Homemade MREs, no really....

Yes. Simply for the ability to reproduce results.

 

oh good an excuse to go shopping

 

LOL

I hate to shop, ask my DW. I'll sit in the car rather than (IMO) wander aimlessly thru a store looking at the display items. If forced to 'shop' I have a list and stick with it....

But, for this, I do need to wander, not aimlessly, thru a few grocery stores to just what is on the shelf these days.

Keep in mind that for years I was happy with PB&J on toast or dry cereal and a meat/potatoes supper. Mid-day was classic bread and cheese. None of that will really work for a homemade MRE.

I can't eat like that these days, so now it has become time to explore the vast reaches of American commercial shopping to see what is offered n cans, boxes and as dry kibble..

Yes, I had gone shopping in the old Soviet while working there, just to see what they didn't have - turns out, nearly everything, including food....

 

Well, 2 hours and $60 later, I have a start.

Good news, Keebler still have PB&J on crackers in a snak pack. I was able to find a tin of US packed Mackerel in tomato sauce. They also had olive oil, but I thought the tomatoes might give it a bit of a kick. Also got a US pack tin of sardines, this in olive oil - why tempt fate?



Finding small or single serve cans of anything proved to be all but impossible - most stuff is packed in those peel open plastic 'cups.

Beanie Weenies are still sold (blast from my past) - I skipped those due to the massive sodium content) as are small cans of Pork & Beans. The beans will be part of a Dinner choice.

Going to have to modify my original 'rule' set just a bit. Esbit stoves for making tea/coffee is now a must have. I have some MIO 'coffee flavor' drink mix with caffeine - I'll do a taste test against the MRE gold standard "Taster's Choice" freeze dry coffee.


A utensil set will be provided, but a canteen cup (or equal) will be considered part of the Basic Load.

Pick up several kinds of 'protein bar' Chow to see if these will fill the Breakfast.slot.

Also, ran across these -

Just damn - where have these been hiding?
I got a bucket of the individually wrapped ones. Couple of these bad boys and a hot cup of Joe be a good start for the day - eh?

I judge much of the chow to be "cold friendly" - tho a lot of chocolate doesn't do well when frozen.

Putting together a 2.5 to 3 K calorie meal set will be a challenge as I eschewed certain fats, added suger and so on. Oh, and sodium, big one for the disqualify - but I did get a small can of SPAM Spread just because it called out to me....

I'll post up pics and some nutrition data before the mix and match and the finished '24 hour' pack.

Still have some shopping to over at the local Asia themed market. Squid in olive isn't a big seller here in AK..... might get lucky.

 

I had an earlier try at this before Sodium was the big deal...


Chow in bag - I won't be quite as hungry now...

SPAM single slice in pouch x4 w soy sauce packets (salt on top of salt, a heart attack in a bag)
Oatmeal, instant x 8 with sugar and dry 'creamer' (full of sugar)
Soup, dry, chicken noodle x8
Jif to Go, peanut butter x 2
Breakfast bars, 4 bars to package x 4 package
Clif bars x 9 (oddly these seem to me (now) to be high in sodium))
MRE meal – meatballs & tortillas, peanut butter pouch, mixed nuts – x1
Energy bars – x2
MRE beverage bags with 3 cups Minute Rice (total) (usually one bag of rice and one of Quick oatmeal, just add boiling water to either for cook-in-pouch)
Coffee dry x 4
Tea bags x 8
Roll of Livers hard candy x 1

Possible menu – Day 1
Breakfast **Oatmeal (1 cup) + coffee or tea
Lunch **Clif bar x 2, Drink mix
Dinner **SPAM, diced, boiled in chicken soup to heat with ¾ cup rice, green tea
--
Day 2
Breakfast **Oatmeal (1 cup) and coffee or tea
Lunch **Clif bar x 2, drink mix
Dinner **SPAM, diced, boiled in chicken soup, w/ ¾ cup rice, with peanut butter mixed for more calories & fat, tea. While may sound nasty, I find it tasty. As the advert used to say - Try it, you may like it.
__
Day 3
Breakfast **Breakfast bars, 1 pkg, coffee or tea
Lunch **Clif bar, Breakfast bars, 1 pkg, tea
Dinner **Meatballs in sauce, tortillas with peanut butter, drink mix
--
Day 4
Breakfast **Oatmeal (1 cup), coffee or tea
Lunch **Clif bar, peanut butter pouch, drink mix
Dinner **SPAM with 1.5 cups rice, soy sauce,

"extra food"
Clif bars x 5
Oatmeal, ½ cup packets x 2
Breakfast bars x 2 pkg
Energy bars x 2

Before anyone chines in....
Yes, this isn't 2500 Cal /day
Yes, this isn't balanced for correct nutrition
Yes, you can do better/organic/whatever

And - Yes, it is cheap, takes up minimal space, requires little if any fuel to prepare and minimal cleanup. I'm trying to offer an alternative to what many choose - lifeboat rations and water....
Everybody gets to make their own choices, YMMV.

