The Army is recruiting foodies to eat Meals, Read to Eat (MREs) for 21 days straight in order to test how they impact ‘gut health’ and figure out how to improve meals for the troops. To get a sneak peek on how those volunteers may react to their new diet, we dug up this classic video.

Some MREs are surprisingly delicious. Others leave a bad taste in your mouth no matter how much ketchup you slather on them. The mixed bag of prepackaged military meals isn’t one that most civilians experience at all, which is why Buzzfeed decided to feed some loud, hungry civvies the same food the troops choke down in the field.

“This is smaller than a lean cuisine,” one participant says as she eyes a cardboard box that will soon become her dinner.

They tear into their animal crackers, mix a cup of coffee, and send worried glances at the camera as they assemble the meal. The dehydrated food specifically leaves them confused and suspicious.

“There is a lot of science going on in this pack of food,” another says.

When they finally tear into their main entree, the participants are pleasantly surprised. They eat their meals, impressed by the taste and smell. The only thing they complain about is the fact that they are eating out of a pouch and not with a plate.

“I never thought of what a soldier would eat,” a participant admits.

Well, now ya know.