T051 MRE 2024-2026 INSPECTION DATE - RANDOM PICK

The MRE (Meal, Ready to Eat) is a self-contained complete meal and the main operational food ration for the United States Armed Forces and the DoD. One MRE equals one meal. The packaging of an MRE is designed to withstand rough conditions and exposure to the elements. Each MRE bag contains an entree and a variety of other food and drink items. MREs are packaged in cases with 12 MREs per case. There are currently 24 different “menus” or varieties of MREs. Menus 1-12 are packaged in a case designated Case A and menus 13-24 are packaged in Case B.

A little history of the MRE:

The first American military ration was established by a Congressional Resolution, during the Revolutionary War. The ration consisted of enough food to feed a man for one day, mostly beef, peas, and rice. During the Civil War, the U.S. military moved toward canned goods. Later, self-contained kits were issued as a whole ration and contained canned meat, bread, coffee, sugar and salt.

During World War I, canned meats were replaced with lightweight preserved meats (salted or dried) to save weight and allow more rations to be carried by soldiers on foot. At the beginning of World War II, a number of new field rations were introduced, including the Mountain ration and the Jungle ration. Cost-cutting measures by Quartermaster Command officials during the latter part of World War II and the Korean War again saw the predominance of heavy canned C-rations issued to troops, regardless of operating environment or mission. During World War II, over 100 million cans of Spam were sent to the Pacific. The use of canned wet rations continued through the Vietnam War, with the improved MCI.

During the Vietnam War, problems with the canned MCI rations became apparent. MCI cans were heavy and bulky; they could not fit easily in a uniform pocket and could even cause injury. The cans could also corrode in the tropical environment and cause the food to spoil. After the food was consumed, the empty cans were difficult to dispose of; the littered cans were sometimes fashioned into booby traps by the enemy. Finally, the MCI rations had an estimated shelf life of 24 months at 70 °F (21 °C), which was found to be inadequate as supply was often interrupted by weather and enemy activity.

After repeated experiences with providing prepared rations to soldiers dating from before World War II, Pentagon officials ultimately realized that simply providing a nutritionally balanced meal in the field was not adequate. Service members in various geographic regions and combat situations often required different subsets of ingredients for food to be considered palatable over long periods. Catering to individual tastes and preferences would encourage service members to actually consume the whole ration and its nutrition. Most importantly, the use of specialized forces in extreme environments and the necessity of carrying increasingly heavy field loads while on foot during long missions required significantly lighter alternatives to standard canned wet rations.

In 1963, the DoD began developing the "Meal, Ready to Eat", a ration that would rely on modern food preparation and packaging technology to create a lighter replacement for the canned MCI. In 1966, this led to the Long Range Patrol, or LRP ration, a dehydrated meal stored in a waterproof canvas pouch. As with the Jungle ration, its expense compared to canned wet rations, as well as the costs of stocking and storing a specialized field ration, led to its limited usage and repeated attempts at discontinuance by Quartermaster Command officials.

Early MRE prototypes that involved freeze-dried and dehydrated foods were developed under Abdul Rahman, who later received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award for his work. Further work was needed to develop a ration that did not require re-hydration (thus not requiring additional preparation time and water). Further effort, led by Dr. Rauno A. Lampi, Chief of Food Systems Equipment Division at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, concentrated on the refinement of the retort pouch to contain a wet ration with a three-to-ten year shelf life that could be easily shipped, carried in the field, opened and consumed straight out of the package if necessary with no further heat or water. The resulting MRE went into special issue starting in 1981 and standard issue in 1986, using a limited menu of twelve entrées.

The MRE has been in continuous development since its introduction.

After the introduction of the MRE, service members often heated the food by boiling them in a canteen cup over a lit fuel source. This was slow, especially in cold weather. It also produced a visible flame that was undesirable at night. Service members strongly desired a more convenient way to heat the food. Between 1988-1989, development and testing was conducted for a new flameless ration heater. In 1990, the Flameless Ration Heater (FRH) was introduced. Service members activate a chemical reaction with a few ounces of water, which produces an exothermic reaction. An FRH was included with each meal beginning with the MRE XIII in 1993.

In an array of field tests and surveys, service members requested more entrée options and larger serving sizes. By 1994, commercial-like graphics were added to make the packets more user-friendly and appealing, while biodegradable materials were introduced for inedible components, such as spoons and napkins. The number of main dishes expanded to 16 by 1996 (including vegetarian options), 20 by 1997 and 24 by 1998. As of 2025, the system includes 24 entrées, and more than 150 additional items. The variety allowed service members to trade them in order to find something palatable for various cultures and geographical regions.

The ration originally came in a dark brown outer bag from 1981 to 1995 because it was designed for service in the temperate forests and plains of central Europe. It was replaced in 1996 with a tan outer bag that was better suited for service in the deserts of the Middle East. By 2000, a bean burrito main dish was introduced. In 2006, "Beverage Bags" were introduced to the MRE, as service members have begun to depend more on hydration packs than on canteens, thus denying them the use of the metal canteen cups (shaped to fit in a canteen pouch with the canteen) for mixing powdered beverages. In addition to having measuring marks to indicate levels of liquid for precise measurement, they can be sealed and placed inside the flameless heater.

Each MRE meal provides about 1,200 kilocalories (5,000 kJ). They are intended to be eaten for a maximum of 21 days (the assumption is that logistics units can provide fresh food rations by then), and have a minimum shelf life of three years (depending on storage conditions).

Packaging requirements are strict. MREs must be able to withstand parachute drops from 380 metres (1,250 ft), and non-parachute drops of 30 metres (98 ft). The packaging is required to maintain a minimum shelf life of three and a half years at 27 °C (81 °F), nine months at 38 °C (100 °F), and short durations from −51 °C (−60 °F) to 49 °C (120 °F) must be sustainable.

The military has experimented with new assault ration prototypes, such as the First Strike Ration and the HOOAH! Bar, designed with elite or specialized forces in mind. Lighter than the typical MRE, they require no preparation and allow service members to eat them while traveling.

The general contents of an MRE typically include:

• Main course (often referred to as "the main")
• Side dish
• Dessert or snack (often commercial candy, fortified pastry, First Strike Bar, or Soldier Fuel)
• Crackers or bread
• Spread of cheese, peanut butter, or jelly
• Powdered beverage mix (commonly a fruit-flavored drink, cocoa, instant coffee or tea, sport drink, or dairy shake)
• Utensils (commonly just a plastic spoon, though rarely a fork and knife may also be given)
• Flameless ration heater
• Beverage mixing bag
• Accessory pack:
  • Xylitol chewing gum
  • Water-resistant matchbook
  • Napkin / toilet paper
  • Moist towelette
  • Seasonings, including salt, pepper, sugar, creamer, and/or Tabasco sauce
  • Freeze-dried coffee powder