Food In Caches

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

I know, I know:

 

Food in Cache = Hungry Animals and Angry Cachers.

 

When I found a pack of Juicy Fruit in a cache, my poor husband had to listen to my lengthy, indignant tirade.

 

With this distain for food in caches firmly in place. I pose a question:

 

A few moments ago, I happened to stumble upon an Army MRE in my garage. [we often stumble on things in the garage... but that's another topic.] While I munched on 'cheese spread with jalepenos' and 'crackers, vegetable' I started to wonder about all things geocaching. [it takes very little to remind me of geocaching.]

 

I started to wonder, are the contents of a military MRE packaged in such a way that they would be ok to place in a cache? Now don't flame me, I have no intention of putting food in all your local caches... I'm just curious. What do you think?

[+rusty_tlc]

Sure put 'em right next to the gun. And throw in a jug of vodka to wash it down with. Maybe a nice cuban cigar for after.

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

Sure put 'em right next to the gun. And throw in a jug of vodka to wash it down with. Maybe a nice cuban cigar for after.

the knife... don't forget the knife.

[+rusty_tlc]

Sure put 'em right next to the gun. And throw in a jug of vodka to wash it down with. Maybe a nice cuban cigar for after.

the knife... don't forget the knife.

I'm warning you, if you do this I will blow that cache up with the explosives I picked up at that other cache.

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

I'm warning you, if you do this I will blow that cache up with the explosives I picked up at that other cache.

Oh no, don't waste your own explosives... I'll include some with the MRE...

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Wow, those replies sure helped the newbies who are reading this thread.

 

Try putting the MRE in an ammo box and let it sit outside for a week or so. Then open the ammo box and take a whiff. If you smell food then don't put it in a cache.

 

John

 

added a 'T'

Edited June 16, 2004 by 2oldfarts (the rockhounders)

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

Wow, those replies sure helped the newbies who are reading this thread.

Note to Newbies: Sorry bout that.

 

That's why I'm using the Obvious Sock Puppet account.

 

And thanks for the serious answer to my question.

[+rusty_tlc]

Wow, those replies sure helped the newbies who are reading this thread.

Note to Newbies: Sorry bout that.

 

That's why I'm using the Obvious Sock Puppet account.

 

And thanks for the serious answer to my question.

I'm sorry. It never occurred to me that anybody would be serious about ignoring the guideline on food.

I mean why would you when there are so many other items that are appropriate?

[+Phone guy]

Try putting the MRE in an ammo box and let it sit outside for a week or so. Then open the ammo box and take a whiff. If you smell food then don't put it in a cache.

For those of you who do not know, MRE's are air tight. If you pickup a pouch and can smell the contents, eating it would or may cause death. MRE's (I haven every type you can imagine) are not something an animal will smell as food. Now I have to ask why would you consider putting this in a cache? Check the exp. date, if its still good, eat it, if not, toss it.

Edited June 16, 2004 by Phone guy

[+welch]

 

I started to wonder, are the contents of a military MRE packaged in such a way that they would be ok to place in a cache? Now don't flame me, I have no intention of putting food in all your local caches... I'm just curious. What do you think?

The answer is do not put FOOD or other scented items in a cache .

Even if you could ensure if your food is letting out no scent at all, and that it couldn't be easily punctured/damaged, won't spoil, and somone would actually want to eat something left in the woods by someone they don't really know, don't do it. When someone finds your food in a cache, they might get not so bright idea to leave other foods in the cache. Which could inspire more people to leave food in caches... at some point some of these foods are going to be leaving a smelling something.

[AC Student]

MRE's are similar to canned food but packaged in flexible foil laminate. The packaging is pretty tough but not like a real can. I would not put an MRE in a cache out of fear that the packaging could get punctured by something in the cache. It probably would not happen the vast majority of the time but ya never know. If it did get torn or punctured the result would be a real mess and the smell could attract critters.

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

Thanks for all the posts. Let me just clarify once more that I do not intend to place an MRE or it's contents in a cache... I just wanted to know if it was packaged in such a way that it would not attract animals.

