MREs are disgusting. But I suppose when your in field conditions and are starving anything sounds good. Still I'll trade someone my Rigatoni in Tomato sauce for a handful of crap.

Some of the folks who came back early to the New Orleans area (after Katrina) had a chance to learn about MRE's.

Query: Did those people barter and trade with the various parts of the MREs?

I'm not sure. I just know that's what was available since a lot of places were not open - given flooding, wind damage and looting. Oh, and some arson went on too - two malls.

I've worked many a shelters in my life with the Red Cross and ambulance corps. Working for hurricane shelters was the first I got my hands on the new style MREs, I was hooked. The pasta was actually decent but of course we all traded and bartered for the snacks (since we had our first pick of meals).

The funny/sad thing (depending on the type of person) was watching them try to work it. I can't tell you the countless numbers of people who took out the main meal and poured water on it, or ended up heating up their snacks...not to mention the fun with the MRE bombs...those are the days being an EMT gets quite interesting.

ahhh yes the MRE bomb. A poor mans CS Gas Grenade. I fondly remember watching a bunch of brand new private trying to concoct one with the heater element and some tobasco sauce. All too funny when they accidentally set it off inside their own tent.

My Dad always said that most important part of his kit as a soldier was a little bottle of Tabasco sauce, because it was the only way MREs were made edible... stuff was like gold, the most popular guy in the unit was always the guy who'd most recently been on leave in Saigon, and come back with several dozen little red bottles.