a few minor things:
A) a slightly different spoon
b) Accessory package contains napkin, spoon, salt and pepper, instant coffee and cream

A single pack of Mre Eversafe contains an average of 1000-1150 calories, with an average of 1090.

Packing-box (12 pcs one-time (2 pcs of each flavor, 6*2) - from 13,000 calories.
By assortment: types of tastes in total 6

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Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs

Meal Kit Supply, or Kit-For-Dinner, is the only company that produces custom MPEs. At the moment they produce (!) 2 times more flavors than other manufacturers: in a box of 12 they put 6 different mre with meat ("meat" mre), 2 different vegetarian mre, and 4 mre for breakfast.
A single pack of Mre Meal Kit Supply contains an average of 1300 calories.

MREs differ from other high price(more expensive) but large quantity calories (more satisfying) and a large number of dishes. Exceptional Feature - These are the only Department-certified MREs Food Industry Canada, i.e. the only MREs that are quietly importing.

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That's all for now. Bon appetit)
If this article has worked up an appetite for you, then we remind you that you can order in our store, in the "" section.

Types of MRE - American dry soldering (IRR)

MRE (U.S. Army Packed Ration (American IRP). Today we will take a closer look at each of its types.

Initially, MREs were produced exclusively for the US Army and were not sold to the side - strict accounting and control was maintained.

Then, gradually, at the end of the Vietnam War, all severity gradually faded away. Without delay, the cunning military immediately began to sell strategic stocks from under the floor. This is how the first “market” MREs appeared - the original army ones (in other words, state-owned, state-owned), “decommissioned” or stolen from military warehouses. The product turned out to be surprisingly popular: demand exceeded supply by almost three times (after all, it was not always possible to steal MRE from warehouses).

Seeing this situation, private firms began to manufacture "civilian" versions of food rations.

Today they are so diverse that it is quite easy to get confused, because the differences are in many ways minimal. However, they are.

Army or "Military" MRE.

There are a great many names: army, military, military, state, state. MRE data is the progenitor of many individual food rations - both within the country of the United States ("civilian" versions) and in other countries (military dry rations). The armies of many countries make their IRPs in the manner of the MRE, releasing an almost identical analogue.

In free sale, army MREs in theory “should not be encountered” - this is clearly stated on their packaging. The inscription reads: “Property of the US Government. Commercial sale is prohibited by law.”

Military MRE boxes come labeled with a special Time-And-Temperature Indicator, or Time-Thermal-Sensor. It is a "smart" sticker that shows at what temperature the product was stored and how long it lay in warm conditions (literally, "how much heat it absorbed"). It looks like this:

MREs are considered usable as long as the inner circle is lighter than the outer circle. If the circle inside has darkened, then the food has completely deteriorated.
In total, mre military rations contain 24 different types of taste (24 different dishes) in a single package. Each has its own serial number: sets from 1 to 12 are called "set A", from 13 to 24 - "set B". Also, instead of the word set, “menu A” and “menu B” can be used. Each year, the set of flavors changes slightly - as a rule, manufacturers replace 2-3 dishes with others in order to update the assortment line.

Army MREs - types of flavors released in 2013
01 - Chili with Beans	01 - Chili with beans (beans)
02 - Chicken Fajita	02 - Chicken fajita (grilled with vegetables and flatbread (tortilla))
03 - Chicken with Noodles	03 - Chicken Noodles
04 - Pork Sausage w/ Gravy	04 - Pork sausage with gravy sauce
05 - Mediterranean Chicken	05 - Mediterranean chicken (with tomatoes, olives and spices)
06 - Beef Taco Filling	06 - Shawarma with beef (beef with tortilla, vegetables and sauce)
07 - Beef Brisket	07 - Beef brisket
08 - Meatballs w/Marinara Sauce	08 - Meatballs with Marinara sauce (tomato paste with garlic and herbs)
09 - Beef Stew	09 - Beef stew
10 - Chili and Macaroni	10 - Pasta with Chile
11 - Vegetable Lasagna	11 - Vegetable lasagne
12 - Spicy Penne Pasta	12 - Spicy Pasta with Penne Pasta
13 - Cheese Tortellini	13 - Cheese Tortellini (small dumplings with meat, cheese and vegetables)
14- Ratatouille	14 - Ratatouille Ratatouille (lecho with vegetables (meat with pepper, eggplant and zucchini))
15 - Mexican Style Chicken Stew	15 - Mexican Chicken Stew
16 - Pork Rib	16 - Pork ribs
17 - Maple Sausage	17 - Pork sausage with maple syrup
18-Beef Ravioli	18 - Beef Ravioli (beef with dough and sauce (beef dumplings))
19 - Jalapeno pepperjack beef patty	19 - Beef Pie with Jalapeno Peppers
20 - Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce	20 - Spaghetti with meat sauce
21- Lemon Pepper Tuna	21 - Tuna with pepper-lemon seasoning
22-Asian Beef Strips	22 - Asian beef strips
23 - Chicken Pesto Pasta	23 - Chicken with pasta (feathers or spirals) and vegetable seasoning
24 - Southwest Beef & Black Beans	24 - Beef with black beans (with black beans) according to the Southwestern

