Canadian IMP's

ranger0770 · Post by **ranger0770** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:58 pm

I have been testing out the Canadian IMP menus as I have a case each of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There not too bad if a little bland. Add your own tabasco and they really get better! So far I have tried the Chicken Casserole, Ham in mustard sauce, sausage and hash browns, and the omelette w/salsa. Liked the Chicken casserole and ham. The sausage w/hash browns were so-so, and the omelette isn't good at all (the texture was a little bit slimy and rubbery). The bread is actually pretty good as long as you like crust and is shaped similar to the butt end of a loaf bread. Its also very dry so be sure you have your drink nearby. Usually the fruit sides are pretty good. The IMP's also have taken a cue from the MRE and have commercially manufactured sweets/candy (hershey and nestle chocolate bars). All in all, they are good, but the MRE is still better in my opinion.

Keith

Post by **kman** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 11:05 pm

Hi Keith - welcome to the forums and thanks for the reviews.

I'm impressed - you actually tried the Omlett w/ Salsa. Don't they nickname that one the "lung in a bag"?

It's been a while since I last ate an IMP, but IIRC, I thought the entrees were pretty good. They're bigger than the MRE entrees (10oz vs. 8oz?) but I think that's mostly made up in gravy - so you'd get the same amount of meat substance but just a little more gravy/juice/mystery sauce.

I definitely like the IMP bread - especially when you get the honey - that's a nice change.

ranger0770 · Post by **ranger0770** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 2:36 pm

Lung in a bag describes the omelette pretty well. Looked awful, but presentation is not exactly any MRE requirement so I was going to give it a try. Had one bite and threw the rest out. Research team definitely needs to go back to the drawing board on that one. Just tried the beef ravioli today. Very good!

Keith

kellywmj · Post by **kellywmj** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 8:09 pm

The IMP ham and egg omelette was actually pretty good, doused with ketchup. IMPs have always had commercially available chocloate bars in them( I ate my first one in 1981, and it had a "Coffee Crisp" in it!). I found MRE entrees a little on the light side, but I agree, in retrospect, that IMP entrees had a lot of sauce in them. The best way to deal with that was to add the mashed potaoes, or rice, or stuffing mix right into the entree itself, absorbing the sauce and improving the dining experience!

rational · Post by **rational** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 9:16 pm

A little surprise - I just got a 2002 Canadian supper ration and expected "Freddy Chef" entree & fruit side, but both were made in U.S. by Wornick - in aluminum pouches. The paper outer bag of the ration seems really thin on IMP's, but a pack of cookies (wrapped in thin cellophane) was like brand new, this was a good surprise; I just wish all countries rations were outer-bagged as well as U.S. MRE/RCW's.

p.s. I hear that the Canadian bread pack is really great when steamed in-the-bag in hot water.

Gerry

Post by **kman** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:01 am

Interesting stuff, Gerry. I hadn't heard that Wornick was producing IMP entrees.

Hey Mirage - have you seen that yet? (Mirage is our resident IMP expert).

ranger0770 · Post by **ranger0770** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 9:51 am

The cases (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) I've got all have 2001 dates and I would say they are 50/50 between Freddy Chef and Wornick productions. Either maker, they are still good entrees.

Mirage · Post by **Mirage** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 8:39 pm

Wornick makes 3 of the entrees, that I recall. I don't have my notes handy but they've supplied these for a while now. When I find my notes, I'll come back and re-edit this post with the relevant info. Wornick also does some of the fruit dishes as well.

kman, I think I even wrote you about this 2 years or so ago?

OK, found the info - Wornick does these ones:

Zesty Turkey & Vegetable Stew
Meatloaf With Onion Gravy
Steak With Brown Gravy - this is listed inside the package as Steak With Mushroom Sauce

Dave Mount · Post by **Dave Mount** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:27 am

As stated earlier, throw the IMP bread in when you heat your meal. The bread is great when hot. I took one look at the "lung in a bag" and passed. We also have a Salmon fillet, smells like crap but everyone that eats it says it is great. I can't get my nose past it.
When eating the Mac n Cheese be careful. Some came with the cheese sauce to be added by you, you have to dump the whole bag and check out the contents before eating.
FreddyChef is now Soup Experts. I am waiting to get a price from them. I am looking to purchase 1800 and was suprised it has taken a week to get a response from them.

zappaMan · Post by **zappaMan** » Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:41 pm

Yes the bread in the water is definately a good idea... even better if you use a pressure cooker to cook the IMP, it comes out nice and soft.

I am on staff with an Air Cadet Squadron and for the past few years we have had the opportunity to request IMP's for our field excercises and they are very handy and taste pretty good. Only problem now is that because of the deployment of peacekeepers we can no longer get these items issued to us. Does anybody know where we can get Canadian IMP's at a reasonable price? I have checked on ebay and the only seller appears to be a surplus shop in Ontario, and the prices are a touch high. Anybody have some ideas?

Canadian IMP's

Canadian IMP's

2 Entrees