What is rations? You will find the answer to this question in the materials of the presented article. In addition, we will tell you about which individual kits for food exist today, as well as how they differ in different countries.
general information
Luncheon is a set of products that is designed to feed military personnel, as well as civilians, in situations where there is no way to cook hot food on your own. As a rule, such a diet is designed for one person. It should also be noted that such a set may include products for one meal as well as for a whole day.
Basic requirements for dry soldering
Dry rations of the Russian army from a similar set of products in other countries can vary significantly. However, the general requirements for them are the same everywhere:
- The possibility of long-term storage. In other words, such a set should not include products that require special storage conditions (for example, fresh fruits, vegetables, mayonnaise, sour cream, etc.).
- Dry rations should include only easily digestible ingredients that are unable to cause allergic reactions, eating disorders, etc.
- The packaging of such a kit should protect it well from any contamination and water.
- Products that are part of dry rations should be easy to prepare or ready to eat.
- Civil or military rations should have sufficient nutritional and energy value.
It should also be noted that in some cases special requirements are imposed on such a set. For example, for nutrition of astronauts, rations should not include products that can form splashes and crumbs that are dangerous in zero gravity.
The composition of individual diets
What does the standard rations contain? The composition of this set of products may be different. But most often it includes the following components:
- Sublimated and dried foods (instant dry soups, instant coffee, milk powder, etc.).
- Canned foods (for example, condensed milk, stew, sprat, etc.).
- Biscuits (dry cookies), crackers or crackers.
- Food additives and flavor enhancers (various seasonings, salt, spices, sugar).
- Vitamins
Additional inventory
In addition to food, civilian or army rations include such additional equipment as:
- disposable tableware;
- means that are designed to disinfect water;
- hygiene products (chewing gum, disinfectant wipes, etc.);
- Food warmers (e.g. matches, dry fuel , etc.).
It should also be noted that neither Russian nor American rations do not include water. Drinking fluid is either dispensed separately or produced locally.
What foods are not allowed to be included in dry rations?
There are a number of products that are strictly prohibited from being included in civilian or army rations. These include the following:
- Dishes containing burning spices or seasonings, nitrites in excess of 0.03%, edible salt in excess of 0.8%, alcohol, apricot kernel kernels, sodium pyrosulfate, natural coffee, confectionery and cooking fats.
- Unwashed foods, as well as crumbling vegetables and exotic fruits that can undergo quick spoilage.
- All perishable products that require special temperature conditions to maintain safety and quality.
- Confectionery products containing creamy fillers and high in cocoa.
- Food products that do not have documents confirming their safety and quality.
Scope of application
Today, both army and civilian rations can be found on free sale. The price of such sets varies significantly and depends on the products that are part of them.
It should be especially noted that the main consumers of such rations are military personnel. They are given a dry ration for meals in camp conditions, when there is no way to deploy a full camp kitchen.
Among other things, this set of products is often used:
- People working on a night shift or on a shift basis in conditions when it is impossible to cook hot food for yourself.
- Flight crews that carry out long non-stop flights, as well as on reserve and alternate aerodromes.
- Humanitarian organizations.
- Crews of surface and submarine ships.
- Rescuers.
- Geologists, tourists and participants in various expeditions.
Set of dry rations in the armed forces of the USSR
The set of daily allowance in the armed forces of the USSR for one person was approved by the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. Thus, from June 1, 1941, the dry ration of a Russian soldier included the following products:
- rye crackers - about 600 g (or brown bread);
- concentrated millet porridge - 200 g;
- concentrated pea soup puree - 75 g;
- something is one of the following list: half-smoked Minsk sausage - 100 g, cheese (feta cheese) - 160 g, smoked / dried roach - 150 g, dried fish fillet - 100 g, salted herring - 200 g, canned meat - 113 g;
- granulated sugar - 35 g;
- tea - 2 g;
- salt - 10 g.
Army dry soldering kit in the 1980s
In the eighties, the Soviet armed forces used rations, which consisted of canned meat (250 g), two cans of canned meat and vegetable - each 250 g (i.e. rice or buckwheat porridge with a small amount of beef), a package of black crackers, a bag of black tea, as well as a large amount of granulated sugar.
