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Troops have always groused about food. When the modern MREs (meals ready to eat) were introduced to the U.S. military in 1981, they were often maligned as “meals rejected by everyone.” A 1983 field evaluation with the Army’s 25th Infantry Division found that only 60 percent of MREs were consumed.
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But American service members are a resourceful bunch. They make the best out of a culinary challenge by bartering rations and coming up with creative combinations. These concoctions may have been a subject of mirth at the time, but now they stir up feelings of nostalgia and memories of camaraderie.
Here are six favorite recipes that use MREs, which can be purchased easily. Who knows? Some of these unique dishes might even be making an appearance at holiday dinners.
Flame and Blade
Trevor Snyder, from Whittier, California, served in the Army from 1998 to 2013 and was deployed to Iraq in 2003 and Afghanistan in 2009. He describes his recipe as a twisted take on the old-time staple Ranger Pudding. “I like to call it Flame and Blade pudding, named after the 63rd Infantry Division,” Snyder told AARP Veteran Report.
- 1 packet hot cocoa powder
- 1 packet coffee creamer
- 1 packet sugar
- 1 packet instant coffee from the MRE accessories bag
- Water
- 1 packet red pepper packet A, or cayenne pepper (kept from an old pizza order)
In a cup, mix hot cocoa powder, coffee creamer, sugar and instant coffee with water. Add red pepper, stir until pudding consistency and enjoy. “The cayenne gave it a complementary kick to an otherwise tasteless pudding concoction,” Snyder said.
Beef Stew
Photo: Scott Suchman; Food Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky
Beef Stew
Laura Purdy, from Russellville, Kentucky, served as an Army physician for 14 years and was the surgeon for the 91st Civil Affairs Battalion, a special operations unit. “Beef stew was a popular creation in the field,” she told AARP Veteran Report. This meaty, cheesy concoction is classic comfort food.
- 1 package Grilled Jalapeno Pepper Jack-Flavored Beef Patty
- 1 package cheese spread
- Hot sauce
- Corn nuts or crackers
Heat up the beef patty, then cut it into bite sizes. Add cheese spread and hot sauce. Top with corn nuts or crackers.
5 Star Beef Taco
Photo: Scott Suchman; Food Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky
Five-Star Beef Taco
Marine Corps officer Samir Glenn-Roundtree of Philadelphia shared his go-to recipe in a How to Eat Like a Marine in the Field video for Vice, observing that beef jerky “takes your four-star MRE to a fifth star.”
- 1 package beef ravioli
- Hot sauce
- 1 tortilla
- 1 package of beef strips
- Heat up the beef ravioli. Add hot sauce. Spread the beef ravioli onto a tortilla and top with beef strips. Fold the taco in half and dig in!
