I think we all know that feeling of looking at our food storage and debating about whether or not to eat that expired can of soup. The same dilemma can emerge when dealing with MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). Are they really good after their expiration date has passed?
MREs can be good after their inspection/expiration date has passed. MREs will usually last about 5 years if they’re properly stored, but after they’ve passed that point, you can check it with sight and smell to decide if it’s safe.
Some MREs will be safe to eat even after their expiration dates have passed, but it’s always good to stay on the safe side. If you’re truly desperate, you can often eat expired MREs, but there’s still a risk of rot and food poisoning. To learn more about military expiration dates, the shelf life of MREs, and storage tips, read below.
Understanding Julian Date Codes And Inspection Dates
Military MREs are stamped with a 4-digit number when they are manufactured. This number is formatted in Y/DDD standard and is called a Julian date code.
For example, if a ration is marked as 3126, that means that it was manufactured on the 126th day of 2013. (In this case, the 126th day of the year would be May 6). If you want to identify the date of your MREs, you can use this website to input the code and calculate the manufacture date.
The year is only marked with the last number of the year, so when it comes to identifying very old MREs, it could be difficult to distinguish between 1993, 2003, and 2013. The date codes are set up this way because the manufacturers of MREs assume that the people who buy them will consume them within a 10 year period.
Sometimes there are other numbers stamped on the packaging as well.
Beneath the Julian date code is sometimes a MM/YYYY date that is used as an inspection date. These dates are usually between 3-5 years after the product was manufactured. When the date rolls around, MRE owners should check the packaging for rips, tears, bulges, swelling, or other flaws. If the packaging is still intact, it’s usually safe to keep it around for a bit longer.
Inspection dates are usually just suggestions, but I would personally view them as similar to expiration dates. Oftentimes canned food can be consumed well after its expiration date (although some of the flavor and texture might be lost). Once the inspection date has passed, you need to use your own common sense and judgment to determine whether or not an MRE is safe to consume.
You can also compare the current date to the Julian Code and determine how long it has been since the MRE was made. This will help you determine your own inspection date if one is not provided.
Some food items are more prone to spoiling, so be especially careful of meat products. Just because it’s an emergency ration, that doesn’t mean that it can’t rot and give you food poisoning. Carefully examine and smell every expired MRE you’re thinking about eating.
Shelf Life Of MREs
MREs have evolved over the years, and they’ve generally gotten more nutritious and easy to transport. However, these improvements have come at the cost of some of their shelf life.
Current models of military MREs usually last about 5 years (when they’re stored at 60-degree temperatures), which is half of what it used to be. Many military units will be able to go through their stock within this time frame, but sometimes civilians like to stock up on MREs as well. These will last in food storage and emergency kits, but you should still check up on them.
MREs aren’t famous for their 5-star cuisine, so several people only use them for limited-time activities like camping, hiking, and other outdoor adventures. This means that civilians that buy MREs might not go through a large stock within the recommended 5-year range.
Best Ways To Store And Preserve MREs
If you like having MREs on hand but don’t want them to spoil, there are a few things you can do to stretch out the shelf life of your rations.
First of all, you should store MRE packages in a cool, dry, dark place. Excessive heat will ruin this food faster than anything else. In fact, food that’s supposed to last for years can go bad in months if it’s left in a place that’s too warm.
There are records of MREs that spoiled in less than a month when they were stored at 120-degree temperatures. This is an extreme example and there aren’t many places that routinely reach this level of heat, but keep an eye on your food storage if you live in a warm area nonetheless.
In general, the colder food is, the slower bacteria and rot can take over. 60 degrees is the ideal temperature for storing MREs in dry conditions, but they can also be refrigerated or frozen.
MREs are not freeze-dried food (that’s something else entirely) but the food inside can still withstand cold temperatures. The food inside will be preserved and the growth of any bacteria or rot will be slowed way down.
However, if MREs are constantly being frozen and thawed, their packaging can begin to stretch and weaken. If the packaging breaks, the food will expire much faster. So if you want to freeze your MREs, I would suggest leaving them in there, undisturbed, for as long as possible.
They might lose a bit of flavor and texture from this long period in the freezer, but they should still be edible and safe beyond the traditional storage period. It might be a bit freezer-burned, but you can still eat it in a pinch!
If MREs are kept in a sufficiently cool and well-sealed environment, they can last up to 10 years! It’s always a bit of a risk to eat food that’s this old, but it might be worth the risk if you’re in desperate circumstances. Carefully dethaw your MRE when you’re ready to eat it and check the contents for any signs of decay.