 

Good point about it possibly being punctured or leading others to leave not so 'safe' food items.

 

edited for typing error

Edited June 16, 2004 by Obvious Sock Puppet

[+Team Perks]

I must have eaten hundreds of MRE's back in my days as a Marine. Anyone else who has tried one will agree: MRE's are NOT food.

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

MRE's are NOT food.

See now that was one of the major points I was waiting for someone to bring up!

[+rusty_tlc]

I had the ministrone a couple of weeks ago, not bad for a quick meal in a dry camp. The main course, teraki chicken w/ vegatables wasn't as good. Why somebody thought ministrone went with teraki is beyond me.

 

The key is being really hungery, then almost anything taste good.

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

They taste better if you add the 'cool' factor... my niece and nephew think it's cool to eat their Army Uncle's MRE's.

[AC Student]

I must have eaten hundreds of MRE's back in my days as a Marine.

Just curious - how long ago was that, Team PerkyPerks? I've heard that MREs have greatly improved in recent years. I've eaten them a few times, on hiking/camping/geocaching (trying to keep slightly on topic) trips. I thought they tasted like canned food. The pasta tasted like spaghettios, the beef stew tasted like Dinty Moore, and the fruit cocktail tasted like Libbys. It wasn't gourmet by any means, but was quick and easy and tasted better than most alternative backwoods food.

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

The dehydrated fruit coctail is awesome... or it was 10 years ago.

[+Criminal]

Familiar with MREs.

 

Go ahead and put it in the cache. I do wonder if anyone would be trusting enough to eat something they got from what is basically a trash can. You could consider putting in one of those pre-stamped postcards instead, they mail it to you with their address, you mail the MRE to them. Call it a first finders prize, somebody will want it.

[+Team Perks]

Just curious - how long ago was that, Team PerkyPerks? I've heard that MREs have greatly improved in recent years. I've eaten them a few times, on hiking/camping/geocaching (trying to keep slightly on topic) trips. I thought they tasted like canned food. The pasta tasted like spaghettios, the beef stew tasted like Dinty Moore, and the fruit cocktail tasted like Libbys. It wasn't gourmet by any means, but was quick and easy and tasted better than most alternative backwoods food.

That was around 10 years ago. Lord only knows how old those MRE's were, though. Some of them were (almost) edible; then there were the ones called "omelette" and "ham slice" that neither resembled nor tasted like what they were supposed to be.

 

And Criminal, I'm with you. No matter how hermetically sealed the bag might look, I would never eat anything I pulled out of a cache.

[+The Geocache Hunter]

I have had many experiences while training where I had animals get into MREs and tear them up. I'm talking animals like mice, coyotes and birds. Not sure what it is they smell unless it has something to do with some sort of residual scent prior to the packages being sealed. Of course it could also be that the MREs I get issued are rather new and the scent is stronger. At any rate, critters still dig into them.

 

Since we're also talking about taste, I would like to add that they have greatly improved since I joined the Army 8 years ago. I've got many favorites rather than "tolerable" MREs. Some of my favorites include Chicken Cavatelli, Beef Ravioli, Beef Enchilada, Pork Chow Mein, and Beef Teryaki.

[+O Crew]

If you think an MRE doesn't sound tasty, take a look at this cache. The little action on this cache could probably be explained by it's original contents and the item left in the one log. Bon Appetite.

Edited June 17, 2004 by umlaw97

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

Left you a Bungee cord and Tabasco (you'll need it for that tuna).

 

See now it's the MRE Tabasco Sauce that I find so tempting to leave... but it's probably the most likely to cause trouble, so I wouldn't.

 

How Stuff Works - MRE

 

edited to add links

Edited June 17, 2004 by Obvious Sock Puppet

[+G-Squad]

Everyone Is A Critic was a MRE themed cache. It wasn't archived due to food but due to the city not wanting caches in certain parks.

[+skippysan]

Someone in my area leaves the tiny tabasco sauces all of the time... I think it may be there "signature item"...

[+GentleWhisper]

Everyone Is A Critic was a MRE themed cache.

Looked like a fun cache. Pretty popular.

 

BTW, I like the little tabasco bottles too.

