The Meal, Ready-to-Eat Consumed in a Cold Environment

Abstract : The Meal Ready-to-Eat (MRE) was adopted into service in 1985 as a replacement for the Meal Combat Individual. It provides individual meals in field feeding environments when centralized feeding is either impractical or not possible. To determine the suitability of using the MRE in a cold environment, the validity of a supplemental pack as a cold weather energy supplement and the effectiveness of a chemical Ration Heater Pad (RHP), a 10 day field study was held in Alaska in March 1989. Approximately half of the soldiers in one Company were fed 4 MRE VIs and the other half 3 or 4 MREs VIIIs daily. In the other Company, half of the soldiers were fed 3 MRE VIs plus a supplemental pack and the other half, 3 MRE VIIIs plus a supplemental pack daily. Each soldier was given a RHP to heat his meals. Keywords: Rations; Meal Ready to Eat; Nutrient intake; Fluid intake; Supplemental pack; Cold weather.