Field rations of the world

[Richard Lindquist]

The old C-rat ham and lima beans was always good for me. Of course if I wanted a staff meeting to get over quickly, beans and franks worked for that.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball]

The old C-rat ham and lima beans was always good for me. Of course if I wanted a staff meeting to get over quickly, beans and franks worked for that.

 

Funny, I would have thought the ol' 'ham and motherfuckers' would have worked even better than beans...

[shep854]

That was all that was issued, so I wasn't alone.

 

They're still trying to decontaminate the tank ...there's no way it will become a reef.

[Mike Steele]

T-rat rice and chili absolutely hit the spot for me. I must be odd (don't everybody chime in at once, you dingleberries).

 

Dingleberries? Which T rat is that in?

[Mike Steele]

Funny, I would have thought the ol' 'ham and motherfuckers' would have worked even better than beans...

 

There all beans, deadly in their own way.

[Rocky Davis]

We once had T-Rat lasagna for 8 straight meals. B-fast and dinner.

 

It's the one I remember most.

 

I'm a lasagna lover . . . no doubt about it, but even I can't eat real lasagna every day, let alone a T-ration slab evey day (or twice a day, as you say happened to you).

[BP]

Dingleberries? Which T rat is that in?

 

They're in one of the accessory packs, along with gum, hot sauce and toilet paper.

[Sardaukar]

It's the one I remember most.

 

I'm a lasagna lover . . . no doubt about it, but even I can't eat real lasagna every day, let alone a T-ration slab evey day (or twice a day, as you say happened to you).

 

Lasagna here too, but I try to limit it.

 

I'd say that FDF rations were very good..but I still would not like to eat that stuff every day.

Edited February 3, 2010 by Sardaukar

[Colin]

It the early 80’s Canada gave out field rations (IRP’s) that consisted of smaller versions of commercial canned food, along with crackers and tubes of peanut butter and butter. Also part of the ration was powdered tea (useless crap) A can of no-name bacon in grease was included, nice when hot, but not great when cold.

 

Around 1983 we started receiving the new field rations that used “boil in the bag” technology. This food was a significant improvement in taste and nutrition. One of my favorites was the fruits in a syrup. When heated made a quick and yummy breakfast. One of the least favorites seemed to be the Ham and egg omelette, nicknamed the “lung” Frankly I didn’t mind it and people just gave it to you rather than trading. Can’t remember all the other stuff that came with the meal.

 

In Germany we received US MRE’s, dehydrated everything, except for a chocolate brownie that was so hard you could beat a man to death with it. The MRE’s contained Hershey chocolate bars which we traded with the kids for beer. On occasion we received US “fresh” rations which seemed to consist of freeze dried everything. After that we pooled our money and arranged for the ladies at the local Gasthus (spelling?) to cook for us.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball]

It the early 80’s Canada gave out field rations (IRP’s) that consisted of smaller versions of commercial canned food, along with crackers and tubes of peanut butter and butter. Also part of the ration was powdered tea (useless crap) A can of no-name bacon in grease was included, nice when hot, but not great when cold.

 

Around 1983 we started receiving the new field rations that used “boil in the bag” technology. This food was a significant improvement in taste and nutrition. One of my favorites was the fruits in a syrup. When heated made a quick and yummy breakfast. One of the least favorites seemed to be the Ham and egg omelet, nicknamed the “lung” Frankly I didn’t mind it and people just gave it to you rather than trading. Can’t remember all the other stuff that came with the meal.

 

Yeah, the IRPs were crap, but I REALLY liked the replacement IMPs you refer to. I was also one of those who actually LIKED the ham omelets and constantly got stuffed on the ones other people would otherwise throw away. They were good hot OR cold, with ketchup and salt & pepper...

 

Most of those early IMP meals were pretty good; they kind of reverted back to "shitty" once the original provider changed and the new one introduced all those "gourmet" meals. Most of them would make you gag unless you carried hot sauce in your kit.

[Ken Estes]

While visiting the Italian Army armored training base in the So. tip of Sardinia in Dec1970, an Italian WO [our guide over the tank trails] gave me a box containing a dozen 'field Cognac rations' - 100ml poly tubes: rip off a corner and put it down. He said they were being field tested and we participated once we returned to our own camp. Did wonders on a cold night.

