Dollar tree is great for the homemade mre. My autistic son wanted an mre themed birthday. So we sourced almost everything from dollar tree to make homemade mre kits as the goodie bag.

I watch these because I travel for a living and live in my work truck 3/4 of the time.

I usually buy instant oatmeal (for breakfast), oat bars (for lunch), raman noodles (for supper), and popTarts & instant coffee for a snack. I can eat for $3 a day, in stead of the $25 burger plate at some bar (when I go somewhere on a car trip and stay at a motel/Hotel.)

Interesting video, wouldn't have thought of making a MRE out of Dollar Tree items. You did make me do a flashback to that Hawaiian Punch commercial. 😂

Now about the Barocook device!! OMG yes yes yes it is so great!! I watch tons of hiking camping and RV Van living shows and it's like they all need fire or electric to cook. I always wondered isn't there a better way? YES and You found it Barocook!!!! Love it!!! ❤️ TYSM❤

Their canned clams and smoked oysters are good, if you eat them. I love spam (most flavors), deviled ham spread, vienna sausage (all flavors) and the sardines, tuna and mackerel canned selections. My fav item from DT is the Brim's HOT pork rinds, and the BBQ flavor is good also.

Inspiration to have fun with MRE. Yep, you got it covered nicely. Now I just need to get hubby hooked....and you got that covered too with the SHARE button.

I understand the challenge of shopping for all the components in one location, I think you could make an epic MRE if you were to get the components from multiple locations. That way, you can optimize what you add to each MRE. I think that would a fun and interesting video. Love the channel BTW.

I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL!!! why don't more people view your ideas from places to get great prices on camping equipment to MRE great ideas. I am paralyzed in a bed and get Great tips from you!!! Not only for myself but to pass onto others.

BaroCook should pay you endorsement fees! I just bought one because of your videos. Never heard of it before. Thanks!

Hey! This was an excellent video! I really liked how you tried something not expected and was surprised to hear your good comments on the canned ham! Very thoughtfully done and the price was excellent too! :) And you are welcome!

On the nursing home comment - folks, remember that there are differences in the capabilities of nursing home residents. Folks in Memory Care should not have any sort of heating device, given the chances that they could burn themselves with a moment of inattention. If you do have a loved one in care, you will know what they are capable of doing.

Wow this was interesting! KZfaq suggested your channel. Sometimes KZfaq gets it right. Subscribed!

The Ham Spread is essentially "Deviled Ham". I've tried it before and take it in the boat for a day of fishing.

I love to buy those cookies for my kids when we are going on an outing somewhere. They are an easy, kid-friendly snack to throw in a bag.

Wow. I've never heard or seen anything like that Barocook. That's crazy. Crazy and awesome. Thanks.

You might include total calorie count. I am enjoying your channel. You are giving me some great ideas to simplify my solo camping trip food prep!

I ordered the Barocook because of your video from Ollie’s. I’m going to work on getting MREs using some of your guidelines. I do dehydrate my rice, pasta and beans so they will hydrate well by letting them sit in the water first then heat up. I will be using dehydrated and freeze dried foods and I ordered some water pouches also to add to the MREs package but I will place the pouch in a baggie in case of leakage.

I'm a big fan of potted meat in the context of emergency food I keep in the pantry. One of the things we ran low on the last time I was in an emergency situation was meat. Any canned meat that lasts years at a time is good to have on hand.

Love the out of the box thinking and going outside the typical norm; super cool concept!

I love seeing items I haven't seen before and getting ideas....Thanks. I like the Sunkist lemon lime sachet, and I Found a Food Club one that is caffeinated. An international type grocery store might be a good place to make an MRE. This was a great video.

Two sources you might want to try if you have them in your area are "Rite Aid" and "Grocery Outlet" stores. I've long sourced cheaper victuals for home use and work lunches as well as hunting & fishing, backpacking and other camping trips. Dollar Tree, Big Lots and Walmart, all of which you've already featured in videos, and the Grocery Outlet stores are among my favorites. If my schedule will permit, I especially make a point of shopping the Grocery Outlet stores when encountering one in an area of high Hispanic population because Mexican cuisine is one of my favorites. Many of the Grocery Outlet stores are independently owned, which means there is noticeable variability from store-to-store of the inventory on shelves. I've only been in one "99 Cents Only" store several years ago, but the size of the store and inventory selection there was quite impressive! Sadly, while checking online to see if any are located along travel routes for trips that I anticipate making in 2024, I read that the corporation is "winding down" operation of all 371 locations 😥.

I would have tried adding the spice mix to the rice and stirring that up before adding the crab. I also would have cut the crab up smaller and mixed it well with the rice.

I've had the Krab recently. I liked it. I was glad to find it, too, as I had to quit imitation "krab" years ago due to a food allergy, and it seems the ingredient I couldn't have is not in that brand. I recently tried some ready to eat refried beans that I THINK I got at DT. They tasted like beans. Cut the corner off and squeeze it out like frosting.

I got to get some of that krab for my wife the next time I make some MREs, she loves that stuff. I'm not really a prepper but after the last hurricane and having to cook everything on a grill or camp stove I started making MREs. I did go overboard on what I put in them as they have more than 3 meals plus snacks and drinks but, hey, I'm not carrying them on hikes. Although, looking at one right now, they probably wouldn't be too bad for that if you are out for a full day or overnight. I am impressed with the price of the one you showed here though, that is very economical.

The uncle bens brand and the minute rice brand rice packages that are already cooked are great. A lot of times i will drop a can of tuna, a can of beans, or maybe just a can of vegetables in a bag, heat it up and it makes a great little meal on the go. I really like to get the uncle bens spanish rice, a can of tuna, some tony chacheres seasoning, and some red hot sauce to make as a meal. This was one of my go to meals in college. That and mac n cheese with cut up hot dogs were really common for me.

