Which MRE was the best during the timeframe you served?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:01:28 -0400

This has probably been asked time, and time again.
But when you were in the field, and had no other alternative, which MRE was the best?
Best MRE by the decade would be interesting to see as well.

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Aug 3 at 2018 4:06 PM

CW5 Jack Cardwell — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:06:05 -0400

Veggie penne pasta

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Aug 3 at 2018 4:09 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:09:44 -0400

I liked the spaghetti with beef chunks, and the Turkey with gravy.

Response by PO1 Raymond Fochler made Aug 3 at 2018 4:10 PM

PO1 Raymond Fochler — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:10:37 -0400

Luckily being in the Navy we had cooks :) Surf and Turf Fridays underway was my fav!

Response by Patricia Overmeyer made Aug 3 at 2018 4:19 PM

Patricia Overmeyer — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:19:49 -0400

My husband didn't have MREs. If they were lucky, the choppers flew out hot food once a day when they were in the rice paddies. They had C-rats left over from WWII and Korea. His favorite, fruit cocktail. Everyone's least favorite, ham and mofos. And Tabasco didn't make any C-rat taste any better according to him.

Response by CPL Brendan Hayes made Aug 3 at 2018 4:24 PM

CPL Brendan Hayes — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:24:20 -0400

Spaghetti in meat sauce. It also came with cheese spread, so you would break up the crackers and mix them in, add the cheese spread, and mix it all together. Adding the hot sauce helped a little bit too.

Response by Sgt John Steinmeier made Aug 3 at 2018 4:33 PM

Sgt John Steinmeier — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:33:10 -0400

Late 80's early 90's...really liked the Chicken A La King.
Only one I really detested was the Pork Patty.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2018 4:34 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 16:34:47 -0400

No 17
https://www.mreinfo.com/mres/mre-menus/mre-menus-2004/

MRE Menus 2004 | MRE Info

MRE Menus XXIV (2004) MRE XXIVMENUS: MENU 1 MENU 2 MENU 3 MENU 4 Beefsteak w/ Mushrooms Western Beans Jelly Crackers Dairy Shake Accessory Packet, B Spoon Flameless Heater Pork Rib Clam Chowder Cheese Spread Wheat Snack Bread (2) Cookie Beverage Base, Powdered Hot Sauce Accessory Packet, A Spoon Flameless Heater Beef Ravioli Potato Sticks … Continue reading MRE Menus 2004

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2018 5:11 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 17:11:56 -0400

Scalloped potatoes and ham. Hands down.

Response by CPL Joseph Oliva made Aug 3 at 2018 5:22 PM

CPL Joseph Oliva — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 17:22:54 -0400

Wow definitely one for the history books I’ve seen my share of MRE’S during the Gulf War we had something called Moores and MRE’S unfortunately rear D took all the good food and we were left with something called chili con carne for a very long time but for a moment someone made a mistake and we got A- Rations by mistake the best turkey diced in gravy I’ve ever had in my life I can still taste it to this day just saying.

Response by SFC Jim Ruether made Aug 3 at 2018 5:35 PM

SFC Jim Ruether — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 17:35:57 -0400

Hamburger Pattie was good but I don't remember what it was served with

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2018 5:54 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 17:54:31 -0400

Fruit Cocktail, boned chicken, and the Pecan Roll were the best of the C rations. The LRP rations were very good, but hard to come by and were to be used when we could not get resupplied.

Response by MAJ Montgomery Granger made Aug 3 at 2018 6:00 PM

MAJ Montgomery Granger — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 18:00:23 -0400

Over a 22 year career I tasted a lot of MRE’s! Favorite? The one I would trade for? Sometimes it had to do with accessories rather than the main course. The freeze dried strawberries were a highly sought after commodity that if memory serves, came with either the beef patty (a favorite) or the pork patty (both freeze dried and prior to the heating pouch. The strawberries were an anytime, anywhere snack that rehydrated just fine in the mouth. Sweet, tart, a bit chewy and delicious. Believe it or not, Tabasco was available back in ‘87, when I was in basic training, and that little condiment made all the difference! In more modern technology mes the jambalaya was my favorite. Dirty rice, sausage and spices! Yum!

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Aug 3 at 2018 6:11 PM

SGT Tony Clifford — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 18:11:01 -0400

Cheese Tortellini probably. They all kind of ducked, but they weren't the worst food to eat. Anyone who's been to a very remote FOB like Al Kisik or Hunter knows what I mean. There was a COP halfway between Gary Owen and Hunter called Sugar Shack and those dudes looked like they did eat at all.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 3 at 2018 6:42 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 18:42:07 -0400

Beef stew and chicken cavatelli (sp).

