First associations with the slogan "food in the army"? Cult peas made of boiler, canned and celebrated Su-2 peculiar biscuits placed in food rations. But it's just a tiny cut of what soldiers actually eat. Poland continues to feed in the army from another NATO countries. Nevertheless, much remains to be improved in this area.
Food in the army is simply a complex logistics strategy in which discipline and advanced technologies play an increasingly crucial role, as well as cultural change. due to the fact that modernization of the military is not only a acquisition of fresh equipment and intensive training, but besides a change in the way people eat. Aim? supply healthy, diverse, tasty and nutritious meals. A soldier in good condition is yet the foundation of a strong army. How, then, does this work in practice?
Let's start with the basics. Soldiers in active service have the right to free meals – this is governed by the decree of the Minister of Defence. akin privileges apply to students of military colleges during training, volunteers who execute essential military service, reservists, and soldiers of territorial defence troops carrying out service tasks.
However, this can take place in different forms. The 2 basic pillars on which the feeding strategy in the military is based are food in canteens and dry food and rations, issued erstwhile it is not possible to usage the military "cat". While meals do not request to be prepared in the unit, the outside company can supply them. The way in which soldiers' stomachs will be filled is decided by the commanders of the organizational units, i.e. military business units, airport commands or air bases, taking into account the possibilities and local circumstances.
Soldiers can besides receive a cash equivalent, then they are liable for providing food for themselves. It serves on days where no program training is carried out and erstwhile a soldier is on leave or leave. The amount paid depends on what nutritional standard a individual is entitled to, and ranges from PLN 28.16 to PLN 40.43. These are the latest rates, in 2024 they were increased after the soldiers' remarks that the paid equivalent is not adequate to the real food costs under rising inflation.
Food standards – that's where you start
The organisation of the feeding of soldiers begins in the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate – it is an institution liable for nutrition standards, that is to say, the determination of caloric value and nutrients that should be delivered in food. The strategy is based on 5 basic norms: soldier's, school's, special, operational, wartime and additional, specified as bread or drink. These values are determined by a advice from the Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology. They don't should be permanent, of course, due to the fact that they are based on the latest technological investigation and changing conditions of the army. From 2016 to 2020, the Institute conducted extended investigation into the value of energy spending of soldiers and officers depending on the kind of service and training. Conclusions? The portions for the soldiers proved besides caloric. The army is changing as the full of society is changing – computerization, digitalisation, automation are increasing. And that means that service present requires little physical effort than it utilized to.
Modernisation of the Polish army will not be a complete process if the issue of feeding soldiers is omitted. photograph 1 BLog
Food standards are besides closely related to the rates that the military spends on feeding a soldier. They shall be determined separately for each regional logistics base. For example, in Wroclaw the military has at its disposal 23.7 PLN for basic food of 1 soldier, while the logistics base in Walcz has a rate of 21.25 PLN. The differences seem to be small, but hundreds of thousands of meals per period take on real significance. However, it is not that they eat worse in Walcz – standards are designed to take local costs into account. Which, of course, does not mean that taste and quality are identical everywhere.
Between Peerel and Michelin Star
For dinner? Flakes, liver, hot cream and if cold – salceson, pâté, vegetable salad or herring. specified reinforcements were recommended by the Ministry of Defence soldiers in 1969. “Sometimes I feel that in any units 1 inactive uses communist menus. We usage more and more modern equipment, and then we sit at the table and on the plate we land greasy hearts, respective slices of yellow cheese and 2 slices of tomato, due to the fact that vegetables must be – says St. He's asking us not to give any more data due to the fact that he has quite a few remarks for military nutrition. Not only as a consumer, but besides as a specialist, he is simply a sports teacher in nutrition prevention.