[R011]

Yeah, the IRPs were crap,

I thought the mid-seventies IRP's were not bad when they still used major brands like Heinz. When they went to off-brand stuff, they were less so. Loved the canned bacon! For that matter the "Individual Magic Pantry" rations were pretty good before they switched to FreddyChef. Even then, most meals were good enough. One advantage the IRP's had over IMP's was that there seemed to be less garbage and packaging. A disadvantage was that canned food tends to be heavier than foil-packed food. This wasn't a big deal in a jeep or AFV though.

 

The worst meal I ever tried was a canned omelet from a late IRP. It had been warmed just enough to give it the exact taste, temperature, and consistency of something already eaten and rejected.

Edited February 3, 2010 by R011

[Harold Jones]

T-rat rice and chili absolutely hit the spot for me. I must be odd (don't everybody chime in at once, you dingleberries).

 

 

I didn't mind it at first (I grew up eating Hormel Chili over Minute Rice once a week) but after a couple weeks it got old. Needless to say the gas was horrid, my tank crew recreated the beans scene from Blazing Saddles almost daily. Unfortunatley, our version was not restricted to the audio only.

[shep854]

I didn't mind it at first (I grew up eating Hormel Chili over Minute Rice once a week) but after a couple weeks it got old. Needless to say the gas was horrid, my tank crew recreated the beans scene from Blazing Saddles almost daily. Unfortunatley, our version was not restricted to the audio only.

 

Sheesh...a stray spark and Pop Goes the Turret!

[Rick]

From wandering the Internet. http://reprorations.com/WW1%20German.htm

Rudi’s granddad, Alfons, fought for Germany in WW1 and survived, and in the 1950’s he shared his memories with Rudi.

Old Alfons described the appalling conditions in the trenches of WW1. Food, getting fed and feeding his men was a major issue for Alfons, who was a Hauptmann. Getting the food was one thing, preparing it another. And if "rations" theoretically existed, they were rarely issued as such. Adolf Hitler himself won a medal as a food carrier / message carrier on foot, dragging insulated containers of prepared meals to the men in the front lines. The food was usually cold when or if it ever got there. And food carriers were a prime target for French snipers.

 

Coffee was a much prized commodity. One day Alfons told Rudi how they brewed coffee in the trenches, in 20 easy steps: (This comes directly from Alfons’s diary.)

 

1. Send request to higher echelon, stating that the company did not have any coffee for 3 weeks.

2. Get answer, stating that coffee will be included in next main food distribution.

3. Get four 10-litre insulated canisters of brewed coffee, 2 weeks later, cold and stale, since canisters were on a cart that got hit by an artillery shell underway and were only retrieved after two weeks and then brought to the front line.

4. Try to stay polite while requesting 5 Kg of DRY coffee and send request.

5. Get big, new, wax-sealed tin can containing 25 Kg of freshly roasted coffee.

6. Open can and find whole beans.

7. Say something that cannot be printed.

8. Tell men who are off-duty to find one or two coffee grinders.

9. Ignore demeaning remarks from men who have been 5 weeks in the same wet mudhole called a "trench" and not replaced by fresh troops because totally cut off and cannot go anywhere.

10. Briefly think of possibilties of using a machine gun to grind coffee. Decide it would not be a very good idea although there is plenty of ammunition.

11. Sigh.

12. Notice that single French / Senegalese black P.O.W. (who is also stuck in the same hole) is laughing his head off since he noticed that the German Army is not capable of grinding coffee.

13. Ignore Senegalese stupid remarks about village women doing a better job in Senegal and without a coffee grinder.

14. Suppress urge to shoot P.O.W. and put pistol back into holster.

15. Ask P.O.W. how Senegalese women would do it.

16. Get four men to "get and clean that large piece of 380 mm artillery shell fragment that is lying somewhere over there".

17. Tell two men to clear their rifles and carefully clean the butts.

18. Pour 5 Kg of coffee beans in mortar-like shell fragment and tell the men with the clean rifle butts to use the rifles as pestles and grind the coffee, African-housewife style.

19. Have ground coffee distributed to all men of unit who have not died laughing and tell them to do with it whatever they like, avoiding remarks about sunshine.

20. Toss cup at Lt. Muller and tell him to brew coffee.

 

Chicory was also very much in demand since, in Germany, the harsh taste of coffee like the French, Italians and Spaniards like it, was not appreciated at all and some chicory smoothens the taste of coffee very much. 100% chicory you could call Ersatzkaffee, but up to 25% chicory would rather have been usual. In 1919 there was still around 1,000 tons of green, unroasted, coffee available in traders' warehouses in Germany and Austria.

