What's in emergency ration packs? [British send aid to Katrina victims]

BBC News Magazine ^ | September 7, 2005 | Jonathan Duffy

[Heatseeker]

What's in [British] emergency ration packs?

By Jonathan Duffy
BBC News Magazine

They're standard-issue to British squaddies in Iraq, but now half a million Army ration packs are being sent to victims in the hurricane disaster zone. What will they make of them? We sample the contents.

The food is a long way from the gumbo, crawfish and Cajun-inspired cuisine Louisiana is renowned for, but to those caught up in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina it could be a lifesaver.

The UK is flying half a million military ration packs to the disaster zone in the southern states of the United States.

The high-calorie packs are standard issue for the British Armed Forces on operations and, it's claimed, contain enough food to last one person 24 hours.

They include some typically British dishes, such as corned beef hash, Lancashire hotpot and fruit dumplings in custard, as well as some more adventurous options like vegetable tikka masala and spicy vegetable rigatoni.

Each pack contains up to 4,000 calories - the recommended daily consumption is 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men - and is "designed to feed a young man aged 18 to 30 who has been involved in active operational duty," says Brian Sheehan of the Defence Logistics Organisation.

"You're looking at them getting a massive energy burst."

The calorific bulk of the packs could even tide someone over for a couple of days, he says.

With stories of desperation and hunger among the displaced victims of the catastrophe, the British ration packs will no doubt be warmly welcomed.

The airlift also marks the first large non-military distribution of the packs, according to the Ministry of Defence.

Taste test

And while sustenance is the highest priority in such desperate circumstances, the military's backroom boys are more than a little proud of what they're shipping stateside.

Army rations recently underwent their first major rethink since the 1960s, to reflect the more sophisticated eating habits of today's squaddie. Some of the old freeze-dried dishes have also been replaced with more palatably moist alternatives.

Opening my sample pack, supplied to the media by the MoD, I was struck by the sheer amount of food that had been squeezed into the unassuming 20x11x19cm brown box.

Breakfast comes in the form of bacon and beans, sealed in a sterile foil pouch, while lunch is a slightly more delicate affair - a tin of chicken and herb pate and a sachet of cardboardy crackers.

There are snacks aplenty to keep the sugar levels up, and calorie intake high. These include dried-fruit biscuits, boiled sweets and oatmeal blocks. Drinks include a vegetable stock drink, hot chocolate and an orange drink - all powdered.

In devising the new packs, research had apparently found that branded items familiar at home were a significant morale boost to troops. Quite what the hurricane refugees will make of Yorkie bars - complete with "Not for civvies" slogan - remains to be seen, but the inclusion of that most American of confectionaries, chewing gum, will doubtless be appreciated.

Dinner time

Much of the pack is given over the main meal of the day - a three-course affair which, in this case, kicks off with a sachet of French onion Cuppa Soup, before moving on to boil in the bag curried lamb and cooked Basmati rice and, finally, fruit dumplings in custard.

I desist from emptying in the hot pepper sauce, illustrated with a skull and crossbones, and tuck in A quick glance at the ingredients reveals the curry really is mutton dressed as lamb, but no worries, the other ingredients sound more than passable - natural yoghurt, coriander, ginger puree.

I tip it and the rice into a saucepan on top of my camping stove - packs sent out to the US include a mini-stove and water-proof matches - and within a few minutes the smell of a hearty meal is wafting my way. I desist from emptying in the sachet of hot pepper sauce, illustrated with a skull and crossbones, and tuck in.

While army cooks won't be quaking in their military-issue boots faced with these rations, the result is more than passable and would put some instant supermarket snacks to shame. The curry is moist and while it cannot shed its processed taste, the meat has a reassuring solid texture.

Even the military concede that these ration packs are a stopgap, and no substitute for a properly cooked hot meal. But to the many thousands of dispersed hurricane exiles, a British Army ration pack could be the most welcome sight in a good many days.

[Heatseeker]

Go to the link to see the pictures - including the layout of a sample ration pack - and the comments left by readers.

I particularly liked the comment from a Brit now living in the US, who said it was nice the UK could repay the US for the food packages sent over to Britain during World War Two.

Thanks mates. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

[atomicpossum]

British food? Haven't they suffered enough???

[twigs]

There's nothing wrong with British food. I think it's a riot that one of the most popular TV chefs on the continent--yes, even in France--is a Brit. Ha! Thank you, Great Britain!

[ElkGroveDan]

Boiled mutton and blood pudding?

[John Jorsett]

Spotted dick, bangers and mash, steak and kidney pie, sweetbreads, blood pudding, toad-in-the-hole, faggots and peas, jellied eels. Just the names make one's mouth water.

[neodad]

"How can you have your pudding if you don't eat your meat?"

[76834]

I cant recall ever eating anything in the meal but really dosent sound half bad.

I read on a thread earlier that the Mexicans are bringing their equivalent , wonder what theirs are like.

Anyways, we really appreacite what the Brits, along with the Mexicans, ETAL are doing.

[ArrogantBustard]

Breakfast comes in the form of bacon and beans, sealed in a sterile foil pouch

Hah!

We brought a little bacon
And we brought a little beans
And we fought the bloody British
In the Town of New Orleans ...

-Johnny Horton

[ElkGroveDan]

Breakfast comes in the form of bacon and beans,

Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam; spam bacon sausage and spam; spam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam sausage spam spam bacon spam tomato and spam;

[Zeppelin]

"How can you have your pudding if you don't eat your meat?"

do you know the story behind that Pink Floyd line?

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Actually, that stuff sounds pretty good. Probably a hell of a lot better than the bread and water the poor black people of New Orleans have been living on ever since Bush took office.

[Zeppelin]

good catch! hehe

[satchmodog9]

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. I wonder if anyone on FR has video of the woman throwing the MRE she received from the Army in the garbage.

[76834]

Well, there's egg and bacon; egg sausage and bacon; egg and spam; egg bacon and spam; egg bacon sausage and spam; spam bacon sausage and spam; spam egg spam spam bacon and spam; spam sausage spam spam bacon spam tomato and spam;

Now that sounds really good.
As long as you have plenty of buttermilk to wash it down with.

[ArrogantBustard]

I desist from emptying in the hot pepper sauce, illustrated with a skull and crossbones,

Probably not nearly enough hot sauce for the Cajuns, but a little is better than none at all.

[atomicpossum]

Actually, that stuff sounds pretty good. Probably a hell of a lot better than the bread and water the poor black people of New Orleans have been living on ever since Bush took office.

And, of course, the human flesh.

[To Hell With Poverty]

It is funny isn't it....one's tempted to think why add insult to injury?? But bless them, how wonderful to have their help. I'm sure no one in NO is thinking thanks-but-no-thanks!

[ArrogantBustard]

I've spent several weeks in England within the past couple of years. Aside from not being able to find a decent cup of coffee, and the bangers being tasteless mush, I found the food to be quite satisfactory and in some cases downright excellent. Duck and Lamb were far more readily available there than in the US. OTOH, they have absolutely no idea how to cook a steak, or even what a steak is.

[neodad]

no, what?

[76834]

And, of course, the human flesh.

I would imagine that the gators, crabs and fish are doing a great job on the human flesh.
DONT eat any crab caught even close to those waters for at least 2 years, same for fish.

As for the bread and water. They have been on that since Huey Long was elected.