Last Updated January 1st, 2012

MRE's FAQ Military-Style Meals Ready to Eat Military MRE Rations & Survival Food FAQ & Source MRE's are not our core business, see below in yellow box, which works to your advantage, as you'll see. While we do have some older MRE Tray Packs inventory remaining, listed below, we can also order for you to be drop-shipped a full pallet load of factory fresh, new manufacture, 48 cases of 12 individual MRE's, with the popular heaters. There's no cheaper, delivered price, way to buy full cases, and because we don't have to handle them, nor is it our core business, we don't need to make much just processing the order for you either, and that can save you a lot more! Each pallet load will be 48 cases, where each case contains 12 full meals, with heaters. Check prices out at SOPAKCO. (Note: It appears since Japan tragedy they are not accepting direct orders for single cases, which was what I was pointing you here to see their cost and shipping. I'll leave that link up for if/when it comes back on.) You'll see there that the cost for one case with heaters and before shipping is $80.95. (Fill out their form there to see what your shipping would be.) And, their best price for 48 cases, with heaters, is $69.95 each case, before shipping. Our price to you will be $64.95 each, saving you $5 a case, or total savings of $240.00 on the full pallet, which then could cover most, or all, of your shipping, depending on where you are. 48 cases (with heaters) X $64.95 = $3,117.60 before shipping which, depending on where you are, should be $200 to $400. Call (830) 672-8734 or email webmaster@ki4u.com for a shipping quote to have delivered a full pallet load of 48 cases to your home or business. Need to give us your zipcode and whether delivery will be to residence or business with loading dock. If that's more than you need or can afford, you might explore splitting a pallet load with some others, or just buy direct from SOPACKO, at above link, if only wanting less than 48 cases. Or, take a look at some of our remaining MRE Tray Pack inventory we have below here. - Shane Connor KI4U, Inc. is the only private radiological laboratory in the nation that specializes in calibrating and certifying all of our country's Civil Defense radiation meters and dosimeters, AND with over 100,000 instruments and over 6 million doses of Potassium Iodide (KI) have ready the largest emergency stockpile of both in the nation! We also produce the popular NukAlert™ Rad Alarm and are exclusive source of the new RADSticker™ peel & stick Dosimeter! *** Introductory Special ---> We are giving away one FREE RADSticker™ with every order of anything here today!! *** Be sure to also see/read the Nuclear Blast & Fallout Shelters FAQ for lots of DIY free fallout shelter plans & ready made shelter sources! More about all that we do in preparing our fellow Americans, including FREE family nuke prep survival guides HERE! NOTE: FEMA & MEMA AFTER KATRINA BOUGHT OUT OUR LAST 13 FULL TRUCKLOAD QUANTITIES OF MRE TRAY-PACKS AND ALL THE INDIVIDUAL MRE ENTREE'S ARE GONE NOW, TOO. WHAT REMAINS IN OUR WAREHOUSE INVENTORY HERE NOW IS A LITTLE LESS THAN ONE TRUCKLOAD OF MRE TRAY PACKS AS SEEN LISTED HERE BELOW WHICH WE ARE SELLING BY THE CASE OR PALLET LOAD, UNTIL ALL GONE, TOO. CALL FIRST (830)672-8734 AS INVENTORY IS SHRINKING HERE FASTER THAN THIS PAGE CAN BE UPDATED. WE DO NOT EXPECT TO GET ANYMORE INVENTORY ONCE GONE! Below you will find information on MRE's and our remaining offerings here, the larger MRE Tray Packs that each contain 9-18 servings. Industry wide now, with the past military demands and Katrina/Rita disaster relief and agencies stocking up for more today, MRE's are getting much harder to find and you'll see that some of our 38 different MRE varieties below are, for the first time, sold out. Depending on your anticipated family food requirements, there are still available additional emergency food alternatives, at this time. These other long-term storage, survival food rations options require some preparation, but are a great deal cheaper than MRE's, thus extending the number of weeks and months you could afford to prepare for. Many families will utilize a mix of different food sources (MRE's, canned, freeze-dried, dried, bulk, etc.) to add variety and economy to their family food storage strategy. Here at KI4U we have found two leaders in non-MRE food storage (I have personally bought from them both for my own family needs for years) and invite you to check them both out, too. With either of these two following companies, if you find their products appropriate to your needs, tell them Shane Connor with KI4U, Inc. sent you and it might get you a discount! Ready Reserve Foods: Since 1972, the leader in nitrogen packed long-storage food units of 3 days to 3 months to 3 years! ...and... Wheat Montana: Economical quality source, straight from the farm, for wheat, grains, beans, etc. Many selections available in strong 6 gallon Pails sealed with oxygen absorbers for long-term