MREs with inspection dates from 2007 and 2012 - Should I sell these or just pitch them?

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - MREs with inspection dates from 2007 and 2012 - Should I sell these or just pitch them?

Posted: 6/23/2019 4:12:09 PM EDT

I bought these way back when. Just taking up space now and I'm moving on to other food storage options. Is there any kind of a market for sealed MRE cases this old or for certain individual components? Or should I just trash them?

Posted: 6/23/2019 4:34:23 PM EDT

[#1]

Following for the same info.

Posted: 6/23/2019 4:48:07 PM EDT

[#2]

I don't know the answer, but IF I decided to trash them, I would at first try them out. Why waste a good experiment? (dibs on guns if all goes tits up)

Posted: 6/23/2019 5:00:04 PM EDT

[#3]

Maybe contact Steve and see if he wants any of them....

Posted: 6/23/2019 5:18:12 PM EDT

[#4]

I would be interested in buying some from you.
I think in the right conditions those would last at least 25 years.
IM me.

Posted: 6/23/2019 5:33:51 PM EDT

[#5]

Should be fine unless they've been out in 120 degrees constantly.

Despite what the chart nerds will tell you, MRE's keep a lot, lot longer in harsh environments than people think.

One of our old long term food storage RESULTS videos showed some MRE's from the early 90's open in 2008 that were ok.

Posted: 6/23/2019 5:40:31 PM EDT

[#6]

90% of contents are still good to go unless they were stored in extreme heat for long Time, on the 2007 you might want to sniff and look twice at anything that comes in its own sauce

Posted: 6/23/2019 5:48:24 PM EDT

[#7]

These are definitely good for a lot longer, you can probably sell them.

Posted: 6/23/2019 6:06:15 PM EDT

[#8]

I am eating the last one of a case of 2007 -2008 vintage.

Most of it will be fine to eat if they weren't stored in a garage or attic or something.

The heaters probably won't work though.

Posted: 6/23/2019 6:21:12 PM EDT

[#9]

...or try to sell at a gun show table.

Posted: 6/23/2019 6:25:22 PM EDT

[#10]

Thank you to all who replied, that's great info. They were stored in a climate controlled basement which is typically a bit cooler than the rest of the house.

Posted: 6/23/2019 8:55:51 PM EDT

[#11]

I’d eat them or keep them for another 10 years and eat them then

Posted: 6/24/2019 1:13:10 AM EDT

[#12]

OP here's an example for you of what I did.

I bought a few cases from MRE depot of 3/2010 date packed Menu C's from MREDepot in like what 2011ish for $130 or whatever a case. I sold them in 2017 (still sealed cases) so they were 7 years old for $50 a case in a matter of DAYS on craigslist. I just made sure my add included all of the info that MREDepot had on their website about content and shelf life as mine had been stored at 65 degrees the whole time I had them which meant they were good for at least 10+ years.

Posted: 6/24/2019 2:02:34 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
OP here's an example for you of what I did.

I bought a few cases from MRE depot of 3/2010 date packed Menu C's from MREDepot in like what 2011ish for $130 or whatever a case. I sold them in 2017 (still sealed cases) so they were 7 years old for $50 a case in a matter of DAYS on craigslist. I just made sure my add included all of the info that MREDepot had on their website about content and shelf life as mine had been stored at 65 degrees the whole time I had them which meant they were good for at least 10+ years.

View Quote

That's very helpful, thank you.

Posted: 6/25/2019 12:52:57 AM EDT

[#14]

I'm still eating some packed in 2005 with 2008 inspection dates. Some of the minor components like Salsa, peanuts and pineapples are sometimes rancid or bad tasting, but mostly just some discoloration. The taste has not improved over the years, but is still edible if you're hungry.

Posted: 6/26/2019 8:31:38 AM EDT

[#15]

On your case there should be a small orange sticker about 1"×1". It's a time/temp indicator. As long as the center looks like a bullseye,with black in the center you are good to go eating it. Regardless of age. If you read the bold statement on the back of the box it states manufacture date means(almost) nothing.

In my experience with MREs,which is extensive, the only things that go bad even in REALLY old ones are the cheese spread and applesauce. Everything else will he edible for a very,very long time.

Once upon a time I found a case of MREs in the back of a connex in Iraq that had been there so long the TTI was solid black.....very bad.... the main meals,crackers,and sides were all good. Any high acid things were spoiled and candy was a solid mass. It still would have kept me alive a few weeks had I needed it.

Attached File

Posted: 6/27/2019 3:26:29 PM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
On your case there should be a small orange sticker about 1"1". It's a time/temp indicator. As long as the center looks like a bullseye,with black in the center you are good to go eating it. Regardless of age. If you read the bold statement on the back of the box it states manufacture date means(almost) nothing.

In my experience with MREs,which is extensive, the only things that go bad even in REALLY old ones are the cheese spread and applesauce. Everything else will he edible for a very,very long time.

Once upon a time I found a case of MREs in the back of a connex in Iraq that had been there so long the TTI was solid black.....very bad.... the main meals,crackers,and sides were all good. Any high acid things were spoiled and candy was a solid mass. It still would have kept me alive a few weeks had I needed it.

