Current Portuguese combat ration

[donaldjcheek]

The current Portuguese combat ration (Ração individual de combate) come packed in a cardboard box measuring 10.5" x 6.25" x 19.0" (265 mm x 160 mm x 90 mm) and weighing a little over 4 lbs (1.98 kg). The box is camouflaged and is printed with the Portuguese flag in color, but is not waterproofed or hermetically sealed.

The ration is based on two large (415 g) cans of prepared meals, supplemented by hard crackers, jams & pate, and drink powders.

According to the menu/instruction sheet, the ration is divided into 3 meals plus supplements, and theoretically provides all the nutrients needed by one soldier for one day.

Contents:
-2 x precooked main meals (large 415-g cans with pull ring tops), varieties include beef w/vegetables, beans stewed with tripe, beans & meatballs, chili con carne, pasta w/meatballs, sausage with lentils, etc
-1 x 75-g can of tuna or 115 g can of sardines
-1 x 65-g can of pate (liver, salmon, chicken, etc)
-3 x pkgs crackers (usually 2 x 120 g salted & 1 x 125 g sweet, sometimes with an additional 65-g pack of "water biscuits")
-2 x 20-g tubs fruit jam
-1 x 50 g tub fruit cream
-1 x 15-g envelope instant milk powder
-1 x 18-g envelope cocoa powder w/sugar (DOES NOT contain milk)
-2 x 20-g envelopes fruit juice powder (Orange & Pineapple)
-2 x 2-g sticks of instant coffee
-3 x 7-g envelopes sugar
-4 x 1-g envelopes salt
-2 x 25-g bars chocolate OR
-1 bar chocolate PLUS 4 x caramels or hard candies
-2 x packs chewing gum (4 x tablets/pack)
-4 x water purification tablets
-1 x folder matches
-1 x ration heating kit w/6 x fuel tablets & disposable folding stove
-4 x plastic utensils (2 spoons, 1 fork, 1 knife)
-1 x pkg paper tissues
-1 x plastic bag
-1 x menu & instruction sheet

Almost all items in the ration are off-the-shelf, commercially available products.

As an aside, Portuguese veterans are grumbling about the current ration. It seems that almost everything in the ration (except the box) is imported; the heating kit, milk powder & pate come from France, the main meals are produced by Huerta SA of Spain, the crackers, jam & fruit juice are also Spanish, and the matches are made in the US. As one veteran put it,

"I know we aren't an advanced country that can manufacture our own missiles and tanks, but we have a canning industry, damn it!"

[dirtbag]

"I know we aren't an advanced country that can manufacture our own missiles and tanks, but we have a canning industry, damn it!"

Quality, Quantity, and Price, especially Price, thats all that matters...

I'd bet the Soldats don't complain about the amount of food they get... 415 Gm cans are huge!

Now the Italian menu, that seems rather skimpy to me.

Great pictures, BTW

[laughing_man]

It's wonderful
I have noticed that those items have a common feature of U.N. forces ration and many.