>..how do MRE's taste.....I've never eaten an MRE.

Heh. I had to live off the things for almost a month before we got food
service out in the Saudi Arabian desert for Desert Shield/Storm. Of course,
that was 14 years ago and they've gotten a lot better. Back then we got
stuck with way too many Ham Slice, Ham Omelet, BBQ Pork and Rice, and
Scalloped Potatoes with Ham because we were feeding the Saudi army too and
Muslims can't eat pork. But the menus have improved greatly since then.
They have a wider selection of much better foods now, and they even come
with a chemical heat pack to warm your entree. If you're OK with canned
stews and pastas, you'll probably be OK with MRE's. I keep a case of 12 of
them in my  Vanagon for work when I get stuck working on a job in the
boondocks over my lunch time. I personally enjoy them immensely, but I
always have (even after a month of them). Guess it comes from growing up on
canned food!  If you're going to keep a few in the Vanagon for emergencies,
I recommend NOT putting them under the rear seat. Their shelf-life is
greatly shortened by heat. They don't really "go bad", but the stuff inside
can sometimes taste or look funny, or have a weird consistency if it's old.
A good site to peruse on the subject is <www.mreinfo.com>. It tells you
what to look out for when buying 'em.

John Bange
'90 Vanagon "Geldsauger"