storage requirements. Now, before we go onto the MRE's, a quick word about water... If you ever have to make use of your emergency food stock, odds are you could likely also have some problems with water, too. Clean water, free of dangerous pathogens and chemical contamination, is more essential than food. Most everyone can go without food for a week, or even two, and survive the unpleasant experience, but just a couple or three days without safe water can become life-threatening for all. And, risking the use of an unknown water source could be even worse. Alternative sources of clean, safe water either stored and/or filtering equipment acquired, is too often overlooked because of our being accustomed to abundant clean waters at the turn of a tap. But, if the electricity that pumps the water is interrupted or water sources are contaminated, we'll all see very quickly how especially dependent we truly are on clean water. Bottled water will disappear off the store shelves quicker than most can even begin to imagine! The majority, after that, will then spend many hours of each day standing in long lines awaiting the rumored water truck coming to their neighborhood next. It need not be so for your family... Bottom Line: Be sure to have also secured alternative water storage and/or water filtration equipment. We also invite you to explore the inexpensive, and our family proven in Venezuela for four months filtering muddy hillside runoffs, KI4U Combo Water Filter here. Now, onto the MRE's...   Background & Shelf Life... SOPAKCO's Tray Packs and single Entree meals utilize many of the same menu items packaged for the U.S. fighting forces. (MRE Tray Packs with individual entree meal MRE pictured above). SOPAKCO is the major MRE supplier to the Department of Defense with about 45% of that market. What is an "MRE"? MRE's (which are pronounced as separate letters M,R,E's) are ready-to-eat meal kits. The name MRE comes from their military description Meals, Ready-to-Eat. Your SOPAKCO MRE's contain many of the same components found in the meal bags of the U.S. fighting forces. Developed for soldiers in combat conditions, these meals are already cooked and moist. No finding water, boiling water or waiting for re-hydration. Great tasting, long shelf life and always in high demand and short supply whenever disaster strikes. THE FLEXIBLE CAN The flexible aluminum retort pouches used in MRE pouched food products are composed of multiple laminations of aluminum foil and plastic film. Rugged durability, extended shelf life and ease of stowing have earned the MRE pouch a well-deserved nickname "the flexible can". Are SOPAKCO MRE's dehydrated or freeze dried? No. Dehydrated or freeze dried foods typically require that water be added in order to be prepared and eaten. Your SOPAKCO MRE main courses are "ready to eat", and do not require you to add water to the contents. Can I eat the products cold? Yes. The main entrees (such as Beef Stew, Chili with Macaroni or similar items) do not require additional cooking prior to being eaten. All products may be eaten cold, directly from the pouch. Heating of the products is considered optional, although most people do prefer to warm their food when possible. How do I warm my food? MRE pouches may be warmed in many ways. Although the pouch is a reasonably sturdy and durable container, it can be damaged if too high of a temperature is applied. DO NOT apply a direct flame to the pouch. DO NOT use any high temperature heating process that could harm the pouch or cause injury or damage to your skin. Instead, the following methods are suggested methods of "gently warming" your food 1. The unopened pouch may be placed in a pan of warm water for 5-10 minutes. Do not use hot water, which may burn the user if spilled. 2. Lay the pouch in direct sunlight, allowing it to warm; 3. The unopened pouch may be placed inside your shirt, allowing your body temperature to help warm the food inside; 4. The unopened pouch may be laid on a warm surface, to absorb the heat from the warm object; 5. The pouch may be opened and the food placed into a pan for heating. 6. MRE pouches may also be heated using Water-Activated Flameless MRE Heaters. SOPAKCO does not make these heaters. Please speak with your retailer about the possible availability of these items. Why are the packages in plain brown or green colors? Most items in your SOPAKCO MRE's are packed in standard military packaging. The brown and green colors are selected to help the products have low visibility. How long will these products last? SOPAKCO Packaging uses an estimated shelf life figure of "5 years, plus or minus" for its MRE-type pouched food products. Actual shelf life may vary from this estimate. A key factor effecting actual shelf life is the temperature of the storage environment. Storage at temperatures higher than 85F (85 degrees Fahrenheit) may shorten the shelf life of MRE-type food products. On the other hand, lowering the storage temperature will help extend the products' shelf life. This