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Posted: 12/2/2021 9:41:58 PM EDT
[#1]
Very different components
Less meal, more on the go snacks |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 9:42:51 PM EDT
[#2]
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Posted: 12/2/2021 9:48:52 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistorySeems like mre has far more calories but the fsr would be adequate. Thanks |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:13:14 PM EDT
[#4]
You can buy the entrees online. The 400-cal bars as well.
Basically think of a room temp Hot Pocket. But, like nasty flavor. |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:21:10 PM EDT
[#5]
When we invaded I had a few main meals, peanut butter, M&Ms, and cheese. (Everything else was ditched)
Dense food, easy to eat on the go. Almost 19 years later and I can’t even look at an MRE. Don’t think I’d be able to eat one unless I was literally starving. |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:22:39 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Seems like mre has far more calories but the fsr would be adequate. Thanks FSR is a 24 hour ration and has slightly less calories than 3 MREs. IIRC the FSR is about 2800 and 3 MREs around 3600 calories. The FSR weighs less and is far more compact than 3 MREs, even after field stripped. It's designed to support combat operations by providing a sustained release of energy from primarily carbs though smaller snack type items to be eaten throughout the day much like the old arctic rations. |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:24:38 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You can buy the entrees online. The 400-cal bars as well. Basically think of a room temp Hot Pocket. But, like nasty flavor. I'm thinking if we're chasing/being chased that stuff is going to taste pretty gourmet. But for meal on your average Tuesday I can see the lack of appeal. |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:27:42 PM EDT
[#8]
Let’s get this onto a tray, nice!
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:27:51 PM EDT
[#9]
Heartburn in a bag.
More corn syrup than you can shake a stick at. Lots of densely packed calories in snack food form. I ate quite a few but got to a point where I skipped eating in favor of ripits and Copenhagen because I was so tired of the fucking things. They are fine in a pinch but easy to get tired of. |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:30:02 PM EDT
[#10]
When you only have so much room in your pack for water, food, ammo, snivel gear, and radios, the first strikes pack down really well and don’t weigh much. My 72 hour ruck never had enough water. But yeah the sandwiches taste pretty bland, even the Italian one.
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:30:04 PM EDT
[#11]
Quoted: I know the FSRs are designed to be a 24hr pouch with no heating needed. Other than that, how do they differ from MREs? Already grabbed MRE cases. Thinking about storing a case or two of FSRs for grab and go LTS options. I'd like cases of the cold weather meals mcw's but those are going for crazy prices right now. Thanks They’re OK for patrolling if you’re going non stop and don’t plan on stopping for chow Bc your LT is a retard, but otherwise kinda suck. They’re great for guys who don’t know how to field strip their MREs to reduce weight and space in your pack too. When they debuted, there was an Army and Marine wide pants jizzing by “that asshole in every platoon who rat fucks all the MREs.” All joking aside, They’re super dry and suck the water out of you. It really is pretty much the snacks from about 2-3 MREs. Not terrible for stuffing some snacks in your cargo pocket, but you really need to use them to supplement MREs |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:40:09 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: they’re like if you took all the snacks out of like 3 MREs and put them all in a pouch. They’re all super dry and suck the water out of you. They’re OK for patrolling if you’re going non stop and don’t plan on stopping for chow Bc your LT is a retard, but otherwise kinda suck. They’re great for guys who don’t know how to field strip their MREs to reduce weight and space in your pack too. When they debuted, there was an Army and Marine wide pants jizzing by “that asshole in every platoon who rat fucks all the MREs.” Gonna need some translation on "rat fucks all the MREs" Thanks |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:50:01 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Gonna need some translation on "rat fucks all the MREs" Thanks Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: they’re like if you took all the snacks out of like 3 MREs and put them all in a pouch. They’re all super dry and suck the water out of you. They’re OK for patrolling if you’re going non stop and don’t plan on stopping for chow Bc your LT is a retard, but otherwise kinda suck. They’re great for guys who don’t know how to field strip their MREs to reduce weight and space in your pack too. When they debuted, there was an Army and Marine wide pants jizzing by “that asshole in every platoon who rat fucks all the MREs.” Gonna need some translation on "rat fucks all the MREs" Thanks Lol, opens them and takes what they want and leaves the shit no one wants, like vegetarian omelet 
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:53:03 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Lol, opens them and takes what they want and leaves the shit no one wants, like vegetarian omelet Yes. Also as in "who rat fucked my shit?" which would loosely translate to "who had the audacity to disturb and go through my personal items?" |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:54:52 PM EDT
[#15]
Omelet with ham FTW!
