I'd like to trade/swap foreign rations

[Cracker]

There was no suitable topic for introducing myself, but I'm a 20yo Dutch male with German roots,
I am able to speak English (a little bit), Dutch and German.

I am looking for foreign rations, and I especially have a german EPa ration fetish.

I'm willing to swap Dutch 24hour rations (1 box 24H ration.. breakfast and lunch, together with 2 cans of Chili con Carne)
So it's a complete dayration. I will swap it to ANY foreign complete day ration as long as it has a english or german manual on the meals/items.

To prevent moneytransfers etc, I'd only like to SWAP rations. 1 ration+shipping vs. 1 ration+shipping
I can get my hands on almost all variaties of Dutch canned rations (the dinner meal)

I only have 7 cans of Chili con Carne at the moment, so I can only swap with 3 people.

If you have any requests for getting the Dutch ones, and just ask. I am not willing to sell my rations, so I will only swap them. I can get my hands on all flavours if you can just give me some time

ALL RATIONS HAVE TO BE EATABLE (not with a expired date, even when they are still consumable)
My 24h ration boxes are usable untill 3/2010 and the chili is usable untill 11/2010

If there are German people here, offering EPa rations for a reasonable price, I'd be happy to buy them!
(Ich rede auch Deutsch, so das ist auch gar kein Problem)

I'm not looking for collectibles but only for eating them (and using them) to compare them with the Dutch ones.
Excuse me for my bad english..

[kman]

Welcome to the forums, Cracker! We have a lot of guys here who can probably help you with those trades - good luck!

[Cracker]

Thank you Kman,

Btw, if your still interested in the Dutch rations just mail, it's much easier then PMing

PS: For the people with German EPas, I'd like to buy more of them in one buy (to save shipping)

[housil]

Welcome to Fourms neighbour
Enjoy your stay!

Ebay Germany is a good source for EPa´s and many other military rations. As scanning all (west-) European Ebay rations section "daily", I bet German Ebay has the most variety and quantity of military rations to buy. Good for us over here
Due to EU veterinarian border law´s, it´s impossible to "import" any animal made food (chicken, beef, pork, milk, cheese, fish (more than 1kg per person)...) from a non-EU country!!!! They will be rejected and/or dumped for sure.

[Cracker]

The german eBay only offers "old" EPAs unfortunatly.. or they ask insane prices from around €20-25 a piece..
That's just to much because I'm not a collector (shame on me!) but I'm an eater..
I'd only like to buy EPAs that are "fresh" (not older then 3 years) and it's just simply plain stupid to pay €12 shipping costs for a overpriced EPA.. that would be around €32 for a EPA.. I'd rather invest in some prime beef for that money..

I once calculated that a "civil" EPA with simular contents would be around €9 euro to make, if you bought everything in the supermarket, except for the watercleaningtablets.

That's also the reason why I'd rather swap the rations then buying them.. let's just say that I've a infinite supply of Dutch rations, and I'd like to try the foreign ones

PS: My mother is from München, and my girlfriend was born and raised in Bergkirchen (Um. Dachau) but I don't know if it's allowed to talk german around here.. I recon it isn't

Ich rede boarisch und hochdeutsch.. aber beide so schlecht wie mein Englisch

[housil]

The german eBay only offers "old" EPAs unfortunatly.. or they ask insane prices from around €20-25 a piece..
That's just to much because I'm not a collector (shame on me!) but I'm an eater..
I'd only like to buy EPAs that are "fresh" (not older then 3 years) and it's just simply plain stupid to pay €12 shipping costs for a overpriced EPA.. that would be around €32 for a EPA.. I'd rather invest in some prime beef for that money..

I´m have over 3000 servings and all are edible! (Excapt my 1965 fish - maybe...)
Case of 4 EPas (before 1999) had a shelflife of 20 years, were replaced by Bundeswehr after 10 years, manufacturer said good for 30 years.
After 2000 EPa´s (case of 6, square shaped entrees) are having a shelflife of 3.5 years (close to civilian one´s), Bundeswehr is replacing after two years.

So what´s "old" to you and what´s fresh? Getting a "new" maybe 2003 EPa. 6 years old and maybe spoiled or getting a 199X, 10-15 years old and still good for sure!
We were eating 19 years old EPa entree´s without any problems!

I once calculated that a "civil" EPA with simular contents would be around €9 euro to make, if you bought everything in the supermarket, except for the watercleaningtablets.

This civil, homemade EPa fakes called "EPA light" (do not mistake with genuine Bundeswehr "EPa leicht"!) they are profeteering to me. Selling supermarkt stuff for lots of money...

PS: My mother is from München, and my girlfriend was born and raised in Bergkirchen (Um. Dachau) but I don't know if it's allowed to talk german around here.. I recon it isn't

Ich rede boarisch und hochdeutsch.. aber beide so schlecht wie mein Englisch

It seem´s rude to all non-German speakers over here if you talk/write in a language they don´t understand. You can PM in languages what ever you want - aber nicht bei den Beiträgen. Das gehört sich nicht und wäre unhöflich. Host mi?!

[Cracker]

So the rectangualar entrees are good for 3,5years, and the old square ones for 20 years?
But how would you ever store 3000 EPa servings without upsetting your wife? That alone is worth a medal

Does the BW sell the EPAs to commercial retailers like dumpstores etc? And am I likely to find "fresh" >2005 EPAs?

[housil]

Does the BW sell the EPAs to commercial retailers like dumpstores etc? And am I likely to find "fresh" >2005 EPAs?

NO, they don´t even give it to their own troops at training! They show just one to everybody and that´s it.
In "early days" ~1990 you could buy them at every barracks StOV (Quartermaster) for DM5 per EPa (today €2.50!) Thats where I bough my first 10 cases (and still have them)

[housil]

So the rectangualar entrees are good for 3,5years, and the old square ones for 20 years?

Ja

But how would you ever store 3000 EPa servings without upsetting your wife? That alone is worth a medal

She loves MRE´s too
(And I´m having my own "rations basement" and rent an extra garage )

[Cracker]

Haha does she have any sisters?

I'm going to Hessen (Wippershain) in about 3 weeks, and the day we arive the stores aren't opened, so I offered to bring some Dutch ration cans...


She gave me the "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU-look"

But actually the chili con carne cans are a great base for making real chili con carne..

A friend of my had an accident while preparing food for his parents in law.. so he asked if I knew something that's easy and fast to prepare..

I gave him 6 cans of chili con carne.. and gave the advice to add some gulasch beef and some brown beans to it.. he seasoned it a bit, and the guests were quite happy with the meal.. (I don't really like beans myself..)

But what's the use of collecting over 3000 servings, especially when it's mostly 1 "kind" of rations.
I can understand collections like MREjap's but I can't really imagine collecting boxes of EPa's (unless your a real eater like me)