Apr 27, 2017
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Why are MREs best ready to eat food? Check us out https://www.xmremeals.com
Ready to eat meals are something that the military has been using for a long time. They are a popular option for people who are looking to find high calorie, nutritionally balanced meals that are shelf-stable and that can be eaten out of a packet.
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An Overview Of The History Of MREs
Meals Ready to Eat, or MREs, are individually packed, self-contained field rations that are packed in lightweight materials. First developed by the military for service members who were in combat or other types of field operations, MREs became vital food sources when food facilities were not readily available.
It is generally recommended that MREs remain in cool storage, and they do not require any type of refrigeration. These meals replaced that Meal, Combat, Individual ration meals, also known as canned MCI. Canned MCIs were used in the Military until 1981.
Canned MCIs were also considered to be the successor to the LRP rations that were developed by the United States Military for use by service members in Vietnam, Special Forces, and Ranger Patrols. However, MREs are the first Military derived meals that have crossed over into the civilian landscape. These meals are frequently distributed to civilians to eat during times of natural disasters and other large-scale emergencies.
The History Of MREs An Introduction
The first known soldiers that were given ration meals to eat have occurred very early in America's history. These colonial soldiers fought during the Revolutionary War, and the meals became available as a result of a Congressional Resolution. These rations consisted of food to feed the soldiers for just one day, and the most common foods in the meals were:
Peas
Rice
Beef
It was later during the Civil War that the Military decided to distribute soldier's rations in canned goods, and it would be even later before the Military decided to switch to individual kits for each soldier.
The kits were distributed as an entire ration, and contained:
Coffee
Salt
Sugar
Meat
Bread
Canned meat
During the First World War, the Military switched out canned rations for soldiers and replaced them with the lighter meal kits. They were easier to pack, contained preserved meat, and could be easily transported by soldiers who were carrying all of their supplies with them by foot.
World War II introduced several new field rations. These field rations included the Jungle ration and the Mountain ration. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, canned rations were introduced once again towards the end of World War II and during the Korean War. These C rations were distributed to every troop regardless of their mission or environment.
In fact, during World War II, the Military shipped out over 50 million cans of SPAM out to the Pacific region. Canned, wet rations continued to be the norm during the Vietnam War as well, as a result of improvement that were made to the MCI ration.
The Introduction Of The MRE
After several experiences with sending prepared rations to soldiers around the world, the Pentagon made a decision to that it was not enough to simply give troops balanced and nutritious meals while they were in the field. The Pentagon realized that depending on a soldier's combat situations and their geographic locations, they may require a different set of food ingredients that would not only be tasty but also would not go stale over a period of time.
By crafting meals based on personal tastes, service members would be more inclined to eat their entire ration and get all of the nutrition they need. Even more important, troops who were on Special Forces teams in extreme and dangerous environments would not have to transport bulky canned meals on foot while they were on extended missions.
During the early 1960s, the Department of Defense began a mission of its own by developing Meal, Ready to Eat. The agency decided that these rations would utilize the latest in food packaging and the latest in meal preparation.
The first attempt at this led to LRP rations or Long Range Patrol. These were dehydrated meals that were stored in a pouch. The pouch was waterproof and made from canvas. However, it was quickly realized that this type of ration was just as expensive as the Jungle rations from decades earlier. The LRP rations had limited usage, and it was not long before they were discontinued by the Quartermaster Command Officials.
During 1975, a new plan was put into place to create dehydrated meals that could be stored in a pouch made of plastic. This work was led by Dr. Abdul Rahman, and the meals went into a special issue in early 1981. By 1986, they became standard issue, and the menu was limited to only twelve different entrees.
Continuous Development
Since its introduction, the MRE has been in continuous development. In the early 1990s, the Flameless Ration Heater (FRH) was added to the meal. This heater is water activated, and it allows soldiers the opportunity to enjoy a hot meal even while they are in extreme field locations.
During feedback, it was suggested that the portions of the meals were larger, and the options for entrees should be increased. By the mid-1990s, MREs became more user-friendly, and the packets were made from biodegradable materials. By 1996, the entree options had expanded to 16, and currently, there are 24 entree options. The meals also offer over 100 additional food choices so that service members from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions can find menu options that appeal to them.
The rations were originally packaged in bags that were dark and brown, but in 1996, the color of the bag was changed to tan.
Beverage bags were included to provide service members with more beverage container options besides canteens. The bags allow them to include powdered drinks and they can even use the measurement markers on the side for precise hydration and measuring needs.
It has not been that long since MRE converted over to the Dietary Reference Intake. This is a classification, designed by the Institute of Medicine, for service members and other extremely active men who are between 18 and 30 years old.
Active men in this age range can easily burn over 4000 calories a day. However, previous meal rations only contained around 2400 calories. This could create a negative deficit by not providing the number of calories service members need during combat.
As researchers continue to study these nutrient needs, food preferences and other factors, MREs will continue to be tweaked and modified to meet the needs of service members while ensuring they get their full nutritional value.
History of MREs
Today, meals ready to eat or MREs are popular for outdoor use, camping trips, hikes and for emergency situations. These are fully prepared meals that are self-contained in pouches that only need to be opened to heat and be eaten. These convenient meals remain fresh for years making them an excellent item to have for disaster preparedness.
The history of these meals begins with the US Military. Originally, they were made at the end of the Vietnam war. The MRE was a combat ration for soldiers in 1975. It was not until 1978 that the military began making them in bulk as a means of testing their usefulness and convenience.
The very first MRE was called an MRE I and it was issued in 1981. The meals were not tested officially until the year 1983 when the MREs were given to the infantry as the sole means of food. The test resulted in only about half of the meals being eaten. The military went back to the drawing board and came up with better tasting foods.
A test was again administered to troops. This time, the meals were met with more acceptance. It became a successful test so much so that the five-ounce pouches were replaced with eight-ounce entrée meals. Besides having a choice of 12 different meals, soldiers could choose cold beverages and candies to some of the MREs that they enjoyed.
These meals took off during Desert Storm when items like free-dried coffee were introduced along with wet-pack fruits and hot sauces. These meals were only meant for soldiers to eat for under 10 days. However, most soldiers quickly adapted to these convenient and delicious meals, so they started eating them all the time.
Developments to the meals included the packaging which was designed to beat the desert heat so the foods would still stay fresh. Today, similar meals are available to civilians know as the civilian MREs.
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XMRE June issue covers lots of great ideas on few different topics. How to prepare for a tornado - many lives have been saved by being forewarned and prepared for the eventuality of being hit by a tornado. Surviving a massive earthquake and its aftermath: preparedness now, survival then - what the military calls a "Sand table exercise." What do you know about XMRE Lite?
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