Bunker Rations - Alternative Do-It-Yourself Meal Ready To Eat (DIY MRE)

[TheSolitaryTraveller]

Thing i wonder if how the life on food you made yourself, because for me some of the hikes and trips i take up mountains burn huge amounts of calories, thus i need very high calorie meals sometimes to have energy for the next day going farther in or out.

Thus i wonder If i treated food in almost with a canning process but with the food saver or something similar would that make it last up a month in varying temperatures.

[Markafeller]

In bad times you have no dentist. Also *dried* fruit sticks to teeth and grains turn to starch then like sugar. If your fat and diabetic (and can't get your drugs anyway) you can lose weight as you eat less so you have more food for later. As your hunger problems will be reduced and sugar levels. In a few weeks. Also additives are placed in many common products so you will eat more by intent and toxins in it that must be worked by the liver before it can deal with fat. .

[TheYeyeMan5000]

why dont you use oxygen absorbers?

[shifty17091988]

Is that a Luminox watch?

[spectorairsoft]

dude 900kj isent a nuff you need at leats 2000

[KeshaIsHot808]

i had my first MRE yesterday. the entree sucks but the side snacks are great!!

[poobert]

@KeshaIsHot808

Something tells me you did not get a good menu. The Chicken pesto pasta one is GREAT! The chili mac is a good one too.

The only one that I did not like was the vegi egg omlette. They discontinued that menu and now have a maple sausage menu (which I have not tried).

[bm4shooter76]

@USNERDOC couple of questions for you:

1) do you find this method less expensive than regular MREs?

2) do you believe the shelf-life to be sufficient?

3) does this extend the shelf-life of the products?

4) how many times can you reuse the bags before they lose their effectiveness?

Thanks for your time, this was a great video!!

[USNERDOC]

@bm4shooter76 - good questions!

1) do you find this method less expensive than regular MREs? No, all of these systems are expensive . . . trade off is convenience.

2) do you believe the shelf-life to be sufficient? This doesn't allow storage any longer than the shelf life of the items packaged.

[USNERDOC]

3) does this extend the shelf-life of the products? No, see #2 above.

4) how many times can you reuse the bags before they lose their effectiveness? I keep reusing bags until thaey can't be used any longer!

[bm4shooter76]

@USNERDOC Thanks Doc!! Keep 'em coming...

[m2me1952]

Fantastic!

[DesertKnifeGuru]

Im trying to check out some of the many great videos.You are a great teacher Doc .I am learning alot.Thanks DKG

[WhiteJewDevil420]

you should use dark chocolate with almonds as it is better for you then milk chocolate and peanuts,also nissin has some new noodle dishes that are way better then soups other wise nice pack

[Deacon904]

Great idea Doc!!!

I've searched for the video for making the cozy but cannot find it.

Can you attach a link please?

[USNERDOC]

@Deacon904 - haven't made the video yet . . its on my list. I just have to arrange time on the sewing machine ;-)

[WhiteJewDevil420]

@Deacon904 you can use a large kitchen mitt and line it with mylar,its smaller then the cozy he showed and perfect size for a meal

[cooldoggjake]

Do you think ramen could be cooked using a MRE heater?

[USNERDOC]

@cooldoggjake - thats what I did in a future video on my TNP odyssey . . . essentially ramen noodles from a styrofoam cup.

[TheBeeperman]

I've been thinking about making homemade mre's for awhile now. One thing that eluded me was, how to clean the mess kit. Excellent idea! Using handywipes. Simple, easy and inexpensive. How did I missed thinking of that? DOH! lol. If you have any other recipies I'd love to see em.

[USNERDOC]

@TheBeeperman - more recipes coming in future videos . . . thanks for watching!

[eddieyou1018]

is the zipper bag 1 quart or 1 gallon?

[USNERDOC]

@eddieyou1018 - The Food Saver bag is a quart size bag.

[ZippyGaloo]

Well done! As always, I appreciate your attention to detail. Hope you will show us more menu options for the "Bunker Rats".

[mrmonkeyman50]

Dude! You wipe your utensils with propylene glycol (the ingredient in wet wipes behind most prevalent water)? Google "kirkland premium baby wipes skin deep" You may want to rethink your strategy. External is one thing. Ingesting (even minute amounts on a repeated basis) is another.

[USNERDOC]

@mrmonkeyman50 - ;-) Do your research . . . this stuff is extremely low toxicity and is frequently used as a food additive and component of many pharmaceuticals. All I do is wipe off eating utensils. I won't tell you what else I do with these wipes as I think it will cause you great fear! I do appreciate your concern and thanks for watching!

[mrmonkeyman50]

@USNERDOC I did do the research... that's why I sent you the Google clue since I can't post URLs in comments. Topical application isn't for ingestion. It's safe enough for your butt, sure, but I don't want to lick them (wipes... or the butts!). I'm not saying you will keel over and die immediately but it's not good for you. As far as a food additive: asbestos was legal for years, too. Me? I'd dry cloth it after water rinse.....! (ps there are other things in the Baby Wipes as well)

[landocommando8]

Awesome idea! I was thinking dehydrated mashed potatoes,in one of those food saver bags, would make a good main-course. All you would need is hot water...

[ihoppy]

Great idea, I'm going to do this as well. I like how this is so much cheaper than MREs and will taste better as well!

