I am not too sure what period the following covered (prob in the last 10 years) but they are the Meals-ready-to-eat (MRE or ‘Field Rations’) that are issued to troops in the field who are not near a army canteen or mobile kitchen. There are a number of “menu’s” and which one you get on any given day was pretty much a random lottery from what I remember. Most troops used to hate field rations for a number of reasons: they can’t cook, the limited menu (snacks were pretty much the same and breakfast was almost always some form of meat and beans) and most people usually don’t like something in each menu so swapping a pudding for a tin of sausage-and-beans was common. For me I did not like afters (puddings apart from chocolate ones) and I don’t drink tea so would swap those for a tin of beans and a coffee ration for example.

One thing my father taught me was you needed to “supplement” the rations anyway you can. For me I used to bring a supply of salt, pepper, dried soup, OXO cubes, tomato ketchup and mustard sachets (kind you get in cheap cafe’s) and a plentiful supply of “instant potato” to help “improve” the rations. If the truth be known I actually quite liked Army food. Anyway I digress from the list of menus.

Menu ‘A’
Breakfast: Hamburger & Beans
Snack: Oatmeal block, Fruit Biscuits, Brown Biscuits, Cheese Spread, Choc Bar (2), Boiled Sweets
Main Meal: Soup, chicken & Mushroo & Pasta, Treacle Pudding

Menu ‘B’
Breakfast: Corned Beef Hash
Snack: Oatmeal block, Fruit Biscuits, Brown Biscuits, Meat Pate, Choc Bar (2), Boiled Sweets
Main Meal: Soup, Beef Stew & Dumplings, Choc Pudding in a chocolate sauce.

Menu ‘C’
Breakfast: Chicken Sausage & Beans
Snack: Oatmeal block, Fruit Biscuits, Brown Biscuits, Cheese Spread, Choc Bar (2), Boiled Sweets
Main Meal: Soup, Lamb Stew & Potatoes, Fruit Dumplings in a Butterscotch Sauce.

Menu ‘D’
Breakfast: Corned Beef Hash
Snack: Oatmeal block, Fruit Biscuits, Brown Biscuits, Meat Pate, Choc Bar (2), Boiled Sweets
Main Meal: Soup, Pork Casserole, Treacle Pudding

Menu ‘E’
Breakfast: Bacon & Beans
Snack: Oatmeal block, Fruit Biscuits, Brown Biscuits, Cheese Spread, Choc Bar (2), Boiled Sweets
Main Meal: Soup, Lancashire Hotpot, Fruit Dumplings in a Butterscotch Sauce.

Menu ‘F’
Breakfast: Beefburger & Beans
Snack: Oatmeal block, Fruit Biscuits, Brown Biscuits, Meat Pate, Choc Bar (2), Boiled Sweets
Main Meal: Soup, Steak & Veg with potatoe, Rice Pudding.

Menu ‘G’
Breakfast: Meatballs & Pasta in tomato sauce
Snack: Oatmeal block, Fruit Biscuits, Brown Biscuits, Cheese Spread, Choc Bar (2), Boiled Sweets
Main Meal: Soup, Chicken Stew, Choc Pudding in a chocolate sauce.

Daily Drinks and Sundries
You are also issued on a daily basis a number of drinks: powdered chocolate, coffee, tea. You also get vegetable stock, powdered milk, sugar, lemon or orange powder.

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