Esbit stove, canteen cup and water not shown.

Dinner is served!


and all stacked up...





Also, in the past I have noted using Ziploc bags for heating and eating. I need to advise that SC Johnson has (now) stated on their website that ONLY Ziploc® brand Freezer and Storage Bags should be used for cooking (boil in bag). Using the regular bags as a bowl liner should pose no issues.
I hope to do better this time around..

 

as always @DKR you have come up with a new and creative way to view prepping.

I'm gonna pass on the mackrel in tomato sauce... I would have to be very hungry for that one

 

Lol
Never traveled in rural parts of the old Soviet eh?

It is OK in just olive oil, thought the tomato would be just the thing.
I can post pics and a sorta review. I’ll def want to warm up the fish....


Hopefully these will generate more hits for the site...content is King after all.

 

Another store hit by Hurricane DKR...

This one caters to the large immigrant population part of town. Found squid in ink/oil sauce.
Nescafe Blend and Brew (SCOOooooooore)
Some nice sesame seed crackers and cereal bars from Thailand.
Some nice Weetabix from Oz. Kinda like shredded wheat but as a biscuit. So 1/2 cup Greek yougurt and a pair of biscuits = super breakfast.

I was able talk with the buyer - I was looking for Bega canned cheese - and he indicated exports from OZ have all but dried up. No more corned beef (no loss for me) and no Vegemite - that could cause withdrawal symptoms for some.....

Even found some Kona dark roast for a buddy....

 

DKR could you name the brand of the packaged tortillas please? as a Texan tortillas would be welcome addition to hardtack in my kit.

 

The Tortillas are MRE issue. This was in an older, documented, Chow bag. These can still be had as a seperate side from
MRE Tortillas - 12 count | MREs Ready to Eat stock on hand varies, kerp checking

MRE TORTILLAS ditto

Buy MRE Star Tortillas – The Best MRE Meals ditto

Mt House has 'wraps' - but only as part of an entree

 

Now, about those Esbit stoves... As originally issued - they have some pretty obvious shortcomings. For an UL brew kit they can be better than rocks, esp in the snow. Yes, I have a 'tin cup' that fits this exactly.


Made for a C-rat can, they offered no protection from even the slightest breeze. I still have one to remind me of all the 'fun' I had working with the US Army.

The commercial (folding) type have a lot of problems as well. As this photos shows, most 'camping cups' will only work if the stove is partially folded - and thus very unstable. It only took losing one cup of irreplaceable coffee (in the field) to decide changes were in order.

Please note the 'extra' items below the stove - this is the mod kit. The blue bag in the background is a folding wind screen for those times I am out on the hillside.



A set of common bicycle spokes - cut and bent to shape will fit nicely in the little grooves found in the stove.


A small "roofing repair square' from the local Home Depot was cut to fit as shown - additional support and also (Ta-Da) a rudimentary wind screen


A canteen cup and a GSI 18 oz cup now sit in a very stable position - no more lost coffee.


These modifications also help 'focus' the heat into the pot - here you can see the spokes glowing red-hot.



Here is one of the rigs I use - a GSI Soloist pot 1.1 liter. It comes with a 'cup' that works well for oatmeal. More on this in a bit
Please note the Esbit (14gr) tab in the stove. There are several (gross) ways to control the heat generated by the Esbit stove.
1) Burn the tab standing on one 'end' This allows max air exposure and produces the highest heat output. Down side, the tab burns out in under 8 mins, but will bring 2 cups of even fairly cold water to a roiling boil.

2) Burn the tab standing on one 'side' Almost as hot, tab burns out in about 10 to 11 min.

3) Burn the tab laying on one 'side' - this is how most folks use these and your burn time should be about 12 min.

4) As shown in the photo, I made a 'stretcher'. I got the initial idea from a fellow's 'Gram Cracker' stove on a UL hiking site.
Now the tab is limited as to burn area and I have gotten 15 min or more from a single tab. Use one tab to boil your water/spaghetti - and a second tab for simmer and adding the sauce for example.
.
This version shown works because the windscreens keep the heat focused on the pot. A GSI 1 liter pot will boil most of a qt of water with one tab using this setup. Mt House Entree and big cup of hot tea for the win.



