Emergency Meals from Outer Space!
MREs were born on Earth, but grew up on Apollo flights to the moon. Then they served in Skylab floating workshops and on every US space Shuttle flight from Enterprise to Challenger.
In the 1970’s, retort pouches (the popular name for thermostabilized, laminated food pouches named after the retort steam cooker) were put to their first real test by the U.S. Space Program. NASA was looking for delicious, easy to prepare, “normal” food that wouldn’t increase human stress the way that freeze dried and “toothpaste tube” food sometimes did. And so over 30 years ago, retort pouches found a home at NASA, where all their unusual characteristics were much appreciated. They have been successfully feeding astronauts on the moon and in flight ever since.
From the Moon to New Earthly Applications!
Feeding Soldiers
In the 1980’s, the US military research labs took the lead in the use and development of retort pouches. The new pouches enabled the Defense Department to upgrade its entire field ration program to retort pouches, from the earlier less workable technologies of canning and freeze drying. That is when MREs, an acronym for Meals Ready to Eat, were born!
Then, the same research labs which invented them have continually upgraded the taste and nutritional profile of the pouched meals in MREs. Over the past 32 years, our military has come to depend on the MRE Full Meal kits for most of their operations. They fed Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations in the 1990’s, and have become the mainstay of all U.S. offensive and defensive operations up to this very day. They continue to feed our troops, wherever they are deployed.
Disaster Relief
At the same time, over the last 10-15 years, the national news has been full of stories about these same MRE full meals being used for humanitarian disaster relief. MREs, distributed when other food is not available, actually SAVE LIVES!
Television coverage of Hurricanes Katrina, Irene and Sandy have made “MRE” a household word. After the disasters, Emergency Managers give summaries of how many “water bottles and MREs” have been distributed to victims.
MREs are made for relief, of which there are many kinds. MREs are sent to hurricane, flood, earthquake, volcano and forest fire victims and refugees, to name just a few. MREs also provide for relief of another kind – relieving worry about the future! That is why MREs have become so popular with survivalists and other self-reliant people. MREs are the way to feed lots of people quickly with minimal resources! The food is ready to go (full moisture) and easy to prepare when all familiar resources are missing (easy tear pouch and flameless heater pouch).
Outdoor Sports & Activities
MREs are made for outdoor activities. Many of our customers use them for camping, backpacking, scientific expeditions, mining expeditions, etc. — any activity where the need for food is high and cooking facilities are minimal.
Our Specialty Buffet for Multi-Purpose MREs
Hundreds of millions of MRE full meals have been produced and eaten. They have gone to every theatre of war and every theatre of relief of human misery imaginable. Because they solve one of life’s most urgent issues — the constant need for food — MREs have become one of the most versatile products in human history!
Long Life Food Depot operates an “MRE Buffet” or “MRE Smorgasbord” for all MRE pouches, MRE full meals, other MRE kits and related products. This wide selection of pouched products was started in 1983 by our predecessor company, Resourceful Foods Co.
Our MRE Buffet, which is constantly upgraded with new choices, features MRE components from a dozen manufacturers involved in the MRE Ration Program, as well as other retort pouched products and the very best of freeze dried pouches (WISE pouches). This MRE Buffet brings direct access to the same MREs used for military feeding and disaster relief that you hear so much about, to everyone! Our customers include fire fighters, smoke jumpers, campers, backpackers, hunters, Coast Guard units, geological expeditions, Everest climbers, cities, states, counties, adventurers, explorers, Scouts, survivalists, self-reliance practitioners, relief agencies, FEMA, Red Cross, church relief groups and many more!
MRE True Adventures
Many of our customers have written or called us with their experiences with MREs in life or death situations. Some of these emergencies were nature-made and some were man-made.
One of our customers goes to Alaska every year and lives in a cave with MREs, just for the purpose of seeing if he can survive a week! One customer races down rushing rivers with MREs. Another customer, a 72 year old backpacker, takes MREs high into the Colorado mountains. We believe these man-made emergency situations help prepare our customers for the natural ones! When unexpected emergencies and disasters arise, these customer know that MREs are the right food for the job.
We have all witnessed over and over, from Hurricane Andrew to Katrina and from Earthquakes to Tsunamis, MREs have done an excellent job in saving thousands of lives around the United States and around the world! Whether your emergency is a hurricane, tornado, flood or earthquake, or a self-created one like a hunting, fishing or sporting expedition, MREs will solve your emergency food needs like nothing else. Convenient and long-lasting, MREs are always ready to go!
MRE FAQs
In 1980 the U.S. Military followed the lead of the U.S. Space Program in recognizing the workability of a brand new food technology. They used it to totally overhaul their food ration program. They started putting servings of meat, vegetables and fruit into retort pouches instead of the familiar tins that had been used for over 50 years. The big difference was the TASTE. But look at what else these new MRE pouches offered then, and offer now:
- Shelf life of 3-10 years.
- Not freeze dried or otherwise dehydrated! Full moisture, gravy and sauce are retained in natural form.
- Ready to Eat. Hot in 5 minutes with boiling water (contaminated and/or dirty water can work for boiling if used carefully) or 10 minutes with one of our Flameless Heater Pouches.
- The food can be eaten cold in an emergency (contents were fully cooked in the sealed pouch).
- Specially formulated for maximum nutrition. An average of 55% meat compared with 35% normally for the meat main dishes, for example).
You can purchase from us the MRE full meal or the individual pieces that make up the meals. Try some of these MRE pouches to see if they aren’t the best tasting, most convenient, long-lasting outdoor and emergency foods available!
MRE products last from 3-5 years from the date of purchase if the products are stored in a room temperature environment (70° F), regardless of the production date. Of course, the production date is visible on all our entrees and on most side dishes, desserts, and other components.
The production date is a four digit number (date code) on each item, example “5156.” In this example the 5 represents the year 2005 (a “4” would represent 2004, etc.), the 156 represents the 156th day of the year. See the top of the individual box or look on pouch for the date code.
The official MRE Shelf Life chart created by the Army’s Natick Research Lab gives the whole picture, and explains why we are prepared to guarantee our products for 5 years from date of sale. It is clear that the wholesomeness of the products extends well beyond 5 years.
One of the great advantages of the MRE is that it CAN be eaten cold, straight out of the package, with no preparation whatsoever. In fact, U.S. soldiers and thousands of emergency relief workers around the world have eaten cold MREs in tough situations and received the nutrition they needed. MREs have served their purpose well with no reheating in personal, family, and city or state emergencies.
However, anyone will tell you that MREs taste their best when they are heated up. In most situations, there is time and opportunity to heat this food. Here are the best ways:
- Boiling for 3-5 minutes. Take the pouch from outer carton and place it in clean boiling water heated from available sources: fire, heating tabs, or stoves.
- Placing next to a non-liquid heat source: radiator, engine block, or even the human body. Be careful of burning or melting the pouch if kept on the heat source for too long, or if the heat source is too hot.
- Placing in a chemical, non-flame heater.
- Microwave 2-3 minutes after removing from the pouch. (The pouch contains an aluminum, non-microwaveable layer which gives the pouch such a long shelf life).