- How is it? Theoretically getting better, but practice inactive leaves much to be desired. The biggest sin is the deficiency of vegetables and fruit. I've never seen a zucchini or a mix of salads, with a chicken roll, natural spinach – he points out. – I have the impression that unfortunately inactive in many places food is not treated as an component affecting wellness and building a strong army, but as a essential duty, filled without due attention.
The soldier is to have his tummy filled and he adds. He emphasizes that military meals frequently focus on advanced calorie at the expense of valuable nutrients, e.g. fruit yogurt alternatively of natural yogurt, making it easier to meet the assumed carbohydrate level in a meal. But it's truly not hard to organize. During 1 of the courses I was on, there were large containers of sliced vegetables in the cafeteria. I could have worn half a plate of natural peppers," says Karolina, and noted that specified examples of tasty and valuable food are seeing more and more in the military. Like our cafeteria. Cooks can be surprised, specified as pumpkin soup with toasts or chopped chops. But... a lot besides depends on who is on change in the kitchen – he admits.
Because as in many areas, besides in military nutrition, man is frequently crucial. Even the highest nutritional rate and the best quality ingredients are not adequate if the cook does not attach weight to the taste qualities. – I remember erstwhile we had 1 who, outside the army, besides cooked for parties and weddings. He loved his work, and the soldiers were only asking if he would be on shift during their service. For breakfast, for example, he served us eggs cooked half-hardly, arranged on half-sparklings, sprinkled with spices and decorated with stripes of peppers, it looked like a meal in a good hotel," recalls Karolina.
On an allied plate
Although NATO imposes on the associate States standards of feeding soldiers and many changes implemented in the Polish army are due to the NATO regulations, each country feeds its soldiers somewhat differently. The climate, availability of products, local traditions and culinary habits are important. Of what American military cuisine looked like, soldiers on abroad missions, even to Afghanistan, where they ate alongside allies from the United States. Specialist companies were liable for feeding in the bases, so the menu was not much different from what is being prepared in the United States Army all day. Roasted chickens, fries, burgers, pastas in many parts, shrimp salads or seafood were everyday, as were typically American breakfasts, with a large selection of sweet flakes, flavored milk varieties, yogurts or syrup pancakes. Different? Yes, but not necessarily healthy. On the another hand, a large amount of fresh vegetables and fruit should be served.
Powered AI autonomous field kitchen CA-M. photograph by Circus Group
But what happens erstwhile soldiers with specified culinary tastes come to service in a country celebrated for peas, bigos, and dumplings? Initially, their native company was liable for feeding the Americans stationed in Poland, now under the work of military economical branches and the Military Property Agency. However, this does not mean that allies eat the same as Polish troops. – American soldiers stationed in Poland eat meals separately and according to a different menu than Polish. They besides usage separate canteens, even erstwhile serving in the same military unit," explains Jakub Szczepański, AMW's press spokesman. At the request of the U.S. side, Kentucky wings, Mexican dishes specified as burritos or pancakes, are placed on the soldiers' tables. The cooks must besides remember that in the United States, soldiers have the right to meals corresponding to their beliefs or confessions, which means that they must supply vegetarian, hallal, and kosher dishes. Served meals should be in line with American food standards, which are somewhat different from Polish.
– However, Americans are open to our culinary traditions and are willing to effort dishes typical of Polish cuisine. They eat stewed meat or ground chops – adds Martyna Gąstan from the Military Property Agency. There are besides moments erstwhile American soldiers personally mix in boilers, preparing Christmas meals on 4 July or Thanksgiving. “The tradition is that on that day a high-ranking American officer personally divides turkeys,” says Martyna Gąstan.
Not just canned
Boeuf Stroganov, a Basque chicken, pasta in Bologna are just a fewer examples of dinners that soldiers can number on to receive rations. They always get them erstwhile the nature of the task does not let you to scope for a normal, cooked meal: during combat activities, patrols or hours of field training. Today, the military uses 5 types of individual next generation rations: S-RG, S-R, S-RS, S-RT and S-RP. Each was developed taking into account circumstantial conditions and burdens.
