MREs .... ?  

I'm still eating canned C-Rats from WWII .........

Thanks R539, good information.

I still have a case of MRE's from 20 years ago,I know I need to trash them but its tough!

I remember hearing somewhere that the intended shelf life was 7 yrs. or so. One thing if you open a the bag and a meal's envelope is swelled up-don't eat it-chuck it. it has been contaminated. I have eaten some MRE's that were 4-5 years old and some that were 10. I think the military is supposed to sample any in long term storage-but dunno for sure. I still eat the 1st and second generation dehydrated foods when I can find them-I am leery of the rest. The old dehydrated fruit and a mini of Vodka go quite well together old those cold nights when you are camping.

About 4-5 years lifespan to be safe.  The biggest enemies of MREs are Time and Temperature.   IE how old are they and how hot is the area they are stored in.  MREs also have a heat sensor on the box. It is a red sticker with little dots forming a donut.  If that donut becomes a circle throw it out.

Max

"MREs (Meals-Ready-to-Eat) are long shelf life meals that can be eaten hot or cold. The MREs were designed by leading nutritionists and chefs to be tasty and nutritional. They are packaged in a triple-layer foil/plastic "retort" pouch. This is then sealed, cooked and not exposed to air until opened. Thus the food is actually sterilized in the pouch and blocked from future contamination. The results is an almost unbelievable shelf life, and food which retains it natural moisture and juice. They are light weight, easy to store, and easy to use. They can be heated by any number of methods, or eaten cold (they are fully cooked).

MREs typically have a five to seven year shelf life, if stored in a cool environment. Storage temperature does affect the shelf life of MREs. The chart below shows the projected storage life of MRE meals over different time periods. The effect of temperature and time are cumulative. As an example, if stored at 100 degrees for 11 months and moved to 70 degrees, would lose one half of the 70 degree storage life. The shelf life determination is based on product taste. The nutritional content and basic product safety would extend way beyond this point.

MREs provide an excellent source of prepared food for all forms of emergencies. They can also be used for non-emergency events like camping and hunting trips, scouting outings, etc."

MRE Storage Life Chart

Temperature Months of Storage
120 1
110 5
100 22
90 55
80 76
70 100
60 130

Cool... Thanks Hepcat...