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Posted: 12/2/2021 10:58:55 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Gonna need some translation on "rat fucks all the MREs" Thanks nearly every platoon has a guy in it who will open a box of MREs and steal the M&Ms beef jerky and other snacks out of them and then put the dessicated remains of them back into the box like nobody’s gonna notice. He usually just tears into the corners of the bags, pilfers his buddies’ snacks, and it looks like all the MREs in the box were attacked by rats. The rat fucker is like a half step better than the Chow Thief in the hierarchy of crappy people to have in your platoon. First Strikes are ok as a full day of calories for really sedentary stuff, but like you identified, the calorie content is less than an 2 MREs. Generally, if you’re going to be doing strenuous stuff like patrolling with significant weight, you’re gonna need 3-4 MREs (probably 2 FSR’s) of calories a day to maintain your energy right. Especially in the mountains or in the cold. That doesn’t solve the water problem. MREs dry you out if you aren’t drinking enough water. FSRs will dry you out even faster. FSRs are “lighter” than an MRE because everything in them is pretty much a dry good. there isn’t anything really liquid in them aside from a packet of applesauce that everyone thought was caffeinated, but is actually just a packet of maltodextrin. That means that you actually have to carry more water in canteens or camelbacks so you can replace the water the FSRs draw out for digestion. They’re meant to be consumed on the move (the main reason for the really high salt content), and work best if you do that and then have an MRE once you reach a security halt, then eat another MRE in the morning. I’ve got 18 years in and all but 3 of those have been spent ground pounding. |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 11:00:53 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Gonna need some translation on "rat fucks all the MREs" Thanks |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 11:14:43 PM EDT
[#18]
The first C-rations I ever ate was at Infantry training school at Camp Pendleton california were some of the C-rations dated back from 1953 and I shit you not. The crackers and cheese and peanut butter were all dried out and the spiced pork or beans and franks (beans and motherfuckers as they were called) would give you acid reflux or better yet shit your utilities running up and down those monotonous hills until your arms went numb from humping all the shit they weighted you down with. Good times.
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Posted: 12/2/2021 11:29:23 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yes. Also as in "who rat fucked my shit?" which would loosely translate to "who had the audacity to disturb and go through my personal items?" It’s kinda funny. I was given 5 cases of ratfucked mre’s at one point. Some yahoo too the cheese and a few of the candy items. Most of the MREs were still fully complete and in opened. So… some careful repacking and I was far ahead. Stripped all of the down into a 7gallon bucket and made them pretty compact. Hard to argue with FREE I wouldn’t mind a few cases of these FSRs though. Might have to get a few. |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 11:31:08 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It’s kinda funny. I was given 5 cases of ratfucked mre’s at one point. Some yahoo too the cheese and a few of the candy items. Most of the MREs were still fully complete and in opened. So… some careful repacking and I was far ahead. Stripped all of the down into a 7gallon bucket and made them pretty compact. I just opened the bucket for the first time in 10 years the other day and managed to find a surefire E2E I don’t remember putting in it. Did you try any of the food in the bucket? I know I ate an MRE pop tart from the 90's that was wedged in my office desk from whoever had the desk over the years a few years back (~2015) and it tasted fine. |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 11:39:46 PM EDT
[#21]
I'll be honest, despite the less than enthusiastic regard these seem to be held in, I'm still considering grabbing a case of them.
Only thing I'm still debating is the likelihood that space/weight will be THAT much of a concern with whatever my family and I may face into the future. What would these offer over just tossing a few MRE's into a vehicle, pack, kit, etc. Only situation I might see some utility with is a buried cache where every square inch counts. But in that case, I'd think the most dense/space efficient food would be SOS bars or the like. |
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Posted: 12/2/2021 11:57:22 PM EDT
[#22]
I'd think Lifeboat rations would be easiest weight/energy ratikn. But you can find parts of the foods, like https://theepicenter.com/bridgford-specs
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:06:23 AM EDT
[#23]
Do these go bad as fast as mres in less than ideal conditions?
I had some mres that only lasted about 5 years stored in my closet. The poptarts were ok but the pasta meal was like mush and rotten. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:10:47 AM EDT
[#24]
Yah MREs have a shelf life man.
