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Lillie is an adventurous eater but there are still foods out there that she won't go near. Here is a fun new posting series called "Will She Eat It?"
Good old George from Oak Park was kind enough to donate the first selection: an MRE. Here is the description from Wikipedia: The MRE, or "Meal, Ready-to-Eat" is a self-contained, individual field ration in lightweight packaging procured by the United States military for its service-members for use in combat or other field conditions where organized food facilities are not available.
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During the 5 years I was in Air Force Intel, I was lucky to only have only eaten these shelf-stable meals about 2 dozen times. Usually it was during war gaming exercises or on a flight to a new assignment. Once we got to Turkey or Saudi Arabia, the temporary barracks we stayed in had a mess hall or dining facilities near by. All I really remember is that they were relatively flavorless and the most dreaded of all was the ham omelet. The texture was like a grainy sponge.
I'm happy to say that the latest version of the MRE has undergone some upgrades including attention to flavor a nifty chemical steamer that can heat your entree to 300 degrees in about 60 seconds with only a 1/4 cup of water.
The MRE sat on the counter for a few weeks before I got up the nerve to serve it to Lillie. She asked about it almost every day and was so intrigued by the packaging. "Can I hold it?!"
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We cut open the outside bag and surveyed the contents.
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Lillie was beside herself. The trail mix was the first to be sampled.
The peanuts were a little soggy but all in all, not a bad snack. I've never seen Lillie so excited about a handful of peanuts.
The applesauce pouch was the next to go.
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It didn't have much flavor but both Lillie and Sadie wolfed it down. Eating out of a pouch added the novelty necessary to keep them interested.
Now it was time to heat up the entree. We were lucky to get chicken breast with shells in a marinara sauce. I set up the heating pouch and propped it up according to the directions.
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The water was added and a funky-smelling steam came pouring out of the folded down top. Here is the warning section of the pouch.
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I let it cool down for a few minutes and we snipped open the pouch. Note the silicon doggie pot holder.
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It was a solid breaded chicken breast with pasta and sauce all around it. Hello in there!
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She and Sadie ate every shell and all the chicken.
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I had a taste and it wasn't half bad. The pasta had a little more texture than a spagetti-o and the chicken density was almost like a canned tuna steak. The marinara tasted a little over processed but wasn't half bad.
We wrapped it up with the M&Ms and they were identical in texture and flavor to the ones we eat here on the civilian side. All in all, not a bad meal. I'm just thankful I didn't have my chemical warfare gear on, this time around.
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Verdict: She ate it!
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