How to Buy MREs

MREs, or meals ready to eat, are a staple for the men and women of the armed services. However, MREs are also becoming a staple in many civilian's emergency preparedness plans. An MRE is a compact package that contains an entrée, snacks, a dessert, a drink mix, plastic ware, seasonings, and very often, a heater to heat the entrée. Not all MREs are military grade, and not all are of equal quality.

Instructions

• 1

  Buy MREs online from a reputable source, such as MRE Depot. MRE Depot is an emergency preparedness site that primarily fulfills large government and civilian contracts. However, it continues to increase its reach into the personal preparedness market and welcomes orders from individuals. Because MRE Depot caters to large organizations, its stock rotates quickly and is always fresh.

• 2

  Find MREs for sale at eBay. While the MREs at eBay may be from the same manufacturers sold by reputable emergency preparedness companies, they usually don't have as long a shelf life left to them because they were manufactured longer ago. Make sure you verify the manufacture date and the expiration date before bidding.

• 3

  Purchase MREs at Army surplus stores. Frequently you can find MREs for sale at Army surplus stores, but as with many of those sold on eBay, they tend to have older manufacture dates, and their expiration dates are out a matter of months to a year rather than 5 years for brand new MREs.

• 4

  Get MREs at gun shows, where they are very often sold.