MREs or ready to eat meals are packaged foods that can be eaten straight out of the packet or cooked. They were first introduced as ration supplies for the military but recently have been made available to the public as Civilian MREs. There are various civilian brands of MREs available for the general populous like Eversafe MREs who sell their products as Eversafe Civilian MREs. They are good in taste and have high nutritional values too.
MREs are essential components in any of your journeys. They are a must have a food source during your adventures. Much like anything in the world they have their advantages and disadvantages. We will look into them in a minute, but first, we will compare military MREs and Civilian MREs.
How is a military MRE different from a civilian MRE? Generally speaking there is not much difference when the two are compared. Although the packaging differs, the contents are almost the same. But the military packets do come with a few extra ingredients. For instance, military MREs contain tobacco sauce, a piece of gum and toilet paper in addition to the contents of the civilian packets. Also, the military packets tend to have more nutritional values than their civilian counterparts.
Now let us look at some of the pros and cons of civilian MREs. So starting with the pros we have.
The Pros of MRE
- They are fresher. If the packaging is good, MREs stays fresh for a long period.
- Civilian MRE is packed in bigger containers, so when they are transferred to smaller packets the task becomes easier.
- When buying in bulk, you get a better variety and the menu that comes with the packets tells you the contents of the box.
- They are cheaper than the military MREs. So you get almost the same value but at a discounted price.
The Cons of MRE
- They may be missing some parts like the flameless heaters. You can heat the contents with water but that won’t give the same result as the heater.
- When buying online, there are issues in packing which can damage contents inside.
- You don’t often get good varieties and the contents are generally not specified.
These are some of the pros and cons of Civilian MREs. Having established these, let’s ponder over yet another question. Should you buy civilian MREs? Before buying something we should know about the contents and their benefits. When it comes to food, the first thing to consider is whether the food is healthy and safe for us.
Considering the matter of safety, MREs are as safe as you want them to be. They come in tightly packed sealed containers. So the chances of getting expired content are a minimum. When we consider the health aspect of MREs, we should acknowledge the fact that they are high in calorie content. Also, all MREs are packed to provide you a balanced diet. SO MREs are pretty healthy too. Next, we must consider the taste of the contents. When they were first introduced, the main purpose of MREs was to last for years and the taste of the contents was not put into consideration.
So back then you could get a packet that provided the nutrition you needed but was not that great at the taste. But since MREs have been released to the general populous, the quality of the taste improved drastically. Now you can get the same nutritional values but with contents that appeal to your taste buds. Since these come in tightly packed sealed containers, they are light and portable. You can carry them in your backpacks without worrying about any additional weights. So yes you should definitely buy MREs to cater to your needs when it is required.
These small packs of wonders are a must have in your camping arsenal or when you are going away for the weekend to some distant lands. They provide you a viable alternative to eating in some fancy restaurants. This will significantly cut your expenses as you get a decent meal with MREs at an affordable price. On your next camping trip grab a packet of MRE from a branded company like Eversafe Civilian MREs and secure your food supply during your journey.