[tags01blast]

wow probably the best thing i have seen in the last few months, thank you

[n2h20]

good video,, thanks for taking the time to make it/

[mralexk123]

where did you get the food saver bags, Doc?

[USNERDOC]

@mralexk123 - I got the Food Saver and the bags at a local "multi store" called Fred Myers. I've seen them also in Target and WalMArt.

[ristin59]

Good idea! Beats the survival bars!

[sootch00]

Wow Doc, That's a great idea. MRE's can get expensive and this is a great alternative. I'm sending out to my contacts. 5/5

[USNERDOC]

@sootch00 - I consider that a compliment my friend! Thanks.

[CampfireTalk]

I've got to tell ya, When you come up with ideas like this I think "why didn't I think of that."

Homemade MRE's USNERDOC style just awesome! I'm glad you got into vacuum sealing, the benifits for outdoor uses seem endless!!!

[USNERDOC]

@CampfireTalk - I agree . . . thank goodness my wife is understanding, She thought I "really needed" a table top vacuum sealer after watching me use the portable unit!

[CampfireTalk]

@USNERDOC Tell Mrs. USNERDOC we thank her :)

[wpick]

Hello Again

How did you heat up your soup with the MRE heater?

[usframe]

YAY! for the organized DOC methods!

Hope we contribute ideas to you now and again, also.

[melbourne0]

Thanks for the video and good idea, what is the cost break down of these DIY MRE's?

[USNERDOC]

@melbourne0 - Good question . . . I will work out a price list for a couple as a data point. Thanks!

[Tacticalgearhead]

Why do I miss these vids? I think I'm sleeping when you upload vids hehehehe 5 stars!

[HawkLMT]

A) I like the idea of packing whole meals. Always like the idea of an MRE, just not a fan of the contents.

B) The Kirkland Baby wipes from Costco are the BEST!!! We use them for everything. C) Nile Spice brand soups are great. Red Beans and Rice is my favorite, Black Bean is pretty good too.

[007JoeVitto]

Awesome idea Doc, great video!

[pentel1911]

cool clip.

[Mrcaffinebean]

Cool but those 100 cal things have almost nothing in them.

[USNERDOC]

@Mrcaffinebean - Agreed! Looked better on the shelf than it will work out in reality. Already been changed . . . had a "wet ones failure" (video update pending!). Took the opportunity to change out the crackers to something more substantial. Thanks for watching!

[Mrcaffinebean]

@USNERDOC They were wet?

[USNERDOC]

@Mrcaffinebean - Total failure!

[biguy525]

Very nice video with a great idea.

[fart1fart1]

Nutnfancy duracoats everything. Doc Vacuum seals everything.

[USNERDOC]

@fart1fart1 - I'm try to think of a way to incorporate Duracoat! ;-)

[SadlyDiscontinued]

@USNERDOC Duracoat the vacuum sealer! lol

[ZombieTactics]

Hmmm ... you might consider throwing a desiccant pack and a oxygen absorber in each kit. This is bound to improve shelf life considerably.

[CyberCacique1]

Amazing ideas! Love the little tips about using the pin and sealing the soup in half.

[ignoratio]

Great idea as always. Thanks for the info. Keep the vids comming!

[demissie101]

Love the home made mre wear did u get the food saver kit ?

[USNERDOC]

@demissie101 - In the Northwest , Fred Myers. I'm sure this has to be available in stores such as WalMart and Target.

[SadlyDiscontinued]

@demissie101 I have seen the small handheld Foodsaver vacuum pump at Walmart for just under 20 bucks.

[markbennettjr]

love the idea doc

[NPSurvival]

You should make a video on how to make that cozy! How well does that vacuum system work? How long will the bags stay sealed?

[USNERDOC]

@NPSurvival - ;-) very timely question my friend! Stand by . . .

[GunWebsites]

Very cool. I guess I'll look for one of those pumps.

Looks like the bags can be used over and over too

thanks for the vid

[hinckleypoland]

I take my own food with me out on the trail as well, but i have never thought of packing it like an MRE. Great Idea. 5/5

[7Ronin49]

Great vid Doc, and oh my gosh, i love m&m's! Also one thing that some people may not know, if you have a plastic water bottle you can actually hold it over a fire without it melting, AS LONG AS you make sure none of the flames rise above the water.

[2manytaxes]

@7Ronin49 and as long as it is a form of plastic that won't give off harmful toxins into the water being heated you might be ok too

[richiestang78]

cool

[mysciencenow]

i should do a video of my trail food .....mining takes astounding amount of calories and i have to make sure to keep dirt out as well....although pack in weight isnt as much an issue alot of times because i eat it all at once and dont pack out....i dont really cook in the field unless im hiking up in joyce kilmer forest though...

[LordRuckus]

@mysciencenow - Why don't you send me your top secrete trout streams? I only get over that way a couple times a year and I'm still trying to figure everything out. Nice area you have over there. It's a nice break from the TRIAD.

[mysciencenow]

yeah i dont know that much about fish ....im saying any of the rivers near the Nantahala the side streams have fish not always trout i dont get out to recreation as much as i would like

[usframe]

Mining? I'd like to see something on that!

[mysciencenow]

@usframe well as soon as i can haul in a camera crew i will put that into production