View Quote

Funny, I never even noticed that sticker before. Thanks for pointing it out.

Posted: 6/27/2019 3:34:58 PM EDT

[#17]

Eat them.

Posted: 6/28/2019 10:37:13 PM EDT

[#18]

On one of my deployments our food supply was getting spotty due to the local Al Qaeda reps fucking with the catering company. Meals were getting pretty sparse and shitty. One day I was out in back of the Motor Pool where I found some pallets of MRE's. I helped myself to a few cases and told my team where the rest were. We were eating good in the neighborhood for about a week when we were in guardmount when the shift commander reads an email from base supply telling us to stop eating the "condemned" MRE's in the DRMO yard.

They tasted fine to me, just a bit hard to me. Who knows how they were stored or how old they were. I didn't get sick and neither did guys in my unit who ate them. Unless theres serious color changes and they smell weird, I'm sure they're ok to eat.

Posted: 6/28/2019 11:03:26 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
On one of my deployments our food supply was getting spotty due to the local Al Qaeda reps fucking with the catering company. Meals were getting pretty sparse and shitty. One day I was out in back of the Motor Pool where I found some pallets of MRE's. I helped myself to a few cases and told my team where the rest were. We were eating good in the neighborhood for about a week when we were in guardmount when the shift commander reads an email from base supply telling us to stop eating the "condemned" MRE's in the DRMO yard.

They tasted fine to me, just a bit hard to me. Who knows how they were stored or how old they were. I didn't get sick and neither did guys in my unit who ate them. Unless theres serious color changes and they smell weird, I'm sure they're ok to eat.

View Quote

Posted: 6/28/2019 11:07:44 PM EDT

[#20]

I take them to the range (matches) and on camping trips and even have a few stashed at the office for when I have to work over. Thus I keep mine rotated, and always have a fresh-ish stock... when I buy new, it goes to the back of the pile.

Posted: 6/28/2019 11:10:14 PM EDT

[#21]

I'm sure this has been posted, but if you're going to pitch them, shoot me an IM. I'll pay you a fair price for them considering the dates. I'm not afraid!

Posted: 7/2/2019 8:42:35 PM EDT

[#22]

Someone will buy them; I wouldn't eat them.

Posted: 7/4/2019 12:36:02 AM EDT

[#23]

I found one of the old dark green MREs a year ago in my shop. I have been in the Army 22 years and I don't remeber eating dark green packed ones. Anyway all of the meal, five fingers of death or beans and franks. I was fine, all my MREs are stored in my shed and shop and they are all fine. I would not hesitate eating any from 2007.

Posted: 7/4/2019 8:29:14 PM EDT

[#24]

ditto on Steve getting them!

Posted: 7/4/2019 8:43:12 PM EDT

[#25]

Eat em

Posted: 7/4/2019 8:48:21 PM EDT

[#26]

I just ate the last of my 2007 MRE's, they were fine!

Posted: 7/5/2019 9:12:49 AM EDT

[#27]

I have a chest freezer full of the entrees, they are 25+ years old and will probably outlast me.
I try one occasionally and so far I'm still here.

Posted: 7/5/2019 9:29:07 AM EDT

[#28]

I have many from 09/10, and they're still fine. If the package isn't bloated, proceed to open. If it smells ok, taste. If it tastes ok, enjoy. Usually the color goes, and the cheese consistency is off, but I've yet to get a bad one that didn't have a packaging issue.

And I just spent five years designing food packaging machines, so I reckon I can trust my judgement.

Posted: 7/5/2019 9:50:20 AM EDT

[#29]

They are probably fine, but ask yourself: why keep them around if you are going to just keep them in a box on a shelf? Why not buy freeze dried or other ingredients, and rotate through those in your regular pantry as you eat them (sort of a psuedo MRE)?

This way you can put back more supplies less expensively, experiment with commercial off the shelf options, and maybe get as good or better variety. If it's not stuff your family will touch because they have never tried it until the moment of need, is it really going to help you?

I like MREs and ate more than a few myself, but as a TEOTWAKI food, the best thing I can say about them is the no-cook option and the sturdy packaging. Fine if I need to drop a bundle of them from a cargo aircraft or something, but when are you not going to be able to so much as boil water?

Posted: 7/5/2019 10:08:25 AM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
They are probably fine, but ask yourself: why keep them around if you are going to just keep them in a box on a shelf? Why not buy freeze dried or other ingredients, and rotate through those in your regular pantry as you eat them (sort of a psuedo MRE)?

This way you can put back more supplies less expensively, experiment with commercial off the shelf options, and maybe get as good or better variety. If it's not stuff your family will touch because they have never tried it until the moment of need, is it really going to help you?

I like MREs and ate more than a few myself, but as a TEOTWAKI food, the best thing I can say about them is the no-cook option and the sturdy packaging. Fine if I need to drop a bundle of them from a cargo aircraft or something, but when are you not going to be able to so much as boil water?

View Quote

This is exactly what I'm thinking and why I plan to sell 'em locally.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - MREs with inspection dates from 2007 and 2012 - Should I sell these or just pitch them?

Outdoors » Survival Discussions

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us