MOguy
Explorer
If you get two spare tires you could get to trasharoos.
building the kitchen -vs- forgo that and use MRE's???
- Thread starter Coachgeo
- Start date
If you get two spare tires you could get to trasharoos.
Anak
Stranger
I love the discussion.
I have toyed with the idea of taking MREs along as camp food and have rejected the idea out of hand because I don't want to turn camping into punishment for The Varmints. With that, I am talking about true MREs. While those things do technically count as food, if I were a foreign enemy and those things fell into my hands and I concluded that such "food" was typical of what the other side ate on a regular basis, well, let's just say they would go down several notches in my estimation of their value as human beings and thereby more thoroughly justify my reasons for wanting to kill them.
So, what are these other quasi-MREs that are supposedly fit to eat? Can someone share a list of specific entrees by specific manufacturers? I am sincerely curious as to the alternatives.
I don't see ever giving up my "kitchen" (often just a single burner Coleman stove and a relatively small plastic tote with a minimal mess kit in it), but I certainly could appreciate some easier meals for those long days when just getting a tent up is a challenge.
I have toyed with the idea of taking MREs along as camp food and have rejected the idea out of hand because I don't want to turn camping into punishment for The Varmints. With that, I am talking about true MREs. While those things do technically count as food, if I were a foreign enemy and those things fell into my hands and I concluded that such "food" was typical of what the other side ate on a regular basis, well, let's just say they would go down several notches in my estimation of their value as human beings and thereby more thoroughly justify my reasons for wanting to kill them.
So, what are these other quasi-MREs that are supposedly fit to eat? Can someone share a list of specific entrees by specific manufacturers? I am sincerely curious as to the alternatives.
I don't see ever giving up my "kitchen" (often just a single burner Coleman stove and a relatively small plastic tote with a minimal mess kit in it), but I certainly could appreciate some easier meals for those long days when just getting a tent up is a challenge.
rayra
Expedition Leader
anak you'll probably want to just try some of the Mountain House brand pouched dehydrated meals. You can buy them singly at places like walmart, good enough for a test run anyway to see which ones you find palatable. There's a pretty good variety. All you have to do is set some water to heating while you make camp, pour it in the pouch and a few minutes later you are ready to go.
But their cost per calorie is 2-3x that of canned goods. If you are going to heat water for freeze-dried food, you can just as easily heat a can of stew. Or whatever.
Maybe a better choice are some of the foil-packed shelf-stable stuff like tuna, or the newer 'sandwiches' / hand meals. I've read some good reviews of them in the newer military MREs. Again keeping in mind the context and purpose of such foodstuffs. Expo Glampers probably blanch at the idea of eating such. Anyone that ever licked a frozen MRE 'Ham Slices' entree will probably like the new stuff.
Also, the companies that manufacture both MREs and the vegetarian 'Humanitarian Daily Ration' packs also sell to the public. Some of the newer offerings are supposedly much more palatable than those first horrible 12 varieties of MRE.
But their cost per calorie is 2-3x that of canned goods. If you are going to heat water for freeze-dried food, you can just as easily heat a can of stew. Or whatever.
Maybe a better choice are some of the foil-packed shelf-stable stuff like tuna, or the newer 'sandwiches' / hand meals. I've read some good reviews of them in the newer military MREs. Again keeping in mind the context and purpose of such foodstuffs. Expo Glampers probably blanch at the idea of eating such. Anyone that ever licked a frozen MRE 'Ham Slices' entree will probably like the new stuff.
Also, the companies that manufacture both MREs and the vegetarian 'Humanitarian Daily Ration' packs also sell to the public. Some of the newer offerings are supposedly much more palatable than those first horrible 12 varieties of MRE.
Coachgeo
Explorer
These are the ones I tried and liked. but they are the only ones I tried. They contain the heating pack as well.
https://readymeal.com/
https://readymeal.com/
e60ral
2016 4Runner Trail w/KDSS
Good To-Go meals, they taste awesome. IMO they are much better than Mountain House or Backpacker's Pantry. You can buy them online or at REI or your local camping store. They use no preservatives and the sodium levels are a little bit better than similar meals.
https://goodto-go.com/
Pad Thai is my favorite
I also like their Bibimbap, Three Bean Chili, Herbed Mushroom Risotto and Classic Marinara with Penne.
Paleo Meals to Go has some interesting options too.