And finally, a moment of tenderness:

Civilian, or "Civilian" MRE

This category includes almost all other rations that are not the property of the army (i.e., the state). The main difference is the number of species. In civilian MRE, instead of 24 types of tastes, either 12 or 6 are presented. In terms of quantity / quality of content, civilians can be larger / smaller and better / worse. Otherwise, as a rule, these are almost identical military mre-shki, produced by private companies, or by the same factories that produce military MREs. Until 2000, only 2 companies were involved in the production of civilian MRE rations: Sopakco and Wornick. Then, after 2005, after the Katrina panic, several more companies entered the market. Today (2012-2013) there are five main such companies:
Ameriqual "APack"
Menu C (obsolete, no longer produced)
MREStar
Sopakco "Sure-Pak 12"
Wornick "Eversafe"
Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs

Ameriqual APack MREs

Ameriqual is the largest company (there are 3 such large companies) that manufactures MREs for the military. Initially, he produced rations only for the US Army, then expanded the range with civilian options. The brand name is "APack", or "APack Ready Meals". By a-pack, apparently, Army-packages (or rather, packages) are meant.
It differs from the army A-pack in only a few minor things:
a) there is no powdered drink in it,
c) no napkins
d) accessories are not packed in a separate bag all together, but are put each separately,
e) The flameless heater uses salt water instead of regular water (included in the a-pack).

A single Mre A-Pack contains an average of 1,222 calories.
Packing-box (12 single pieces (2 pieces of each flavor, 6 * 2) - 14,660 calories.
.
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Menu C MREs

One of the youngest brands on the market. The closest in appearance / content to the army mre-shki. The name, at first given as a joke, gradually caught on: since the army mre has "menu A" and "menu B", then why don't we make a "menu C"? Along the way, the company trades in other "survival" food, and related products, gradually increasing the range.
Nothing differs from the army Menu C - completely identical composition. The only differences are the silver packaging of the food itself (instead of the traditional marsh-brown) that sometimes appears on the menu, and also the packaging itself. At the moment (10\2013) it is not produced, but it is still very common and ubiquitous on sale.
___________________________________________________________
M.R.E. Star

Unlike others, the company was not originally engaged in the production of rations for the army. However, she is a certified mre-nik supplier for a couple of defense departments (Department of Defense/Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Supply Center Philadelphia).
In the photo above, last year's and the year before last's rations. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that NEW MPE STAR comes in such packages, similar to civilian ones:

From the army Mre Star differs in only a few minor things:
a) 4 out of 6 tastes are innovative, absent in the army,
b) the spoon is a little shorter (but wider) than the army one,
c) the remaining 2 flavors (Beef Stew, Cheese Tortellini) taste much better than in military mre,
d) the packaging of accessories has been expanded and contains a spoon, wet wipes, napkins, instant coffee, cream, sugar, salt and pepper.
e) are sold in two types: With flameless heater and WITHOUT it
The flameless heater uses ordinary water.
A single pack of Mre Menu C contains an average of 1,150-1300 calories.
Packing-box (12 one-time items (2 pieces of each flavor, 6 * 2) - from 13,800 calories.
By assortment: there are only 6 types of tastes.
___________________________________________________________
Sopakco Sure-Pak MREs

Just like Ameriqual, it is a large company (second of 3) producing MREs for the military. In the photo above (green) - the old appearance of the package, in the photo below (red) - new.
A) a slightly different spoon
B) fewer accessories

A single Mre Sure-pack contains an average of 900-1250 calories, with an average of 1060.

Packing-box (12 one-time pieces (2 pieces of each flavor, 6 * 2) - from 12,700 calories.
By assortment: types of tastes in total 6
___________________________________________________________
Wornick Eversafe MREs

As well as Ameriqual and Sopakco, it is a large company (the last of 3) producing MREs for the military. In the period from 2001 to 2009, they could not decide on the design / shape of products, releasing all new types. It should be especially noted that boxes of 10 pieces are OLD and the expiration date has already expired. A new line of products started after 2009 and now their mre are available in boxes of 12 pieces like this:

It differs from the army Sopakco Sure-Pak in just a few minor things:
A) a slightly different spoon
b) Accessory package contains napkin, spoon, salt and pepper, instant coffee and cream

A single pack of Mre Eversafe contains an average of 1000-1150 calories, with an average of 1090.

