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US Military Creates Indestructible Sandwich
Spudley writes "They're capable of surviving airdrops and extreme climates, and able to stay fresh for over 3 years, and the US military wants them to supplement their existing battlefield rations. The article predicts they'll eventually make it to the grocery store too. Apparently, soldiers who tried the pepperoni and barbecue-chicken pocket sandwiches have found them "acceptable"."
Scientist - "So, how do you like these new sandwiches?"
Tired Grunt - "These taste like absolute shit, the only reason I'm eating this is because I haven't eaten all day and I'm hungry as hell."
Scientist jots down "acceptable".
This is good news because it isn't that good for you to subsist on nothing but Twinkies.
--MarkusQ
"They're capable of surviving airdrops and extreme climates, and able to stay fresh for over 3 years, and the US military wants them to supplement their existing battlefield rations. The article predicts they'll eventually make it to the grocery store too. Apparently, soldiers who tried the pepperoni and barbecue-chicken pocket sandwiches have found them "acceptable"."
So if they're capable of surviving all that trauma and still able to "keep fresh", I have to wonder if they're not too durable.
Like, for example, if, after being eaten, the chewed up sandwich comes out the other end looking essentially the same as when it went down the esophagous.
My guideline: if bugs and bacteria don't like to eat something, then it's probably not meant for human consumption, either.
"Provided by the management for your protection."
Why not eat your enemies it would give you incentive to kill kill kill !!!
Well, for one thing, you'd still have to carry in all the condements, etc. For another, most of my enemies aren't backpackers, so I'd have to haul them in too. And lastly, given what I think most of them are full of, I'm not sure I'd like the taste.
MREs seem a lot easier and more appitizing.
-- MarkusQ
I am not a soldier, but I find MREs wonderful for certain kinds of activity (long bike rides, a few days' camping). They're vastly preferable to freeze-dried food (which are still lighter, since they have no water, and are the only option for long-term use unless you want live off the land.)
You don't eat 'em until you're hungry, and then they're very filling, which is all you want. And they don't taste nearly as bad as the jokes I've read so far here. They're actually quite tasty. Hardly haute cuisine, but at least as good as most American fast food. That may not seem like praise, but you've seen the numbers in which people scarf that up.
The single coolest thing about them is the heater packs. They come with bags containing a sheet of some chemical which reacts with water to give off a LOT of heat (and hydrogen gas). They're capable of taking food from frozen to too-hot-to-eat in a few minutes, without building a fire. Nothing makes a cold, miserable person happier faster than hot food.
The second coolest thing is the mini-bottles of Tabasco sauce.