# IMP‘s



## cagomez (28 Jan 2002)

Just got off a field ex. The only imp packs they had left was the god awful hamsteak and pineapple. I hate hamsteak. Now I hear there is a hamsteak in raisinsauce of somesort. What the ****  kind of sick twisted idea is that. I guess I can‘t complain though, are food is better than anybody else‘s out there. Just get rd of the damn hamsteak !


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## fortuncookie5084 (28 Jan 2002)

You know, I had ham steak and pineapple 4 meals in a row once while on ex (yeah I know...they‘re supposed to distribute Supper meals, right...) and now I‘ve never liked it since.  Ham steak and raisin is a worse combination!  It‘s awful, but some of the new IMPs are really great.  But my fav it still Hungarian Goulash.  Always remember, Canada‘s field rations are the best anywhere.  Just ask any British or French soldier about theirs.


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## cagomez (28 Jan 2002)

totally agree. When I first joined I was deathly afraid of what they night feed us. Saw british rats that looked like dogfood and dont even want to think how the yanks manage to liquifiy beef and turn it white (a la SOS - sh## on a shingle) I really enjoy most IMP WHEN HEATED especially the pastas. I was really excited when my unit started handing out chemical heater bags. You simply fill with water and through in the meal. No more stoves needed !!! The gum, chocolate, cookies, crackers, coffee etc that come with the packs are quite nice but generate way too much garbage, espeically when you have ruck out your own garbage. I almost always have to take a few minutes to pilfer through every pack I get to get the stuff I will actually have to eat, so I can cut down on room taken up in my ruck. Still there is nothing better than sitting nice to a steaming foil bag of lasagna or chilie during winter indoc. We have to be the best fed army in NATO !!


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## rceme_rat (28 Jan 2002)

Count yourself lucky that you didn‘t have to eat the ham omelette - looked, and probably tasted, like a lung.  I saw garbage bags torn apart by bears - everything was rooted through, but even the bears left the omelettes to rot.

Strangely, I know of one soldier who would trade anything to get one of these!  He liked them on toast with ketchup.  Maybe you need to recruit somebody like this into your section.


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## Soldier of Fortune (28 Jan 2002)

I heard in Vietnam the soldiers used C4 to heat there meals, now theres an Idea...

I also think that the worst desert is the cherries. There absolutely disguting! Nothing beats the peaches though.


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## McG (28 Jan 2002)

The Hamsteak & pineapple is not so bad, it only seems that way because there were so large a ratio of them to other breakfasts . . . you were luck when you got something else.  That problem seems to have been corrected in to 2000 meals.

SoF, the pitted cherries are an improvment (but only slightly) over the old un-pitted variety.

. . . and the most chilling news of all, there is a new omelette.  This one is served with salsa.  If anybody has tried this one, I‘d be intrested to hear how stomachable it is.


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## armd_recce (29 Jan 2002)

I have heard mixed opinions on the cheese omelette w/ salsa, but it‘s now my new favourite IMP. It‘s really fantastic. It may sound bad, but somehow they pulled it off. IIRC, it isn‘t made by FreddyChef, but by some company in the US.
And no, I‘m not some IMP sicko who eats the baked cherry dessert =)


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## Mike Bobbitt (29 Jan 2002)

Why not create a poll? See what people like and don‘t...


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## Sharpey (29 Jan 2002)

Gimme Salisbury steak slapped between that pathetic piece of expandable bread, good burger! The beef jerky supplement is a nice change.


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## cagomez (29 Jan 2002)

Any pasta, chilie, beef stew, and chicken w gravy or caccitore      . The gross ones are anything ham or egg and cabbage rolls  :crybaby:   My prefernce is heated but will eat cold in desperate circumstances. Those green goodie bags are really cool. Never been a fan of beef jerky but I love those apple chips. All those sweets, crackers, and cookies are a god send    

One question, does the omlette w salsa come witha tiny bag of bland discount nachos ?


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## cagomez (29 Jan 2002)

Forgot the fruit. Peaches, apples chunks (Its really sauce right ?) and fruit salad rule. The cherries and pears and baked dessert are pretty ruthless. On course had a friend throw his dessert in the pressure cooker instead of his meal. Our Sgt really gave it to him, sucker


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## Soldier of Fortune (29 Jan 2002)

Can somebody please tell me how to make that small loaf of bread bigger, I heard you could with water or something but I haven‘t figured it out. I‘ve been stuck eating it the way it comes.


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## Sharpey (29 Jan 2002)

To expand the bread just leave it in the pouch, sealed, and throw it in your pot of boiling water for a few minutes. Remember those expandable sponge toys when we were kids.... Anyway, the bread doesnt expand much, but it gives you the appearance that you are getting more than you actually are!


