I’m thinking maybe they were not a staple because they are expensive, like you said, but people tend to trade items and maybe he would find them for a good price. I’m betting they were not an everyday meal. The fact that they were developed to be high in calories, was probably a good thing for the growing kids. They also constipate you, so having one everyday would get very uncomfortable. For me it was a godsend being one of the only women in my unit…..Again, they were made with sustaining soldiers doing long range patrols (so a bunch of salt), lifting, climbing, working long hours. One MRE could technically be nutritious enough for a kid for a day, supplemented by the bread for hunger pangs. I wonder if the cost/benefit ratio would have been better with buying MRE’s of some sort over less nutritious cheaper food? I do remember seeing one of Janelle’s son’s eating Mayo straight out of the container once, it was either because he craved the calories/fat or it was a prank. I found it sad though.