Dry ration of the Russian army
Since 1991, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation began to use the "Individual Diet." There are two types of such a set:
- IRP-B, that is, an individual diet - combat. It consists of 4 cans (stew, minced meat or pate, rice or buckwheat cereal with pieces of beef and fish), 6 packs of army bread (most often unleavened crackers), 2 bags of instant tea with sugar, dry concentrate of natural drink “Well done” ", Fruit jam (usually apple), 1 tablet of multivitamins, 1 packet of instant coffee, 4 bags of sugar, tomato sauce, 3 tablets" Aquatabs ", intended for disinfection of drinking water, 4 tablets of dry alcohol (portable heater), spoon, can opener , 3 igienicheskie vetrovodoustoychivye napkins and matches.
- IRP-P, that is, an individual diet - everyday. This set has different numbers. It is calculated for a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and is not very different from the combat one. However, the presented ration is slightly less in calories and weight. Very often it is used in everyday activities, when there is no way to organize a field kitchen.
So, the following food products are included in the IRP-P (No. 4):
- army rye bread - 300 g;
- stewed pork - 250 g;
- amateur minced meat (canned) - 100 g;
- pearl barley porridge with slices of beef - 250 g;
- Slavic buckwheat porridge with pieces of beef - 250 g;
- concentrate for making a drink - 25 g;
- fruit jam (usually apple) - 90 g;
- granulated sugar - 30 g;
- instant tea with sugar - 32 g;
- a heater (set with dry alcohol tablets and windproof matches) - 1 pc.;
- multivitamins in a dragee - 1 pc.;
- package and can opener - 1 pc .;
- 3 paper and sanitary napkins
Depending on the daily dry soldering number, its contents may vary. So, the seventh set includes salted herring, stew with green peas, caviar from vegetables, cream cheese, biscuits of two kinds, etc.
Despite the fact that different numbers of IRP-P include different foods, such field rations are quite high-calorie. That is why during a full breakfast, lunch or dinner, a soldier (or civilian) is able to get enough well, so that he can continue to fulfill his mission. Indeed, thanks to dry soldering, there is no need to organize a field kitchen, which takes a lot of time and energy.
American ration ration MRE
Dry rations of the armed forces are called MRE. This is an English abbreviation, which stands for Meal, Ready-to-Eat, that is, "Food Ready to Eat." As a rule, such a set is packaged in a sand-colored bag made of thick plastic (its dimensions are 25 × 15 × 5 cm). It indicates the menu number (24 pcs.) And the name of the main dish.
American packed ration, as well as Russian, is quite high-calorie (about 1200 kilocalories). Depending on the menu, it can weigh from five hundred to seven hundred grams. It should be noted that such a set is designed for one meal. In addition to the main dish, it has a hot instant drink (coffee or tea), as well as a cold one, which is a powder of lemonade.
MRE rations do not include the first. However, there is a dessert in the form of cookies, sweets, muffins and biscuits. In addition, this set may include soft cheese and biscuits.
For warming up products, American rations include a special package that contains a flameless chemical heater. In order for it to come into action, a small amount of water should be poured into it, and then a bag of food or drink should be placed inside.
Composition of twenty four American rations
Below you will find all types of individual diet of the US Army and some NATO countries. Dry rations, in addition to the listed products, without fail include components such as two chewing gums, salt, a few pieces of toilet paper, a cardboard of matches, a plastic spoon and a wet towel.
- Peanut butter, beef steak with mushrooms, beef jerky, western beans, coffee, crackers, milk powder, candy lemonade or chocolate, sugar and red pepper.
- Baked apples, pork chops (with noodles), vegetable crackers, soft cheese, spicy sauce, milkshake, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
- Potato sticks, beef dumplings, wheat bread, soft cheese, chocolate biscuit, spicy sauce, powdered lemonade, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
- Soft cheese, rustic chicken, crackers, butter noodles, spicy sauce, cookies with jam, mocha cappuccino cocoa, sweets, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
- Wheat bread, fried chicken breast, chocolate biscuit, goulash, apple cider, tea with lemon and sweetener, jelly, cocoa, sweets and spices.
- Boiled rice, chicken with sauce, raisin-nut mixture, soft cheese, spicy sauce, vegetable crackers, milk powder, coffee with a fruity aroma, sugar and tea bag.
- Mexican rice, chicken with spicy vegetables, soft cheese, cookies, sweets, vegetable crackers, tea with lemon and sweetener and hot sauce.
