My Life Outdoors

While preparing for an October backpacking trip I came across an advertisement for Bridgeford Ready to Eat sandwiches. I decided to order some and give them a try. I ordered three different flavors: Honey Barbecue Beef, Honey Barbeque Chicken, And Italian style.

Not that long ago my wife’s grandfather gave me some military MRE heater packs. These heater packs are supposed to warm your “ready to eat” meal in 10-15 min. Since Bridgeford Ready to Eat Sandwiches were originally created for the military I took some heater packs on the trip.

For lunch the first day I got out my Bridgeford Barbeque Beef sandwich and a heater pack. I followed the instructions on the heater and impatiently waited 15 min. The heater pack got really hot…too hot to touch even. My sandwich, on the other hand, was still cold.

Bridgeford Ready to Eat Sandwich in a military MRE heater pack.

I ate the Barbeque Beef Sandwich cold and was surprised at the taste. I have to admit…I didn’t have high hopes. But the Bridgeford Sandwiches tasted pretty good. Resembling something like a hot pocket, the sandwiches boast real meat, have a three year shelf-life, can be stored at room temperature, and weigh less than 4 oz. They were easy to pack…and always hit the spot on long hikes.

The next day I tried the heater pack again, waiting even longer than before. Only the outside bread began to get warm. The inside was still cold, and yet, still tasted pretty good. This time I ate the Italian style sandwich, which tasted the same as the Barbeque Beef. So variety isn’t its strongest quality.

The last day I ditched the military heater packs and toasted the Barbeque Chicken sandwich with my fry pan. The sandwich was warm in less than 5 min all the way through to the center. Heat definitely improves the taste of the sandwich, however, it still tasted the same as the other two flavors.

Toasting a Bridgeford Ready to Eat Sandwich in the fry pan.

All and all Bridgeford Ready to Eat Sandwiches taste pretty good warm or cold. I prefer warm over cold but still enjoyed the taste at any temperature. The sandwiches are light weight and make for great meals on the go. I recommend giving them a try. I don’t recommend the Military MRE Heater Packs. Save your time and either eat them cold or heat them with your stove and fry pan.