effect is common to most processed food products. The shelf life figures given below for MRE's are based on studies conducted by the U.S. Army's NATIC Research Laboratories. This study was conducted by NATIC without participation of the MRE manufacturers. As such, SOPAKCO Packaging cannot verify the test procedures used by the NATIC labs, nor do we adopt these shelf life figures as a guarantee of any sort. The data is useful, though, as a general indication of the effects of storage temperatures on the shelf life of MRE-type food products. Temperature (Fahrenheit) 100º 90º 85º 80º 75º 70º 60º Storage Life in Months 22 55 60 76 88 100 130+ The above storage data and time periods were based on "acceptable taste" measures, which is a subjective standard that may vary among each individual. Test participants were asked to indicate which products they were presented would be rated to still be of "acceptable taste". Responses were noted, and average values were calculated to yield the data above. The above data does not indicate the maximum useful life of MRE food products. The NATIC study noted that nutritional value and product safety value of the products often extended far beyond these time points. Again, SOPAKCO Packaging in no way adopts the NATIC shelf life figures as any form of express or implied guarantee of the actual shelf life of its MRE food products. This information is provided as a general indication of the effects of storage temperature on MRE-type packaged foods. Will these products work for camping trips? Absolutely! The ready-to-eat convenience of SOPAKCO MRE's make them ideally suited for use while camping, hunting, fishing and hiking. Would it make sense for me to store MRE's as a source of food for my family or employees in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency? It makes very good sense. Many individuals, companies and other organizations purchase and store our MRE's as emergency food supplies in the event of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms or other emergency situations. Such as...   What We Have Available... These MRE tray packs are ideally suited to feeding larger groups and families. Each tray contains 9-18 servings in a 10" x 12 1/2" x 2" tray. The trays are built to be stacked, making them ideal for food storage closets, cupboards, pantries, and tight spaces. And when you are ready to eat, you can even warm your food right in the tray. Great for Scouts and camping trips, as well as emergency use! These MRE entrees taste best when eaten within five years. Trays sold here by the case. Each tray pack case comes with four (4) same-menu MRE trays.   Tray Packs - for large groups Tray Packs are large, shelf-stable cans designed for foodservice and other mass feeding applications. Each case contains 4 Tray Packs of 6 LB 10 ounce net weight per tray. Some Tray Pack menu items feed 9 people per Tray (please see chart below). Since each case contains 4 Trays, a case will feed 4 x 9 people = 36 people per case. Some Tray Pack menu items feed 18 people per Tray (please see below). Since each case contains 4 Trays, a case will feed 4 x 18 people = 72 people per case. Tray Packs are designed to fit 2 units side-by-side in a standard steam tray opening. The Tray Packs serve as the heating and serving containers. The Tray Pack containers are thrown away after use, saving you from having to clean the normal pots and pans used in food service applications.  There are many ways to heat Tray Packs. Although Tray Packs were designed to fit into a standard steam tray unit, they may be heated in many other ways 1. Place the unopened tray in warm water for 20-30 minutes, 2. Puncture the lid and slowly heat in the oven, 3. Remove the lid and slowly heat over a stove or campfire, 4. Leave tray pack in direct sunlight to absorb warmth, or 5. Remove the contents and heat by your method of choice. SOPAKCO® Tray Packs Complete list of menu items below this chart...     Pork Ribs in BBQ Beef Patties in Broth Chicken Breasts in Gravy Ham Slices Pork & Beans Servings per Tray 9 servings of 2 rib sections each 18 servings of 1 patty each 9 servings of 2 breast portions each 18 servings of 3 slices each 18 servings of 2/3 cup each Servings per Case (4 Trays per Case) 9 servings x 4 = 36 18 servings x 4 = 72 9 servings x 4 = 36 18 servings x 4 = 72 18 servings x 4 = 72 Gross weight per case 38 lbs 38 lbs 38 lbs 38 lbs 38 lbs Cubic feet per case 0.83 ft3 0.83 ft3 0.83 ft3 0.83 ft3 0.83 ft3 Cases per pallet 48 48 48 48 48 Pallet weight 1,874 lbs 1,874 lbs 1,874 lbs 1,874 lbs 1,874 lbs Available MRE Tray Pack Menu flavors and current inventory, as of this morning (Thursday, 9:55 AM CST, 2/3/2011), are below in order form. Each case contains four (4) of the same menu flavor Tray Packs. Cost per tray is $16.00, with a minimum of one case which contains four of the same menu trays. We can not split/mix cases, each case will contain four of the same menu. Total cost per each case of four trays then is $64.00. ORDER TRAY PACKS BELOW