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## cagomez (29 Jan 2002)

I had no idea you could cook the bread. Does it taste any better and what about that little packet of unedible powder, should that stuff be a worry. I dont mind the bread but I find it very dry. Maybe this is a solution.


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## Sharpey (29 Jan 2002)

No, still tastes bland. I don‘t think that package is edible either! But I know the Racoons in Pet enjoy them!


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## cagomez (29 Jan 2002)

In that case maybe I wont try cooking it. Just dont trust that powder stuff   :skull:  The bread is alright if just dunk it in any left over juice from the meal. Doesnt seem as dry and it will actually give it some flavour. The left over juice is good for mixing the potatoes and the rice as well. Just make sure its still hot.


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## Marauder (30 Jan 2002)

I‘m with the rest of you guys... I find half of them palatable, while the other half make me wonder why the company that manufactures them hates us poor animals that can‘t access a mess hall while on base.   
Anyway, the one I absolutley love is the chop suey. That‘s good eatin‘. My other two favs are breakfast ones... the aformentioned omelette and the sausage ‘n taters one. Both sorta take some getting used to, but I now love them. The sausage and potatoes one is the only one I can scarf down cold.
I find that the best way to deal with the craptacular ones is to just throw all the assorted junk they package with the meals in the bag after opening. You get enough condiments, candy, sugar, coffee, and the whitener, then you really can‘t taste the base taste for all the other junk. Plus it gives a very interesting texture and smell. LMAO

Of course, most of the time when you have to resort to downing an IMP, you are dogass tired and sore and couldn‘t really care what you‘re stuffing in your craw. LOL

So ahhh, which of you guys has the chop suey? Oh, you wanna trade some cabbage rolls for that?


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## rceme_rat (30 Jan 2002)

> Of course, most of the time when you have to resort to downing an IMP, you are dogass tired and sore and couldn‘t really care what you‘re stuffing in your craw. LOL


Don‘t tell me you‘ve never taken home unused IMPs after ex and used them camping - or for those days you just don‘t feel like cooking.  Except for a few, I generally enjoyed them.  Particularly the lasagna.


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## Sharpey (30 Jan 2002)

I gotta tell ya, Beans and Weiners Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner! You just pay for it at end ex! My only solution for the IMP is to bring your Habachi and some sausage! Set that up on your Itlis hood and your laughing.


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## John Nayduk (30 Jan 2002)

Hey Sharpey! What is it about Windsor guys and Habachis?


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## Sharpey (30 Jan 2002)

Tell me about it! A certain MCPL comes to mind....  What can I say, we know how to live! (no offence to the others out there)


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## sgtdixon (30 Jan 2002)

Now this is My first post and i may be out of my league but im an Air Cadet with 868 Northstar Squadron in Alberta and when ever my unit does Ex.‘s with our sister army cadet unit (Engineers) we get royally shafted. We will have box after tampered Box of Egg Lungs and Salisbury Steak coming out of our ears. whereas the Army Cdts. Have the good Munchies, Such as the Sausage and Taters and The Salsa Chese Omlette. Any one here Know how myself and the Other Squadron Sgt.s can get back at these Guys?
Thanks


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## colgan (30 Jan 2002)

yeh ,  join the army cadets


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## sgtdixon (30 Jan 2002)

Ummm......No
No if i Transferred to the Engineers in my area i would lose my rank that i spen four working for. Its hard to be a Sgt. in the Air Cadets ohh well.
  :sniper:


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## enfield (30 Jan 2002)

Beans and Weiners all the way. The peaches are amazing for desert....
I think I‘ve actually had time to cook an IMP, even with the new heating bags, maybe twice. Making coffee/hot chocolate is always out of the question. 

I‘ve heard that when the CAR was in Somalia all they had was IMP‘s to eat for the whole tour, and this lad to many of them refusing to eat IMP‘s ever again - is this an urban myth, or true? The one Somalia vet I‘ve seen in the field defintley brought his own food.


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## Garett (30 Jan 2002)

What pisses me off about IMPs is that sometimes you think you‘re going to get some thing good and you get some other meal in its place.  We were on 4 IMPs a day this past summer but theres no way that there was time to eat 4 rations.  They just kept piling up in the patrol base then on the defensive position.  That new hot chocolate in the breakfasts which are in the brown bags is pretty damn good though.  I‘m a beans/  tortellini fan for sure.  I think fights would of broken out this summer if someone got caught stealing tortellini.

Yeah the CAR was on IMPs for a long time, the whole tour I think.  Although the author of Somalia On $5.00 a day says that they were worst off then the CAR.