If they pass the expiration, the preventative Med and food service folks have to check them. I’d assume FSRs would keep a bit better, but the Army throws away MREs that are expired and fail testing, so I’ve never gotten one that was all the way spoiled. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:13:41 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Do these go bad as fast as mres in less than ideal conditions? I had some mres that only lasted about 5 years stored in my closet. The poptarts were ok but the pasta meal was like mush and rotten. Any chance they were subjected to heat? I have my cases stored in a room that is at 40% humidity and the temp only fluctuates between 45 and 65ish year round. So no high heat. I'm hoping they'll last a hell of a lot longer than 5yrs. EDIT: I'll add that I've been rotating out my Chef Boyardee over the last year. The current flats have a best by date of 2015. Taste like new. If MRE's can't hold a candle to 60 cent cans of pasta....I'll just go back to buying flats of those. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:15:03 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yah MREs have a shelf life man. If they pass the expiration, the preventative Med and food service folks have to check them. I’d assume FSRs would keep a bit better, but the Army throws away MREs that are expired and fail testing, so I’ve never gotten one that was all the way spoiled. I'm curious what "inspection" entails in the military? I mean do they open the cases up and then open meals up down to the food or do they just inspect the sticker/box for signs of some sort? Thanks |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:19:02 AM EDT
[#27]
Our first strikes were always ratfucked.
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:20:54 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Omelet with ham FTW! This was always my favorite when available and hated by most others. This means it was still there when I finally got my turn at the box, which was last. While many leaders instituted no look pick rule to ensure speediness and equitability, I allowed my Soldiers to pick the one they wanted but always rearranged the Soldier order for each pick. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:23:04 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Our first strikes were always ratfucked. By who? Supply personel? |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:25:51 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yah MREs have a shelf life man. If they pass the expiration, the preventative Med and food service folks have to check them. I'd assume FSRs would keep a bit better, but the Army throws away MREs that are expired and fail testing, so I've never gotten one that was all the way spoiled. 
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:29:06 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'm curious what "inspection" entails in the military? I mean do they open the cases up and then open meals up down to the food or do they just inspect the sticker/box for signs of some sort? Thanks Army tho (surprisingly) puts a lot of effort into field chow Bc well fed soldiers fight better (MUCH better actually), and more importantly having a squad or platoon go down in the field w food poisoning is gonna have a pretty considerable effect on the tactical situation. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:35:22 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So you're saying the unopened case of 2017 MREs I just found while reorganizing "the basement" might not be good any more? Check the expiration date. Anything’s food if you’re brave enough 
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:38:57 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Check the expiration date. Anything's food if you're brave enough Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: So you're saying the unopened case of 2017 MREs I just found while reorganizing "the basement" might not be good any more? Check the expiration date. Anything's food if you're brave enough  ) The only markings on the case are a date of manufacture and an inspection date. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:39:20 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So you're saying the unopened case of 2017 MREs I just found while reorganizing "the basement" might not be good any more? No idea, but I ate a bunch of the old dark brown MREs around 2003-4. My dad retired around 1992, so those MREs were 10+ years. Of them, only 1 main entree tasted spoiled. No diarrhea or any untoward effects. Stored in a house garage in SoCal for that decade or so. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 1:08:12 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: no idea, I’m not preventative med. Army tho (surprisingly) puts a lot of effort into field chow Bc well fed soldiers fight better (MUCH better actually), and more importantly having a squad or platoon go down in the field w food poisoning is gonna have a pretty considerable effect on the tactical situation. That makes sense. Still curious to know what the procedure is for "inspection." I'll try looking for it on google. Thanks |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 6:06:38 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That makes sense. Still curious to know what the procedure is for "inspection." I'll try looking for it on google. Thanks It looks like it's just the "heat" ring that's inspected. As far as I recall the Vet would occasionally take some sample meals and do something with them. Not sure if it was a just physical inspection or some type of lab testing? I do remember being told to turn in certain MREs that we had in the ready room and swap them out for different ones. https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/TroopSupport/Subsistence/Rations/qapubs/opratsip/OPRATS_IP05.pdf |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 7:52:12 AM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Did you try any of the food in the bucket? I know I ate an MRE pop tart from the 90's that was wedged in my office desk from whoever had the desk over the years a few years back (~2015) and it tasted fine. I did not. I have the bucket still in a cool shaded area for further storage. I probably should. Theres another soft crate next to the bucket that has another 3 cases of MREs that have been stripped down in it. I really should try a few. I’m pretty confident that they are still good. