Thursday, March 31, 2016

Halal MRE - An Introduction To Rat Packs

By Daniel Reed


Military ration packs, also known as meals, ready to eat, are specially packaged food suitable for use in the military. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration have adapted the concept to feed astronauts in confined, zero-gravity conditions. They are also useful for hikers, backpackers, campers, and families who like to prepare for natural emergencies, like hurricanes and earthquakes. Special packs are available to accommodate the religious and dietary requirements. There are Kosher rat packs for Jewish service members and Halal MRE for Muslims.

To be suitable for use in combat by soldiers, snipers, special forces, and other members of the military, there are certain strict requirements regarding the menus, packaging, and accessories in a single ration pack. Because there has to be a compromise between these regulations and the delectability of the meals, they are humorously known as "Meals Resembling Edibles, " "Morsels, Regurgitated, Eviscerated, " and "Meal Ready to Expel, " to name a few of the more polite colloquialisms.

The typical contents of a single rat pack meal might include a main course, side dish, and dessert. A soldier might also find bread or crackers, along with a cheese spread, jam, or peanut butter. A powdered beverage mix is also included. This might take the form of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate; equally, it might be a fruit-flavored drink in powdered form. The edible elements of an accessory pack might contain chewing gum and seasonings.

Certain non-edible items are in the pack. Most of the contents of an MRE can be managed with a spoon, so that keeps the utensil side of things nice and simple. A bag is included to make it easy to mix up beverages. A book of waterproof matches is also included. To keep consumers neat and tidy after their meal, napkins and/or toilet paper are included, as well as a moist towelette. Flameless ration heaters are used to bring the temperature of perishable food up to a safe level.

Ration packs need to be able to accommodate individuals' dietary and religious preferences. To this end, it is possible to get Kosher, Halal, and vegetarian MREs. Air crews also have specific needs, such as the need to be able to eat while on the go, without utensils, and in confined spaces. For consumers living and working in extremely cold conditions, where ordinary rations might freeze, even with the FRH, the Meal, Cold Weather relies on freeze-dried food that is reconstituted with water.

Muslims are catered for by special Halal ration packs. These include things that Muslims are allowed to eat according to Islamic law. One of the main prohibitions is eating pork. Halal regulations cover cosmetics and drugs, too.

Strictly speaking, pork is also forbidden according to Kosher rules. The reason for this is to respect the hip. Jacob, the father of the 12 Jewish tribes, injured his hip after wrestling with an angel for an entire night. Today's Jews still do not consume pork. Both Halal and Kosher regulations govern the methods by which animals are killed in preparation for consumption.

In space, the lack of gravity imposes certain restrictions on what is suitable for human consumption. Eating bread poses challenges, for instance, as Gus Grissom found to his cost when he tried to eat a sandwich onboard Gemini II. Also, for some reason, taste buds are suppressed in outer space, so efforts have to be made to spice things up.




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