There are many processes and packaged food items in the stores these days. Provides a lot of convenience and options for mre compatible meals. I like your content exploring these options and getting viewers to think it through.

Excellent video! cool concept! Barocook that was awesome! Can't wait to see more videos.

great video, you are making me go to my local dollar tree tomorrow and put some MRE's together.

i use the drink mixes all the time. very low to zero carbs. good for a diabetic that way. get a quart container an try mixing the flavors, according to what you like. one of the new off the shelf mrs is lemon pepper tuna with tortillas. very good. also try the lemon pepper chicken.

The food service at my mothers assisted living facility actually had a catering business associated with it. Wasn't my type of food but they did a lot of business and lots of compliments.

Job lot, trader joes, and aldi have some pretty good stuff.

Another great video man I've found these different packaged rices recently and really enjoyed them and they have long shelf life

What Side Is Your Barocook Flameless Cooker? Also Would Like More 24-hour MRE, This Is The 2nd Video I had Seen Of Yours. These Are Great To Watch. Thank You For The Video.

I think you were very kind about the crab meat. I bought a couple and I won't do that again 😂

whoa that flameless cooker is awesome. your making some quality content here my guy. keep at it, its much appreciated. I can't believe i ahadnt thought to make my own mre's myself. I watch Steve1981 mre videos all the time and had noticed a lot of what was mre's could be bought at a store. Why i never thought to make my own I'll never know.

I’d be curious to try that spread.. normally not a fan of things like that but I’d try it

I get that rice all the time, it says on the package to break it up before heating, only takes 90 seconds in the microwave

WWII Pacific, canned crab was a Japanese ration staple. Americans supplemented their rations with captured canned crab. Don’t know how good it was, but as my wife says, “makes a t%rd.”

Just a reference to probably both mine and your age.... hope that wasn't Jim Jones Kool Aid....guess it wasn't you finished the video😂😂 great video thanks for the ideas!!!

Great vid

I tried that rice myself, I agree, not so good! Great channel!

Loved the food adventure!

Saw a 4oz chicken breast at Dollar tree for $1.25. Thats $6/lb for chicken. Just what you were talking about, a misdirect.

Great video, I've made a lot of homemade jerky. Keep in mind that it take about 3 pounds of meat to make one pound of jerky. And at today's prices, that's a lot of money.

What about using costco. I'm thinking of making multiple mre for family that travel in avalanche area's.

For that cooker do you have to buy/use a new heater pack every time or can you reuse the heater pack? Ever thought about making these as a whole day MRE pack? Like 2-3 meals instead of one.

Nice ideas

If you ever find yourself back in the midwest. You gotta do Buccees!

Have you considered doing a video for a 1st week/month/3rd month/6th month/1 year MRE series? I would like to see how these hold up over time.

Next time try the buffalo chicken !!!

Do you figure in heater pack and Mylar bag into total cost?

Definitely the ham. The fake krab looks interesting, though.

👍 Thanks for the info 😂

Hi what brand was that canned ham I wanna get some

I want a Barocooker, but I want the 40oz one and it isn't carried by Amazon. Is there any other way to get one.

The link for the cooker looks different than in the videos, yours is black and the link is clear ?

When I was homeless, there were times when I actually lived for days off of those Minees cookies from Dollar Tree. **Edit-- Btw, I was diagnosed as a diabetic while I was homeless. Just sayin'. (Full transparency) **

Love your video first time watching your channel. I have loved survival and prepping since I was a kid. Do you have Aldi's or .99 cent only store neat you?

I always thought that things at the DollarTree actually costs about 30-50 cents, except for a few things, likethe medicines or vitamins.

Sweetened with Aspartame.

I think you add a little water to the rice packet.

It's a great idea, but where are the vegetables?

I did this a couple years ago. Three days worth of Dollar tree MREs in the back of my SUV. It's probably time for me to eat them and restock.

I can't find the referenced original Dollar Tree episode. Can someone post the link to it?

Suggestion: Please add a menu list in the description, that we can cut and paste to make a shopping list. And, yes I understand that there will need to be substitutions.

How about, Wal-Mart, Target or even a larger convenience store as places to get MRE supplies.

Dollar Tree refrigerated pork chops come out to $5-$6 a pound.

Thanks for the viddy vid Mr. L. I get all my quality krab meat at the Krusty Krab (=

I love Black Forest Ham. I was surprised to see they have potted versions of that. How do you think it was compared to say deli Black Forest Ham? Like it was just a pulverized version of that or could you definitely tell this was a canned, potted meat. Thanks for the video. I'm very interested in see what videos you have to offer!

There's a self heating lunchbox that you just plug in and it'll bake cakes and everything as well as being a container. I think I'd rather that than a ration heater that's one time use

Hey what was the calorie/protein/carbs of the entire MRE? Would 3 meals per day add up to 2000 calories? Just wondering. Cool video though!

I was going to suggest Aldi, but I found you did one 3 years ago. Have you considered a gas station, such as Sheetz or Wawa?

Tried the Wisps from Walmart. For me the flavor is WAY to over powering. Something I will not be using in mine.

Do you consider ramen noodles?

dollar general

I hate the chicken one, never tried the ham one.. bit can't stand the chicken.

I've not been able to eat potted meat since someone told me that it was cat food

Gosh, get on with it.

Like an adult lunchable. Long term meal prepping, I like it. Planning out 6-12 months worth of meals at once would eliminate shopping and cooking and save so much time.