How to Make a Real MRE for Under $5 

CP PLEASE review the canning instructions at: USDA's Complete Guide to Home Canning. You are going to make someone very ill. Boiling water temperatures WILL NOT KILL BOTULISM SPORES. Your stew should be processed at 10 pounds of pressure for 90 minutes. I'm not sure it can be done in mylar without an autoclave.

@@benthere8051 Thanks, you beat me to it. As someone formerly in the restaurant business (with a bunch of seemingly useless certifications), every so often you will rely on them. Nate seems to mean well, but he needs to do research before speaking about such a critical topic. It's got to go to 240F+, a simple boil isn't going to cut it.

I am sorry but this is actually incorrect. As a former member of the royal Westminster infantry I can tell you that not only is the material used in the process significantly thicker than standard commercially available mylar bags, it has polymers added to it that make it heat and pressure resistant. You will notice a significant difference in thickness between MRE quality packaging and home preservation packaging. The reason that MRE packets are so much thicker and tougher is because they go through a pressure canning process. Regular mylar bags cannot stand up to the pressure or temperature of commercial pressure canning. Also there are types of additives that are used in MRE food products provided specifically by the military, that are not publicly available. Some of the preservatives found in military rations make the food as fire retardant has the packaging that it comes in. Like I noted in a previous comment, during field training exercises I have demonstrated to my cadets that some of the meat products that come out of MREs are completely fire retardant and can withstand being thrown on the hot holes of an open fire, and never burn. I will insist to you that the amount of salt required to preserve the food in the process that you're using would make the food inedible. It would require more salt than food. The temperatures of boiling water without pressure cannot reach the required Heights to kill pathogenic bacteria, such as botulism, and e coli. Saying that this is how the military does it, when you are actually unaware of how the military processes their MREs is highly inappropriate. It is an anecdotal way to win an argument. The military does not process their food in this way, or at least not in Canada. The Canadian military actually outsources the processing of their food which is why you cannot acquire the type of packaging that they use. It is not publicly available. If you were to add products that already had a long shelf life, in a highly acidic liquid. This would be a perfectly appropriate way to preserve your food. If you wanted to make pickles in this fashion it would more than likely be safe to do so. When preserving meat dairy and egg products, regardless of the vessel, temperatures and pressures need to be precise. There is no difference between a ball jar and a mylar bag in regards to its ability to store food. So it is best to follow tried and true, scientifically, empirically tested methods for preserving food in canning jars and apply that to mylar bags, while understanding the construction that mylar bags are not as tough as ball jars and cannot withstand high temperature or pressures.

@@WhistlePunkBoards I agree with you completely...in fact, some of the video appeared to show packs of MREs inside the stainless steel tray of an autoclave.

​@@benthere8051 It looks like I may have jumped the gun on this one in an attempt tor provide a cost solution for people on a budget. I indeed cannot guarantee it is going to be 100% safe and therefore I will have to amend or retract this video. I wouldnt want to provide any information that could compromise the health of my viewers after reading more about retort canning it looks as its a much more cost intensive process. diypreparedness.net/make-your-own-mres-with-retort-canning/

I was thinking of getting one too? does your electric bill go up a lot or just a little?

@@hicksminingcompany id like to know too

@@hicksminingcompany Living Traditions Homestead did a report on the price for running a freeze dryer. See YT video "Will Our Electric Bill Skyrocket from our Harvest Right Freeze Dryer?". It turns out to be extremely economical. They ran their freeze dryer for 26 hours for $1.40 and dried $80 worth of food at freeze-dried prices.

I didnt think of freeze drying or dehydrating for sale. I catch sales on seasonal produce, and dehydrate whatever I can. I have a decent ladder, and never lack for a spice. Lol My electric bill didn't go up much, but I have a simple unit.

That is awesome. I got my harvest right about a month and a half ago and a few people have brought food for me to freeze dry. I only charged them $5. They sent a mylar bag along. I gave them the o2 absorber and told them they need to get some. I just be undercoating them. 🤣😛

Are you sure aboutn the shelf life? Those have a simple glued film cover and the best buy date are about 6-8 months.

@@bruceweissman8772 Yes. I have kept AND eaten several years old Compleats. The best BY date is only a guarantee as to the contents having the full nutritional values listed on the package at that date. After that date the contents MAY lose some of the nutritional values, but the date in no way implicates that the package is now inedible.

​@@bruceweissman8772 *3-4-23* My Hormel Completes have a best buy date 3-4-23. I also use Hormel Completes in my homemade MRE's . I just opened a Mylar to check for the best buy date. I've had this batch of MRE's made for about 3 months. I only put things in MRE's that I enjoy and I rotate out once a year. Hormel Completes are good for 18 months from packaging.

@@SimonRiley115 Yes. Hormel and Dinty Moore collaborate on making the beef stew. Actually, I believe Dinty Moore is owned by Hormel, by looking at a can of DM stew I have here. The stew is great, with nice big chunks of meat and veggies. The spaghetti is my favorite, with mac n cheese close at 2nd.

Is there a reason why freeze dried is less preferable? Aren't mountain house stuff freeze dried

Hahahaha, you're bang on!

Can mylar bags be pressure canned? I haven't seen this done with home-use pressure canners but I would love to know if it's possible. Thanks!

Mylar is so expensive where I live. Just a 5 x 11 inched bag is $30...just for the bag.

Nope, you cannot safely generate the needed pressure in a mylar bag. It'd explode. Altough pressure cooking your food is in the right track, but it cant be done efficiently with a home pressure cooker. Main problem aint the preservation tecnique, as we cooked food every day. It's the lack of preservatives, they're not there for no reason. Whilst sterilization is essential, if the food just degenerates in the pouch you'll still be unable to eat it. You cant efficiently preserve an entire meal at home, atleast not something close to an mre.