Packing-box (12 one-time pieces (2 pieces of each flavor, 6*2) - from 13,000 calories.
By assortment: types of tastes in total 6
___________________________________________________________
Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs

Meal Kit Supply, or Kit-For-Dinner, is the only company that produces custom MPEs. At the moment they produce (!) 2 times more flavors than other manufacturers: in a box of 12 they put 6 different mre with meat ("meat" mre), 2 different vegetarian mre, and 4 mre for breakfast.
A single pack of Mre Meal Kit Supply contains an average of 1300 calories.

They differ from other MREs by a higher price (more expensive), but more calories (more satisfying) and a larger number of dishes. An exceptional feature is that they are the only MRE certified by Food Industries Canada, i.e. the only MREs that are quietly importing.

That's all for now. Enjoy your meal

What is MRE? American IRPs and dry rations

In the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet, there are a lot of contradictions about MRE - that they just don’t talk about them, attributing all conceivable and unthinkable properties, up to treatment by the laying on of hands. In fact, everything is terribly simple: MRE is American dry rations, the individual ration of the US Army. How they are just not called because of ignorance of English language! Here you have the “ration of an American warrior”, and “ration of a US soldier”, and “military regulated food - MPE”, and many others.

However, we will be smarter - we will translate the original name, adapting it to Russia. MRE in the original sounds like Meal, Ready-to-Eat, which in the correct translation sounds like "Lunch, Ready-to-Eat", or simply "Already cooked food". In our last article "Dry rations different countries world ”we talked about various types of IRP and questions soon poured in - everyone was interested in whether MRE differ so much from domestic IRP. On the one hand, we can say that MREs are an analogue of our domestic IRPs and the differences are not so big, on the other hand, given that MREs were developed for the US Army, they still have several distinctive features.

The first MPE-shki appeared already during the 2nd World War and were called MCI (Meal, Combat, Individual) (Individual field lunch). Basically, they were cans of canned food, packaged in boxes. Some of these relics can still be bought - collectors sell them in "almost perfect condition" - unless, of course, taking into account the shelf life that expired a couple of decades ago.

Over the years, having undergone many changes, having gone through the Korean and Vietnam Wars, closer to the 1990s, MREs entered full-fledged production with a settled ration. The tin can was replaced by sealed foil packaging, third-party dishes were added, the ration expanded the range of dishes. Today, inside each MRE package is a main course and a range of other additional food and drink, as well as all the small things you need to eat - such as a spoon and BNP.

One MRE scale is calculated for one single meal. They are supplied to the army in two boxes, each of which contains 12 pieces of MRE (i.e., designed for 12 single meals). The first box is called "Menu A", the second - "Menu B".

There are a total of 24 flavored IRPs in these boxes (i.e. 24 different MREs).

Each package is labeled with a "menu" number (1-24) and the name of the main dish. Changes to the "menu" occur on average once a year when a new product line is released.

Advantages and disadvantages of MRE

MRE is a complete, one-time meal. It is not intended for long-term storage and, therefore, does not undergo special processing, allowing it not to deteriorate for a long time. All water in the MPE remains intact - the product is not lyophilized or dehydrated. Because of this (the presence of water-moisture in the composition), MRE food weighs more than freeze-dried food containing a similar number of calories. Each MRE scale weighs an average of 500 to 750 grams. A box of 12 pieces, respectively, weighs 6-9 kg. This is a minus.

However, MRE packaging is designed for harsh environments and exposure to the elements, which means you don't have to worry too much about storage conditions. The packaging is a thick high temperature melt polyethylene plastic that is strong and tear resistant. As a result, each MRE box can survive a 380+ meter parachute drop, or just a 30+ meter drop, which is exactly what packaging factories are required to do. He dropped it off a cliff - went down - picked it up - ate it as if nothing had happened. This is a plus.

Ways to use MRE

The very word MRE (ready-to-eat food) suggests that it can be eaten on the go, without the time consuming preparation. This means that MRE can be eaten cold, straight out of the package. However, if it is warmed up, it will be much tastier and healthier. Eating MRE for more than 21 days is not recommended because It's not fresh food though.

