What Do Decades-Old Military Rations Taste Like?

Military and civilian MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) are made to have a long shelf life, but not necessarily a decades-long one. That hasn't stopped adventurous YouTuber Steve1989, who has been testing MREs from around the world and sharing the experience with viewers.

His first review features a Vietnam-era survival ration can of candies and vitamins from 1967. He has since upped the ante with his taste tests, moving on to ration containers that include 39-year-old beef hash, 61-year-old peanut butter, and 65-year-old sugar. He has wisely backed out of trying a few items, including a cheese spread found inside a ration from 1970 that had obviously spoiled.

The video above shows a more recent (and less cringe-worthy) review of a roughly 45-year-old U.S. Coast Guard Survival Ration, which includes fortified biscuits, jelly candies, and a large chunk of "tropical" chocolate. The experience is a mixed bag, with some of the items being described as "edible" and "perfect" (ahem, "... except for being hard as a rock") while others are met simply with sounds of horror and disgust.

Steve1989 also manages a website called MREinfo.com, and has a Patreon profile where people can help fund his culinary adventures. Check out the clip above and follow those links if you are craving more of this bizarre experiment.

Images via YouTube // Steve1989

[h/t Laughing Squid]