Nope, it must be done in a pressure canner, not a pressure cooker for canning in Mason jars. The pressure needed depends on your altitude. I’m under 1,000 ft, so mine is 10psi, not 15

@@Bama_J can you explain to me why the altitude matters please? Thank you :)

@@thatswhatshesaid8365 because at altitudes above 1,000 ft the air is thinner and water boils at a lower temperature. Therefore it may not reach the temperature required to kill the pathogens in our food😊

@@Bama_J Ohhh!!! Thats very interesting, I would've never thought of that.. well I really appreciate it and that you brought it to our attention anyway. Take care🌹

Exact same process used by the military just make sure you do a thorough sterilization.

@@CanadianPrepper no its not. Dunning Kruger wants to know your location.

@@drained1177 You're reference to Dunning Kruger is an example of yourself succumbing to Dunning Kruger. Canadian Prepper has already admitted he made mistakes, this proving your assertion incorrect, and showing that you yourself aren't able to recognize nothing more than an error.

@@drained1177 I don't live that far from CP and if he wants to send it to me I'll eat it six months later if you want.

@@ThesenamesAreLame he did not know that at the time of making the comment, there for u r not recognizing the error of not knowing the information before making the comment

Yeah I’m a mere water bath canner and can’t can meat a veggies for the same reasons you mention. This kinda has me spooked for people.

Pam, you are 100% correct. Low acid foods must be processed in a pressure canner! The food must reach 240 deg. and boiling water never gets above 212 deg. Anyone who does this is risking botulism poisoning.

Its the same method used to make military MREs. You are boiling the water inside the airtight low oxygen mylar bag thereby sterilizing and killing any bacteria that could have been put into it. No different than what is done by the military. Unlike canning it's presealed in impermeable non porous mylar. Boil the heck out of it and there's nothing that can survive.

science.howstuffworks.com/mre3.htm

@@CanadianPrepper You didn't really answer her question; "Did you have any resources available supporting this method?"

A couple of electrolyte drink pkt mix is also a good idea to stick in a first aid kit especially when it is very hot out and to help rehydrate after diarrhea or vomiting

Brawndo has got what plants crave!

Pressure canners are not even available in many countries, yet the people can low acid foods and meats.

@@sparrowgarden1401 Exactly! We can't get them here in NZ. I really like the idea of the single serves in mylar bags. Instead of doing a big jar for 4 hrs, just do a butt-load of single serve packages for 45 mins, and fabulous fast heat 'n' eat for those times when you don't have time - or just can't be bothered - cooking a big meal. Especially for those of us that live on our own.

Kia Ora, my ANZAC Cousin, Sydney Oz here. I have been making my own MRE packs with grocery items for ages I always add a supersized clipseal bag that is for when you break up the pack & a kitchen tidy bag to pack everything inside. I use this for collecting the rubbish after I finish. I collect the free condiments from eateries & add them to a separate sandwich bag. I know we all have extra tissues / odd bods we collect so I added those take away cutlery packs.I added a few tic tacs for breath freshener) & you can pack a few napkins for many different roles. New ANZAC Ration Packs are so much better than 30 years ago during my Army Reserves Time.

Please don't do this, you will get botulism. Please do some research on the merits of pressure canning

Do not do this unless you want a bad time.

I live in Greenland - if I'm going to freeze anything - I just put it outside my house. Of course this only Works in winter. Be well. Peace!

I just got a vacuum sealer a few weeks ago and did the same thing. What I found that helped was to only partly freeze it. Where it wasn't really liquid anymore but was still kind of pliable. Then when I vacuum sealed it squished down a bit. That said, it's so close to turning back to liquid in that state that there will be a microscopic amount of liquid that might try to work it's way up to the sealer. I just made sure I had a few extra inches at the top. Did 7 bags and only ended up with one drop in the food saver.

You can seal them with an iron. Just dont lay the bag flat. Lol

I couldn't vac seal them, either on 2 different Food Savers. And I, too, revel in MRE's. Spaghetti. And the cheese packs are the best on the planet.

Mm, yes, and a bit deadlier.

This will kill you

Shit kits the fan... dietary restriction goes OUT the window you Eat what is available...I noticed with all the Food Giveaways are a Crap Shoot as to what you get.. but when your Hungry a Box of Misc food means you & your People get to eat for a Few more Days

True in a shtf .I had hoped to make and try a few out hiking while getting myself healthier. Right now I eat better ,I get better

@@tracieramson4719 sugar is literal poison for a diabetic. Wth is that logic?

Please don't do this, you will get botulism. Please do some research on the merits of pressure canning

I winder why they're so expensive, capitalistic scum trying to make chea pahit and sell expensive!!!!

Read Canadian Prepper's additional comments. Please do not try this.

I waterbath can meats for 3 hours.

you can't. botulism spores can only be neutralized at temps above 240 deg. This requires a pressure vessel.

@@sparrowgarden1401 - Don't rely on water bath because it doesn't get hot enough to kill botulinum. You may get lucky a thousand times --- until that one time when your luck runs out. Botulism used to kill a lot of people - and that's why pressure canning was invented.

@@NullamSperareSalutem Could you not just put in the oven at 350 for a couple hours. Do 10 at a time to make it worthwhile??? I don't know. Just asking.

U cant trust this, CP didnt finish high school chemistry yet.

Read Canadian Prepper's additional comments. Please do not try this.

I was thinking this also.

Check out avid armor vacuum sealer

Yes, and if you were a chemist, you'd also notice that this recipe is identical to making poison

Read Canadian Prepper's additional comments. Please do not try this.

Yes, i encourage u to indulge