MRE expiration date

At an average room temperature of 25+ degrees, the shelf life of MRE is about 3 years. At a lower temperature (cool, about 10 degrees), the shelf life increases to 5 years. As the temperature rises, it decreases. At this point, it is very important to know that many military MPEs are sold "decommissioned" - in other words, they have already expired the initial expiration date of three years, but it was "extended" to 5 years. Before buying, pay attention to the shelf life margin - for fresh MRE, it should fluctuate within 3 years!
It is more difficult to distinguish MRE individual packages by expiration date than boxes: if the full eight-digit date (day-month-year) is knocked out on the boxes, then only 4 digits are put on the box packages: for example 8123. In this case, the first digit is equal to the year, 8 = 2008, and the remaining 3 represent the day and month. The calculation is based on 365 days a year, i.e. 123 = 123rd day of the year = May 11th.

What is inside the MRE

Each single pack of MRE is designed for 1 full meal and contains at least 1,200+ calories (5000 kilojoules) (13% protein, 36% fat, 51% carbohydrates) and about a third of the daily value of vitamins and minerals. The daily diet involves the use of 3 single MRE-nis, i.e. 1 box of 12 pieces is enough for 4 days.

Inside each single MRE pack, you will typically find:

Main course ("hot", such as meat or fish)
Second course (garnish in the form of rice, potatoes, vegetables (stew), etc.)
Crackers (cookies, biscuits)
Peanut butter/jam/cheese paste
Dessert (sweet biscuits such as brownies or muffin-type cakes (sweet muffins))
Candy (M&M's, Skittles or candy bars)
Drinks (isotonic drinks like Gatorade, instant fruit drinks, cocoa/coffee/tea, etc.)
Accessories (spoon\matches\sugar-salt-pepper\chewing gum\wet napkin(s)\toilet paper or dry large and wide napkin)
Fireless food warmer (BNP for cooking)
Some MREs add additional spices/seasonings.

Let's take a closer look at one of the "menus":

It consists of:

A: Instant (powdered) grape drink
B: Fruit cocktail mix
C: Matches
D: Gum (chewing gum)
E: Dairy creamer (lactose-free equivalent)
F: Instant coffee
G: Wet wipe
H: Large paper "dinner" napkins
I: Sugar
J: Small Tabasco Sauce
K: BNP (flameless food heater)
L: Crackers (biscuits)
M: Beef with ravioli
N: Spoon
O: Salt
P: Brownie Cookies
Q: Cheese paste (soft cheese) with bacon

Expanded, it looks like this:

1) Spaghetti with meat sauce + bread with cheese paste(soft cheese)

2) Crackers (similar to dry biscuits) + cherry-blueberry dessert

3) Small things for food and accessories:

MRE fireless food heater (BNP)

We talked about similar BNP heaters (flameless food heater) in our last article. They are sometimes referred to as a "chemical warmer". We will not describe in detail, we will only clarify that it is a non-toxic heating element placed in a tight polymer bag with a clip. The composition of the MRE-shnogo heater includes a mixture of powdered iron, magnesium and sodium. Other heaters may differ.

Such a "package" is intended for heating hermetically sealed products ready for use. When water is added to this mixture, a thermal reaction occurs with the release of heat, which allows the food to be heated. It is good because it does not take up much space (14 cm * 11.5 cm * 1 cm in height) and does not require open fire. The bad thing is that the warm-up time is at least 8-10 minutes, and on average 12-15.

Some of the mre-niks use salt water instead of regular water (a salt tablet is usually included). This is done in order to avoid a ban on transportation. Under the law, a mre flameless heater powered by ordinary water is considered "dangerous" cargo and must be transported with precautions such as Special Communications. A slight change in the formula (so that salty water is required instead of regular water) avoids these problems.

Tags:

Types of MRE - American dry soldering (IRR)

Today they are so diverse that it is quite easy to get confused, because the differences are in many ways minimal. However, they are.

MREs are considered usable as long as the inner circle is lighter than the outer circle. If the circle inside has darkened, then the food has completely deteriorated.
In total, mre military rations contain 24 different types of taste (24 different dishes) in a single package. Each has its own serial number: sets from 1 to 12 are called "set A", from 13 to 24 - "set B". Also, instead of the word set, “menu A” and “menu B” can be used. Each year, the set of flavors changes slightly - as a rule, manufacturers replace 2-3 dishes with others in order to update the assortment line.

