How to Buy MREs Online

akay | Apr 14, 2010 |

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There is much confusion for novice consumers who first encounter MREs for sale. MRE is short for meals ready to eat and they are complete, nutritional meals of approximately 1200 calories per meal and include an entrée, side dish, snacks, beverage base, desert, condiment and accessory pack and a flameless heater.

The average cost of a full MRE meal for sale with heater is $8. There is also an option of purchasing MRE components individually. MREs can be found for sale online and in a wide variety of retail, outlet and surplus stores. MREs have a five to ten year shelf life. The shelf life will be dependent upon the temperature at which the MREs are stored. MREs store at a constant 80 degree temperature would have a shelf life of just over six years whereas MREs stored at a constant 60degree temperature would have a shelf life of 10 years.

Another point of confusion for the inexperienced buyers of MREs online is that the shelf life of MREs is calculated neither from the date of purchase nor from the inspection date but, rather, from the date of packing. Some MREs are stamped with two dates, with one being the pack or production date and the other date being the inspection date. The production date may also be difficult to decipher for a beginner because, while some MREs are stamped with the packing date clearly written out, most MREs are stamped with a date code.

For example, an MRE may have a pack dates stamped as January 01, 2009 whereas another supplier, utilizing numerical date codes, may have a date code of 9001 XXXX stamped onto the package. Only the first four digits of the date code are of any significance. The first number of the MRE date code represents the last digit of the year and numbers 2-4 represents the day. So, an MRE for sale which bears a stamp 9001 XXXX was packed January 01, 2009. But, here again, a consumer would have to be careful as the production date could also have been January 01, 1999. Especially if you are inexperienced, look for MREs for sale by reputable dealers.