MRE's are heavy for the calories you get. You can do better by getting your backpacking meals from the "Prepared Food" aisle of the supermarket. Try Lipton/Knorr "Sides" or some of the dehydrated rice or potato items. Combine these with freeze-dried meat or pouch meat such as chicken or tuna and you have a light, tasty meal for one at 6 to 7 oz. Or, get Sarbar's book on freezer-bag cooking for a lot of other really good ideas. You don't need to cook them in a freezer bag (I don't) but the idea remains the same: boil water, pour it in, stir, cover and let sit, then eat.