Army MREs - types of flavors released in 2013
01 - Chili with Beans	01 - Chili with beans (beans)
02 - Chicken Fajita	02 - Chicken fajita (grilled with vegetables and flatbread (tortilla))
03 - Chicken with Noodles	03 - Chicken Noodles
04 - Pork Sausage w/ Gravy	04 - Pork sausage with gravy sauce
05 - Mediterranean Chicken	05 - Mediterranean chicken (with tomatoes, olives and spices)
06 - Beef Taco Filling	06 - Shawarma with beef (beef with tortilla, vegetables and sauce)
07 - Beef Brisket	07 - Beef brisket
08 - Meatballs w/Marinara Sauce	08 - Meatballs with Marinara sauce (tomato paste with garlic and herbs)
09 - Beef Stew	09 - Beef stew
10 - Chili and Macaroni	10 - Pasta with Chile
11 - Vegetable Lasagna	11 - Vegetable lasagne
12 - Spicy Penne Pasta	12 - Spicy Pasta with Penne Pasta
13 - Cheese Tortellini	13 - Cheese Tortellini (small dumplings with meat, cheese and vegetables)
14- Ratatouille	14 - Ratatouille Ratatouille (lecho with vegetables (meat with pepper, eggplant and zucchini))
15 - Mexican Style Chicken Stew	15 - Mexican Chicken Stew
16 - Pork Rib	16 - Pork ribs
17 - Maple Sausage	17 - Pork sausage with maple syrup
18-Beef Ravioli	18 - Beef Ravioli (beef with dough and sauce (beef dumplings))
19 - Jalapeno pepperjack beef patty	19 - Beef Pie with Jalapeno Peppers
20 - Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce	20 - Spaghetti with meat sauce
21- Lemon Pepper Tuna	21 - Tuna with pepper-lemon seasoning
22-Asian Beef Strips	22 - Asian beef strips
23 - Chicken Pesto Pasta	23 - Chicken with pasta (feathers or spirals) and vegetable seasoning
24 - Southwest Beef & Black Beans	24 - Beef with black beans (with black beans) according to the Southwestern

And finally, a moment of tenderness:

Civilian, or "Civilian" MRE

This category includes almost all other rations that are not the property of the army (i.e., the state). The main difference is the number of species. In civilian MRE, instead of 24 types of tastes, either 12 or 6 are presented. In terms of quantity / quality of content, civilians can be larger / smaller and better / worse. Otherwise, as a rule, these are almost identical military mre-shki, produced by private companies, or by the same factories that produce military MREs. Until 2000, only 2 companies were involved in the production of civilian MRE rations: Sopakco and Wornick. Then, after 2005, after the Katrina panic, several more companies entered the market. Today (2012-2013) there are five main such companies:
Ameriqual "APack"
Menu C (obsolete, no longer produced)
MREStar
Sopakco "Sure-Pak 12"
Wornick "Eversafe"
Meal Kit Supply Civilian MREs

That's all for now. Enjoy your meal

What is MRE? American IRPs and dry rations

In the Russian-speaking segment of the Internet, there are a lot of contradictions about MRE - that they just don’t talk about them, attributing all conceivable and unthinkable properties, up to treatment by the laying on of hands. In fact, everything is terribly simple: MRE is American dry rations, the individual ration of the US Army. How they just do not call because of ignorance of the English language! Here you have the “ration of an American warrior”, and “ration of a US soldier”, and “military regulated food - MPE”, and many others.

However, we will be smarter - we will translate the original name, adapting it to Russia. MRE in the original sounds like Meal, Ready-to-Eat, which in the correct translation sounds like "Lunch, Ready-to-Eat", or simply "Already cooked food". In our last article “Dry rations from different countries of the world”, we talked about various types of IRP and soon questions rained down - everyone was interested in whether MRE differ so much from domestic IRP. On the one hand, we can say that MREs are an analogue of our domestic IRPs and the differences are not so big, on the other hand, given that MREs were developed for the US Army, they still have several distinctive features.

MRE is a complete, one-time meal. It is not intended to be stored for a long time and therefore does not undergo special processing that allows it not to spoil for a long time. All water in the MPE remains intact - the product is not lyophilized or dehydrated. Because of this (the presence of water-moisture in the composition), MRE food weighs more than freeze-dried food containing a similar number of calories. Each MRE scale weighs an average of 500 to 750 grams. A box of 12 pieces, respectively, weighs 6-9 kg. This is a minus.

However, MRE packaging is designed for harsh environments and exposure to the elements, which means you don't have to worry too much about storage conditions. The packaging is a thick high temperature melt polyethylene plastic that is strong and tear resistant. As a result, each MRE box can survive a 380+ meter parachute drop, or just a 30+ meter drop, which is exactly what packaging factories are required to do. He dropped it off a cliff - went down - picked it up - ate it as if nothing had happened. This is a plus.

