Air Force Section
Premium MRE™ (AF Variant)
Served in ceramic with a $12 craft seltzer.
The Premium MRE™ (AF Variant) is a standard-issue Meal Ready-to-Eat presented as it was always meant to be presented: in a shallow ceramic bowl, garnished with a sprig of flat-leaf parsley, accompanied by a 12-ounce craft seltzer paired to the entrée by our in-house beverage lead. The MRE itself has not been changed. The calories are identical. The sodium is identical. The flameless ration heater is included and available, though we recommend plating before service.
Our menu currently offers four presentations: Chicken and Dumplings (paired with a citrus seltzer — 'the acidity cuts through the starch'), Beef Ravioli (paired with a sparkling water with 'assertive carbonation and a clean finish'), Jambalaya (paired with a cucumber-mint seltzer 'for contrast'), and the Vegetarian Taco Pasta (paired with a plain seltzer because, as our pairing notes read, 'it is doing its best'). Each plate is photographed before packaging. The photo is included in the packaging. The food does not look like the photo.
The Army eats MREs at Fort Polk in the rain at 0200 with a spork and the knowledge that this is the next 14 days. The Air Force eats MREs occasionally, as a novelty, in a context that allows for a parsley garnish, and we have built a product that honors that distinction without shame.
“The Army eats MREs in the mud with a plastic spork — they deserve this product more than we do, and that's exactly why they can't have it.”
— SQUARED AWAY EDITORIAL BOARD
| Menu Options | Chicken & Dumplings, Beef Ravioli, Jambalaya, Vegetarian Taco Pasta |
| Included Pairing | 12 oz craft seltzer, flavor matched to entrée by our beverage team |
| Presentation | Ceramic bowl, parsley garnish, printed plating photo included |
| Calories | 1,100–1,350 per entrée (standard MRE nutritional content, unchanged) |
| Origin | Standard DoD MRE supply chain; ceramic bowl and garnish sourced separately |
| Certifications | MIL-STD-CHIVE compliant. Garnish food-safe. |
- Ceramic bowl is not deployable. It will break. Do not bring the ceramic bowl to the field. The MRE has a bag. Use the bag.
- Parsley garnish may spoil in transit if shipped outside temperature-controlled packaging. The parsley is symbolic. The MRE is eternal.
After-Action Reports
Plated the Jambalaya for a squadron morale night. Put parsley on it. Poured the seltzer into a glass. Four airmen said it was the best MRE they'd ever had. Nothing about the food changed. Five stars.
The seltzer pairing is genuinely thought-through. The citrus with Chicken and Dumplings is correct. The bowl is pretty. The MRE still tastes like an MRE. I feel complicated about this.
Served these at a combined-arms dining event. The Army officer picked up the parsley, looked at it, set it down, and ate his in silence. I will never forget his face. Five stars.
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