Response by Maj John Bell made Aug 3 at 2018 7:07 PM

Maj John Bell — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 19:07:47 -0400

The one I was too tired to open and eat. It made a reasonable field expedient pillow wrapped in the poncho liner woobie.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Aug 3 at 2018 7:38 PM

SFC Ralph E Kelley — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 19:38:35 -0400

We got LRRPs during the dry season when you couldn't find water. I found them tasteless so the question concerning them should read: What favor chalk did you like?
We got C-Rats other times and I did like the Beef with Spice Sauce - but only if it was cooked with the cheese mixed into it.
I once got K-Rats from a Marine that I traded for a LRRP - oddly enough we were both happy - it gave us something different to complain about.
We got T-Rats in the late 1980s - some of them were pretty good, but I didn't have a favorite mainly because I was just happy to have an easy way to feed my platoon the occasional hot meal without a lot of vehicle maneuvering and HQ-simulated drama. I simply handed them out to the section leaders and our attachments.
MREs?
My personal favorite was the MRE I – VII #12 Ground Beef w/ spiced sauce.
After that was discontinued in the later MRE VIII – XVII series (till 1998), it always was #5 Beef Stew.
From 1998 to 2003 MRE XVIII – XXIII, #1 the Beef Steak in all its variations.
From 2004 to 2009 MRE XXIV – XXIX, #3 the Beef Ravioli until the #7 Beef Brisket came out in 2009.
From 2010 to 2015 MRE XXX –XXXV, #7 The Beef Brisket stayed my favorite.
Since 2016 MRE XXXVI – XXXVII, #22 Asian Style Beef Strips w/Vegetables.
I admit that my tastes have changed some but as time passed new flavors came out and I had more choices. Always a Plus.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Aug 3 at 2018 9:07 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 21:07:19 -0400

I liked the ravioli.

Response by SPC James Neidig made Aug 3 at 2018 9:23 PM

SPC James Neidig — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 21:23:29 -0400

C ration ham and eggs in the late 70s
MRE chili mac in the 90s

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Aug 3 at 2018 10:05 PM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 22:05:39 -0400

The MREs came after Me, never even tried one when I was still in the service The first time I had some at the AMVETS post I belong to and had Chicken parm, it was ok. In My C Ration days though it was beef slices and potatoes with gravy.

Response by SSG Jose M. Hernandezsanchez made Aug 3 at 2018 10:08 PM

SSG Jose M. Hernandezsanchez — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 22:08:08 -0400

I personally liked the spaghetti.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Aug 3 at 2018 10:36 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 22:36:14 -0400

MREs weren’t invented when I was in “C rats “were all the ,rage probably pound cake and peaches,ham slices and cheese spread ,boned chicken not bad ..bad was Ham and Limas,LRR
P rations were around but never got to try them .

Response by SPC Henry Francis made Aug 3 at 2018 10:59 PM

SPC Henry Francis — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 22:59:24 -0400

All we had were C-rations. I remember having plenty to eat because I loved the canned fruitcake... hardly anyone else did. The fudge bar wasn’t fit for anything. Corned beef was okay but the spaghetti was better.

Response by SrA Christopher Gatzka made Aug 4 at 2018 12:12 AM

SrA Christopher Gatzka — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 00:12:20 -0400

The only MRE I wouldn't touch was the Omelette. If had one in my MRE box Id set it aside or trade it to someone who might have liked it. But anything else was okay to eat. But the best one in my opinion was the Chili Mac

Response by Maj Robert Thornton made Aug 4 at 2018 5:45 AM

Maj Robert Thornton — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 05:45:10 -0400

Menu 10, meatballs in bar-b-q sauce, normally eaten cold with liberal amounts of Tabasco sauce. I would also trade for peanut butter.

Response by LTC Jeff Shearer made Aug 4 at 2018 5:53 AM

LTC Jeff Shearer — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 05:53:49 -0400

Christian I dont remember what the menu item was but most of the time I did not have time for it so when I did I enjoyed it. I would crush the crackers and mix them with the sugar, cream, and dried fruit. put in a little water. It was good.

Response by MSgt Dale Johnson made Aug 4 at 2018 9:01 AM

MSgt Dale Johnson — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 09:01:57 -0400

Never ate an MRE. Have a few funny stories about C-Rats. Think of the political uproar today, some of them even had Cigarettes in them (came with a little 4 pack).

Response by SGT Christopher Hayden made Aug 4 at 2018 4:37 PM

SGT Christopher Hayden — Sat, 04 Aug 2018 16:37:39 -0400

The grilled chicken. It was the only one that didn't have any kind of horrible sauce on it.

Response by Sgt Lee Dutra made Aug 5 at 2018 1:51 AM

Sgt Lee Dutra — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 01:51:09 -0400

"C" Rations..........Canadian bacon hands down.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 6 at 2018 10:35 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Aug 2018 10:35:52 -0400

I'll always go for the Chicken noodle. Although, there's a newer one out Hash brown potatoes with bacon, and that one is awesome.

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Aug 7 at 2018 6:15 PM

SGT Matthew S. — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 18:15:21 -0400

I soon got to the point that there was no such thing as a "good" MRE, just ones that weren't as bad as others. My 'least worst' was chicken & salsa; tasted half decent and even came with M&M's.

Everyone else was normally fighting over the spaghetti or chili mac (unless it was the PSG's favorite and everyone was just out of luck), so I managed to snag that one more often than not.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 7 at 2018 11:26 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 23:26:54 -0400

chilimac