An army marches on its stomach and the British troops will soon have Indian curry, chicken balti and pulau rice on its ration instead of tinned cheese, stodgy casseroles and stale biscuits.
In the biggest change to the armed forces' rations for 40 years, a new generation of meals are currently being tried out that are not only supposed to taste better, but embrace healthy eating as well, a spokesman of the ministry of defence
has said.
Designed to last for up to three years in any climate, the new boil-in-the bag meals have been brought in by the ministry to try to calm discontent in the ranks over outdated menus, as well as complaints about the quality of British ration packs compared to the ones given in the US.
The soldiers will also have vegetarian and halal options. However, tradition is not being cast aside completely - custard will still be available for those who want it.
"What we are trying to do is reflect the way people's eating habits have changed and bring the rations into the 21st century," Brigadier Jeff Little, director of the defence catering group, said while unveiling a new range of rations to feed the frontline soldiers.
It is not all curry. There is also improved burger and beans and improved bacon and beans.
So far, 60,000 of the new-style ration packs have been distributed across the services, and personnel have been asked to fill out surveys detailing their likes and dislikes.
The aim is to replace all the outdated rations by 2008.
Major Andy Main, of the Defence Catering Group, said the new ration packs were intended to mirror current tastes in the 18-24 age group, which supplies the bulk of men in combat formations.
"The changes are necessary to ensure that soldiers on operations are sufficiently enticed by their rations to eat the 4,000 or so calories required each day for fighting and long-distance marching," he said.
About 20,000 questionnaires have been distributed and in addition to entering their culinary preferences, servicemen and women will also be asked for their hates.
