Gas Station MRE Challenge

[Alan K.]

I haven't had a chance to go shopping yet so I will attempt to catch up Monday or Tuesday.  My consumption day isn't going to be the 9th either since I'm working weekends.  Got some good ideas though from what everyone has thrown together so far.

[AzteCypher]

Here's my load out.

For breakfast we have a can of Teriyaki Spam (my favorite), one hamburger bun (let's see how this holds out after a week), one Crystal light packet, and 3 packets of Vietnamese instant coffee.




For lunch we have a bowl of spicy kimchi ramen (probably cut up a slice of spam from b-fast and drop it in the bowl), a packet of herb & garlic tuna, crackers, one packet of crystal light, and 2 packets of Vietnamese instant coffee.




For dinner we have a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli, the last hamburger bun, one granola bar, and one packet of Crystal light.




I'm a bit surprised I managed to fit all this in one brown paper bag.  Made me wonder if I had packed enough food.   

[Dane]

Thanks for that story, Gary. Duff and Uncle Rob sound like real characters.

It's fun to see what everyone chose. There is a lot of stuff I never heard of and surely can't find anywhere around where I live. Many people talk about Poptarts for example as the best invention ever. I hope I get the chance to taste one once. Never seen them anywhere here.

Reflecting a bit on my attempt at dehydrating vegetables, I wonder if it would have been better to:

1. boil it instead of frying? The lack of fat would perhaps make it dry better?

2: dehyrated the ingredients seperately in seperate trays and mix it after it has dried?

3: skip the onions and use onion powder instead. To avoid the rather pungent smell?


I think I will experiment a bit with that. This challenge has sparked my curiosity. It is nice to be able to make a home made hot meal on a day hike by bringing just a zip lock bag and water. Although I prefer cooking my meals at the site over a small fire, it is sometimes convenient to be able to just very easily make something on the go.

[IMR4198]

    It was good to hear from friend Alan.  He had already mentioned the time restraints.  I don't have any good ideas for friend Dane in his search for vegetable dehydration.  Probably some of you reading this do. 
    I would have liked to add some bread in my kit, but keeping bread with the humidity here usually means green spots.  I wondered if friend Aztec was going to eat the whole can of SPAM for breakfast.  I know it is possible.  Then I remembered the new white dog. 
    Some mentioned my old uncle and Duff.  Rob was born in 1918, and Duff was about his age, I think.  Both were born in hard situations and lived hard.
    I saw the crackers that were in someone's kit.  I had meant to buy a box of Ritz crackers and put a stack in my bag.  That would have been good with the tuna.  I also like ramen, but didn't think about it.  Pop Tarts is a brand name for toaster pastries.  I like the Toast-em brand better but buy a store brand copy for about 40% of the cost.  Toaster pastries.  I prefer them heated, but they are edible cold.  They are packed two to a waterproof pouch and easy to transport in a pocket or pack.  You can see that they are packed in some factory made MREs. 
    I did see the nice SAK in one photo.  That will be a bonus of two points.  Best wishes.  G
 

[Dane]

    I did see the nice SAK in one photo.  That will be a bonus of two points.  Best wishes.  G
 

 

[gra_farmer]

I will be working out the calories and balancing nutrition using 'Noom'

So I have removed the quinoa, as it's not in keeping as an MRE...drum roll please for the calories....3414 calories.....

[IMR4198]

    That's an admirable piece of work, friend Gra.  One should think about fat and calories and such.  Just last week I brought home a quart of Edy's slow-churned ice cream.  I don't know what slow churning means.  In fact, I never knew you churned ice cream at all.  I was enjoying a bowl of the stuff.  It was like vanilla with some sort of caramel flavor.  Not lumps.  I don't like lumps. 
     Anyway, I looked at the container and saw "Half the fat".  That's when I saw I had made a mistake.  I sighed a little and ate another bowl.  Half the fat meant I had to eat twice as much to get the same amount.  It didn't last nearly as long as it should have at that rate.  Live and learn.
Best wishes.  Gary
 

[gra_farmer]

    That's an admirable piece of work, friend Gra.  One should think about fat and calories and such.  Just last week I brought home a quart of Edy's slow-churned ice cream.  I don't know what slow churning means.  In fact, I never knew you churned ice cream at all.  I was enjoying a bowl of the stuff.  It was like vanilla with some sort of caramel flavor.  Not lumps.  I don't like lumps. 
     Anyway, I looked at the container and saw "Half the fat".  That's when I saw I had made a mistake.  I sighed a little and ate another bowl.  Half the fat meant I had to eat twice as much to get the same amount.  It didn't last nearly as long as it should have at that rate.  Live and learn.
Best wishes.  Gary
 

  

 

[Farmer X]

For breakfast we have a can of Teriyaki Spam...

I thought they'd discontinued that variety. Or do you have a huge stash of it on-hand?

[IMR4198]

  I think I would be game for some Teriyaki SPAM.  Fry it up nice and brown.  Chop it up in little cubes over a bowl of rice or maybe quinoa?  Mmmm. Yummers. 
  Not really on the subject, but I think I mentioned going to look at the Casio watches in W-Mart.  I did that and saw they had sold out of the cute ones with the orange bands.  I noticed a really colorful one that I hadn't seen before, but found out it was an Armitron that was just in the wrong place on the shelf.  Oh well, I have a new battery in my old Casio.  That should do me just as well.  Too bad they don't have G-Shocks.  That would have been more tempting.  Best wishes.  G
 

[Alan K.]

