24 hour ration packs

spamel

Banned
Feb 15, 2005
6,833
21
48
Silkstone, Blighty!
I reckon that it would be fairly easy to make up the old style tinned rations from stuff in the shops. Bacon grill can be bought in tins, as can small half tin size tins of beans. There was a mixed veg in a half tin too, but I only ever had it once. After heating it up and opening the tin to have boiling hot veg water squirt all over me, I tended to steer clear of it afterwards! Can you get tinned babies' heads? No doubt tinned chicken curry is available. Tinned fruit salad was one of my favourites, I always saved the cherry till last!

Porridge oats can be packaged up in individual days ration sized bags, or just have a big bag and work on a handful or two for your breakfast, depending on how big an appetite you have. Rice is easily found so no problem there. Boiled sweets, matches, chewing gum, brew kits from service stations, all of these items are readily available. Oxo cubes or bovril, a few cup-o'-soups, I reckon that would just about do it. The only thing difficult to find would be the apple flakes, possibly the nicest thing ever in a military ration pack bar the french rations' coffee and soup packs. There's a few menues worth there anyway. I might try and knock one or two up myself.
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
27
70
south wales
I reckon that it would be fairly easy to make up the old style tinned rations from stuff in the shops. Bacon grill can be bought in tins, as can small half tin size tins of beans. There was a mixed veg in a half tin too, but I only ever had it once. After heating it up and opening the tin to have boiling hot veg water squirt all over me, I tended to steer clear of it afterwards! Can you get tinned babies' heads? No doubt tinned chicken curry is available. Tinned fruit salad was one of my favourites, I always saved the cherry till last!

Porridge oats can be packaged up in individual days ration sized bags, or just have a big bag and work on a handful or two for your breakfast, depending on how big an appetite you have. Rice is easily found so no problem there. Boiled sweets, matches, chewing gum, brew kits from service stations, all of these items are readily available. Oxo cubes or bovril, a few cup-o'-soups, I reckon that would just about do it. The only thing difficult to find would be the apple flakes, possibly the nicest thing ever in a military ration pack bar the french rations' coffee and soup packs. There's a few menues worth there anyway. I might try and knock one or two up myself.

Babies heads are still readily available, and for apple flakes, look at dried apple baby food :)

Anyone for canned bacon ?
http://www.mredepot.com/servlet/the-364/Yoder’s-Celebrity-Canned-Bacon/Detail
 

lostplanet

Full Member
Aug 18, 2005
2,147
247
54
Kent
http://www.surplusandoutdoors.com/ishop/877/shopscr409.html
http://www.mreinfo.com/international/great-britain/british-24-hour-ration-packs.html

if you are looking for something to replace the Boil bags, look at this website, the rest could proably be replaced with better quality cheaper products from any supermarket. do you really want 'biscuits brown'?

http://www.lookwhatwefound.co.uk/store/index.php

check the calories tho as last time I looked they were a bit lacking.....

Edit: Reread Spamels post...sorry to repeat.
 

clcuckow

Settler
Oct 17, 2003
795
1
Merseyside, Cheshire
Have you also seen those 2 min. meals that sainbury's. The long life pouche's that take two mins in the microwave but like a lot of these meals if you watch them you can boil in the bag them. The range is very good to:

(takes from sainsburys.com 22/07/2008 all are single servings)

Starches

Sainsbury's 2 Minute Meal Microwave Pilau Basmati Rice 250g 79p
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Meal Egg Spaghetti 220g 79p
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Meal Egg Noodles 220g 79p
Sainsbury's 2 Minute Long Grain Rice 250g 79p
Sainsbury's 2 Minute Meal Chinese Egg Fried Rice 250g 79p
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Wholegrain Rice 250g 79p

The Stuff You Put On Top :)

Sainsbury's 2-Minute Meal Chicken Tikka 200g £1.29
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Meal Chicken Korma 200g £1.29
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Chicken Balti 200g £1.29
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Meatballs Tomato Sauce 200g £1.29
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Chilli Con Carne 200g £1.29
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Meal Bolognese 200g £1.29
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Meal Sweet & Sour 200g £1.29
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Thai Green Chicken 200g £1.29

The following are not on the Website but are in my local stores and I think by the price are being discontinued.

Sainsbury's 2-Minute Wholewheat Fusilli 220g 31p
Sainsbury's 2-Minute Carbonara 200g 90p

Not much for you Veggies but them most of the other ranges of this type are meat-free anyway.

What I particulaly like in the fact that the starches and mains are seperate and not all mushed up together like the 'camping' meals like Wayfarer.

Edit: It took me that long to type it in lostplanet beat me to the punch :D
 

SMARTY

Nomad
May 4, 2005
382
3
60
UAE
www.survivalwisdom.com
Have you tried approaching your nearest army, unit. there is usually a load of stuff being thrown away or written off etc. It may be worth a phone call. Nothing ventured etc......
 

mountain_necro_goat

Tenderfoot
Feb 6, 2008
51
0
43
Co. Armagh N.Ireland
Thank folks for all you advice, I think i'll order a few from Genuine Army Surplus ( thanks for the link scanker) to give them a try, they are a bargin. I have a trip planned at the start of next month. A two day hike of the Mourne wall. Hardliners can do it in a day but I want to take in the solitude.

Once again cheers for all you help.
 

crazyclimber

Need to contact Admin...
Jul 20, 2007
571
2
UK / Qatar
Maybe too late now but I can also recommend GAS - had a few orders from them in the past (including 40 rat packs that raised some eyebrows from my housemates!), always found them fast, friendly and helpful
 

susi

Nomad
Jul 23, 2008
421
0
Finland
Thank folks for all you advice, I think i'll order a few from Genuine Army Surplus


Would be interested to hear how good they are nowadays.

The last time I lived off rat-packs, the tins were labelled:

bacon grill
pork chunks
ham roll

but all the tins contained exactly the same stuff.

The only redeeming feature was getting to eat a tube of spangles every day. :)
 

crazyclimber

Need to contact Admin...
Jul 20, 2007
571
2
UK / Qatar
GAS....have you got their web address crazyclimber

sorry GAS being Genuine Army Surplus http://www.genuinearmysurplus.co.uk/

Susi I am a fan of them, they taste pretty good IMHO and their convenience takes some beating. At roughly a fiver a pack once you factor in postage they also work out fairly cheap in comparison to the commercial camping meals. To me the only real downside is the weight since the meals are all hydrated. The upside to that - when you're cold, tired and hungry they can be eaten cold or reheated very fast. There's a full review of one on BB: http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45589

Ioan
 

lostplanet

Full Member
Aug 18, 2005
2,147
247
54
Kent
If you can get them for under £5.00 they are Ok, apart from the BIB's, I think you are carrying a food that reminds me of 'old librarys' :confused:

Each to there own tho..........

It's a good idea to test the menus before you buy in bulk... I bought a 10 box of Menu 'cant remember' but it had all mains of 'chicken stew and dumplings' TBH I wouldnt have given it to my dog, pretty rank unfortunatley but steak and veg is nice also lancashire hotpot..
 

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