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JIMBO
Expedition Leader
:sombrero: Interesting--I have 6 months food supply in one of my homes and at least a momths in the other--
When I go OFF-ROAD--I want to eat good and enjoy the atmosphere-so I use REAL FOOD-
Big different between enjoying camping and survival-I also have a sustainable supply of POTASSIUM IODIDE !
Whatever
:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO
When I go OFF-ROAD--I want to eat good and enjoy the atmosphere-so I use REAL FOOD-
Big different between enjoying camping and survival-I also have a sustainable supply of POTASSIUM IODIDE !
Whatever
:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO
Anak
Stranger
Good To-Go meals, they taste awesome. IMO they are much better than Mountain House or Backpacker's Pantry. You can buy them online or at REI or your local camping store. They use no preservatives and the sodium levels are a little bit better than similar meals.
https://goodto-go.com/
Pad Thai is my favorite
I also like their Bibimbap, Three Bean Chili, Herbed Mushroom Risotto and Classic Marinara with Penne.
Paleo Meals to Go has some interesting options too.
Thank you. Those look like apples to apples type comparisons.
The Ready Meals sound like they could come out of the same facilities as do MREs.
Looks like I may need a mix of both the Goodto-Go and Paleo Meals to Go in order to cover both my carb and meat preferences, but I can work with that.
This gives me something to chew on.
Thank you.
762X39
Explorer
Following up on my initial post in response to not building a kitchen there is still no reason to not cook real food no matter what size your "expo" vehicle.I have had my share of IMP's and although Katherine loved the peanut butter in a tube and the kids on our street loved the leftover stuff I would bring home jammed into my ruck after an ex you always have room for cooking kit of some sort.
Shown above is my camp fire and swedish alcohol cook kit preparing soup and sausages. To save having to fry the sausages I am just boiling them in with the soup.From my pantry (plastic box) I added jalapenos slices, some nice cheese and a couple of fresh sausage buns)
Shown above is my camp fire and swedish alcohol cook kit preparing soup and sausages. To save having to fry the sausages I am just boiling them in with the soup.From my pantry (plastic box) I added jalapenos slices, some nice cheese and a couple of fresh sausage buns)
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Jerry Ward
Adventurer
Good To-Go meals, they taste awesome. IMO they are much better than Mountain House or Backpacker's Pantry. You can buy them online or at REI or your local camping store. They use no preservatives and the sodium levels are a little bit better than similar meals.
https://goodto-go.com/
Pad Thai is my favorite
I also like their Bibimbap, Three Bean Chili, Herbed Mushroom Risotto and Classic Marinara with Penne.
Paleo Meals to Go has some interesting options too.
I second this-these are great!! I order mine from Campmor, www.campmor.com, because they have great discounts when you order in quantity and offer free shipping; even up here to Alaska.
Retired Tanker
Explorer
This just in...
https://www.military-tees.com/produ...a-bar-spork-free-shipping-while-supplies-last
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https://www.military-tees.com/produ...a-bar-spork-free-shipping-while-supplies-last
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vwhammer
Adventurer
http://www.packitgourmet.com
This place also has some top quality just-add-hot-water type meals.
On another note why not just get a little camp stove like the jetboil genisis and a 5 gallon water jug with a dispenser of some sort and call that a kitchen. You then have the option to cook inside or out.
You will still need a fridge i supposed for perishsble items.
I suppose you might able to make a plain old cooler do the job if you don't minding getting ice every few days.
I guess my point is I see no real need to "build out" a kitchen.
This place also has some top quality just-add-hot-water type meals.
On another note why not just get a little camp stove like the jetboil genisis and a 5 gallon water jug with a dispenser of some sort and call that a kitchen. You then have the option to cook inside or out.
You will still need a fridge i supposed for perishsble items.
I suppose you might able to make a plain old cooler do the job if you don't minding getting ice every few days.
I guess my point is I see no real need to "build out" a kitchen.
I am soon working on my chuckbox/kitchen setup for camping...using the small action packer as the box, and have everything inside it. I also have a cooler that's 12v for keeping the grub cool. I use leak proof icepaks....When I turn off the cooler it keeps cool by those....
Coachgeo
Explorer
Took me awhile to find what this was.... but found it. Long Range U? Recon. Patrol meal
https://theepicenter.com/long-range-patrol-ration-lrp-spaghetti-case.html
Matt.H
Adventurer
Yes, LRPs were tasty. :drool:The big thing was you needed a lot of potable water where ever you were to dine. Cold water and LRPs did not mix well due to what seemed like higher fat content. the cold water also had a hard time rehydrating the rice.