How To Make A Battle-Ready Pizza «

Paul Ostby: I particularly was always a fan of the Chili Mac and Chicken noodle. Some of the people really like the breakfast meal. It has this granola in it, which is actually really good. So everybody has their favorites.

Dan Pashman: This is Army National Guard Captain Paul Ostby. He served three tours in Iraq. And he’s talking about MREs, which stands for Meals Ready to Eat. These meals are a big part of what service members eat when they’re on combat tours. And MREs have to meet very specific requirements. They have to stay preserved in pouches, without refrigeration, sometimes for years. So there are culinary  limits. There’s only so many foods you can make into an MRE.  

Paul Ostby: They’re not too bad. Some are better than others.

Dan Pashman: But thanks to new technology, and evolving tastes, MREs are changing. In a big way.  

MUSIC

Dan Pashman: This is The Sporkful, it’s not for foodies, it’s for eaters. I’m Dan Pashman. Each week on our show we obsess about food to learn more about people. This week, we’re bringing you an episode from our friends at the podcast Proof, from America’s Test Kitchen. The show tells the weird, surprising, and funny backstories around food, and this episode is about a food that most of us are not exposed to in civilian life: MREs. Here’s the host of Proof, Kevin Pang.

Kevin Pang: MREs usually come in an eight by six inch brown pouch. In each pouch you’ll find an entree, a side dish, a dessert, a cracker, a powdered drink, assorted seasonings and a flameless ration heater that warms up the food right inside the pouch. 

Kevin Pang: While MREs have improved over the years, no one will say it’s a four star meal. But that’s not the goal anyway. In recent years, more MRE options have been developed to reflect the diverse backgrounds of its service members. Recent entrees include Mexican style chicken stew, cheese tortellini in tomato sauce and a beef goulash. The military updates its menu of 24 MRE…