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DIYMRE(homemadestorablepouchmeals)Oneofourresearchcellsrecentlyinformedusofanewdevelopment,homemadeMRE's!Thesecanbepreparedmosteasilybyakitchenequippedsupportcellthathasalsoacquiredapressurecooker,asupplyofmicrowavesafesealerbags(thesehavelessproblemswhenheated),andavacuumsealer.

Thisactivistrationisintendedasgrabandgofieldmealsforactivistsandstorableemergencyreliefsuppliesforsuddenorextendeddemonstrationsandeventswherefoodandwatersuppliesarerunningthinormightbecutoff.Thegoalis1500caloriesperpouchsplitsoabout50%ofcaloriescomefromcarbohydrates,30%fromfats,and20%fromprotein.Theouterpouchisrecyclednewspaperorcardboard,oneproblemisittendstogetwetandheavyifrainedon,onegreensolutionwastowrapinarecycledplasticsack,anotherproblemisthepriceanddisposaloftheplasticsealerpouches,ourresearchteam

pointedoutthatthewastewasstilllessofaproblemthanmetalcansormostpackagedsupermarketfoods.Thelargestconcerniskeepingthepricedown,thebestsolutionistopackageandsealonlywhatisavailablefromthedumpsterdivers,sales,orfromcookedgrainsandlegumes,thismakesthesealerbagstheonlyfixedpricesupplies.Thestoragelifeisexpectedtobesimilartothatcannedfood,butiscurrentlyuntested.

Ourtechspreparedseveraldifferenthomemadestews,non-crispyAsianstirfrydishes,fruitpreserves,peanutbutter,tamales,humus,andfreshvegetablesthensealedthemintomicrowavesafefoodsealer

bagseithervacuumsealingthemorjustsealingthebagwithanironpressedoverasheetofbakingpaper.Ifthedishwouldtolerateitcitricacidwasaddedtopreservethefoodnutritioninanaturalway.Severalpouchesatatimewereloadedintoracksinsideapressurecookersetto15PSIandthemealswerecookedfor30minutesoncefullpressurewasreached.Itisimportantthatthepressurecookernotbeallowedtofullyvalve,insteadasthepressurebuiltupclosetoareleasecoldwaterwastrickledontthecooker,itwasalsoimportantthattherebenoairinsidethebagandtoallowfullnaturalcoolingbefore

openingthecookertopreventblowingtheentrebags.Ourteamremindedthesupportteamsthatattentionshouldbepaidtouseofspicesasitwasexpectedthatwithlongstoragesomeofthenaturalflavorwouldbelost.Theintentionisthathotmealscouldeatenbecoldorwarmedfrombodyheatinanemergency,butnormallycookedinboilingwater,foilwrappedandwireddowntoahotcarengine,foilwrappednearacampfire,evensolarcookedonhotsummerblacktop.

Tocompletethesepressurecookedmainmealsotherpouchedfoodsandanaccessorypacketswerealsosealedinsidearecycledboxcardboardorfiveplywheat-gluelaminatednewspape

rcarrypouchtobothprotectthesealedfoodpouchesfromdamageandtoblocksunlightwhichmightotherwisedegradethe

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foods,thecartoncouldbeusedascookingfuelorrecycled.Passovermatzasheetswerefoundtobethestrongestandmostvacuumpackagablebreadsubstitute(foundintheJewishfoodsectionsofsomegrocerystores)althoughhardtackmaybetestedinthenextrun.Otherinclusionsinsomeorallpackswerevitamins,matches,aluminiumfoilandthinwireforimprovisedheating,sev

eralsheetsoffoldedtoiletpaper,aspoon,energybar,lemonpoppypoundcake,honey,hotpeppers,blackpepper,salt,teabags,freezedryorvacuumsealedgroundcoffee,powderedmilk,sugar,sweetenedcocoapowder,vacuumpackedparmesancheese,soysaucepackets,chewinggum,nuts,driedfruit,somepoucheswerespeciallymarkedandhadamaxipadortampon.

Acoolinclusionintheintheexperimentalmealrunisausefulprize.Prizesincludedchalk,acrayon,severalpagesofpost-itnotes,anadhesivebandageandantibioticointment,sho

eorbootlaces,tinyfirstaidbooks,condoms,cheapLEDlights,seeds,needleandthread,andothercooltinystuffthattheteamhadaround,AAandAAAbatterieswereconsideredveryusefulprizesbutdecidedagainstbecauseoftheirweight.

Theresearchteamhadconsideringexploringapouchedultralightdrymenuwhichcaneitherbeeatendryorpreparedinstantlywithhotwateralthoughfornowtheyfeeltherearealreadyenoughchoicesforanactivisttoacquireatmostsupermarketsorcampingstores.Theoneexceptionmentioned

wastotestatalaterdatesteamconvertingrawgreenlentilsandbrownriceinsideapressurecookerforonehourintosomethingthatwhendrycouldbevacuumpouchedwithagoodsouporspicemixintoainstantnutritiousjust-add-boiling-watermeal.