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Ok, here's a rare one. I decided to open this tin from the bottom rather than the top so I can save it for display purposes. It still looks unopened whilst sitting upwards.

This is an unusual US Coast Guard survival ration w/ no date codes - heck it may not even be 1957 but 58, 59, or even later.. I just know from when I opened it, it had Blue Text Tropical on the Hershey's Tropical bar, and in 1957, H T B's Ingredients are changed. Oat flour is removed. ‘Non fat milk solids’ replace ‘skim milk powder.’ ‘Cocoa powder' replaces ‘cocoa butter.’ (Read from Hershey Community Archive)

I tried 2 large bites - I enjoyed it, and although brittle and somewhat powdery, I was not completely turned off. Not rancid either! This is the oldest chocolate I've ever eaten.

I ate a Jelly Bar... it was fantastic considering it's age. The pieces were hard as a rock, but after sucking on them for about a minute, they softened - and they had nice citrus oil essences and some sweet and mild artificial undertones to them. The Lemon & Orange were my favorite. Green was just ok.

The HUGE hunk of chocolate in this ration still smells good - I put it into my freezer (Wrapped in a grocery bag) and will use it in a chocolate fondue soon - and if it tastes good - I'm doing a full set of photos including me dipping various old mre snacks and also some bananas fresh sliced in it. That is only if this chocolate is still half way decent - otherwise I'll just eat as much as I can before I feel sick depending on it's freshness.

I still have the crackers out on my photo-site.. I just opened this ration today (10-15-14) and I got my hand cut cleaning the inside of the tin and this tin is rusty so I hope I'm up to date on my tetanus shots.

I didn't try the crackers, and I didn't try the large multiple oz hunk of chocolate. I will if you guys want me to.

As for the vitamins, they are probably something I'll just save in my collection. Unless you guys want me to try one.

Finally, the malted milk tablets were missing. I really like malted milk tabs from this era - oldest ones I've ever eaten were from November 1950.

This was a fun one - and I opened it hungry.. like Kman says: Because everything tastes good when you're hungry!


Thanks for looking folks.

-Steve

More .. pics.. !


P.S. this ration took me about 20 minutes just to get this stuff out without damaging the wrappers of the food items for this presentation and I wish you guys coulda seen me with a butter knife wedging this stuff out and trying not to damage the integrity (what was left of it) of the tin!

Now for me eating some of this 57 year old ration.

Last pics!

Damn, that is a big chunk of chocolate there! Really cool pics and review too, I always wanted to try one of those Hershey's tropical bars, they look like they are so small though?

Wow...
Glad to see all of its components were edible after so many years. I guess many of these cans were made during the Cold War so they had to keep fpr long term storage.

To Cavguy: I know, seriously man! It's like: ""Hey here's a big hunk of chocolate, 2 small ones like 3 inches by 1 inch, 4 "jelly bars", some crackers & some pink vitamins .. now go survive for a week in some boat out in the Pacific! & thanks so much for the compliment on this review! I got this tin for like 30 bucks total and felt it was well worth sharing with you guys & I preserved the tin for display purposes. It does have the rust, but I kinda feel it adds character. As for tropical bar - it was edible - but not amazing.. it was better than some old M&M's I've had from 1991 I'll say that so they weren't horrible and yes the HTB was 100% edible for survival situations even after 57 years.

To Bypah: I was glad too! I hope the fondue I'm going to make here soon turns out well with that big hunk of chocolate in which what I'm guessing weighs like 4 oz. I am buying some Survival Crackers in the large tin offline right now & will try those next... another Cold War item!

Remember those where designed for long term storage during the Cold War.

Just got around to reading this post and first great review! I find it incredible they really knew how to pack things away for long term in those days. Nineteen Fifty Seven, I just can't believe some of the items not only were still edible but tasted good
The Jelly Bar is simply amazing, same with the Chocolate item. I have eaten Nabisco canned Civil Defense crackers from 10/62 and they had almost no flavor. Great review thanks for posting

Small update.

Located a much cleaner specimen of this neat Cold War Era U.S. Coast Guard Survival Ration.

Busy with post office and doctor's office so this is just a brief update for now!