| Originally, meals ready to eat (MRE) were designed | | | | your FRH. The main entrée should come in a |
| as military rations by the U.S. army to feed their | | | | small flat box. Open the box and you'll find your meal |
| soldiers in operation and on the field. However, more | | | | in another sealable pouch. Save the box as you'll need |
| and more, they have been adopted by civilians as a | | | | it later. Next, peal open the top edge of the FRH. |
| great food resource for emergency disaster | | | | Inside, you'll find the heating element of the FRH and |
| situations. For a trained soldier, preparing and eating | | | | it is important that you do not touch this. Slide your |
| from an MRE pouch might be a no-brainer, but for | | | | main entrée package into the FRH bag with |
| the ordinary person, it might prove to be challenging. | | | | the unopened edge on top. Fill the FRH bag with just |
| An MRE package is one complete meal for an | | | | the right amount of water as indicated by the bag |
| individual. When you first open up the package, open | | | | line. After you put the water in, you will find that |
| it up like a bag of chips and don't rip it up along the | | | | your bag starts to steam. It does get very hot so |
| sides. You can use the bag for disposal purposes | | | | put the package back in the main entrée box |
| later. In your package, you can expect it to include a | | | | that it came in to prevent your hands from handling |
| main entrée, a side dish, a dessert or a | | | | the hot food. Tilt the box at a 45 degree angle so |
| snack, bread or crackers, and a spread for it. The | | | | the water doesn't run out of the box and this |
| package should also come with a spoon, a drink mix, | | | | method does help to heat the food evenly. After |
| and a flameless ration heater (FRH) that is water | | | | approximately 10 minutes, your meal should be fully |
| activated. Finally, the MR package also comes with an | | | | heated. Just take out the entrée from the |
| accessory pack with miscellaneous items such as | | | | FRH and repeat the process with your side dish. |
| chewing gum, water resistant matches, toilettes and | | | | MREs are a great and convenient meal for when |
| toilet paper and seasonings. | | | | you're on the go and also for emergency situations. |
| Arrange your MRE meal contents so everything is | | | | It just takes a little know-how to prepare and cook |
| easily identifiable. Find your main entrée and | | | | your MRE package for the first time. |