What is inside the MRE

Inside each single MRE pack, you will typically find:

Let's take a closer look at one of the "menus":

It consists of:

Expanded, it looks like this:

1) Spaghetti with meat sauce + bread with cheese pasta (soft cheese)

2) Crackers (similar to dry biscuits) + cherry-blueberry dessert

3) Small things for food and accessories:

MRE fireless food heater (BNP)

Tags:

What is a dry pack? You will find the answer to the question posed in the materials of the presented article. In addition, we will tell you about what individual nutrition kits exist today, as well as how they differ in different countries.

general information

Dry rations are a set of products that is designed to feed military personnel, as well as civilians, in conditions where there is no way to cook hot food on their own. As a rule, such a diet is designed for one person. It should also be noted that such a set may include products both for one meal and for the whole day.

Basic requirements for dry rations

Dry rations of the Russian army from a similar set of products in other countries can vary significantly. However General requirements everywhere they are presented with the same:

It should also be noted that in some cases special requirements are imposed on such a set. For example, for dry rations should not include products that can form splashes and crumbs that are dangerous in zero gravity.

The composition of individual diets

What does a standard dry ration contain? The composition of such a set of products may be different. But most often it includes the following components:

Freeze-dried and dried products (dry soups fast food, instant coffee, milk powder, etc.).
Canned foods (for example, condensed milk, stew, sprat, etc.).
Biscuits (dry biscuits), crackers or crackers.
Food additives and flavor enhancers (various seasonings, salt, spices, sugar).
Vitamins.

Additional inventory

In addition to food, a civilian or army dry ration also includes such additional equipment as:

disposable tableware;
means which are intended for disinfection of water;
hygiene products (chewing gum, disinfectant wipes, etc.);
means for heating foodstuffs (e.g. matches, etc.).

It should also be noted that neither Russian nor American dry rations include water. Drinking fluid is either provided separately or obtained locally.

What foods are prohibited from being included in dry rations?

There are a number of products that are strictly prohibited from being included in civilian or army dry rations. These include the following:

Dishes containing hot spices or seasonings, nitrites over 0.03%, edible table salt over 0.8%, alcohol, apricot kernels, sodium pyrosulfate, natural coffee, confectionery and cooking oils.
Unwashed foods, as well as rumpled vegetables and exotic fruits that can be easily spoiled.
All of which require special temperature regimes to maintain safety and quality.
Confectionery containing cream fillers and high cocoa content.
Food products that do not have documents confirming their safety and quality.

Scope of application

Today, both army and civilian dry rations can be found on free sale. The price of such kits varies significantly and depends on the products that are included in their composition.

It should be especially noted that the main consumers of such diets are military people. They are given dry rations for food in field conditions when there is no way to deploy a full-fledged camp kitchen.

Among other things, such a set of products is often used:

People working on a night shift or on a rotational basis in conditions where it is impossible to cook hot meals for themselves.
Flight crews that carry out long non-stop flights, as well as at reserve and alternate airfields.
humanitarian organizations.
Crews of surface and submarine ships.
Rescuers.
Geologists, tourists and members of various expeditions.

Dry soldering kit in the USSR

A set of daily allowances in the USSR for one person was approved by the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. Thus, from June 1, 1941, the dry ration of a Russian soldier included the following products:

rye crackers - about 600 g (or brown bread);
concentrated millet porridge - 200 g;
concentrated pea soup puree - 75 g;
something from the following list: semi-smoked Minsk sausage - 100 g, cheese (brynza) - 160 g, smoked/dried vobla - 150 g, dried fish fillet - 100 g, salted herring - 200 g, canned meat - 113 G;
sugar sand - 35 g;
tea - 2 g;
salt - 10 g.

Army dry ration kit in the 1980s

In the eighties, dry rations were used in the armed forces of the USSR, which consisted of canned meat (250 g), two cans of canned meat and vegetable - each 250 g (that is, rice or buckwheat porridge with the addition of a large number beef), a package of black crackers, a bag of black tea, as well as a large amount of granulated sugar.

Dry rations of the Russian army

Since 1991, the "Individual diet" has been used in the armed forces of the Russian Federation. There are two types of this set:

IRP-B, that is, an individual diet - combat. It consists of 4 cans (stew, minced meat or pate, rice or with pieces of beef and fish), 6 packs of army bread (most often unleavened crackers), 2 bags of instant tea with granulated sugar, dry concentrate of the natural drink "Molodets", fruit jam (usually apple), 1 tablet of multivitamins, 1 package of instant coffee, 4 bags of sugar, tomato sauce, 3 Aquatabs tablets intended for disinfection drinking water, 4 tablets (portable warmer), spoon, 3 sanitary napkins and windproof matches.
IRP-P, that is, an individual diet - everyday. This set has different numbers. It is calculated for a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and is not very different from combat. However, the presented ration is slightly less in calorie content and weight. Very often it is used in everyday activities, when it is not possible to organize a field kitchen.

