I want to order some MREs but have seen a wide range of them to pick from. To me, it looks like MRE Star and A Pack seem to be the two most common with OK reviews on both. Are there any out there you all would recommend to look for and as to what kinds to stay away from? Ill be using these to put up in case something ever happens but Ill also eat a few every month while camping.

The xmres are a few hundred calories more than the others. apparently.  xmre 1300XT in particular.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_18/682473_Whats_the_best_to_go_with__MREs_or_something_like_Mountain_house_.html

I know that thread, I created it! Ive since decided to order MREs currently and then grow my supply of mountain house items afterwards. I am trying to select which MRE would be best to go with right now. The A Pack has a good variety but their package sucks, yet, they are cheaper. The Star MREs have a better package but seem to be a almost identical menu besides the main meal.

What are your standards for "best"? Best quality packaging for long life? Best calorie-to-weight ratio? Carb/fat/protein ratio? Most calories for the money? Cheapest cost per unit by case? Pallet? Truckload?  

The best of something for one person may be the worst choice for someone with different needs.

In my opinion, if I am buying something to be shelf stable, I would go with a government contractor whose packaging is made to meet the standards.

Watch out for the "A Pack" variety, as most of those seem to come on the market from areas where they were shipped for disaster relief, and have probably not been stored by persons familiar with how to properly store them. Without fail, the darn things flood flea markets and yard sales in areas that experience disasters. Spoken from experience.

I also wonder if MREs as we know it, in tan bags, are being phased out. Somewhere on here about a month ago, I posted an observation I made. Long story short, something called "First Strike Rations" have replaced MREs entirely at my workplace (federal law enforcement agency), and may be doing so at least in some Army units. I was at a yard sale held by a senior NCO from the Army Mountain Warfare School and he told me that he has not seen MREs recently, and he was selling tons of the "First Strike" variety. Though since nobody knew what they were, nobody was buying them. He was asking $4 each, and it looked like a good deal with the quantity of food inside each, but he wasn't selling any, even offering the sealed cases (which look almost identical to MRE cases) at about $20 each. The cases don't have 12 meals in them though, it was some weird number, not 10 or 15, I want to say 7 or 9. I did pick up one of the meals since nobody at work has opened one yet...hmm, perhaps I should open it and review it!

To your first question, I am looking at something in the 1000-1500 calorie range. This would be sufficient enough for my needs while hiking and for needs if something every happened by mixing it with what food I currently have. I keep going back to the Star MREs due to their package. When I am using MREs I tend to throw them in my truck or pack while going out for a hike or trip. The Stars seem to have the best ( thickest) package of what is out there unlike the A Pack kind.

I plan to order 20 cases at first. Hell, even walking around the local gun shows and Army surplus stores local the Star MREs seem to be the common place ones among the stolen issued types.

The First Strike is something that I havent heard of. Try yours and post how it is!

First Strike Rations (FSRs) are a more compact version of an MRE.  Been around for awhile.

MREs are still used.

First Strike Rations

I like the idea of those but to bad I cant find anywhere to order them in bulk.