I've never served, so I don't know the wonders of MRE's. But, would anyone recommend any for a 4 day motorcycle trip? I'll be traveling south-east from Michigan to Virginia on a shoestring budget with my 8yo son. So, Camping and cheap meals it is.
I've never served, so I don't know the wonders of MRE's. But, would anyone recommend any for a 4 day motorcycle trip? I'll be traveling south-east from Michigan to Virginia on a shoestring budget with my 8yo son. So, Camping and cheap meals it is.
MREs aren't necessarily cheap. I sell them for around 12xx a meal.
not only not cheap, but the nutrition is completely whack. last time I looked at them, they seemed to be about 98% sodium.
also: they're heavy on the packaging. there seems to be as much plastic wrapping as food in the average one I saw. Thus they're heavy and large for the food content, never mind the eco issues.
eh.. maybe I'll skip them then. I was thinking they'd hold up to traveling well.
Sperlo is right. MRE's aren't cheap. They sell them in the military commissary for $15 each. When I was a teen and did some backpacking in the mountains, we used to take canned meals, like the Chef-boy-ardee stuff and transfer them to plastic bags like zip-lock freezer bags or even better, the bag sealer bags that are heat sealed. Lighter and easier to pack than cans. Small sterno camp/backpack stoves to heat up the meal. Pot usually doubles as the storage container for the stove. Although now they have some small, packable propane stoves which would be easier to use.
Camping supply stores (Gander Mountain, Cabella's, etc) usually have freeze dried meals. Add hot water and you have a meal. They're not cheap, but they're cheaper than MRE's. To heat water you can use a single burner camp stove, those pack down TINY. Water supply is a tap at the camp site hopefully.
Small cooler with sandwich stuffs and a couple refillable water bottles. Keeps some sugary snacks hidden for when the ride gets the best of the both of you.
Progresso stews can be pretty good at around 3xx/pc. Package them up like wl says and you're good to go.
Eat off the dollar menu somewhere. Pack light.
dculberson wrote: Camping supply stores (Gander Mountain, Cabella's, etc) usually have freeze dried meals. Add hot water and you have a meal. They're not cheap, but they're cheaper than MRE's. To heat water you can use a single burner camp stove, those pack down TINY. Water supply is a tap at the camp site hopefully.
This is the way to go. REI has some great stuff as well that I use when backpacking.
You're bound to come across some decent road kill. Mmmmm. armadillo.
If you now someone in the Service you should be able to get some MREs for cheap. In fact if you stop by I will give you some.
when roughing it a bit and I need meals on the go I just eat canned good straight out of the can. (yup, I don't heat it..)
Cambells chunky soups, Hormel chili, Greenbeans, Kidney beans (with seasoning), and such. Cans, canopener, and a spoon.
But I might do with less then other people would be willing.
Rusted_Busted_Spit wrote: If you now someone in the Service you should be able to get some MREs for cheap. In fact if you stop by I will give you some.
That's how I used to acquire MRE's when I knew a USA Lifer that was near me when not out somewhere. I'd take them and pack them in the saddlebags. They worked out pretty well. Being a vegetarian now, the selection is pretty limited so we don't do that anymore. Plus my friend now lives far away and retired. For $15 ea, I would rather eat at a restaurant.
We bring a cooler, Cold Beverages, loaf of bread, 2 cup coffee pot, propane screw on camp stove with cylinder (have used a 1 burner gasoline stove in the past, but I prefer the instant on, no berkeleying with it propane stoves), sometimes Dr.Linda starts us out with some planned meals in a tupperware type container, some cans, cheese, etc. She makes a mean white rice/Chineese food type dish at the campground with sweet and sour. We would pack it all on 2 bikes, but last trip, I made a trailer to pull behind my bike and it was better than bungeeing everything on. Couldn't cruise at 90 anymore, though.
MREs are designed to be eaten by soldiers and marines in field conditions. In other words, they have a LOT of calories. Also, they're designed to eat one or two a day (max) and to make you, uh, purge them from your system every 3 days or so.
I would not recommend them for a motorcycle trip.
Spam!
If you have a dehydrator you can do pasta sauce and noodles.
Sky_Render wrote: MREs are designed to be eaten by soldiers and marines in field conditions. In other words, they have a LOT of calories. Also, they're designed to eat one or two a day (max) and to make you, uh, purge them from your system every 3 days or so. I would not recommend them for a motorcycle trip.
