By Tama D. Bloch, RD, LD At the same time we're planning summer fare for cookouts, picnics, and celebrations such as the Fourth of July, food scientists and dietitians at the Department of Defense (DoD) test kitchen in Natick, Massachusetts. have their own meal planning to do. They know that providing nourishing meals to soldiers is as important as giving them the right battle equipment. As we look back on July 4th and our thoughts turn toward our troops, here's an inside look at one essential aspect of the military — their nutritional needs and the MRE.
What is "MRE"?
MRE stands for Meal, Ready to Eat. It's a single, pre-packaged meal designed to nourish the troops when normal food service is not available.
Taste Is King
If an MRE doesn't taste good, soldiers might not eat it. And that could compromise their performance and health. Because of our troops' ethnic diversity, the DoD creates new MREs with distinct tastes in mind. In 2006, they offered 24 different entrees, including four different vegetarian options. Hot sauce and seasonings are available for those who like spicier food. Recently, they added brand-name cookies and candies because soldiers enjoy seeing familiar goodies and packaging.
MRE Nutrition Levels
The nutritional challenge for dietitians and food scientists at Natick includes designing meals that taste good and meet strict requirements. Each meal contains 1,250 calories (13% protein, 36% fat, and 51% carbohydrate) and one-third of the Military Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals. The military provides soldiers 3,750 calories per day (compared to the recommended 1,800 to 2,000 calories most of us eat).
How Do MREs Hold Up?
MREs must stand up to rigorous storage and handling conditions. Shelf life requirement for MREs is three years at 80°F and six months at 100°F. The packaging must also withstand airdropping.
Thinking about the requirements military MREs must meet certainly puts our own meal planning in perspective. We salute our soldiers everywhere and give kudos to the dedicated personnel at the Department of Defense test kitchen.