I now carry a simple insulated SS cup similar to this. For hot soup, coffee or tea, it is - to me - worth the bit of extra weight to have a cup like this to enjoy my brew and not have it turn cold in a few mins. If you live in AZ, this may not be much of an issue.

So, a modified Esbit and my coffee cup are must have and to me, sensible, items to have in hand on walkabout

 

Anyone ever try to duplicate C rat's? It was just food in small green cans packed in a box.

 

New Reproduction C-Rations Available - Soldier Systems Daily

WWII Supply Room

Reproduction WW2 C Type Field Ration Cans (Full Day Ration Set) Type 1

Seems there is something of a market for movies and the crowd that does re enacting...

 

Why the h........., sorry, too many better options out there. I don't think I could force cold beef and axle grease down my gullet short of absolute starvation. Of course I knew other hands who relished the stuff. If I could guarantee to be able to heat c-rats then maybe.............

 

I would think something like melba toast or these crackers- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003KLT05C/?tag=survivalmonke-20 these are pretty solid crackers. Doctor Kracker has a few different flavors. They can be bought at Walmart. I eat them quiet often and can carry them in my purse and most of the time they are still solid

 

I did see the Dr Kracker product. Haven't made to the Wally World. They are on my list...

 

If you like biscotti then try Thin Additives. They come two in a pack and are a great crunchy snack. THINaddictives| Lightly Sweet & Crunchy | Nonnis - Nonnis The cranberry flavor is great and could be eaten for breakfast or as a dessert.

I am really enjoying this thread because you are quite creative in meal planning. I need to pick up some of the Litpon cup of soup packets. We went low sodium so we have not had those in a while. But these would be good for camping and hiking.

 

Lipton Soup Secret packet - chicken noodle

650 mg of sodium per serving (1 cup liquid soup)

1 bullion cube for 1 cup of 'stock -- 1160 mg of sodium.

Soup packets - a lot less sodium and noodles to boot! Add a half handful of Minute Rice and have a kinda meal...sorta.

after eating .mil Chow in the field for many years, I discovered a desire to have at least a choice of what I eat.

My happiest find? Weetabix (kind of a Brit Shredded Wheat (large) - but as a compressed biscuit.

eat them dry, with milk, with yogurt, with your Nescafe Blend and Brew and of course,. with any wild berries found while walking along that odd trail in the summer here in AK.

Eidt to add:
It is possible to cut these bad boys in half and add
"Peanut Butter and Jelly" for the win.....

 

After a 2 hour walk thru every food isle in the largest Walmart in Anchorage, the largest city in the State:

No Mr Krackers.

I did find
Tuna in tomato sauce with vegies
Kippered herring in a tin
Small cans of green beans etc

I also found 3.5 oz/100 gr cans of low fat, sweetened condensed milk from Chili. I guess Mr Kracker isn't willing to drop their wholesale price to Wally to offset shipping to AK.

I found a better selection and comparable prices at a local grocery - at least the Walmart is new enough that the filth on the floors hasn't ground itself into the floor cover past redemption. I refuse to go to any Walmart in Tucson - they are worse (filthy) than stores I've found & shopped at in Mexico.

So, this marks the end of my shopping expeditions. The next step is to divvy up everything into meals

 

First food test

I picked up some shelf stable yogurt (in a squeeze pouch) - the brand was GoGosqueeZ (no, that is really the company brand name) 1 pouch = 90 calories (85 grams) this is made with low fat milk.


This, I had posited, would be pretty good with a couple of WEETABIX biscuits. (130 calories) (37.5 grams)

As a test run, I mixed a pair of the biscuits and a 1/2 cup (64 grams) of Greek yogurt. So you can see the pouch has more product than this...

I put the yougurt on top of the biscuit - like you might do with cream cheese. (Another god choice BTW)

I'll be honest, the biscuit is just too dry to get away with this method.
I'll try the biscuit mashed into the yogurt - the WEETABIX flavor came thru nicely, despite using Greek yogurt.

If this was a part of a breakfast, it would also have a pair of biscotti biscuits with either Blend & Brew coffee packet or a Earl Gray tea bag with creamer and sweetener. 170 calories per biscuit (240 together)


Add a tub of Jiff to GFo peanut butter (for one of the biscotti slices - 250 calories and also protein and 'good' fat.

710 calories with a good shot of 'good' from the dark fat chocolate and almonds in/on the biscuits.

Everything can be eaten cold and 'on the run' (other than the drinks) if needed.

Thoughts?