Army food is 'cheaper than a dog's dinner'

[daftandbarmy]

Army food is 'cheaper than a dog's dinner'

... and the dog's food is probably the healthier choice  ;D

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=461857&in_page_id=1770

 

[Old Sweat]

There are a few of us here who have eaten British rations. It is hard to comment because their tastes are different from what we are used to here in North America; but my impression is that the long suffering squaddie gets the short end of the stick both in quality and quantity. In any case, be leery of any country that considers the brussels sprout to be one of the four basic food groups.

In Germany in the really bad old days we used to draw our rations from the BAOR ration system on a 'special' Canadian scale. For example we did not get 'biscuit' and offal in our fresh rations, and got extra dairy products and coffee vice tea. The field rations were the dread compo up to about 1966, when we switched to American field rations.

In my opinion our cooks were also better; at least they knew how to do more than boil or fry. I have a British manual circa-1908 which has a section on cooking in the field; it describes frying as boiling in oil.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I ate British Army food for 8 years. It honestly wasn't that bad, especially if you compared it to the Norwegians - truly awful food there! I was with the Royal Marines for a couple of years too. Their food was excellent. I did some digging and the RM cooks always said that the army food would be up to their standard if they had the same amount of money to spend per person: the Navy spends at least twice as much per person as the army on its rations.

As for the ration packs, no contest. Canadian rations were always much better compared to ours. Especially in Norway where we saw the Cdn Bn gorging themsleves on supplemental steaks, bread and milk while we dehydrated yet another batch of mutton and peas. Oops, I just threw up a little in my mouth...

 

[Blackadder1916]

Having been attached in support of British units a few times, I've had the pleasure of sampling their cuisine.  So this article does not surprise me.  The first time I ate with them (in the 70's), I could understand why some older soldiers referred to Brits as "s**t eaters".

 

[Colin Parkinson]

In the mid-80’s they had to provide their own condiments while in garrison. The food at Suffield was bad (poaching the egg in the deep fat fryer) Had a bunch of Brit soldier work with me, excellent guys, but they were like starved rats! When the flying kitchen arrived and lunch was served their eyes bugged out at the food which they vacuumed off their plates and then when told they could have a 2nd helping, you would think I was the Messiah leading them to the promise land. Next they discovered our grub box, I never before seen a peanut butter sandwich with at least 3” of peanut butter between 2 slices of bread!!

I remember the first exercise when we got IMP’s instead of IRP’s Wow! What a difference in quality and quantity!!

 

[commando gunner]

Thats why the Brits are thin!!

 

[ModlrMike]

When I last served with the Brits I found their food in the mess to be brilliant. I can't speak to the field rations, but the fresh food was great.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

I served for 2 1/2 years on exchange with the First Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets.  The food was, ummm, different from that which I was accustomed to eating in the CF, but very reminiscent of the food I grew up with (my family immigrated to Canada when I was 5).  Suffice to say that, given a choice, I will always eat Canadian rations.

 

[3rd Herd]

Curry, Curry and more Curry. Yes I can remember everything going into the deep fat fryer. I know their 'rats' were bad when they said how much they appreciated ham and lima beans.  ;D But I did for a change enjoy a few of the things that came out of their ration boxes...........thinking............thinking................smokes and matches.

 

[Greymatters]

When I last served with the Brits I found their food in the mess to be brilliant. I can't speak to the field rations, but the fresh food was great. 

A lot depends on which mess you are in...

 

[Teddy Ruxpin]

We should be careful of generalizations.  British food has improved considerably over the past few years.  I can honestly say that I welcomed every opportunity to eat in a British kitchen while being subjected to the tender mercies of German cuisine for seven months in Afghanistan.  IMHO, their rations were second only to the Canadians' in quality and quantity and were light years ahead of the KBR-generated "chili and cheez" slopped on the plates of many Americans.

 

[PMedMoe]

+1, Teddy!

When I was in Bosnia, it was a real treat to go to Sipovo and eat at the Brit kitchen.  And with what KBR is (was) feeding the Americans in KAF, it's no wonder they have to do PT all the time.  They did change some stuff after we arrived on Roto 4/0.  When we first got there, the only cereal you could get was "kiddie" cereal:  Frosted Flakes, Corn Pops, Froot Loops.  A couple weeks later, we had Corn Flakes, Special K and Raisin Bran.  Sometimes, it was the only thing I even wanted to eat.  :-\

 

[Drummy]

Hi all,

In 1958 I was taking part in a NATO small arms competition(me Bren Gunner-strong like bull), in Sennelager, Germany. Countries involved were Cda, GB, USA, France, The Netherlands, and Belgium. Every day, a different country supplied the cooks for the evening meal. Of course, they were all trying to outdo oneanother.

I've eaten in a lot of messes in Canada and around the world, but that was the best week ever as far as food goes. Canadian cooks were supreme, and won their "unofficial competition". We did okay on the ranges as well, placing second to a Brit team.

All the best  Drummy.

 

[3rd Herd]

Hi all,

In 1958 I was taking part in a NATO small arms competition(me Bren Gunner-strong like bull), in Sennelager, Germany. Countries involved were Cda, GB, USA, France, The Netherlands, and Belgium. Every day, a different country supplied the cooks for the evening meal. Of course, they were all trying to outdo oneanother.

I've eaten in a lot of messes in Canada and around the world, but that was the best week ever as far as food goes. Canadian cooks were supreme, and won their "unofficial competition". We did okay on the ranges as well, placing second to a Brit team.

All the best   Drummy.

We have our different unit/trade competitions do the cooks? Think of the reality show.

 

[Greymatters]

In 1958 I was taking part in a NATO small arms competition(me Bren Gunner-strong like bull), in Sennelager, Germany. Countries involved were Cda, GB, USA, France, The Netherlands, and Belgium. Every day, a different country supplied the cooks for the evening meal. Of course, they were all trying to outdo oneanother.

Thats not realistic though.  Every country has their specialities and fantastic foods and treats, but you dont see that level of cooking on a regular basis.  Ive eaten at Brit, French, Dutch, US, Italian, and German mess halls, and none of them hold a candle to our boys on a daily basis.  And, having eaten in all three at one time or another, there is also a significant difference between the quality of food served at the junior ranks, the senior messes, and the officers messes, especially in Europe.  Most of the differences have dissipeared with the growth of unified mess halls, but it is still out there in some places.   

 

[geo]

Heh... remember being in Germany in early 70s
we were issues brit hard rations..... we dug a hole & disposed of sorry excuse for food.

Ugh!

 

[daftandbarmy]

Geez... you mean you didn't like steak and kidney pudding.... in  a can?

 

[geo]

Geez.... is that what it was?
coulda fooled me.

 

[commando gunner]

Geez... you mean you didn't like steak and kidney pudding.... in  a can?

Babies heads-great stuff

 

[daftandbarmy]

Baby's heads... lovely stuff. Especially the grey runny fat studded stuff that poured out after you poked a hole in the gooey scab-like crust encasing the filling.  I particularly enjoyed the mutton and peas in the arctic ration packs. Thanks God for powdered curry.