MRE info

http://www.mreinfo.com/

This site is all about U.S. military operational rations - both current and from the recent past. You'll also find information on some foreign rations (Canadian and British).

MRE stands for Meal, Ready-to-Eat and is currently the main individual operational ration for the U.S. military. MREs are meant to be completely self-contained meals that provide all the nutrition a solider-on-the-go needs to sustain him/herself. Typical contents include entree, side dish, crackers, peanut butter/cheese spread, desert, instant coffee/tea, matches, toilet paper, spoon, and a heater to heat the main entree. While everything in an MRE can be eaten cold, it usually tastes better warm.

2008 Menus

How Old?

Longevity

Why store food for survival?

I consider Emergency Essentials one of my go-to sources for storage food. They are located here in Salt Lake City, but can mail order anywhere. I'm on their email contact list, so I get regular emails from them. Their latest email contains this article, which has a lot of helpful info. -- Scott

The Wisdom of Food Storage -- America is the land of plenty; a place of security and shelter for its citizens. Would we ever really need to use food storage here? This is a thought-provoking question. Research has shown that the average American household has less than a week's supply of food on hand. This is also the case with the average American supermarket. Without being paranoid or panicked, there are many valid reasons to put extra food away. We are all somewhat vulnerable to events beyond our control. But most situations are probably closer to home: loss of power, unexpected or unplanned interruptions of life such as unemployment, loss of income due to illness or injury, or high medical bills due to an accident. Food storage is a form of insurance protecting your family from the unexpected.

A Wise Investment

Food storage becomes a wise investment in future stability and an even wiser investment if you practice storing what you use and using what you store. Making food storage a life-style rather than a make-do will help you maintain your investment. Food storage that matches your family's lifestyle is food that more likely will be used. Using and rotating your Freeze Dried Foods and Dehydrated & Dry Foods on a regular basis maintains the original investment and prevents it from being wasted.

The Basics

It is recommended to always start your food storage program by storing the basics. Grains, legumes, dehydrated milk, sugar, salt, oil, and garden seeds have come to be known as the "basics." Do not underestimate the power these foods have, as they have been shown throughout history to sustain life. It is important to know how to prepare and use the basics, especially ways that your family will enjoy. If you are familiar with the food you have stored, you will be better prepared to use it during times of emergency.

Beside the Year Supply of Basics, we offer various year supply units. These year supply units vary from just over 1100 calories per day to 1800 calories per day. If a person has a year supply of wheat on hand it would be an additional 1374 calories per day. If a person had a complete year supply of basics it would add 2000 calories a day more. It is easy to see the value of storing basics and the variety of fruits, vegetables, and mixes as found in our prepackaged year supply units

Provident Living - Self Reliance and Welfare Resources

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (known as the LDS Church -- members sometimes referred to as Mormons) is very big on self reliance, emergency preparedness, and welfare principles that lift people up rather than making them slaves of the dole.

Their website called providentliving.org has a wealth of information on topics such as: food storage, family finances, humanitarian services, employment, education and literacy, physical health, family and marriage counseling, adoption assistance, rehabilitation services, and more. To participate in some of these services, membership is required, but much of these resources are available to all.

With their pioneer heritage of self reliance and frontier spirit, building towns, settlements and families throughout the mountain west, members of the LDS Church have always been taught to provide for themselves and to serve their fellow men. Christian charity means not only helping the worthy poor with food and monetary aid, but with training, counseling, and education helps so that all are taken care of, and all can take care of themselves. So none are left behind if they truly desire to better themselves.

The section on food storage provides information on why one should store food, what to store, how to store, using food storage, home flour mills, emergency preparation, and home gardening. There are also suggestions on how to build one month food storage kits, how to dry-pack food, how to inventory your present storage, and locations where members of the church can do their own dry packing. (If you're not a member, find someone who is, and tag along with them.)