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 8:24:41 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It looks like it's just the "heat" ring that's inspected. As far as I recall the Vet would occasionally take some sample meals and do something with them. Not sure if it was a just physical inspection or some type of lab testing? I do remember being told to turn in certain MREs that we had in the ready room and swap them out for different ones. https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104 /Documents/TroopSupport/Subsistence/Rations/qapubs/opratsip/OPRATS_IP05.pdf Seems like that sticker (and the temp they are kept at) is pretty crucial. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 8:38:37 AM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: there isn’t anything really liquid in them aside from a packet of applesauce that everyone thought was caffeinated, but is actually just a packet of maltodextrin. Quote HistoryQuoted: there isn’t anything really liquid in them aside from a packet of applesauce that everyone thought was caffeinated, but is actually just a packet of maltodextrin. It's the mocha hooah! bar that's caffeinated. Only the mocha, not the chocolate or whatever else. Quoted: I’ve got 18 years in and all but 3 of those have been spent ground pounding. Damn, dude. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 9:03:02 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You can buy the entrees online. The 400-cal bars as well. Basically think of a room temp Hot Pocket. But, like nasty flavor.  Really, I had both the First Strikes and MREs at my JRTC rotation in July. I got excited when I opened one of the FSRs and it had a Nacho Sandwich, sounded amazing. Looked basically like a hot pocket, and I was expecting some sort of nasty nacho beef shredded filling or something. NOPE. Was two nacho slim Jim’s nestled in an oversized bread pocket. I like the FSRs due to some of the caffeinated items, the chicken chunks and “breasts,” and the occasional fatty food desert items. But the bags are big, and I definitely into rat fucking what I want and dumping what I don’t, which ends up being a lot of the ration. The MRE menus are better overall from better variety and heatability. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 9:30:07 AM EDT
[#41]
i ate a 14yr MRE last night! Menu #14 Spicy Penne Pasta to be exact! The heater worked as it should, the Cranberries were ok, the Crackers were somewhat stale but not bad at all. i passed on the Peanut Butter for now. but i have several cases stored, all climate controlled which is to say 72degrees or less. my kids love them and we tend to break some out every now and then. we are just trying to finish off this particular case bc its the oldest!
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Posted: 12/3/2021 9:42:51 AM EDT
[#42]
I really like the FSRs, they're great for hunting/hiking and have some interesting components that MREs don't. Trunt me, if you end up eating them for a week, drink LOTS of water, I mean it...no shit!
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Posted: 12/3/2021 10:39:52 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Lol, opens them and takes what they want and leaves the shit no one wants, like vegetarian omelet I assume that's why they shot Neidimeyer? |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 10:56:59 AM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So you're saying the unopened case of 2017 MREs I just found while reorganizing "the basement" might not be good any more? My boy and I have been eating 2013 basement TOTMs and they're ok. I just don't drink the milkshakes. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 11:05:58 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My boy and I have been eating 2013 basement TOTMs and they're ok. I just don't drink the milkshakes. Is it pretty obvious when a component in a meal has gone bad? I'm assuming you avoid the shakes because it contains some amount of powdered fat that's maybe turned? If it's not obvious, I'm wondering how to differentiate between safe and not safe? Never heard of something like botulism from an MRE, but I suppose it's possible. Thanks |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 11:45:16 AM EDT
[#46]
We tried one. It just didn't taste right. It was probably ok but it is a 9 year old dairy product. The mains and crackers were good. Same with the M&Ms. Just a little beat up.
As far as safety goes, I just give them a smell and look for mold. No problems yet. |
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Posted: 12/3/2021 12:22:48 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Any chance they were subjected to heat? I have my cases stored in a room that is at 40% humidity and the temp only fluctuates between 45 and 65ish year round. So no high heat. I'm hoping they'll last a hell of a lot longer than 5yrs. EDIT: I'll add that I've been rotating out my Chef Boyardee over the last year. The current flats have a best by date of 2015. Taste like new. If MRE's can't hold a candle to 60 cent cans of pasta....I'll just go back to buying flats of those. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Do these go bad as fast as mres in less than ideal conditions? I had some mres that only lasted about 5 years stored in my closet. The poptarts were ok but the pasta meal was like mush and rotten. Any chance they were subjected to heat? I have my cases stored in a room that is at 40% humidity and the temp only fluctuates between 45 and 65ish year round. So no high heat. I'm hoping they'll last a hell of a lot longer than 5yrs. EDIT: I'll add that I've been rotating out my Chef Boyardee over the last year. The current flats have a best by date of 2015. Taste like new. If MRE's can't hold a candle to 60 cent cans of pasta....I'll just go back to buying flats of those. The ones in the closet were climate controlled 100% of the time,, no warmer than 78 degrees. Prior to me receiving them who knows. |
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