[+briansnat]

ee now it's the MRE Tabasco Sauce that I find so tempting to leave... but it's probably the most likely to cause trouble, so I wouldn't.

 

When I first started geocachingI bought a case of those little bottles of Tabasco and used them as my signature trade item. I figured they were air tight and hot pepper is used as an animal repellent, so it would be OK. Then I realized that if I tried to justify my food item, others would try to justify the placement of their MRE's, cans of Coke, or Dinty Moore beef stew. I decided to follow the "no food in caches" rule and I put the rest of the bottles in my backpacking equipment box. With all the great items that we can find to place in a cache, there is no need to put in food, no matter how its packaged.

Edited June 17, 2004 by briansnat

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Thanks for all the posts. Let me just clarify once more that I do not intend to place an MRE or it's contents in a cache... I just wanted to know if it was packaged in such a way that it would not attract animals.

Why not? It's packaged in such a way that it doesn't attract humans

[+GPSKitty]

Even if there was no problem with leaving food in caches as far as animals were concerned, I would never dream of eating ANYTHING I found in a cache. I can't imagine why anyone leaving food in a cache would think someone would want to put it in their mouth. Too many unknowns for my comfort.

I found a mini breath strip packet in a recent cache. I CITO'd it. It's the closest thing to food that I've found so far.

[+Team DaSH]

Left you a Bungee cord and Tabasco (you'll need it for that tuna).

 

See now it's the MRE Tabasco Sauce that I find so tempting to leave... but it's probably the most likely to cause trouble, so I wouldn't.

 

How Stuff Works - MRE

 

edited to add links

Did I did I not read the info in that first link correctly? They put Tabasco in their eyes to keep them awake? Anyone ever hear of No-Doz?

[Obvious Sock Puppet]

They put Tabasco in their eyes to keep them awake?

Yeh, I saw that on the discovery channel.

 

And about eating food left in caches: all true... unless maybe if it's a remote cache, with no chance of muggles, and you personally know and trust everyone who's found it. So that leaves just the tabasco bottles in question... which isn't only left for consumption but because it's cool.... er hot.

 

Nah, I'll just use it instead of nodoze...

[+PSUPAUL]

Dang, should have finished the thread before I posted my quote!

 

Ignore mine, already been commented on. Move along folks, nothing to see here!

 

Left you a Bungee cord and Tabasco (you'll need it for that tuna).

 

See now it's the MRE Tabasco Sauce that I find so tempting to leave... but it's probably the most likely to cause trouble, so I wouldn't.

 

How Stuff Works - MRE

 

edited to add links

Youch! Do people really rub tabasco in their eyes to keep awake during sentry duty? It seems like this could cause some damage!

 

"Yes sir, I am awake. I just cannot see anything because my eyes are watering so bad."

Edited June 17, 2004 by PSUPAUL

[+IV_Warrior]

For those of you who do not know, MRE's are air tight. If you pickup a pouch and can smell the contents, eating it would or may cause death. MRE's (I haven every type you can imagine) are not something an animal will smell as food.

Really? Then how come my dog tore into one, to eat the M&M's that were in it? And no, it wasn't one that had been handled a lot, or laying around, it was one fresh from an Army Reserve weekend.........Save the MRE for some day you're starving to death (why else would anyone WANT to eat one of those things) and stick with non-food (yes the MRE is _TECHNICALLY_ food) items for caches.

[+Lone Duck]

Nope. Even when all of our food on canoe trips was freeze dried, it was still recommended that we hang it in trees because of bear. I've even had the experience of mice chewing open freeze dried items. Those wild nose are really sensitive to smells!

[+Fireman78]

I must have eaten hundreds of MRE's back in my days as a Marine.  Anyone else who has tried one will agree:  MRE's are NOT food. 

I agree with my Marine friend, years of the (Forest Service and US Army) ; I have come to the conclusion that MRE's are NOT FOOD! Go ahead and place them in! Seriously, I have found a couple of bottles and even cans of drinking water, I appriciated those at the time, (it gets hot here in the desert you know)

Edited June 20, 2004 by Fireman78