They're only ~1500 calories. Half the meals at Cheesecake Fattery have more.
MRE's can be good if you're not paying for them. If you are, I'd look elsewhere. Peanut butter, for starters. And use a flatbread or tortilla instead of bread. Packs smaller.
What's the difference between a sunny-sunday biker and an every-day motorcyclist?
A motorcyclist buys whole-wheat bread. It doesn't get crushed in your backpack like white bread does!
Osterkraut wrote:Sky_Render wrote: MREs are designed to be eaten by soldiers and marines in field conditions. In other words, they have a LOT of calories.They're only ~1500 calories. Half the meals at Cheesecake Fattery have more.
"only" and "1500 calories" don't belong together, unless you're talking about a meal for two. 1500 calories 3 times a day is a one-way ticket to fattie town.
dculberson wrote:Osterkraut wrote:"only" and "1500 calories" don't belong together, unless you're talking about a meal for two. 1500 calories 3 times a day is a one-way ticket to fattie town.Sky_Render wrote: MREs are designed to be eaten by soldiers and marines in field conditions. In other words, they have a LOT of calories.They're only ~1500 calories. Half the meals at Cheesecake Fattery have more.
dculberson wrote:Osterkraut wrote:"only" and "1500 calories" don't belong together, unless you're talking about a meal for two. 1500 calories 3 times a day is a one-way ticket to fattie town.Sky_Render wrote: MREs are designed to be eaten by soldiers and marines in field conditions. In other words, they have a LOT of calories.They're only ~1500 calories. Half the meals at Cheesecake Fattery have more.
You can go through a lot of calories when you're out in the field. You also don't HAVE to eat the whole thing at one time. That said, I wouldn't be upset if I never had to eat one again. If it's just for lunch, I usually just get the candy and snacks then give the rest away.
What you're seeing there is my rig for making coffee on the road as well as heating up a freeze dried food item from a place like REI / Cabellas etc. Even Wal-Mart is carrying a bit of that stuff now. The cooker is an Optimus Crux, it is awesome and packs down into a little stuff sack about 10 inches tall, 4 inches across. You can do a lot with stuff like couscous and rice and all kinds of things. That picture there shows me making some desert apple cinnamon "crisp" which was soupy stuff but tasty. Breakfasts were coffee and smoked oysters on toast; heat up the tin of oysters on a campfire along with some bread you split, lay on oysters when everything is ready and I add a little hot sauce for flavor.
Something else; bear can! Get a bear can so you have critters out of your food and safely away from your camp. I don't know what kind of bear worries you'll have but raccoons and other sorts can't get in and eat your stuff and probably won't be so interested in coming around either. Also good at keeping most things (besides bread) from getting crushed.
If you want more ideas I have a lot of pictures and comments here; http://pres589.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=29&g2_page=1
When it comes to bears, another option is putting the non-canned food in a sturdy sack and hanging it from a rope over a tree limb, too high for a bear on tiptoes. When I was a teenager, I went on a church youth group camping trip where one of the guys forgot that rule and decided to keep his food in his tent. Woke up with a raccoon in his hair.
dculberson wrote:Osterkraut wrote:"only" and "1500 calories" don't belong together, unless you're talking about a meal for two. 1500 calories 3 times a day is a one-way ticket to fattie town.Sky_Render wrote: MREs are designed to be eaten by soldiers and marines in field conditions. In other words, they have a LOT of calories.They're only ~1500 calories. Half the meals at Cheesecake Fattery have more.
With almost 70% of America overweight or obese, MRE's are a light snack these days. No to mention BMI generally under-reports these days, not counting the "skinnyfat" that make weight but have high bodyfat percentages.
rotard wrote: Eat off the dollar menu somewhere. Pack light.
Trying to avoid fast food. That being said, it sounds like I'll pass on the MRE's as well
dculberson wrote: Camping supply stores (Gander Mountain, Cabella's, etc) usually have freeze dried meals. Add hot water and you have a meal. They're not cheap, but they're cheaper than MRE's. To heat water you can use a single burner camp stove, those pack down TINY. Water supply is a tap at the camp site hopefully.
I'll swing over to Gander Mtn on Lunch and check those out.
pres589, How long does the fuel last in that stove?
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