If you ever priced MREs, you'll find they're just about $8.00 a meal. Though it'll last for five years, I find this just a little pricey for what I'm getting.

That's why I decided to make my own and it is easier than you may think. For several weeks now, I've been pricing, researching, and taking notes on different types of food during my usual shopping. I was amazed to see how long regular food can last. I did have some requirements for the food to meet, a few were cost, ease of rotation, and mobility.

I started with the entree meal,which I found Starks tuna in a packet. It was in light water and lasted for around one year. The cost was a dollar per pack and didn't need to be cooked, since it was done before packing.

Just like the military MRE I consumed while in the Army, I wanted crackers and cheese. So to fulfil this I used cheese on wheat, which is both fiber and a processed milk. They come with six packs for 2 bucks. I couldn't find an expiration date on the box, but I'm guessing right at or just over a year.

For the fruit, which has vitamins, you'll need for the end of the world, I'd chosen apple sauce. It's packed in the lunch cups, cost just over $2 for a six pack, has all the vitamins I might need to avoid from being turned into a zombie or taken out by a rogue militia.

The last thing I packed was a sugar/energy source. I choose M&Ms with nuts in the larger individual pack. This gives me plenty of sugar and some protein to boot. They last over a year and cost just under a dollar each.

To pack all in I got the heavy duty Zip-loc bags. Which works great as they're also reusable.

I made only three MREs right now, but I've plenty left over to make three more once I get more tuna. All together it ends up being around $2.67 a meal. I do have to replace these once a year as the exiration dates come up, but at least I can rotate them into everyday meals, unlike the MRE.

Original at: http://conservativescalawag.blogspot.com/2007/03/homemade-mre.html