What is the shelf-life of HeaterMeals Self-Heating Meals?
HeaterMeals Entrees are made in a high quality food cooking and packaging process (similar to canning) called retort packaging, so shelf-life is good, and storage is uncomplicated. Retort is a cooking process that uses heat and pressure to cook food in its sealed package. HeaterMeals Entrees & HeaterMeals Plus Entrees come in 3/4 pound retort trays. HeaterMeals 3 Entrees are in 3/4 pound retort pouches, similar to military food pouches; but HeaterMeals 3 retort pouches are 50% larger than MREs. The USDA asks food manufacturers to print a recommended consumption date on each meat or poultry meal. Its not a safety date (like on a milk carton). – HeaterMeals Entrees are marked with an easy to read Please Use By date of two years after the packaging date – printed on the individual package, and also on the 12 count shipping carton. – HeaterMeals Plus are stamped with a one year date after we package the meals (due to the commercial snack items, such as cookies & breadsticks in Plus meals).