- Beef tenderloin, soft cheese, cheese pretzels, barbecue sauce, wheat bread, spicy sauce, lemonade, tea with lemon and sweetener.
- Beef goulash, vegetable crackers, soft cheese, spicy sauce, milkshake, chocolate chip cookies, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
- Soft cheese, pasta with vegetables, vegetable bread, muffins, red peppers, cocoa, milk powder, coffee, sugar, chocolate or sweets.
- Spaghetti in tomato sauce with vegetables, dried fruits, candies, peanut butter, muffins, tea with lemon and sweetener, crackers, spices and apple cider.
- Pie with rice and beans, cookies with fruit filling, muffins, crackers, dried fruits, spicy and spicy sauce, peanut butter, tea with lemon and sweetener.
- Dumplings stuffed with cheese, applesauce, muffins, peanut butter, candies, tea with lemon and sweetener, apple cider, crackers and spices.
- Cupcake, spaghetti in a sauce with vegetables, peanut butter, salted roasted peanuts, crackers, dried fruits, tea with lemon and sweetener, spices and apple cider.
- Mexican beef with vegetables and cheese, Mexican rice, lemonade, chocolate chip cookies, vegetable crackers, soft cheese, coffee, sugar, spicy sauce and milk powder.
- Soft cheese, sweets, chicken with noodles, vegetable crackers, raspberry and applesauce, cookies with figs, spicy sauce, cocoa, sugar, coffee and milk powder.
- Chinese noodles, Japanese beef, jam, sweets, peanut butter and cheese biscuits, sugar, lemonade, wheat bread, dried milk, coffee, chocolate or sweets, red peppers.
- Turkey breast with mashed potatoes and mashed potatoes, chocolate, pretzels with cheese, crackers, spicy sauce, lemonade, sugar, peanut butter, coffee and milk powder.
- Boiled wild rice, crackers, jam, cocoa, oatmeal cookies, beef with mushrooms, coffee, spicy sauce, milk powder and sugar.
- Peanut butter crackers, wheat bread, soft cheese, spicy sauce, milkshake, candy, spaghetti with meat sauce, coffee, sugar and dried milk.
- Cupcake, spicy sauce, baked chicken with cheese, jelly, crackers, sugar, tea bag, milkshake and milk powder.
- Rice with vegetables, chocolate oatmeal cookies, sugar, sweets, soft cheese, lemonade, wheat bread, coffee, spicy sauce and milk powder.
- Pretzels, spicy sauce, chicken with pasta, peanut butter, muffins, lemonade, wheat bread, sugar, coffee and dried milk.
- Mashed potatoes, baked beef with gravy, jelly, biscuits with filling, cocoa, vegetable crackers, sugar, coffee, milk powder, sweets or chocolate, red pepper.
Ukrainian food set
Each country develops its own individual rations for its army. Ukraine produces an IRP similar to Russian ones. This set is designed for three meals (i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner). As a rule, it consists of wheat flour biscuits, canned meat and vegetable, meat broth concentrate, canned fish or meat, jam, granulated sugar, instant tea, fruit drink concentrate, Hexavit multivitamin preparation, a plastic tablespoon, caramel, paper and sanitary napkins.
Dry rations for children
According to the sanitary and epidemiological requirements, rations for children should include the following foods that do not require special storage conditions:
- still mineral water (bottled) - up to 500 ml;
- fruit nectars and juices, as well as natural vegetable juices - up to 500 ml;
- ready-made fortified drinks for industrial production - 250 ml;
- non-alcoholic juice drinks - 200 ml;
- hard cheeses in vacuum packaging - 60-100 g;
- unsalted and unroasted nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts) - 20-50 g;
- dried fruits washed in a vacuum package - 50 g;
- dry cookies, crackers, biscuits, dryers or crackers;
- dark or dark chocolate with a high cocoa content;
- canned fruits, vegetable and fruit purees - 250 g;
- jam, jam and jam - up to 40 g;
- rye bread, wheat and grain bread;
- fortified instant baby cereals - 160-200 g;
- breakfast cereals;
- beef goulash in tomato sauce:
- concentrated chicken, beef broth;
- non-fat dry cream;
- vegetable and cereal side dishes (canned);
- condensed milk - 30-50 g;
- packaged tea, cocoa and coffee drink.