MRE Date Code Converter

How old are your MREs? Enter the Julian Date Code below to get your MRE’s date of manufacture:

MRE Manufacturers use a 4-digit modified Julian Date code to indicate the manufacture date.

This code is usually stamped on the MRE box and pouch. The location of the code can vary. The first digit represents the year, and the last three digits represent the day. So, for example, the code 2023 would indicate it was manufactured on the 23rd day of 2022 so 1/23/2022. The first number is the Year (2 = 2022) and the last number (023 = January 23rd) is the day in the year. Sometimes other letters representing batch numbers will be appended to the date code (i.e. 3123C). The inspection date is 3 years after the manufacture date. So, 2023 would have an inspection date of 1/23/2025

Date code of 0023 would be Manufacture date of 9 = 2020, 023 = January 23rd os this manufacture date is 1/23/2020 and an inspection date of 1/23/2023. 

Since the "official" longevity of an MRE is no longer than 10 years, and the modified date code makes it impossible to determine the decade of manufacture, this calculator assumes that your MREs are not 10 years old or more.

All our products list the inspection date and have a 1-3+ year shelf life depending on stored temp you keep them in. The inspection date again is aways 3 years after the manufacture date. The best date of an MRE is 3 years after the inspection date. So, a 2023 inspection date is best it eaten before 2026.