Just got 84 mres for 150$ how did I do

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overcookedfantasy@reddit

MREs have come down in price as suppliers are ramping up production.

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LargeMobOfMurderers@reddit

suppliers are ramping up production.

🤔

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Chance_Cheetah_7678@reddit

Yeah ... took that as a bad sign too. Feck.

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overcookedfantasy@reddit

It's not a secret. DoD's new mindset is war with China in 2030 so that is the direction industry is pivoting

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actually I think it's because they're switching to a newer production (so called MRE46) and they want to get rid of all the old stuff... there's a lot of inspected in 2025 stuff out there that's already a couple of years old.

New ones are supposed to be more ethnic, flavorful, and instead of coffee going to caffeinated candy and gels. Also seems like they're incorporating some stuff straight from the manufacturer without repackaging it like Starkist Tuna creations. Not sure how that'll affect shelf life but it also shows people could put together an MRE a bit cheaper and better themselves.

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

There is some of the Starkist tuna packets in some of the 27 inspection date ones. More than a few marked "Tuna" that do not have them in there though.

Nothing special, a standard Starkist pouch like you would buy in the grocery store, only camo..

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Chance_Cheetah_7678@reddit

Camo makes it special ma friend. You set it down and can't find it tho. :)

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EmployerOwn5551@reddit

I have a dehydrator and Mylar bags and have been making my own MREs for a while now. Feeling pretty proud of myself.

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overcookedfantasy@reddit

Interesting this is good to know! The info I got was different 😊

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ishootthedead@reddit

I've now gathered enough information to say you got shafted. Again, I'm no expert at mre, but I'm pretty good at copy and paste. See below

AI Overview

To read an MRE fresh check indicator, look for the inner circle on the Time and Temperature Indicator (TTI) sticker. The MRE is still considered fresh as long as the inner circle is lighter in color than the outer circle. If the inner circle is the same color as or darker than the outer circle, the MRE has likely been exposed to temperatures that have degraded its quality.

This video explains how to read the Fresh Check label on MREs:

How to interpret the indicator

Good condition:

The inner circle is light (e.g., orange) and the outer circle is dark (e.g., black or dark gray). This indicates the MRE has been stored under proper conditions.

Past prime:

The inner and outer circles are the same color, suggesting the MRE has spent a significant amount of time at higher temperatures.

Improper storage:

The inner circle is noticeably darker than the outer circle, indicating improper storage that has negatively impacted the MRE's quality and shelf life.

AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

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Educational_Clue2001@reddit (OP)

Shafted is relative 2.50 a piece for edible food is hardly getting fucked

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ishootthedead@reddit

True. So long as it's all edible at the point when you want to eat it.

I'd try that food today and it's probably fine. I wouldn't stick it in storage and expect it to be fine for the eventual next disaster. But as I said, I'm no expert.

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No_Pie2137@reddit

Basicly MRE expiration date is the moment they to unreliable to hold the seal while in transport in the army

As long as they are sitting still there is near-0 chance of breaking the seal

I have eaten an shitton of old expired PRL (soviet occupied Poland) rations from 60s in 2000s

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Maleficent_Mix_8739@reddit

I really don’t understand the mentality of buying nasty ass expired MRE’s from questionable sources in a time when you can just get your own freeze drier and make your own shelf stable meals, preserve numerous items, make your own pet food for long term needs and save butt tons on your grocery bills. For Pete’s sake harvest right even offers layaway and financing options….stop the madness already.

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No_Pie2137@reddit

MRE expiration date is the time they start breaking seal so frequently that the army cannot relay on them But as long as seal holds its safe to eat

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Secret-Bobcat-4909@reddit

It’s a pretty hefty startup cost to purchase unfortunately. And the cost of electricity where I am is also really high and even more exhorbitany if you go above the miserly baseline.

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

Indicator sticker isn't the sole thing to go off of, hate to burst bubbles but this is reality.

Have a bunch that sat on the porch all summer (100+ degrees for 3 months) after sitting in a metal building non climate controlled in the SE since the hurricane- the little "indicator" that everyone geeks out about all look fine on them...

And in reality they are fine, but people pay too much attention to the indicator just like the ones that never stored food like this long term used to geek out about the Nattick charts.

Rotating some MRE cocoa powder purchased in 300 packet cases back in the later 90's-

Can't put two pics in one post evidently....

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

1990's MRE cocoa powder being rotated at home. Haven't found a bad one yet out of several hundred over that time period.

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Granadafan@reddit

You need to get those out onto a tray…

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

LOL. They are at the link I posted in the other comment.

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Azzarc@reddit

Militaries own MRE temperature chart shows at 100 degrees the shelf life to be 6 months.

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

That's the Nattick charts I was referring to...

Meanwhile, we are rotating MREs that have been stored in a non climate controlled metal Sealand container in S. GA where it averages well over 100 degree in them almost half the year. The MRE cocoa I posted above- around 28 years old. The MRE Brownies with chocolate chips I've posted numerous times before- 2003-2005 manufacture.

Educational_Clue2001@reddit (OP)

I'm not too worried either way if I'm reduced to eating them solely I have way bigger problems then my food being sub optimal its hyper processed government food

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JRHLowdown3@reddit

The only truly crappy ones are the "humanitarian" type ones. Although I hear they have gotten slightly better over the years. Back in the late 90's they were giving them away- cases of 72 for $10. Some super smart gubmint official ordered all these pork entrees- a good portion of the world doesn't eat pork... They ended up selling them cheap so they were popular with survivalists looking to put up food cheaply. However they totally sucked. MRE Dog food would have been a better name for them.

Matter of fact, our dogs rotated 99% of ours...

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Brilliant-Fruit7687@reddit

Do you know where I can get something similar in Europe?

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mediocre_remnants@reddit

I have 8 cases (96 MREs) that I got for free. All I had to do was live in the middle of a major disaster area. The MREs were the first thing to show up, but once other aid organizations started bringing in actual food, nobody wanted the MREs anymore. There were parking lots with pallets of them just sitting there, along with 10-year shelf-life boxed water. I spent a bunch of time volunteering at an aid distribution site and they were begging us to take the cases of MREs because nobody wanted them and they needed the space for other stuff people did want/need. The only reason I only have 8 cases is because that's all I have room for.

This was in the aftermath of Helene in WNC.

I'll eat one of the MREs once every few weeks just to remind myself how much I hate them. I'll take one on a day hike sometimes, but they're so annoying to eat. So much plastic waste. Everything is individually wrapped in plastic and it's just so annoying to deal with. Eating a full meal leaves you with like 20 plastic wrappers. Plus the plastic utensils. And the water heater stays hot for quite a while.

At this point in my life I'd happily pay $12 for a Mountain House meal vs. getting an MRE for free. But I'll keep them and continue eating them because I have them.

The boxed water, on the other hand, is great. I don't even know how many cases of that I have.

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Capt_Gremerica@reddit

Do they taste bad too?

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Educational_Clue2001@reddit (OP)

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Spirited_Homework568@reddit

How?

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Educational_Clue2001@reddit (OP)

If you're from the north east u.s they are currently at ocean state

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WSB_Austist@reddit

Ocean State Job Lot has MREs? I love their random items lol.

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Spirited_Homework568@reddit

Ah okay. Sorry next question - what’s ocean state? lol. I’m just a dirty Californian!!

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Poptorts@reddit

I got two cases from Kings surplus. They were about $3 each

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Educational_Clue2001@reddit (OP)

It's a discount warehouse store in New England it's kinda weird they buy pallets of things directly from manufacturers and then sell them for a slight markup they sell everything from clothes to food and rugs and Snow shoes

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