[Jim Martin]

I recall seeing a rifle from back in the 19th century, apparently it was actually an issued rifle in some army or other, it had a small coffee grinder in the stock. This is not a joke.

 

Ah, found it with google. Apparently wasn't general issue after all:

 

http://www.nps.gov/spar/historyculture/arms-collecting.htm

 

Sharps Carbine Cat.# SPAR 1241

 

During the Civil War a plan was devised to provide one man in each unit with a ‘coffee grinder’ which would be inserted into the stock of a rifle musket or carbine. Very few weapons were actually so modified. There are probably more weapons with ‘coffee grinder’ adaptations on the market today than were ever originally produced.

 

 

The first instant coffee was made in WWI. It was made by brewing coffee, then cooking all the water out of it. The congealed dried grounds were then powdered and packaged. Doesn't sound appetizing.

 

My great grandfather said they'd often just chew the beans rather than grind them since they had no time before going on the march.

Edited April 26, 2010 by Jim Martin

[Doug Kibbey]

T-rat rice and chili absolutely hit the spot for me. I must be odd (don't everybody chime in at once, you dingleberries).

 

C-Rat "Turkey Loaf" for me (edible cold and hot). When I'm waxing nostalgic, I'll pick up a can of pressed white turkey in the grocery store (canned tuna section). It's virtually the same thing, though ours were probably longer on calories.

 

PCR's (Pecan Cake Rolls) were a good desert (add peaches and it's bliss). We also had "PCR races" in which I've seen hundreds of MPC change hands over who could unroll a PCR the furthest before it broke. Same-same for "P38 races", wherein the first to open a can won. G.I.'s will do anything when in need of distraction.

 

Eating "date pudding" put you on the "never be caught alone with that guy" list. It was no sacrifice not to indulge.

Edited April 28, 2010 by Doug Kibbey

[X-Files]

Published: September 4, 2010

A Taste of Home in Foil Packets and Powder

By ASHLEY GILBERTSON

 

Troops from nearly 50 lands dine on combat meals in Afghanistan — each reminding them of where they’d rather be.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/09/04/weekinreview/20100905_gilbertson.html

[Corinthian]

Published: September 4, 2010

A Taste of Home in Foil Packets and Powder

By ASHLEY GILBERTSON

 

Troops from nearly 50 lands dine on combat meals in Afghanistan — each reminding them of where they’d rather be.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/09/04/weekinreview/20100905_gilbertson.html

 

The South Korean one should be classified as a bio/chem weapon thanks to the kimchi....

 

How many calories does one MRE have? I haven't tried one, and I'm thinking of packing some in my exploration trek next month.

Edited October 19, 2010 by TomasCTT

[Sardaukar]

The South Korean one should be classified as a bio/chem weapon thanks to the kimchi....

 

How many calories does one MRE have? I haven't tried one, and I'm thinking of packing some in my exploration trek next month.

 

Each MRE provides an average of 1,250 calories (13% protein, 36% fat, and 51% carbohydrates) and 1/3 of the Military Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamins and minerals. A full day's worth of meals would consist of three MREs.

 

[Corinthian]

Thanks. I've contacted a supplier yesterday, alas no stock. But hopefully he will have soon.

[Archie Pellagio]

Tuna Mornay, sweet & sour meatballs, satay chicken...

 

Those pictures make most of the rations seem edible.

[Jim Martin]

Thanks. I've contacted a supplier yesterday, alas no stock. But hopefully he will have soon.

 

 

Drink lots of water if you're eating MRE's. And have some laxative handy for the days after.

[medicjim86]

Thanks. I've contacted a supplier yesterday, alas no stock. But hopefully he will have soon.

 

If you are sourcing US fare, just go to the grocery store and buy "Dog food"....same stuff, different label

[Corinthian]

Drink lots of water if you're eating MRE's. And have some laxative handy for the days after.

 

Just what I need then! It'll be a five-day expedition to an active volcano (current quiet) that has, AFAIK, not yet been climbed by anyone. Considering I don't exactly know how to squat and shit, being constipated is a Good Thing.

 

Medicjim: BWUHAHAHAHAHA!