My question is......has anyone actually filled out and sent one of those IMP surveys????
I think the kids in my neighbourhood are a little nuts, I give them left over IMPs when I get home from EX‘s and they eat them.


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## Sharpey (30 Jan 2002)

Those cards in the IMP‘s are simply there to bring down our morale in the field. When scanning through the "menu" you will find many good sounding meals, but they are never ever issued to the soldiers! I beleive the big cheeses in Ottawa are holding thoes ones back incase of an unlikely air raid!
 After a week in the field, your socks start looking mighty tasty!
 On the IMP subject, I have heard that Rats are not to be eaten for longer than four days straight with out a fresh supplament, any thoughts on that one?


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## astrof (30 Jan 2002)

Jumping in a little late, I dont know about the CAR in somalia but I do know that in Kosovo some of the strats were eating rats upwards to 60 days before fresh stuff started showing up.

Reference comment cards in IMP packs they do actually pay attention to them or so I have been told by someone who has filed one, but alas just because they take off one meal doesnt mean that the new one that replaces will be any better. 
Hey wheres my peanut butter in the tube not this packet they have now!


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## fortuncookie5084 (31 Jan 2002)

Ref the IMP comment card, I filled one out once just to make sure they knew what I thought of the baked cherry dessert.


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## Brad Sallows (31 Jan 2002)

Me too.  I collect all the comment cards on each exercise (no-one else uses them) and write that the fruitcake-style desserts are excellent.


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## Fishbone Jones (31 Jan 2002)

Wait till you get the salmon filet! I‘d give my right nut for a box of them. The bread thing works great and is something we‘ve done in Windsor for a while. As for the cherry cake... heat it up, add some rum (when your camping    ), just like Xmas!
I have some friends that were with the RCD in Somolia and they will never touch IMP‘s again. Still get bouts of a wierd bug from it. They‘ll only have the coffee and hot chocolate if pressed.


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## portcullisguy (1 Feb 2002)

Last winter, while looking into joining the reserves, I attended an information night at the QYR down at Fort York Armoury.

They gave out a selection of IMP‘s to civvies like me who attended.

I can‘t, for the life of me, remember what the entre was, but I do remember it tasted like **** luke warm (I hadn‘t let the water fully boil).  The bread was god-awful, even smearing honey on it.  The treats were cool.  The powdered juice drink was not bad (can you put that in a canteen?).  All in all, not a bad catch, but way too much garbage generated if I had to eat it in the field and take the rubbish out with me.

I don‘t want to think about living off them for long though.

Do guys not get together and toss unwanted items into a garbage bag and have a mix-up with the other squaddies?  If you play mix-n-match, you can probably get what you want.

Now that I am joining... will the army go ape **** if I bring a supply of store-bought beef jerky and other snacks with me on ex/trg?


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## cagomez (1 Feb 2002)

I usually bring something of my own into the field every now and again. Im not talking about a friggin grocery bag worth of goodies but maybe a chocolate bar or two. For long, physically enduring ex‘s I may bring a few powerbars or those dried leather fruit things. Dont even try to put anything in your canteen that isnt clean, drinkable water. You contaminate it in any way your screwed. You want to mix juice or coffee or anything use the paper juice bags the issue or a separate cup. Every now and again I may bring my camelback with and a few other guys in my sect have brought things  like descent gourmet coffee grinds and tobasco sauce to livin up their meals. Just remember, you want it you carry it.


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## Sharpey (1 Feb 2002)

I don‘t know about the other units, but for the Windsor guys, bringing normal food (especially pepperoni‘s) into the field is SOP! While on excercise, what sounds better, IMP‘s or McDonalds?
 I have seen an SHQ set up in the field with a full meet and cheese buffet laid out on a table.... now thats roughing it!


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## cagomez (1 Feb 2002)

Most units also operate their own canteens. They sell things like chocolate, pop, gatorade, chips, meatsticks and an assortment of unhealthy items. Since the profit usually goes directly back to the unit they will truck it into every ex they can and encourage you to buy things. If they trust you they may give out chits (credit). Some canteens may also operate small kitshops as well. On my course, the profits from our canteen paid for some real nice course photos. Some other courses got camelbacks and the guys off of tours scored some really really cool kit. So go ahead and buy all the junk you can get your hands on, its for a good cause. 

"Come on bloggins, I saw you eyeing that mars bar !"


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## rceme_rat (1 Feb 2002)

The canteens do a mean business.  My troop canteen made more money off a 6 week deployment than the regt‘s canteen could make in a year - something about having the closest fridge to the gun park


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## enfield (1 Feb 2002)

Doing a week long FIBUA ex in Ft Lewis last year we stopped at the PX befor ethe big final weekend. Some of the guys discoevered that they sold 3 pound bags of gumy bears... And pomptly bought about 2 each. One guy had nothing in his buttpack but gummies all weekend, the others had rucksacks with 6lbs of gummies in them! They were awful popular...