S-RG was created for soldiers operating in heavy-duty means of transport – tanks, BWPs or armored transporters – as well as those carrying out defensive tasks. It's a solid condition of energy: 3600 to 3800 kcal. In turn, S-R is simply a single meal ration, about 1200 kcal. A soldier who is expected to supply meals around the clock collects 3 specified packages. Another character is the S-RS set, designed for peculiar tasks. It's lighter and at the same time more caloric – it's all about each game to lift and each additional condition of energy. On the another hand, erstwhile action takes place in the heat, the S-RT, developed specifically for tropical and desert zones, enters the game.
NATO imposes on associate States standards of feeding soldiers, but in each army they are somewhat different. Climate, availability of products and culinary habits are important. Photo: Adobe Stock
However, before soldiers leave for the area equipped with food packages, a long process of preparation is needed, which starts at the Military Food Service investigation and Implementation Centre in Warsaw. In the beginning, the military wants us. Recently, peculiar troops have signaled that they request even more specialized rations to be utilized in advanced mountain conditions. Assumptions? Higher caloric value at the minimum mass and volume – says Aleksandra Bębnowicz-Seweryn, an older specialist at the Food and Food laboratory of the Centre. After developing the assumptions, the search for products that will meet the requirements begins. 1 of them is the minimum durability of 27 months, but besides the taste qualities or the number of possible variants are important. After completion of products and laboratory tests, a prototype batch is formed, which falls into the hands of soldiers.
– They are tested under conditions as close as possible to those under which they will be used. If we make rations for peculiar troops for high-mountain conditions, then specialists take them to training in the mountains and measure how they worked. all soldier gets 2 polls. 1 is the general assessment, here the format imposes NATO standards on us, and the another serves to indicate what can be improved, improved, modified," explains Aleksandra Bębnowicz-Seweryn. If the product is rated below 6 on a 9-degree scale, it is discarded.
What modifications do soldiers indicate? – It may be about taste, consistency or size of a meal, but soldiers besides suggest, for example, changing the packaging, due to the fact that utilized besides hard reflects light, is besides bright or besides rustle. These are the small things that elude us civilians, and in combat activities they can be of large importance – the expert adds. After analyzing the collected surveys, changes are made and the soldiers re-test rations. “It doesn’t happen here that they don’t accept our proposal due to the fact that we truly perceive to their comments,” says the specialist.
What yet got in the fresh rations for the specialists? For breakfast saturating oatmeal, and for lunch and dinner a warm lyophilized meal, specified as a pork chop in dill sauce or pasta in Bologna. In addition, the right is filled with products that are to supply not only calories, but besides adequate supply of nutrients: protein shakes, respective kinds of bars: energy on nuts, protein, fruit and grain, fruit and vegetable. 1 of the most popular snacks is dried beef, and soldiers besides have energy gels with caffeine and lyophilised fruits.
“We have left the canned canned with dry dishes, haven’t we?” notes the expert at the Military Food investigation and Implementation Centre. Even 15 years ago, soldiers utilizing food rations could only dream of a warm meal during the day, now heaters are widely used. “We are observing global trends and looking for the most modern solutions. Companies are presenting fresh forms of cooking heating, not only alleged individual cookers, but advanced chemical heaters. I besides saw contact heaters, or patches, that are applied to the food container. Lyophilisation and various forms of food drainage and functional food, specified as energy gels, are popular. erstwhile a soldier could only number on caffeine or instant coffee sachets – says Bębnowicz-Seweryn.
Modern food processing technologies let you to prepare for the most utmost situations. 1 specified solution is the survivalal right of the S-RP. It's not expected to be tasty or full-value anymore. The aim is to supply ingredients that will keep the body alive for up to 5 days – explains Bębnowicz-Seweryn. It is based on carbohydrates in the form of bars. – They come from specially baked bread, which is then ground and enriched with nutrients specified as vitamins, minerals. So the mass obtained is pressed and divided into portions – explains the expert.
