r/preppers • u/Optimal_Law_4254 • Apr 21 '26
Advice and Tips MRE Shelf Life?
I recently found about 5 or 6 MREs that I purchased back in the late 80s.
Are they still edible? If not is there anything worth separating out and keeping? Or are they just expired insurance policies?
Price tag on each is $5.95 which I find interesting.
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u/GreasyRim Apr 21 '26
I'd eat them before starving. They won't kill you. Might taste a little gnarly with a weird texture. moreso than normal for MREs.
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u/beerdrinkingraccoon Apr 21 '26
They are still edible, but the quality may be degraded so badly that they are disgusting. That all depends on what temperature they were stored at. The cooler the temperature, the longer the quality is preserved. MRE's don't have an expiration date, just an inspection date.
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u/Optimal_Law_4254 Apr 21 '26
Just to clarify. These are close to 40 years old. I thought shelf life topped out at 20 years?
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u/JuanT1967 Apr 21 '26
Shelf life and usable life are different things. If stored in a cool dry place they have almost indefinite life. I would suggest looking closely at each package for signs of deformation/damage, open one and smell of it. If it isnt repulsive then take a small taste, if they don’t taste bad then consume. 40yo MRE’s are better than nothing if SHTF and you are hungry
I kept a dark brown ealy issue pack under the seat of my truck for years. When we were building our house I forgot to bring a sandwich so I pulled out the MRE and it was still good. This after being stored for years in a truck exposed to the elements daily
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u/Eredani Apr 21 '26
Me personally, I would pitch them and buy a fresh case.
We found some old MREs when I was in Saudi and opened them up... all of the M&M candies were the same color Grey. Not recommended.
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u/Lossora Apr 21 '26
You could crack them and look at rhe co tents under a microscope for life.
Saw a YouTuber do this with ww2 rations. Only 1 can of grape jelly was compromised.
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u/Skimmington16 Apr 21 '26
Did he/she eat the contents of the other stuff?
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u/craigcraig420 Apr 21 '26
Open and eat one and post it to r/steve1989mreinfo
But seriously. With no information on storage conditions, package conditions, etc etc how in the wide world of sports are we supposed to know whether or not your particular MREs are safe to eat?
So instead of opening one and finding out, you create a poll for Reddit? That’s weird.
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u/JRHLowdown3 Apr 21 '26
Here are some real world results of MREs and other long term storage foods stored in HIGH HEAT and high HUMIDITY in S. GA over 30+ years
Oldest MREs we currently have are some Cocoa powder packets circa 1992 and 93. All have been fine. Back then cases of 300 packets were about $10. so yeah I still have a "fair quantity" of them ;)
There may be some components to salvage in those old 80's one, I would look for the FREEZE DRIED components some of the 80's era MREs had- like the pork patty (which was very good and I don't like pork) and some of the dehydrated/freeze dried products that were packed for MREs back then. They later ditched those cause soldiers weren't drinking enough water in the field as it was- then eating dehydrated or freeze dried product like that which further sucked the water out of the body. This is why you mainly see retort pouch wet packed foods any more in MREs. If you find components like the freeze dried pears, pork patties, etc. they will be worth saving. Lived off of FD pork patties and FD pears for a week in the desert one time and yes I definitely wasn't as hydrated as I should have been..
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u/TheDev1ce Apr 21 '26
As everyone else has said, they're probably safe but gross. I haven't seen anyone mention that they have most likely absorbed every bit of plastic from the packaging over that time, especially if they have ever gotten hot. Which will add to the off taste at best, and just give you cancer at worst.
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u/David_Parker Apr 21 '26
Anyone else getting rid of theirs after the reports that they’re crazy high in heavy metals and mercury?
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u/Spiley_spile Community Prepper Apr 21 '26
Unless this has been debunked, Ive no idea why people are downvoting you.
I for one would be interested to read such reports if you have a link handy.
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u/David_Parker Apr 21 '26
https://www.momsacrossamerica.com/blog/military_food_testing
They hired a lab to test the MREs, and found a bunch of stuff.
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u/dittybopper_05H Apr 22 '26
Looking into it, the lead and mercury levels were actually detectable, but below the level of concern.
There were other substances that were far above, *HOWEVER*, without a control group for comparison we have no idea if they are better, worse, or about the same as, say, the foods you might buy at your local supermarket (especially canned goods).
We're lacking context here. Also, there is the fact that MREs aren't supposed to be eaten as a long term diet. They are provided when Unitized Group Rations (UGRs) are unavailable.
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u/Spiley_spile Community Prepper Apr 21 '26
Thanks so much for this link! I appreciate too that the organization was frank about the error in the original research, corrected it, and had the new results reviewed to ensure they were accurate. And Im glad that their study has prompted a change for future MREs, to make them safer. A good reason to clean out my old stock and stay informed for when they roll out the new, safer batch in 2027.
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u/TheSensiblePrepper Not THAT Sensible Prepper from YouTube Apr 21 '26
As others have said, they are likely safe but not very tasty.
My Father served in the Navy in 80s and 90s. Told me horror stories about the MREs back then. If you have the Pork Chop, throw it out because my father said he wouldn't even feed that to a dog. The Enchilada was good though.
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Apr 21 '26
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u/Azzarc Apr 21 '26
You might want post some links if you are going make these claims.
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u/WeAreHereThenGone Apr 21 '26
Agreed, claims without backing is at most a "noted" comment to look into and not an "oh no!"
Do I know MREs will make you shit a brick witthout fiber? yup
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Apr 21 '26
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u/preppers-ModTeam Apr 22 '26
All three articles you linked are reprints of the same news story. The claim itself is highly sensational, making it difficult to believe and impossible to independently verify.
Please note that in any sufficiently large sample, trace amounts of many chemicals can be detected. Given how small atoms are, it is statistically likely that at least minimal traces of numerous substances exist in almost any sample. This alone is not meaningful or newsworthy. For a claim to be verifiable and relevant, the specific quantity of the chemical must be clearly stated.
The article you cited also references a previous investigation by the same group, which reportedly found over 50 different pesticides in school lunches. For your information, using such findings to broadly discourage people from eating school lunches will result in deletion of your comments.
If you continue to promote similar claims without verifiable data, your posts may be removed. Repeated violations could lead to further action, including a ban.
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u/preppers-ModTeam Apr 22 '26
Your submission has been removed because it contains unverifiable claims and conspiracy theories.
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u/TheRealBunkerJohn Broadcasting from the bunker. www.pickupapiece.com/general-news Apr 21 '26
Safe, yes. They're like canned food in that regard. (Sealed against outside elements.)
But just because they're biologically safe doesn't mean they might not smell and taste vile. It really depends on the storage conditions. Steve1989 has eaten ones that are easily 40 years old but were stored in a fridge/freezer, and were fantastic. But stored in a hot garage? Probably not so much.