Feedback from hungry soldiers craving new flavors has guided Army food experts in the development of the next iteration of MREs, according to a Pentagon news release.

Expected to come out in 2026, so-called MRE46 will replace items unpopular with soldiers, such as the beef taco filling, pork sausage patty and jalapeño jack beef patty, with items soldiers said they’d prefer, such as Cuban-style beef picadillo with vegetables, buffalo-style chicken and Thai-style red curry with chicken and rice, according to the release.

"Buffalo chicken is something that [soldiers] have requested. It's a popular item … so we're hoping that this item will be longstanding," said Julie Edwards, a senior technologist and registered dietitian with the Combat Feeding Division in the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center in Natick, Massachusetts.

The new MRE menus also will feature more protein-filled snacks, including new s'mores recovery bars and freeze-dried chocolate peanut butter bites, and more caffeinated products.

"What we’ve noticed is caffeine is one of the least consumed items in the MRE," Edwards said in the release. "Previous generations were big coffee drinkers, but the newer generation of soldiers are not."

As replacements, researchers looked to develop new beverage options, as well as energy chews, energy gels, caffeinated gum and even caffeinated jelly beans, the release said.

Edwards said service members also requested a larger, more durable towelette.

Each year, food scientists work to develop new components of MREs based on feedback from troops. Researchers also look at trends in the commercial sector to see what might play well on newer menus.

"Any new item that we get that can help bring variety and increase acceptability is important," Edwards said in the release. "We know that eating an MRE isn't everyone's No. 1 thing, but we want to make it safe to eat—that’s our No. 1 priority—and then to make it taste good as well."

As with the new Close Combat Assault Ration, a lightweight, nutrient-dense individual field ration, developers of MRE46 also focused on reducing the weight and volume of the new meals without cutting calories or nutritional value, according to the release.

All new items being considered for MREs must meet shelf-life requirements before they can be evaluated by troops, meaning they must still be edible after spending six months in 100 degrees Fahrenheit and three years at 80 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the release.

After shelf-life requirements are met, operational testing begins with teams of researchers who work with troops in the field to determine what they like. Then, behavioral psychologists hold focus groups to elaborate on the data, according to the release.

“We want you to give us this feedback because it does help, it does make a difference,” Edwards said in the release. "From start to finish, it's about a four-year process until the soldier actually sees [the new meals].”

Meanwhile, items for MRE 47 are already in development and expected in 2027.

Based on a request from one service, the Combat Feeding Division has developed plant-based animal crackers, a new recovery bar, a protein bar and fruit-flavored cereal. Edwards said the four vegetarian meals currently available to troops will be replaced with plant-based entrees, according to the release.