Even more minimalist is the endurance kit for pilots placed in aircraft compartments. This is emergency water in bags, water treatment tablets and glucose tablets. Only products absolutely essential to keep life functions until aid comes.
Average 5 kilograms of soldier less
If we are talking about nutrition, it is hard to ignore another aspect of nutrition. Overweight and obesity in the military? For many it is inactive taboo, but it is increasingly hard to pretend that the problem does not be due to the fact that it affects almost half the population. The Army is the mirror of society. If the proportion of people with obesity is increasing in the population, the same thing happens among uniforms – says Dr. Agata Gadźńska, prof. at the Military Institute of Aviation medicine in Warsaw. About 1,500 soldiers and staff of the National Defence Ministry are sent annually to the Psychodietytical Centre for Uniform Service.
The prototypical American food ration includes, among others, a chocolate bar with sour cherries and nuts, a cheddar cheese bar, a mocha-flavoured dessert bar, lyophilised strawberries and a mixture of fruit and nuts. Photo: US Army
The vast majority usage the Centre's services to reduce body weight, and only a fewer come to improve their diet. Optimistic is that a large proportion of people are besides reported to execute diagnostic tests. And the list of those that WIML offers is impressive. – The investigation we do to soldiers free of charge under the National wellness Programme is not just a morphology – we analyse the level of micro- and macro-elements, vitamins, we measure the hormonal economy. We besides conduct unique nutrigenetic studies to find genetic predispositions to overweight, obesity, cardiovascular diseases or insulin resistance," explains Prof. Gadźńska. An analysis of the composition of the body is besides performed on the site, due to the fact that it counts not only kilograms, but besides proportions of muscle and fat tissue and the level of hydration of the body. Comprehensive diagnostics are only the first phase of working with a soldier. The minimum programme includes 3 visits, during which the patient consults not only a nutritionist, but besides a scientist or a psychodietic erstwhile needed. It turns out that eating disorders are increasingly affecting the uniform environment. – Emotional food, eating against a stressful background, but besides bigorexia (obsession on a muscled body – ed.) or orthorexia (obsession on healthy nutrition – ed.) – says the specialist and emphasizes that the specified arrangement of the menu is not adequate if it fails to scope the origin of the problem.
The basis of the recommended diet are the assumptions of the Mediterranean model, but each nutritional program and recommendations are individually adapted to the condition of the soldier's health, preferences and nature of service. – We will not offer cooking to individual who uses the garrison cafeteria, but we will teach him how to reasonably choose dishes from the available offer – explains Prof. Gadźdńska. Dieteticians are besides working on a nutrition strategy during delegations or business meetings. “The best diet is not the perfect diet, but 1 that can be applied in practice,” he adds. The effects talk for themselves: the average failure of body weight in patients treated with the Psychothetic Center is about 5 kg, reduced in a controlled manner, without yo-yo effect and without wellness risk. The evidence holder lost as much as 29 kg.
However, the Psychodietetic Center for Uniform Services is not limited to working with soldiers reducing body weight. It besides implements many educational activities – from training on appropriate nutrition and physical activity, conducted in military units throughout the country, through e-books and leaflets and educational videos placed on the educational platform (www.ezaf.pl), to courses and online materials. All to support the uniforms in their healthy lifestyle. According to the rule, a healthy soldier is the foundation of a strong army. Modernisation of the Polish army will not be a complete process if the issue of feeding soldiers is omitted. Nutrition in the military is changing – meals are getting healthier, more varied and tailored to energy needs. Poland does not deviate from another NATO countries in this respect. Nevertheless, much remains to be improved – from expanding the quantity of fresh vegetables and fruit, to better matching of menus in individual units, to feeding education of soldiers. It is not only a substance of taste or comfort during service – appropriate feeding straight affects the physical condition and efficiency of the military.
