Likewise, would be December 31, , while would be January 7, Since the average shelf life of an MRE is five years, you need to add five to the manufacturer year to get your approximate expiration date. One thing to be wary of is that manufacture dates only indicate the last digit of the year. In the above example, an MRE with may instead be from June 19, , or instead of Some MREs come with an indicator of freshness on the package.
The symbol changes based on the level of temperatures the MRE package has experienced to serve as an accurate readout.
So long as the center circle is a lighter color than the outer ring, everything inside the package should be fresh and ready to eat.
Often, projected expiration dates are earlier than actual food spoilage, and MREs can be no different. The standard of an MRE lasting for an average of five years comes from evaluations based on not only how long the food is still edible for, but also how it tastes over time. The nutritional value will drop, as well.
The older an MRE is, the fewer vitamins and other nutritional value you can expect, but an old MRE can still provide calories to survive on if straights are dire. Most entrees and desserts will hold up quite well over time, though some other portions may not do so well.
Some of the more notable foods that deteriorate in older MREs include:. In an emergency, you may not have much choice in the matter. Since colder temperatures extend shelf-life, you may feel tempted to keep your MREs in frozen storage.
In fact, the internal layers can rupture, taking away the preservation factor. Power outages can cause freezers to restart and temperatures to fluctuate. Be mindful of how seasonal temperatures may fluctuate in your storage space. Technically speaking, it is illegal to sell military MREs to civilians for several reasons.
The roads could be blocked, the supply lines shut down, and if the power's out, anything that requires refrigeration will expire in a matter of hours. For this reason, it's important to keep a stash of MREs on hand.
These meals are made to last up to five years and can withstand just about any emergency, from hurricanes to power outages to earthquakes. Originally developed by the military, MREs have become popular with consumers, who demanded a civilian version of the military food.
For those who want to keep a stash of emergency rations in their own homes, MREs are the answer. An MRE kit typically contains a main dish, a side dish, bread with jelly or peanut butter, a dessert, drink mixes, utensils, and creamer and seasonings. Many MREs also come with heaters that allow you to heat up your food.
These meal kits are an invaluable resource for survivalists and disaster preppers, as well as people who simply want to have a stash of edible food in case of an emergency. They're pre-made and ready to eat immediately, and don't require any refrigeration. All they need is to be stored in a safe, dry area that's not affected by extreme temperatures.
It's not unheard of for canned vegetables to be edible for months or even years, but MREs go way beyond that. They're fully prepared meals that come in varieties like spaghetti and meatballs, beef ravioli, and cheese tortellini. Meat and dairy products aren't exactly known for their long shelf-life, and yet MREs are still edible years after they've been purchased.
What exactly makes this emergency food safe to eat for so many years? One reason that MREs last so long is that their packaging. MRE kits are stored in airtight packaging, so bacteria can't creep in and contaminate the food before it's been opened.
It's similar to the principle between sticking food in the freezer to preserve it: when the food is frozen, the growth of bacteria is slowed, and food is therefore edible for longer periods of time. As long as the inner circle is still lighter than the outside circle, the MREs are supposed to be good.
Click here for the official info on the TTIs. Practically, the darn things last a long, long, time. Some people on usenet say that an MRE may lose its flavor or turn an unappetizing color but will still retain all the nutritional value. But other people will say the nutritional value decays over time. Take your pick of opinions.
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