These Indian vegetarian meals are packaged a lot like MREs, in tough multilayer foil and plastic pouches, and sterilized at high temperature. They cost about $2 each, and shipping is free for orders over $50. I ordered some and they arrived in two days to my location (Boston).

www.tastybite.com/product_p/i06007jl.htm


Packaging

The packs really look a lot like MREs, and the ones I just got have printed expiration dates of Dec 2008. I bet they would keep longer if kept cooler. Even MRE's aren't really rated for a lot longer than that unless stored in cool temperatures.

I eat one of these every day for lunch with rice, so I don't have to worry about rotating them,
and can keep a large stock comfortably without worrying about wasting them. A friend brought over a real  MRE salisbury steak (or something) packet the other day, and it smelled and had the texture of dog food, so I am staying far away from them.

The tasty-bite lentil based entrees are probably a lot better for the digestive tract than a typical American
processed food meal. They have a lot of vegetable fiber and are low fat.

Anyway, this stuff is one of my primary preparation stocks.

I am going to look around and see if I can find that local in the stores. The wife likes curry. I want her to try it before I get $50 worth.

One MRE = 1100-1500 calories.
One package of Tasty Bite = 200 calories

You need 6 packs ($12) to match one MRE ($5)

MREs come with heaters and have an accessory packet with  matches, toilet paper, tobasco, a spoon, salt, sugar, coffee, etc.

They are twice as much and you lose the accessory pack and the ability to heat it.

You can get MRE entrees alone for $2-3 and they are 400-600 calories. Give each of them a try and then you can buy whichever ones you like and still be more cost effective.

calories>taste

In a survival situation it really doesn't matter if it tastes like dog food as long as it fuels the human engine properly

I see this stuff more as a Mountain House alternative.  They don't look like a full meal by themselves, more like side dishes.

They don't appear to be dehydrated, but looks like you could use them as part of a just add water and cook meal instead of beans and rice which can get boring.  Variety in diet can do a lot towards maintaining moral.

At a couple bucks a package it appears cheaper than comparable sized Mountain House offerings.

Hormel microwavables, meat and potatoes dinners... they can be nuked, or boiled in the container only $1.89 a dinner.

http://www.hormel.com/brands/brandview3.asp?id=104&catitemid=3www.hormel.com/brands/brandview3.asp?id=104&catitemid=3

Quoted: Hormel microwavables, meat and potatoes dinners... they can be nuked, or boiled in the container only $1.89 a dinner. http://www.hormel.com/brands/brandview3.asp?id=104&catitemid=3www.hormel.com/brands/brandview3.asp?id=104&catitemid=3

I forgot all about those. I bought some of these to try with storage in mind. They were so good I ate them all up but then I forgot all about them. 10x better than an MRE entree and cheaper too.

Those look good, what is the shelf life rated to be on them?

My strategy is to keep about 100 lbs of rice, and to mix that with stuff that tastes good; the rice for primary calories, and the mixins for  and vitamins and other nutrients.

Because I eat this stuff every day, I want something that is healthy, i.e., not too much salt or
fat, etc.

I would go with canned and shelf-stable foods from the local supermarket or Wall-Mart, Sam's Club, Costco.  Unfortunately you can't avoid excessive amounts of fats and salt when you get processed foods.  They have to be made to taste good so that people will buy them again. For me, I try to put something like Minute Rice/regular rice, which has very little salt and fat, and eat it with Dainty Moore's beef stew(lots of salt and fat).

For ShtF food, I would not be too concerned about salt and fats, but be aware of it.

Quoted: Hormel microwavables, meat and potatoes dinners... they can be nuked, or boiled in the container only $1.89 a dinner. http://www.hormel.com/brands/brandview3.asp?id=104&catitemid=3www.hormel.com/brands/brandview3.asp?id=104&catitemid=3

Local WallyWorld had 'em on sale some time back and I stocked up.  

WOW I went to Wally Word today to get some supplies and they had a good 30 different meals of of the Dinty Moore/Hormel meals.

I grabbed 8 of them and 5 or so of the Uncle Ben's ready to eat rice.

I can't remember which was which but one had a Best Buy date of 12/08 and one was 5/08.

I got a few cans of corned beef hash and some canned chunk chicken too. For $1 the Walmart brand hash is hard to beat.

I found these a the local store last night and the wife like them so I put in an order today. If you sign up for the email you get a 20% off code, so I am getting $60+ worth of food for $55 plus free shipping (5-7 days). I do see these as sides or as flavor addition.