When to toss MREs?

[five.five-six]

I have several cases of MREs up to 12 years old. when do you toss them? they have been stored in a cool environment, 74 - 76 degrees. Not sure how to inspect them.


TIA

[seal20]

Open one. If it smells toss it.

[TheChief]

I have eaten much older MREs in the Army. If you open the package and it stinks, toss it.

You knowing the storage temps is a great thing to maintain your confidence. I would suggest you open one of them up now to test it.

[2761377]

you wouldn't just toss them anyway. the heaters, accessory packs and spoons will still be good, and probably the beverage powders as well.

lol, were they still putting crackers in 12 years ago?

[Librarian]

https://www.mreinfo.com/mres/mre-shelf-life/

Practical Life of MREs

Practically, the darn things last a long, long, time. As long as the individual MRE components aren’t damaged, punctured, (or swelling!), they should still be edible. Some people (on usenet) say that an MRE may lose its flavor or turn an unappetizing color but will still retain all the nutritional value. But other people will say the nutritional value decays over time. Take your pick of opinions. If you want to really be safe, don’t base your nutritional health on 10-year old MREs. But for occasional eating or camping, you’re probably ok.

But how do they really taste? I’ve eaten everything from one month old MREs to 11 year old MREs. While I haven’t been brave enough to try the 10 year old Omlette with Ham, I have tried the 11 year old corned beef hash and the 11 year old ham slice/potatoes au gratin. They were both perfectly yummy (if you like those kinds of foods). The ham slice was nice and tender – more like Hormel’s Tender Chunk Ham. The corned beef hash was like any can of corned beef hash I’ve ever eaten. All the other MRE entrees I’ve tried – from 1994, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 have all been good – no sort of off-flavors or bad tastes.

No mention of 2010 or later, but no reason I know of to believe later/recent production would have a different shelf life.

If you will need to rely on MREs for weeks, ought to supplement with fiber - https://www.walmart.com/browse/healt...586366_5240691 or siimilar.

A single MRE might have 5 g of fiber (might be just 3); that's a feature for hard-exercising soldiers. But,

You probably know that fiber is important to good health, but do you know if you are getting enough?

Most Americans aren't. The average adult only eats 15 grams of fiber per day.

Women need 25 grams of fiber per day, and men need 38 grams per day, according to the Institute of Medicine.

so you might want to supplement 20-30 g per day.

[CWL]

I tried a couple of the MRE meals I had squirreled away for Y2K in 2010, and while they may retain most of their nutritional value, after 10 years, they tasted so nasty that you wouldn't want to eat one. Had to toss cases of them, and which is why I went to dried and freeze dried alternatives.

Exception may be the very high salt meals like the corner beef hash, which will age better.

[five.five-six]

Great info. So, basically like canned foods.


This is for SHTF. We also store whole grain rice and dried oatmeal and about 50 gallons of purified water.


We ate one from Y2K this evening and it tasted pretty good. Some sort of meat patty.

My thinking, if we couldn’t eat it, we should toss them.

[gwanghoops]

i've eaten 20 year old MREs and they're "good" in that you won't starve, but it's up to your particular taste buds whether you would eat it in a SHTF situation.

I had 10 cases of 2005 MREs and broke them up and threw away: osmotic raisins, fig bars, all entrees except beef stew and chicken noodles.

2012 MREs at a decent temperature...keep for at least a few more years.

[ChuckD]

I have several cases of MREs up to 12 years old. when do you toss them? they have been stored in a cool environment, 74 - 76 degrees. Not sure how to inspect them.


TIA

I have some that are the same age (dated 2008, I acquired them in 2010). I ate one months ago (in the early part of this year) and it was fine. I wouldn't count on a lot of nutritional value out of it, but it tasted fine and didn't make me sick.

[bazineta]

Depends on the MRE. The Vomelet and Five Fingers of Death, immediately.

[CheapBloke]

What doesn't kill you, makes you....

guesstimator, opinionator, and commentator.

[GW]

If my dogs won't eat them, I won't eat them

[The War Wagon]

I have several cases of MREs up to 12 years old. when do you toss them? they have been stored in a cool environment, 74 - 76 degrees. Not sure how to inspect them.

Trade 'em to starving neighbors during the Boogaloo... for ammo!

[VictorFranko]

I tried a couple of the MRE meals I had squirreled away for Y2K in 2010, and while they may retain most of their nutritional value, after 10 years, they tasted so nasty that you wouldn't want to eat one. Had to toss cases of them, and which is why I went to dried and freeze dried alternatives.

Exception may be the very high salt meals like the corner beef hash, which will age better.

If you think a 10 year old MRE tastes nasty, what until you try and eat your freeze dried alternatives with no water to make them edible.
Same applies to rice and beans.

In a true SHTF scenario, potable water and electricity will be the first things to stop running. (unless of course you live in a region with a natural water resource i.e. well, river, spring etc.)

[the86d]

Great info. So, basically like canned foods.


This is for SHTF. We also store whole grain rice and dried oatmeal and about 50 gallons of purified water...

I thought that brown/whole grain goes bad w/in a year due to the oils in the bran...

No problems with brown rice after 20 years?