- Here we go, ready? Wah!
- If I had a dozen of these in college, I'd be set.
♪ (French accordion music) ♪
- (FBE) Today, you're gonna be trying MREs,
which stands for Meal Ready to Eat.
- Ooh, I'm excited.
- (FBE) They are food rations bought by the United States military
for use in combat or in other field conditions
where other food services may not be available.
They are also used in relief for disaster situations.
- Oh, wow, okay. I've never thought they had
a whole setup for that. I just thought that people
were sending over what they can like food, water.
- I've seen videos about these. I've heard they're pretty good.
- It's gonna be just crammed in a can.
It'll be like, "Doesn't expire."
- (FBE) So, they're usually in these packages that you
can eat out of, but to make things a little easier,
we're gonna give them to you already unwrapped
and out of the package. - Okay, all right.
I'm actually really curious to see if they're gonna be
really crappy or if they're gonna be decent food,
because you have to try to feed as many people as you can.
- I'm not expecting them to be good, but I'll probably feel like I've
had a well balanced meal by the end of this.
- (FBE) Here's your first MRE. - It looks like a Pop-Tart,
but it's like super compacted.
- Okay, so I see cinnamon. That's honey, is it?
- Oh, I'm with it. It kinda tastes like French toast.
- Oh, that's awesome. That's just like a regular
baked breakfast pastry.
- It's good. I like it.
It's really sweet, 'cause there's jelly inside.
- Not bad. Tastes like a waterfall
of canola and honey mixed with some wheat and barley.
- (FBE) This is MRE's version of French toast.
- Oh, that's what it is! Yeah, yeah.
I totally get it. It totally tastes like French toast.
Can I have the rest of this for later?
- (FBE) Here is your next one. - Oh, Jesus.
This one looks a little bit more intimidating.
- Here we go, ready? Wah!
Whoa, what? So, that looks like beef, maybe.
Maybe chicken.
- It looks like Hawaiian bread. Oh, this seems like a lunch.
- Eh, I don't like this one. It's super dry and I feel
like it's supposed to be meat, but I'm not sure that it is meat.
- It's a sloppy joe. I don't hate it,
but I don't love it either. It's meat flavored,
but I don't think there's meat in it.
- It kinda tastes like a pulled pork sandwich.
I mean, it's definitely not bad. If I had a dozen of these
in college, I'd be set.
- (FBE) So, this is a barbecue chicken sandwich.
- I don't taste any chicken. There's more bread
than there is the inside and I think that's just
to fill the person up more.
- It's not as much of a casual eat as the French toast.
- (FBE) Here is your next. - Why do they all look the same?
- It smells like dog food.
- It kinda smells like spaghetti and meatballs.
- Is it supposed to be a pepperoni pizza?
- This one's a bit more savory. A little pasta type flavor.
- No, I'm good. Tastes like regret and sadness.
- This one's okay. I think I like it a little more
than the barbecue sandwich one, but I have no idea
what the heck this is.
- (FBE) So, this is an Italian style sandwich.
- What? How is this that?
I don't get that at all.
- I wouldn't eat it again. Something about it made me feel
not too nice.
- (FBE) Here is your next MRE. - Oh, okay.
Something that isn't covered in bread.
- It looks like chili.
- Oh, this is pretty clearly pasta. Does not smell good.
Oh, jeez.
- That is the most plain tasting pasta.
That's wa-- that tastes like water.
- Oh, whoa, okay. That's really bland.
The meat has no taste to it. It's just solid.
The sauce has nothing in it. It tastes kind of watered down.
- (FBE) This is the pasta with vegetarian meat crumbles.
It can be eaten hot or cold, but in an emergency situation,
you may not be able to heat it up.
- It tastes fine warm. I like it.
- I would not eat it cold.
- This absolutely has no flavor to it.
I'm so sorry people have to eat this.
- (FBE) Here is your next. - There's pasta in here.
- It's like a beef stew. There's beans, there's carrots.
- This one smells better.
- I don't like that one. The meat tastes weird.
- Yeah, I think it's beef stew. There's definitely chunks
of beef in there. Ugh, there's just this aftertaste
of, like, soil.
- The only thing I can really taste is honestly the potatoes
and the carrots. I think this is the top one
for me, so far.
- I mean, this one's not that bad. For someone out there
that might like this, that does like a nice beef stew,
MRE's got you covered.
- (FBE) This is the beef stew MRE. - Yeah, yeah.
It's not super bad. I'd put it on a three scale
between one and five.
- (FBE) So, overall, what'd you think
of all these MREs and how would you feel
about maybe having to eat these regularly?
- It would be really tough at first, I'm sure,
to eat all of these every single day
and not knowing when you're gonna be able
to eat regular meals that we eat every day.
- More than likely, they don't have a choice to look
at an actual menu of MREs and be like, "Here, I want this."
They just have to get what they're given.
They probably miss their mom's home cooked meal.
- In terms of flavor and just whether they're super appetizing,
they're not super good, but they do the job.
- My heart goes out to anyone that's of service
or anyone in one of these situations where they
need to eat these. This is a way for you
to get food in a scenario where it's like life or death.
It does make you feel grateful and humbles you.
- Thanks for watching this episode of College Kids Vs Food
on the React Channel.
- Subscribe, 'cause we have new shows every day.
- Bye.
- Hey guys, I'm Katie, a React Channel producer.
Thank you so much for watching this episode.
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Bye, guys.