The Beef Enchilada MRE main course. Tasty? You be the judge.
© Meredith Mullins

Life-Changing Experiences: The MRE versus the RCIR

Life for military personnel in the field is never easy. Sometimes the only part of the day to look forward to is meal time. Enter the MRE.

Meals Rarely Edible? Meals Rejected by Everyone? Morale Reducing Elements? Materials Resembling Edibles?

The MRE—Meal, Ready-to-Eat—is a staple for American military in combat or in the field where other food options are not available. But, as you can see by the affectionate monikers, MREs are considered far from a fine dining experience. They offer life-changing experiences in the world of “fooding.”

The core ingredients of an American MRE
© Meredith Mullins

MREs provide sustenance under difficult conditions. The food must stay edible up to three years in a variety of climates and must be able to be dropped from the sky by helicopter or parachute. Gastronomy, needless to say, takes a backseat.

The MREs (approximately 1200 calories) include a precooked main course, such as chili, beef taco, chicken with noodles and vegetables, spaghetti with beef sauce, spicy penne pasta, and cheese tortellini, and sometimes a side dish such as mashed potatoes or black beans.

MRE Main Course: Garlic and Herb Chicken (with BBQ grill marks as an added touch)
© Meredith Mullins

The package contains hard crackers or bread and some kind of spread (cheese, jelly, peanut butter); a dessert such as fruit, power bars, or candy; a powdered beverage; and extras such as sugar, salt, other seasonings, coffee, tea, matches, spoon, chewing gum, moist towelettes, and toilet paper.

The main course can be heated in the flameless chemical heater included in the MRE package, with water added to activate the heating elements.

Instructions say to lean the flameless heater on a rock “or something” to prevent water leakage.
© Meredith Mullins

The main course packaging also includes notes about the importance of food for strength, endurance, motivation, and mental alertness.

Cultural Diversity: French versus American Field Rations

The French field rations are a bit different. A Ration de Combat Individuelle Rechauffable (reheatable individual combat ration) includes food for one full day (about 3200 calories).

The RCIRs are often traded for five U.S. MREs in combat zones where French and Americans are present, not just because an MRE is for one meal, but because the French rations reflect a bit more attention to haute cuisine than to just sustenance.

A typical French RCIR
© Donald & Christopher van den Bogert/Paratrooper Research Team.

Napoleon Said “An Army Marches on Its Stomach”

The RCIRs include two entrées (hors d’oeuvres) such as fish terrine or paté, with sweet and salty crackers and cheese spread; instant soup; two main courses such as salmon with rice and vegetables, cassoulet with duck confit, chicken tajine, navarin d’agneau (lamb), paella, rabbit casserole, and poultry with spring vegetables.

Gateau chocolat, a moist chocolate cake in the RCIR
© G. Schultz

They include muesli for breakfast; a nougat/fruit jelly bar; desserts such as chocolate mousse or crème caramel; assorted candies and chocolates (the kind that tourists buy in France); powdered fruit drinks; coffee, tea, and cocoa; water purifying tablets; salt and pepper; sugar; a trash bag; and a pack of tissues.

A petit box of caramels in every RCIR
© G. Schultz

The kit comes with an easy to build stove, a chemical heating tablet that lights easily with a single match, and match books with pictures of French monuments.

The only downside: if you light a flame stove in combat at night, you may get shot.

A paté with wild mushrooms in the RCIR
© G. Schultz

The Combat Ration Face Off

The “Oh, I see” moment? In a combat ration face off, the French would win. Who wouldn’t choose navarin d’agneau and after-dinner chocolates over listless chicken and dry pound cake, although both kinds of field rations are life-changing experiences?

But sometimes, American staples in MREs like beef stew or pizza or the popularly traded MRE M&Ms hit that nostalgic sweet spot.

It’s not just about the food. It’s about “home.”

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

More information can be found at MRE Info and with this YouTube video.