MRE Minestrone Review

I received several copies of the Minestrone MRE entrees (side dish?) recently and thought I'd give one a try. Our friend K at Planning and Foresight hasn't reviewed this one yet, so hopefully I can save him the trouble.

The nutrition facts on the packet are promising.  Low fat and 220 calories per serving, mostly protein and complex carbs. Lots of vitamin A, C and iron. Good stuff inside! Once open, the contents come out as a soft slab that breaks apart into your bowl.

I heated it in the microwave, and it was very thick.  I did not like the consistence at all, so added water.  It helped, but the general mouthfeel is somewhere between slimy and gooey.

I added more water until it actually became soupy.  The stuff has a strange bitter aftertaste, so I added some salt to help mask the odd taste.  Otherwise, it tastes mostly of beans with a hint of pasta.

After trying a few other tricks to make the taste more appealing, I quit. If I could eat chili (allergic) I'd give it a big squirt of hot sauce, which fixes everything, right?

Guess I'd give the unaltered minestrone a one on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being really yummy. With a blast of tobasco, for those who can, it has potential to be a two. It's nutritious food and edible, but not necessarily a pleasant dining experience. I'd love to hear from someone who has broken the code on making minestrone MRE's taste better.  Thanks in advance.