Published: 9/08/2024

Fundamentally, MREs are field rations. They are the fuel required to keep fighting men in the field ‘fighting’. The meals need to be energy dense yet light enough to be packed and carried, and need to be able to be consumed with limited or no cooking required.  

Below is an interactive worksheet to build your own MREs. The menu options are assembled from cost effective and common foods found at many retailers. 

Here are the guidelines we use when we assembly our foods and menus:

• Each meal should contain between 2000 and 2500 calories
• Foods can be eaten without heating or cooking (ie. ‘ready to eat’)
• Balance of Macros (attempt 40/40/30, Fat/Carb/Prot)
• Keep Cost around $10 per meal 
• Shelf Stable for 5 years or more

Keep in mind that MREs are different from the bulk foods that you stored as part of your long-term storage plan, MREs have a different intent and composition. Essentially, they trade shelf-life for ease of consumption. You can purchase packaged MREs from many distributors and those options are good; however, we know you can get better quality and bang-for-your-buck if you DIY.

Just as with the Food Calculator for Long-Term Storage, pay attention to the Macro Nutrients section; a balanced ratio of Macros is essential for proper nutrition. For MREs we recommend 40/40/20 (F/C/P) as a goal.