Steve1989MREInfo

Check out the most advanced military ration in the world. The Close Combat Assault Ration, or CCAR, takes the infantry carry load down by 10%, being the same size as one MRE, but containing about 2,850 calories, instead of the MRE's 1,300 calorie average. Featuring Vacuum Microwave Dried and Sonic Compressed food that takes a fraction of processing time to make than freeze dried. This ration is aimed to replace the FSR, and with it's highly advanced, palatable, and nutritious components, it is the new shelf stable food.

The newest and most effective Humanitarian Ration in the world. The Humanitarian Daily Ration is featuring new components such as shelf stable fruit smoothies, exotic spiced oatmeal cookies, and maltodextrin enriched main courses that are calorically bolstered to the max. This is an optimized ration, that has been around now for over 20 years, and will be for many more to come.

An extremely well preserved example of yet another one of the worst MRE's ever produced. The translation from fresh to shelf stable, was unsuccessful in this curry dish from the Indian Subcontinent, making it's way to American trays through Savannah Georgia, Charleston South Carolina, and New York. It was also General George S. Patton's favorite dinner. A hopeful and patriotic approach to what could have been a terrific and well received menu, it didn't work out with the troops and was phased out after a 4 year service time, ranging from the year 2000 to 2004. Personally, I have a strange affinity for this menu, but many others didn't during it's prime time of usage 20 years ago. This is a fun one.

An introduction to Tube Food. Extremely difficult to acquire, at only 28,000 produced annually. We check out Caffeinated Apple Pie, Polenta with Cheese & Bacon, and Beef Stew. There are 19 different menu options in total. Produced for over 50 years now, and has been optimized for palatability and efficiency. Not mentioned in the video, Tube Food is stored in refrigeration, lengthening the shelf life well past the standard 3 years if stored at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or 26.67 degrees Celsius.

Two K Ration Breakfast units in opposite condition. Stick around for the second one. It's still to this day, by far the most pristine and well preserved example of one I've ever found. History on the K ration in a simple and straightforward approach, and with one surprising food discovery after another. Finally out from my video archives due to locating better photos and the recent composition of more a more traditional music track. (An early preview short version of the music used in one of my most important upcoming WW2 ration reviews on something that may never be seen again after that video is released.)

An in depth review of three generations of the AAF Life Raft Ration of WW2 from 1943-1945, a 1942 K Ration Breakfast Unit, their history, correlations, nutritional comparison, and testing. Also featuring a Vintage survival radio nicknamed the "Gibson Girl" for it's curvy appearance - used by downed Army Air Force crewman for sending out a Morse code signal for rescue on land or at sea. Modern Charms are now owned and produced by Tootsie Roll Industries, and can still be purchased to this day. Who knows, maybe they'll bring back the old formula on a limited run. I still say modern Charms are worth trying out. Wrigley's gum can still be bought, and also Adam's Chiclets (American Chicle Company). Neither have chicle gum base like the old days, though.

Check out this new & improved Canadian Light Meal Combat, featuring high tech state of the art shelf stable snacks of utmost quality. Creamy crunchy chocolate Xact protein bar, delectable grape drink, and a hot cup of latte coffee that would make you question your need to ever buy normal coffee ever again. Behold, the equivalence to the US FSR, but it's Canadian. And that alone makes it worth checking out.

3 astoundingly fresh MREs from 1993. Ham Omelet, Pork Chow Mien, & Spaghetti with Meat Sauce. Behold the plethora of various vintage preserved food items designed for the US Military during the Gulf War Era, and with first generation Flameless Ration Heaters, in which two work, and one does not. Only one food component doesn't hold up, stick around to find out which one it is.

A very difficult to acquire package of food given to Russian suspects, convicts, and prisoners during transit or for when regular hot meals aren't feasible. Featuring a ton of hard tack, sugar, a couple tea bags, and a few halfway nourishing meat and grain kasha type items, along with a vegetable caviar - or rendered puree rather. It's some pretty delectable squash, carrot, and vegetable oil spread which really is the star of the show, along with that beef tushonka. Truly a fascinating ration that you don't get to see every day.

One of two new US MRE Menus, this is arguably one of the best out there. Replacing Creamy Spinach Fettucine, it's a huge upgrade. It's giving a vegetarian option to the coveted Chicken Burrito Bowl, but now anyone can eat it. Also making a delectable hot peanut butter brownie milkshake and check out the newest formula to the FS Cran Raspberry fruit energy bar.

A truly gourmet freeze dried 24 hour ration with exceptionally high quality and delicious food, snacks, candy, coffee, tea, and even a toothbrush. Small portions for many items, which means they could pack in extra variety, and that is just what Denmark did with this 24 hour food pack used in cold climate operations. Mild pate, raspberry jam that tasted like a dessert sauce, delicate curried chicken with minimally processed and large portions of meat, fish sandwiches, making a trail mix, and finishing with a memorably rich and decadent double chocolate frosted cake.

The SMR is the UK equivalence to the US MRE, and this British comfort food classic Pork Sausage Casserole is quite possibly the best menu out of the 10 currently in service. With 1,500 calories, a roaring flameless ration heater that's easily twice as powerful as an MRE's, and rugged components that are palatable and nutritious, this is truly one of the most well made military rations in the world.

A dozen different U-2 Spy Plane Tube Food Menus including Pizza, Key Lime Pie, Apple Pie, Chocolate Pudding (two different kinds), Chicken Ala King, Beef Stroganoff, Peaches, Cinnamon Zapplesauce, Beef with Gravy, Hashbrowns with Bacon, and Beef Stew. A rare look into some highly specialized food for pilots that fly above 70,000 feet. These 12 tube foods ranged from a 2020 to 2023 production. Apple pie was 2020, fruits and puddings were 2021 along with the stroganoff and ala king, beef & gravy and pizza were 2022, hashbrowns were 2023 and key lime pie was either 2022 or 2023. I saved all the tubes in the 'ol freezer so I can check if need be. Would love to check out more menus as these are truly fascinating. The hunt continues.

Suitable for cold climates for having various dried components or even a tropical climate where treatable water is ample, yet excessive perspiration is expected, this ration is versatile and even more so, memorably delicious and of good quality. The high sodium freeze dried mains are versatile in this regard, along with the ration being lighter in weight with the removal of the usual heavy canned main courses and replaced with these truly delicious and flavorful freeze dried mains. It still features a can of pork tushonka - ready to eat and absolutely fantastic. A blueberry energy drink, mysterious chocolate beans, unsweetened brown rice protein powder, and a few other neat food items like a raspberry muesli and also - raspberry fruit snacks. Truly decadent. A ration that is bound to get you thirsty if you don't have a bunch of water on hand. 15 grams of sodium total. I filmed this one back in November 2019 and decided to bust it out to edit and release. Got a few more in the arch