Military Food page

[fit4lifegal]

** Disclaimer ** I'm a reservist - not active duty!
Just got back from an Army reserve weekend... it is hard to be primal on reserve weekends. On active duty posts, the DFACs (dining facilities) have MANY more choices... on small National Guard posts, there is usually only one entree - limited salad choices and almost all of it is processed.

Add to that, our Breakfast was eggs, sausage on a stick wrapped in a fried pancake (like a corn dog?) fruit and cereal... (eggs I can deal with, a little fruit - OK) lunch was MREs - packages pre-formed food... I had a grilled chicked - then I read the label - it had some chicken mystery meat mixed with soy protein... GREAT.... and dinner was a "box" lunch... a sub (on a white bun) with turkey or roast beef or ham, a bag of chips, an apple, a candy bar and a can of soda.

I try to bring my own food (tuna, beef jerky etc.) but it is tough to get good fats (I had an avocado)...

Any other military people who can share their tips for staying Primal during training?

Thanks for your help.

[Helen in Oz]

wow that's heaps worse than Australian army food. I'd be writing the Department of Defence and maybe your local political reps/newspapers and asking how they expect soldiers to train on that sort of crapola.

Might have to take along a couple of calorie-and-fat-dense bars - nuts/seeds plus dark chocolate. At one point I'd have said 'don't sweat it' but with the after-effects I'm having from yesterdays carb overdose, there's no way I'd want to be hitting an obstacle course right now.

surely there's some camping/hiking type packaged foods with decent fats... but then, omega3s don't have a long shelf life...

[fit4lifegal]

The sad part is, the Army feeds us really processed food and then, when they have fat soldiers (gee, I wonder why?) the Army puts them on a "program" or processes them out...
NOT to mention all the health effects!
You ought to read the propaganda on the MRE boxes... about nutrients, and carbs and the fuel your body needs....
I wish whoever is in charge of the Army nutrition department would read the PB!

[Greensprout]

I was in Haiti for 6 weeks this winter after the earthquake, (pre PB) and we only had rations to eat the whole time. Carb loaded, high sodium, processed to the extreme crap. We actually often traded our rations with the Americans for their MREs, (actually ours are made by the same company), not better, just different crap. Before I went there, I had started eating significantly lower carb, but that went out the window while on the rations. I did supplement with nuts, jerky, and protein bars (pre PB, of course) sent from home.

Maybe next time you go, you can bring along some coconut oil? That and jerky. Maybe nut butter too.

[XYZ]

For weekend drills, you can make it through pretty easily with some preparation.

Tuna packets are always a great source of protein. Also, get yourself a travel shampoo bottle at Target or Walmart. The squeeze kind that holds about 3 fluid oz or so. Melt a little coconut oil and pour it into the bottle. You know have quite a few good fat calories that can be carried in your cargo pocket or a backpack. You could also use olive oil.

Keep some nuts handy as well as beef jerky.

Over a weekend, if you have to miss a meal or two, it's not such a big deal. If you're deployed and out on a patrol, you never know when you may get another meal, so eat whenever you can. The tuna and oil bottle are easily thrown in a rucksack and a few days worth won't take up any more space than field stripped MRE's.

I hope that helps.

[XYZ]

One other point, with our chosen profession we are already deciding to do things which may be harmful to our health, i.e. getting shot at.

We may occasionally have to do things that may hurt us in the long run in order to survive in the meantime. In other words, you may very well have to suck down an MRE because there is no other food available. You may have to sit down to dinner with an Afghan family and eat a plateful of rice with a few ounces of goat meat in order to win their trust.

Just remember, those of us who have chosen to be protectors, may not always be able to what is best for ourselves in order to do what's best for the rest.

[elorajade]

Greensprout! My husband is military, we're currently in Greenwood (well I am) and he is in "SE Asia". Canadas worst kept secret. He's complained about the ration packs for a long time, but from what he told me, there does seem to be a lot that are protein heavy (lung in a bag jumps out at me).

[AppalachianMatt]

Oddly enough I used to love MRE's but could never take the DFAC nonsense. Of course this was before going Primal but it's hard b/c the Army does cram us full of crap and expect warriors in return. Well one good thing to know is that the Military is now realizing the error of their ways consideirng most American Adults don't qualify to serve anymore. Thats why we're seeing the shift from long runs to sprints and the dismal of bayonette training. It will take a while b/c 1. it's Gov't. 2. It's the military and that just doubles the bureaucracy. but they'll get there. Just eat good away for 28 days of the month and enjoy the nastiness for 2 days.

[gcube21]

fit4lifegal, I recently got out of active duty army in october so I know what you're talking about. i'd suggest what the other users said for the weekend drills...beef jerky, nuts, maybe even some dried fruit. also, they sell almond butter packets at some health stores, so maybe stack up on some of those and you can just squeeze them in your mouth for some quick fuel. maybe you could make your own fatty/protein bars. being in Iraq for 15 months was probably the worst though...had no other choice but to eat what was given to you, and it was never anything good for your body.

[MalPaz]

bring pemmican....