XMRE 1300XT (12) review

Who it is for

An MRE answers one question: what do we eat when there is no water to spare, no stove and no time? XMRE says every component is field tested and fully cooked so it can be eaten right out of the pouch, and its FAQ says there is no need to add water. That makes the 1300XT the food for a car kit, a go-bag, a boat, or the first day of an evacuation, when a freeze-dried pouch's cup of boiling water is a luxury.

XMRE describes the 1300XT as US military grade and says each meal contains over 1,300 average calories; its product page gives 1,200 to 1,500 calories of components per meal. A case of 12 is roughly twelve adult-days at a modest ration, or six days of heartier eating. Our emergency food storage guide puts MREs alongside the longer-lasting options.

What is in a meal

XMRE's product page lists six numbered menus. Menu one, for example, is Italian sausage, Santa Fe rice, barbecue toasted corn kernels, banana chips, pilot bread and a grape drink; menu four is meatballs in marinara, mini chocolate chip cookies, a vegetable cracker, potatoes au gratin, corn kernels and lemonade. XMRE's blog describes a typical meal as an entree, a bread or cracker, a snack, a spread, a dessert, beverages, a flameless heater and accessories such as a fork and spoon.

The flameless ration heater is a water-activated pouch that warms the entree; XMRE says some meals are more delightful slightly heated. This case is sold with heaters, which XMRE also sells separately, so check the listing says heaters included when you reorder. Menus change by pack date, and XMRE notes most cases come packed as six or twelve meals.

Shelf life and storage

XMRE guarantees a shelf life of five years at 70°F, or six months at 100°F, counted from the assembly date printed or embossed on every bag and case. The gap between those two numbers is the whole story of MRE storage: heat is the enemy. A case in a climate-controlled closet lasts years; the same case in a car trunk through a Phoenix or Houston summer should be rotated out within months.

For a vehicle kit, buy a case, keep two meals in the car and the rest indoors, and swap them each season. Write the pack date on the case where you can see it. Our sell-by versus best-by dates guide explains how to read the date codes.

Limits to know before you buy

MREs are heavy and bulky for the calories, because the food carries its own water. They are also high in sodium and calories by design, which suits a long day of physical work and suits a sedentary household less. Twelve meals is not a long food supply; for a pantry store, freeze-dried kits give far more days per dollar and per cubic foot, and last decades rather than years.

Follow the heater pouch's own instructions and use it in a ventilated spot, never sealed inside a bag.

How it compares, and the verdict

On our emergency food bars and MREs comparison, the Datrex 3,600-calorie bar is the compact, five-year ration for a go-bag that needs nothing but a hand to open it, and the Mayday, SOS and ER bars are the same idea in different packs. The MRE Star case is the other civilian MRE. The XMRE 1300XT is for people who want real meals with a hot entree rather than a lifeboat bar.

Verdict: the right choice for a vehicle kit or the first days of an evacuation, provided you store it cool and rotate it. Skip it if you want long-term pantry storage, if you will leave the case in a hot vehicle, or if you are planning food by weight and volume.

How long do XMRE 1300XT meals last?

XMRE guarantees five years at 70°F or six months at 100°F, from the pack date printed on the bag and case. Keep the case cool; heat shortens the life sharply.

Do XMRE meals need water or cooking?

No. XMRE says every component is fully cooked and can be eaten from the pouch, and its FAQ says there is no need to add water. The flameless heater warms the entree if you want it hot.

How many calories are in an XMRE 1300XT?

XMRE's product page says 1,200 to 1,500 calories of components per meal, and its blog describes an average of over 1,300.

Are heaters included in the case of 12?

This case is sold with flameless ration heaters. XMRE also sells heaters separately and notes they may or may not come with a kit, so check the listing when you reorder.