My father just returned from the UK and brought me a British 24 hr ration pack. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Does anyone have any tips or advice? Also, what the heck is a Lancashire Hot Pot? <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Tips/advice:

1) Get yourself into an emergency situation that is expected to last 24hrs.
2) Eat ration pack

Lancashire Hot Pot is basically a lamb and potato casserole.

A

As I understand it, rather than issueing X number of MREs for Y number of days, the Brits issue Y number of these ration packs. It let's them save becuase they only put in one accessory packet (which is bigger than ours, I've been told), and some other things can be consolidate, shuffled and modified. Not having eaten or seen anything but the empty carton in person, I'm not entirely sure how much it varies.

mreinfo.com has some information.

Me, I like the Canadian IMPs when could get them.

Can't argue about the Canadian IMPS. I tried some a few years ago and just loved them! I think they were Sheppards pie and a corned beef hash. I was looking through the pack tonight and what impressed me (or just maybe was the neatness factor!) was the sundrees pack included 10 storm matches w/striker and 6 puritabs. These will find their way into my hunting pack for sure!

Matt, were are you finding them? Other than eBay- I don't buy food on eBay, it's a personal quirk. But if it's someplace local to you, next time I'm on that side of Rte 2, I'll have to see about getting some.

Watch thier dates- mine were of 1997 vintage and they had a eat by date of 2002 or 03, IIRC. I ate mine in 2004, and was fine, but figured if I'm going to do something as silly as eat an expired meal, I'd rather be home. The hashbrown and sausage is wonderful, and the shepards pie is very good. I've been told about a pork in wine sauce that is supposedly excellent!

That does sound cool!

" what the heck is a Lancashire Hot Pot? " - proper food. Unlike your Meals Rejected by Ethiopians. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Seriously. You can live quite happily on them for quite a long time.

My Father spent a few weeks over in England and just returned last Friday. When I found out he was going I asked him to pick one up for me. He found an army surplus store around the corner from his Inn and had no problem getting it. Shelves were lined with them apparently! I have found a few web sites based in the UK that sell them but was a little leary myself of buying one untested. The price on the box is 8 pounds, about 16 dollars I guess. Cheaper than 3 MREs at 7 bucks a shot. I just have to find a supplier that has reasonable shipping. The manufacture date on all of the components are 2003, so I don't think that there will be any issues with spoilage. No swelling of the packages or pouches.

Take a look at the contents of the Brit 24 hour pack. There's a lot of candy, sugar and tea. Some people find it lacking in "real food". The dry soup mixes were good, especially the Oxtail soup.

Dave

Mine is Menu E which is Bacon and Beans, Lancashire Hotpot, Fruit dumplings in Custard sauce, Biscuits both brown and fruit, boiled sweets, oatmeal block, onion soup mix, two Yorkie bars, one turkey and herb pate, and a packet of tissues,and three packets of drinking powder one each of chocolote, orange and lemon. Plus the sundries packet that had 5 large packets of sugar, instant coffee and creamer plus white tea and the puritabs and storm matches. Lots of sweet stuff to keep you going. As far as real food goes, seems to be fine. I belive most rations give more sweets and "junk" to provide extra energy.

Man that is some good eating!
In the gulf in '90 we would trade an entire carton of smokes for one of those kits. Any army that puts that fine of a chocolate as well as a rather tasty beef stew in their rats has got my vote.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yummy!

The British Army, like most of working Britain, is substained by bacon butties and cups of tea. There was an attempt by some "oh but you must eat healthy" health PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. to revise the contents. Apparently they were told, in no uncertain terms, by a certain General, that the sqaddies liked the rat-packs as they were. Buggering them around would provoke a mutiny. Which he and his fellow officers would be leading!