I went shopping today and bought what amounts to enough carbs, salt, caffeine and sugar to keep an active 20 year old on the move for 3 days, but I'm far from being a 20 year old and not especially active either.  I didn't forget the protein, but I should have more of that and less of the carbs and sugars.  Picture will be posted later, but right now it is raining, and I left my camera in the truck.

[IMR4198]

   It's a good thing that there is no rule mandating that everything you pack has to be eaten in one day.  If someone winds up with an oversupply, it isn't money wasted.  Just food for another day, right?  Looking forward to seeing your kit.  Best wishes.  G
 

[AzteCypher]

I first found the Teriyaki Spam at an Asian market we go to every now and then when we go out to the rotating sushi bar.  But they don't always carry it.

I was determined to find a more consistent source.  About 2 weeks ago, we found another Asian market that's only 20min away versus the 35min one.  They always have it in stock.  I buy 4 tins of the delectable goodness which usually lasts me about 2 months as I eat one every two weeks or so.

On the weekends, I'll make 1/2 cup of white rice, place 3 slices of teriyaki spam, and 3 fried eggs on top.  It's an outstanding meal.  I can still eat all that in one sitting, but then I'm not moving from my spot for about 30mins and I won't be able to eat lunch either.  But it's so worth it. 

 

[nate j]

Pop Tarts is a brand name for toaster pastries.  I like the Toast-em brand better but buy a store brand copy for about 40% of the cost.  Toaster pastries.  I prefer them heated, but they are edible cold.  They are packed two to a waterproof pouch and easy to transport in a pocket or pack.  You can see that they are packed in some factory made MREs.

I guess they must do a better job packing them in the MREs than I do.  While I do enjoy Pop Tarts (especially the frosted brown sugar cinnamon variety), I don’t consider them great pack/trail food because they tend to get beaten up too easily.

[Alan K.]

OK. Here's everything.  I bought way too much for a one-day challenge.  This could probably feed me for closer to a week, but I will definitely not fall short of my daily requirements. I'm glad we don't have to carry this and I'm glad we aren't required to finish all of it.

The breakdown is as follows.
2 packs of instant oatmeal for breakfast,
2 packs of toaster pastries for snacks,
2 cup of noodle soups for lunch,
1 can of ravioli for lunch or dinner,
1 can of smoked oysters for lunch or dinner,
1 can of sardines for lunch or dinner,
1 bag of chips for snacks or to be eaten with the sardines or oysters,
1 bag of pork rinds for same,
1 can of menudo soup for lunch or dinner,
1 can of SPAM for lunch or dinner,
1 can of olives for snacks or sides,
instant coffee for use throughout the day
lemonade mix for use throughout the day
1 bota box of Cabernet Sauvignon for use as needed.

[IMR4198]

Did you see any Teriyaki SPAM where you shopped?  I went to Walmart this morning but forgot to look.  Looks like you will have a good choice of what to eat and what to set back for another day.  Good to see another pork rind man.  Best wishes.  G
 

[Alan K.]

I can't recall ever seeing teriyaki SPAM anywhere.

[AzteCypher]

I've only ever seen Teriyaki Spam at the Asian market.

I have however, seen these flavors at several different supermarkets:

* Maple
* Bacon
* Hickory Smoke
* Hot & Spicy
* Jalapeño
* Chorizo

[AzteCypher]

Good to see another pork rind man.
 

Did someone say, pork rinds?

[IMR4198]

    Light snow here.  Big time winds yesterday and today.  I did some walking around yestiddy as part of my training for this challenge.  Got to stay fit.  Stay hungry. 
     Last night I did some more training.  I scarfed a small bag of hot pork rinds as I watched an inspirational movie.  Vampires in a biker bar.  I forget the name of the movie.  I was concentrating on the fiery pork rinds.  I need to do a vigorous coffee exercise sometime before lunch.
      Best wishes.  G
 

[Alan K.]

"From Dusk Till Dawn"?  Good movie.   I like to stay in coffee shape myself.  This morning I finished the last dregs of free coffee at the contractor register at Home Depot.  I think the instant Folgers in my GSMRE is actually better, but there I was, with no coffee, so I had to make the best of it.

[AzteCypher]

When I used to travel for work I tried to deal with the hotel coffee.  Most hotels couldn't make good coffee so I'd either bring my own instant or 5 days worth of those pod coffees.

[Alan K.]

Some years ago, before there were K-cups, I poured water into the coffee pot in a hotel room and a dead roach floated to the top.  It might have been an improvement, but I decided I didn't need coffee that bad.

[Farmer X]

Remind me not to stay at that chain, and definitely not that particular motel.

[Alan K.]

I think you're safe bro. It was a Best Western in Tampa.

[AzteCypher]

Some years ago, before there were K-cups, I poured water into the coffee pot in a hotel room and a dead roach floated to the top.  It might have been an improvement, but I decided I didn't need coffee that bad.

[Dane]

 

[IMR4198]

    March 9th is get it out and start eating day.  Remember that rules don't require you to eat everything you brought.  Also, the rules say that the challenge lasts a week, OR MORE.  That means if you are going to Aunt Selma's for dinner tomorrow, you can postpone your challenge if you want.  Still within the rules.  Don't make the old dear cry because you didn't even taste her chicken and dumplings that she cooked especially for you and sit there munching on a Pop Tart with your eyes closed.  Just finish the challenge a day or two later.  Still legit. 
    I put some new batteries in my trail camera yestiddy.  Might have gotten some photos of furbearing varmints having a snack.  Could post some pix.  Best wishes.  G
 

[IMR4198]

Look.  I'm on camera.  I'm a star!
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[gra_farmer]