Perusing the Sunday New York Times today I found an interesting article about “a taste of home.” Now, currently in my refrigerator I have some delicious peaches, and plenty of broccoli, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, avocados, bananas, etc.
Now, if I was in the middle of Afghanistan would my mind wander to these fruits and vegetables currently in my fridge, or would my mind wander to my favorite Chinese, Italian, or Japanese restaurants? Or, would I pine for my favorite meals Mom would make growing up?
This story was about the meals soldiers eat in the middle of Afghanistan and how each of nearly 50 nations serving over there feed their military. Being that these meals come in small packets that the U.S. calls M.R.E.’s, meals ready to eat, these militaries must get creative and give the soldiers a little taste of home.
Whereas an American meal can consist of pork ribs, BBQ sauce, and peanut butter, a French soldier’s meal packet will consist of venison pate, fish soup, and rice pudding. A Ukrainian would have barley porridge with beef, and herrings in oil, whereas a British soldier would receive lamb curry, and bacon omelet with beans. The Danish infantryman will get meat balls in brown sauce, and that got me to start thinking of Mom’s famous Swedish meat balls!
There is a very interesting slide show that shows the different meals these soldiers get on the battlefield here below:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/09/04/weekinreview/20100905_gilbertson.html?ref=weekinreview
The article mentions that other nations love the American M.R.E.’s, even the sophisticated palates of the French “look forward to the visiting Americans and their hamburgers, chili, candy, and peanut butter.”
Will a vegan or vegetarian diet be better for the fighting soldier? Well, I am all for worrying about my own diet, and those of our children, and let those guys over in Afghanistan eat whatever the hell they want!
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