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Like most foods, eating nothing but ER Bars for even three days would be taxing, but in a true emergency situation, you are eating to replace and replenish the basic substances your body needs to continue to function properly. On the other hand, I did not personally find anything wrong with the taste of the rations and while I wouldn't necessarily be eagerly looking forward to eating these three times a day, they are still palatable. And while some may argue differently, I generally agree with the manufacturer's claim that they are for the most part non-thirst provoking. No dry mouth.
It should be clarified that emergency food rations are not substitutes for these in any way shape or form so much as emergency rations to be cached in the event of a true emergency or added to emergency car kits, marine kits, go-bags, etc. for emergency use only. The extremely dense and compact (and durable) nature of the packages make them ideal for these applications.
At 27 oz (little more than 1.5 lbs) for 3 days worth of calories, it would be tough to find a more efficient shelf stable food source that contained the same nutritional balance. By comparison, a single 1200 cal MRE weighs about the same with about 2-3 times the bulk unless pre-field stripped (which reduces MRE storage/shelf life). Given the choice between a single MRE or three squares of ER Bars for a reduced 1200 cal/day emergency ration, the MRE would win; no comparison. But when it comes to caching, a case of 20 ER Bars (2 month supply) occupies less storage space than a box of 12 MREs (12 meals total). If space is a consideration, 5 boxes of MREs would be the caloric/nutritional equivalent of a single 20 package box of ER Bars. ER Bars are extremely easy to store/cache and transport.
Health concerns could include the high saturated fat content (used to bind the flour/sugar mixture into bricks as well as provide slower burn energy) at 9g per serving (45% USRDA) as well as the 50% USRDA niacin for those who are niacin sensitive. Low fiber along with the high fat content will likely slow gut motility in the average healthy individual (fewer bowel movements) which is generally beneficial in an emergency survival situation. Lastly, the sodium and potassium content (no added salt/extremely low sodium content) is almost non-existent, making electrolyte replacement a potential issue in high heat environments. The bars do contain potassium iodide.
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