Try one just to see what they are like? Sure.

Take one while travelling? No.

I live in Florida and the loss of power from a hurricane is always a threat. We have several MREs stored in case something like this happens.

And that's a situation where I could see eating MREs (and yes I've eaten them previously). But the OP's idea is because he doesn't think he has enough time to order take out from the corner deli or go through a drive through in a major city - not the same thing as not having access to food at all. And if he doesn't even have enough time to even pick up the phone to order take out, he probably doesn't have enough time to be physically active enough to counteract the high calorie count of MREs.

In my time, I have sampled "K" Rations, "C" Rations, "10 in 1s", and "MREs" (also known as "Meals Refused by Ethiopians"). I cannot imagine failing to do better than MREs in any 3rd world urban area in "today's world", although in the distant past, I have deplaned in some less than salubrious climes, where the street food was pretty frightening. Other than a camping trip or a military deployment, there are simply too many alternatives to military rations (although legend has it that the lemonade powder in "Ks" was good for the times).

Of course, I did grow up in a culture in which young males were expected to sample such delights as squirrel stew or armadillo "in shell" (back before we knew much about leprosy vectors), and vividly recall exposure to "furrin" dishes in less developed locales in which the "meat dish" contained the obvious extremities of what appeared to be small primates.

....But then everyone to his/her own taste as the diner said before settling in to a nice dish of chitlins' and hog maws or a big bowl of Menudo.

After 27 years in the Army I seriously doubt that I will ever eat an MRE again.

I'm former military, and once in garrison I was broke and had missed the mess hall hours. I opened a decent MRE - maybe spaghetti or tortellini or something - one that I'd usually covet in the field. I took one or two bites. Never again.

Simple. No.

I used to think people who travelled the world and insisted on eating at McDonalds or KFC when one was available were odd. Not after this thread.

Precisely, I totally agree. I've travelled extensively, to some pretty remote and unusual areas including East Timor, Borneo, Antartica, Nigeria, Malabo, Antartica, South America etc etc and have always found half decent and safe food.

McDonalds has various special items that are only available in particular countries, so I don't really fault people for going there once or twice on a trip.

MREs, on the other hand, I'd probably save for a disaster situation.

some MRE are pretty ok, i like chili con carne.

had a horrible one though, burger patty that was like a hard cookie.

it is a novelty, at least for me.

I can see places where I would take all my own food , and MREs would do that ,

I often eat at McDs while "tourists" eat at a street stall 20 feet away, I do not travel for food , so a Big Mac or a peanut butter sandwich is OK with me ,

I have a week or 2 vacation and do not want to worry about getting sick from street food etc ,

And sometimes I do pack canned Chili , soup , peanut butter , and other food I like.....

We are not all "Foodies"

we grew up poor. we went to the local "relief" office and got "C" rations, "K" rations, powdered eggs and whatever foodstuffs were available during WW II.

While US military rations may have been available to "relief" entities in the US at some point after the end of WWII, their wartime use was limited to "combat" units, troops deployed where messing facilities were unavailable and units in training. Even in combat units, many meals were provided by "Field Kitchens" deployed close to the front lines, designed to be served in personal "mess kits" issued to individuals (or at worst, in the old "canteen cups" carried by each soldier/Marine). Army field kitchens were little altered from WWI versions.

"Packaged" rations, "K"s, "C"s, "10 in 1s", were expensive, high priority for deployment, and in short supply, unlikely to have been employed for civilians (except for emergency use for refugees/DPs at the end of WWII in Europe). "K"s in particular were specially developed low weight/volume ration for feeding troops in combat who could not be supplied by conventional means and had to carry their own food. IIRC, they came in a small waxed cardboard box, in my memory about 6"X2"X2". Each contained small pack of cigarettes, 4-5 or so, often "Old Golds", a brand not beloved by troops. I recall a packet of "lemonade powder" and a preservative laden chocolate bar as among the contents. "C"s came with small individual serving cans of "traditional" (???) dishes, "Beans and Franks" the most favorable recalled, while the "Pork and Eggs" is remembered as ghastly beyond belief.

"Surplus" packaged rations were unlikely to have shown up in the US civilian world before 1946.

My cousin and I were talking over the holiday while he was home from Army Basic. He eats them twice a day while training and definitely has determined the ones he prefers to the ones he dislikes. I've only had them a couple times hunting while growing up. My Grandfather (retired) and father served in the US Army. My thanks to all upthread military posters for their service as well.