So, the IRP-P (No. 4) includes the following food products:

army rye bread - 300 g;
stewed pork - 250 g;
amateur minced meat (canned) - 100 g;
travel barley porridge with pieces of beef - 250 g;
Slavic buckwheat porridge with pieces of beef - 250 g;
concentrate for making a drink - 25 g;
fruit jam (usually apple) - 90 g;
granulated sugar - 30 g;
with sugar - 32 g;
warmer (set with dry alcohol tablets and wind-resistant matches) - 1 pc.;
multivitamins in a dragee - 1 pc.;
opener of packaging and canned jars - 1 pc.;
paper and sanitary napkins - 3 pcs.

Depending on the dry daily ration number, its contents may vary. So, the seventh set includes salted herring, stewed meat with green peas, caviar from vegetables, processed cheese, biscuits of two types, etc.

Despite the fact that different numbers of IRP-P include different foods, such field rations are quite high in calories. That is why, during a full-fledged marching breakfast, lunch or dinner, a soldier (or a civilian) is able to get enough to continue his mission after. Indeed, thanks to dry soldering, there is no need to organize which takes a lot of time and effort.

American dry ration MRE

The military's dry rations are called MREs. This is an English abbreviation that stands for Meal, Ready-to-Eat, that is, "Food ready to eat." As a rule, such a set is packed in a sand-colored bag made of thick plastic (its dimensions are 25 × 15 × 5 cm). It indicates the menu number (24 pieces) and the name of the main dish.

The American dry ration, like the Russian one, is quite high in calories (about 1200 kilocalories). Depending on the menu, it can weigh from five hundred to seven hundred grams. It should be noted that this set is designed for one meal. In addition to the main course, it has a hot instant drink (coffee or tea), as well as a cold one, which is powdered lemonade.

The MRE pack does not include the first one. However, there is a dessert in the form of cookies, sweets, muffins and biscuits. In addition, this set may include soft cheese and biscuits.

To reheat foodstuffs, Americans' rations include a special bag that contains a flameless chemical heater. In order for it to come into action, a small amount of water should be poured into it, and then a bag with a drink or food should be placed inside.

Composition of twenty-four American dry rations

Below you will find all types of individual diets for the US Army and some NATO countries. Dry rations, in addition to the listed products, in without fail includes such ingredients as two chewing gums, salt, several sheets of toilet paper, a box of matches, a plastic spoon and a wet wipe.

Peanut butter, mushroom steak, beef jerky, western beans, coffee, crackers, milk powder, candy or chocolate lemonade, sugar, and red pepper.
Baked apples, pork chops (with noodles), vegetable crackers, soft cheese, hot sauce, milkshake, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
Potato sticks, beef dumplings, wheat bread, soft cheese, chocolate biscuit, hot sauce, powdered lemonade, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
Soft cheese, rustic chicken, crackers, butter noodles, hot sauce, biscuits with jam, cocoa mocha cappuccino, sweets, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
Wheat bread, fried chicken breast, chocolate biscuit, goulash, apple cider, tea with lemon and sweetener, jelly, cocoa, candies and spices.
Boiled rice, chicken with sauce, raisin-nut mix, soft cheese, spicy sauce, vegetable crackers, milk powder, fruit-flavored coffee, sugar and tea bag.
Mexican rice, chicken with spicy vegetables, soft cheese, biscuits, candy, vegetable crackers, sweetened lemon tea and hot sauce.
soft cheese, cheese pretzels, barbecue sauce, wheat bread, hot sauce, lemonade, tea with lemon and sweetener.
Beef goulash, vegetable crackers, soft cheese, hot sauce, milkshake, chocolate chip cookies, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
Soft cheese, pasta with vegetables, vegetable bread, cake, red pepper, cocoa, powdered milk, coffee, sugar, chocolate or sweets.
Spaghetti in tomato sauce with vegetables, dried fruit, hard candy, peanut butter, cake, tea with lemon and sweetener, crackers, spices and apple cider.
Rice and bean patty, fruit biscuits, cake, crackers, dried fruit, savory and spicy sauce, peanut butter, lemon tea and sweetener.
Cheese dumplings, applesauce, muffin, peanut butter, hard candy, sweetened lemon tea, apple cider, crackers and spices.
Cake, spaghetti in vegetable sauce, peanut butter, salted roasted peanuts, crackers, dried fruit, tea with lemon and sweetener, spices and apple cider.
Mexican beef with vegetables and cheese, Mexican rice, lemonade, chocolate chip cookies, vegetable crackers, soft cheese, coffee, sugar, hot sauce and powdered milk.
Soft cheese, candy, chicken noodles, vegetable crackers, raspberry-apple puree, fig cookies, hot sauce, cocoa, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
Chinese noodles, Japanese beef, jam, candy, peanut butter and cheese cookies, sugar, lemonade, wheat bread, milk powder, coffee, chocolate or candy, red pepper.
Turkey breast with gravy and mashed potatoes, chocolate bar, cheese pretzels, crackers, hot sauce, lemonade, sugar, peanut butter, coffee and milk powder.
Boiled wild rice, crackers, jam, cocoa, oatmeal cookies, beef with mushrooms, coffee, hot sauce, milk powder and sugar.
Peanut butter crackers, wheat bread, soft cheese, hot sauce, milkshake, hard candy, spaghetti with meat sauce, coffee, sugar and milk powder.
Cupcake, hot sauce, baked chicken with cheese, jelly, crackers, sugar, tea bag, milkshake and milk powder.
Rice with vegetables, chocolate covered oatmeal cookies, sugar, sweets, soft cheese, lemonade, wheat bread, coffee, hot sauce and powdered milk.
Pretzels, hot sauce, chicken pasta, peanut butter, muffin, lemonade, wheat bread, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
Mashed potatoes, baked beef with gravy, jelly, filled cookies, cocoa, vegetable crackers, sugar, coffee, milk powder, candy or chocolate, red pepper.

