Veterans Sound Off — What Are The Military’s Least Favorite Meals?
[Eds: List includes edited vulgarity and may be offensive to some readers.]
It’s no surprise that military personnel on the go often don’t have the time, nor the resources, to prepare a home-cooked meal. Enter the Meal, Ready to Eat, or MRE, which has been the source of nourishment for service members in the field since 1981. While MREs are super-portable and low on maintenance, not all of these ready-to-eat meals are conducive to happy – or even healthy – eating. Here are some of those MRE dishes that military members would prefer to do without.
8. Beef Frankfurters
7. Country Captain Chicken
6. Beef Brisket
5. Buffalo Chicken
4. Thai Chicken
3. Pork Patty
2. Canadian Clam Chowder
1. Veggie Omelet

The veggie omelet is infamously loathed by many a veteran, and has acquired such colorful names as “dog vomit” and “bag of yellow puke.” Probably the biggest reason why military members hate this dish is because of what the omelet does to those who dare eat it. One Reddit user related a platoon mate’s experience with this MRE: “The Veggie Omelet was destroying his insides. Don’t remember if they just gave him Epicac or if they had to pump it out.” Another user, HGWingless, stated that “It looks (and I’d fathom, tastes) the same coming out as it does going in. No amount of Tobasco [sic] sauce can fix that.”
Honorable mention — or shall we say dishonorable mention — goes to the chicken fajita and the jambalaya MREs. Although these may sound like edible — or even fantastic — meal options, many service members can attest they are not. Don’t be fooled.