Does the box have a red sticker on it?
Beware, the inspection stickers are only a rough guide and do not necessarily indicate condition of contents.
Likely most MRE lots stored in Louisiana will have exposed indicators.
They were made on 12 September 2012.
The code starts with 2, so 2012 is the year.
The last three digits are the exact day of the year they were made and the 256th day of 2012 was 12 September.
The 9/16 is a suggested inspection date for the lot.
If they were stored in a climate controlled environment, they should be fine.
If they were stored in a hot Louisiana shed, they’re likely okay for another year or two but are likely fine also.
I say open one up and eat it then you’ll know for sure.
Hope this helps!
https://www.mreinfo.com/mres/mre-shelf-life/
By exposed I meant the entire dot would be black and indicate expiration.
In hot climates thie is not entirely reliable.
Also there are things that can be utilized in the packs that are useful. You may want to go through the packs before tossing the whole box.
The Skittles are probably good long after the date on the box.
I still have MREs from Katrina. I would probably give them the smell test if I was dying of hunger.