Originally created as military field rations, MREs are delicious, filling, and don’t require any special cooking devices. Technically, as they’re pre-cooked, you can eat them cold, though we ‘d recommend warming them if you have the alternative.
Military MREs included a flameless heating system for warming your meal. If you’re buying civilian MREs, it’s worth inspecting the product description as heaters aren’t constantly included.
In this post, we’ll inform you how to prepare your MRE with or without an MRE heating system.
Preparing Your MRE using a Flameless Heater
The heating units consisted of in MRE packs are extremely easy to use. All you need is the heater bag, your MRE, and an ounce or two of water.
Some provision packs included a sachet of water specifically for this purpose. Because the water you use to warm the MRE doesn’t enter into contact with the food, it doesn’t require to be potable.
Here’s how to utilize your flameless heating unit:
- Tear open the heating unit bag and location your food pouch inside.
- Pour water into the bag approximately the fill line.
- Roll down the top of the heater bag and tilt it to ensure the water totally activates the heat pack.
- Location the heating unit bag into the cardboard container your MRE came in and prop it up at a small angle, so the water doesn’t run out, and heat can increase through the pouch. The cardboard serves as an insulator to stop heat from escaping.
- Leave it for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the meal pouch from the heating unit bag and open it up. Provide the food a great stir to make sure the heat is dispersed equally. Your meal is ready to eat!
6 Ways to Heat MREs Without a Heating unit
If you do not have a flameless heater, you don’t require to resign yourself to consuming cold beans. There are plenty of other methods to cook your meal, depending upon what resources you have to hand.
Alternative 1: Boil the Pouch in Water
You can boil the pouch on your cooker in the house, on a camping stove, hobo range, or over a fire. Just add some water to a pot and once it’s boiling, remove the MRE pouch from its cardboard container and place it in the water. Your meal should be hot in a couple of minutes.
Option 2: Empty the Pouch and Heat the Meal Directly
As the meals just need heating through, you can merely empty one into a pan to heat on a range or empty into a microwaveable dish to prepare in the microwave. You might even heat it in the oven, though you might wish to add a little bit of extra water, so it does not dry out.
Choice 3: On Hot Rocks or Coals
If you have a fire but no pot or water, it will not take long to warm your meal. Eliminate the MRE pouch from its carton and place it on the lip of a fire pit, on hot rocks, or in the coal of a fire. Do not put the pouch directly in the flames or on white-hot coals as you might burn through the bag.
Choice 4: On Your Automobile Engine
Eliminate your MRE from the cardboard packet and location it on top of a warm car engine. The heat from your car will warm your supper, and the robust packaging will keep oil, dirt, and fumes from impacting the food inside. You could likewise try stabilizing it on top of the tailpipe to heat.
Alternative 5: Utilize the Sun’s Heat
It may not be the quickest method to cook your supper, however if you’re out in the heat of the day in the desert or are unable to light a fire, then utilizing the sun’s energy might be your only option. Positioning your MRE on a dark rock or a metal surface area will speed things up.
Choice 6: Warm it Next to Your Body
By this point, you might be getting desperate. But if it’s winter season and all else fails, try putting your MRE down your coat, beside your skin or base layer. Your meal will be lukewarm rather than scalding hot, however that’s better than freezing cold!
Check the Date on Your MRE
Contrary to what many individuals think, MREs have a fairly brief service life compared to other kinds of emergency food. If you buy military surplus rations, then this shelf-life could be even much shorter.
Prior to cooking your MRE, read our guide to MRE expiry dates and how to inspect your meals are still fresh.
Here’s where you can purchase inexpensive MREs online.