Ukrainian food set

Each country develops its own individual dry ration for its army. Ukraine issues IRP similar to Russian ones. This set is designed for three meals (that is, breakfast, lunch and dinner). As a rule, it consists of wheat flour biscuits, canned meat and vegetable, meat broth concentrate, canned fish or meat, jam, granulated sugar, instant tea, fruit drink concentrate, Hexavit multivitamin preparation, plastic tablespoon, caramel, paper and sanitary napkins.

Dry rations for children

According to sanitary and epidemiological requirements, dry rations for children should include the following food products that do not require special conditions storage:

non-carbonated mineral water (bottled) - up to 500 ml;
nectars and fruit juices, as well as natural vegetable juices - up to 500 ml;
ready-made fortified drinks of industrial production - 250 ml;
non-alcoholic juice drinks - 200 ml;
hard cheeses in vacuum packaging - 60-100 g;
unsalted and unroasted nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts) - 20-50 g;
dried fruits washed in vacuum packaging - 50 g;
dry biscuits, crackers, biscuits, dryers or crackers;
dark or bitter chocolate with a high cocoa content;
canned fruits, vegetable and fruit purees - 250 g;
jam, jam and marmalade - up to 40 g;
rye bread, wheat and cereal bread;
fortified instant baby cereals - 160-200 g;
dry breakfasts;
beef goulash in tomato sauce:
concentrated chicken broth, beef;
dry low-fat cream;
vegetable and cereal side dishes (canned);
condensed milk - 30-50 g;
tea bags, cocoa and coffee drink.

The American dry ration is abbreviated as MRE. This is an abbreviation for the English "Meal Ready to Eat", that is, food that is completely ready to eat. And this is true: a dry ration designed for one meal contains a set of already prepared dishes that will satisfy hunger without side effects and allergic reactions. Each plastic bag is protected from water and dirt, the total calorie content of all the products in it is approximately 1200 kcal. It is expected that under conditions of increased physical activity the male daily diet is 3 rations per day, and the female - 2 rations.

It is worth noting that there is no soup in the American ration that is familiar to a Russian person. But there is dessert: cake, cookies, lollipops. A standard ration includes one main course (meat), a side dish (rice, noodles, corn) and sauce, bread or cracker, as well as something that can be spread on bread (jelly, soft cheese, peanut butter), two powdered drink - hot and cold, dessert. In total, there are 24 different types of menus, which change slightly from time to time so that the US military, forced to eat dry rations on duty, does not get tired of the same food.

In addition to all of the above, each bag contains chewing gum, toilet paper, a wet wipe, matches, plastic cutlery and a chemical heater that does not require fire. To make the heater work, it is enough to add a little water to the dry mixture of chemicals.

The American Individual Diet is complete and balanced, with each packet of dry rations having a shelf life of up to three years. All you need to turn the contents of the bag into a hearty meal is approximately 700 ml of pure water.

Pregnancy and childbirth