Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) “14/41” Emergency Meal Kit (All Beef) Lot E

Description

MRE “14/41” Emergency Meal Kit (All Beef)
**Please see my notes on MRE longevity and expiration below.**
This package will feed one person for four days or four people for one day, hence “14/41”.
The meal kit is composed of MRE components from my personal stores, which are mostly purchased from supplier overruns the same year they were produced. The kit includes the equivalent of four MRE’s plus numerous additional items. There are 37 food items and 45 total items, all that I could fit in a USPS Medium Flat Rate Box. The box weighs 8 pounds.
Below is a list of included items.
Four MRE Entrees (All Beef)
Southwest Beef & Black Beans
Sloppy Joe Filling
Chili with Beans (or Chili & Macaroni)
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (or Meatballs in Marinara or Beef Ravioli)
Five Side Dishes
Refried Beans
Mexican Style Rice
Applesauce with Raspberry Puree
Mixed Fruit (or Pears)
Mexican Mac & Cheese (or Garlic Mashed Potatoes)
Six Bread Packs
2 - Cracker packs
2 - Wheat Snack Breads
1 - Cornbread
1 - Tortilla pack
Ten Desserts and Snacks (one each)
Chocolate First Strike Bar
Beef Snack Stick
Lemon Poppy Pound Cake
Nut & Raisin Mix
Maple Muffin Top
Mocha Dessert Bar
Toffee Cookies
Dairyshake (Chocolate or Vanilla)
Raisins
Pretzel Sticks
Eight Spreads/Condiments
1 Cheese Spread pack
1 Cheese Spread with Jalapeños
1 Cheese Spread with Bacon
2 Peanut Butter packs
1 Chunky Peanut Butter pack
1 Jelly Pack (Grape or Strawberry)
1 Black berry Jam pack
Four Drink Packs
Lemon-Lime Electrolyte
Orange Beverage Base
Cocoa
French Vanilla Cappuccino
Four MRE Accessory Packs (coffee, tea, gum, moist towelette, etc.)
Four MRE Spoons
All components have 0xxx date codes and are from 2010.
SOME NOTES ON MRE EXPIRATION, LONGEVITY AND MY EXPERIENCES
The government established an expiration table based on some criteria, not really sure what that was, but set a 7 -year maximum. The Heat Stabilized Retort Packaging process in theory has no expiration. For longevity, all MRE components should be stored in a cool and dry area, 60 degrees or cooler.  As long as the packages are sealed and exhibit no swelling the food product inside is edible and nutritious.
My extensive experience backs up this theory. I’ve been eating MRE’s since they were introduced in 1981. Since the mid 1980’s I have routinely used MRE’s for camping, hunting and for quick and easy meals. In the past year I have been consuming more MRE’s than in the past. This past year I have been eating MRE’s as old as 2003 vintage from my stored supplies. I am vigilant in inspecting the MRE components for any issues of packaging integrity and signs of swelling and on occasion find a compromised component. Otherwise, I have had no issues with “expired” product. Some components fair better than others, the cheese spreads and applesauce can visibly darken with age upon opening, but are edible.
The most extreme sample I’ve tested was in 2011. A friend had a partial case of 1981 MRE’s that were stored in his garage for several decades cycling from freezing in the Winter and high heat in the Summer. These MRE’s were 30 years old and could not possibly be any good, or so my friend thought. I opened and inspected all the components of a Menu #11 bag. The ham slices were juicy and tasty, just as I remembered them. The freeze dried fruit rehydrated ok, but was lacking the sweetness (I mixed in a little honey and it was very good, one of my tricks). The orange nut cake was as fresh and tasty as I remembered. The crackers had lost a little crispness, but the saltiness made up for that. The cheese spread was very dark upon opening, but tasted ok. Finally the cocoa was a fine treat to cap off my meal. I  WAS shocked myself at how well this MRE held up being 30 years old!