Doing enema force with a Service Batt. last year, when it came time to have supper at 0800, pitch dark they had a "tactical feed", at 50%. 
So while half of the unit sat in positions (ie, laid on the ground, they didn‘t dig in) the other half went to the buffet style feed of fresh food, with 6 ML‘s parked arund it with their lights shining in, and everyone laughing and joking and talking. Us INfantry guys just about fell over when we saw it.
(shouldn‘t have been a surprise tho, since we had McD‘s for breakfast) 

If your a C9 gunner, mag pouches make great candy bar holders...


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## Sharpey (1 Feb 2002)

Lets rank the wonderful CF IMP‘s! Freddy Chef, let the truth be known...


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## sgtdixon (2 Feb 2002)

Mmmmm Free IMP‘s
Last Thursday i was doing inventory at my Squadrons Supply Depot :the CO‘s Basment ands Garage and it was tasked upon me to fill out form stating what we had and what we needed. Well the CO‘ was so Impressed with me and my two Corporals that she decided to Review the forms and some how the inventory list of IMP‘s came up two boxes Short, dont know how that happened    ...hehe... so i drove my two assistants home with my new cargo of a box of Dinner and a Box of Breakfast IMP‘s. Divvied em up, gave a half box each of Brwakfast IMP‘s to my corporals and traded a Chop Suey to each for two Cheese Omellettes with Salsa and we parted ways for the evening. Also on the note of bringing Snackies, supplements and otherwise I usually bring about 10 bucks worth of beefjerky and I have a C7 Mag Pouch on my Mixed canadian Load Bearing Vest(Canadian Web Belt, American Suspenders and a US Compass pouch, Various canadian Pouches etc.)  that is filled with eating accoutrements  such as: 1 large bottle of Louisana Hot Sauce, 3 Tubes Honey, 3 Tubes Peanut Butter and one of those salt shaker dealie that I Picked up at wal mart for Four Bucks and its got like 8 diffrent spices etc. and My KFS somewhere in there, now that is the only way to survive a one week cadet ex on 3 IMPS a Day.


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## Spr Earl (2 Feb 2002)

Back in 76 when I joined ( Centurion was a Tank not a Rank      )
the rat‘s we got were all tinned i.e. bacon ,corned beef,smoked sardines,oyster‘s ,chili con carne etc.

 The best one was when we made corned beef Hash with the powdered spud‘s ooooh it was great after bustin your arse then open your tin of fruit cocktail ,more taste and flavour than today‘s rat‘s.

 The only draw back was the condiment pack which came with fresh meat sometime‘s i.e weavel‘s.(Ate those to)    

 The cracker‘s were better than we get now,also the cheese and penis butter,even got the last of the rat‘s issued with smoke‘s,they stopped that due to the smoke‘s contaminating the candy and other food stuff‘s with nicotine     :skull:  .

 They were a bitch to pack in you‘r webbing and ruck and added a bit more weight but over all were very good .      

 Can still smell and taste that hash      .

 As for today‘s    :boring:   In my opinion , you can‘t can‘t cook up like before with the bacon,corned beef etc.


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## sgtdixon (3 Feb 2002)

Mmmmmmm......Corned Beef Hash.....
Hey Spr. Earl have you been raiding my cupboards up here in the Fort? I live with my father here hes Ex Airborne (Service Commando, MSE/OP) and that seems to be the only thing he ever Ate when he was in the forces. I wonder if my brass would mind if i humped in a couple cans of Corned Beef, you know that Hereford stuff. Anyways IMP‘s are Better now than ever, i have tried US C rats and British Cold Mutton in a Can and IMP‘s Far surpass them in Nutrition and Taste (Well some do). The Current US MRE‘s(Meals Refused by Ethiopians) are ok too, but they have tobasco in ‘em so that ‘enuff. Otherwise its Chop Suey and Salmon All the way!

This is Dixon Out (Until the invent a self-heating Peice of Pizza and a self-chilling can of Beer!)
  :fifty:


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## Fishbone Jones (3 Feb 2002)

Dixon,
They marketed a self chilling beer in the states about ten years ago. Never caught on, totally beyond me why not.

Spr Earl
Have to concur, but I was always partial to the bacon. Thing I couldn‘t stand was the way the Charms hard candies had always returned to their natural state of sticky syrup, no use trying to peel the wrapper, just put em in your mouth and spit out the plastic when the candy was gone!


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## Argyll_2347 (3 Feb 2002)

Who in the right mind likes Ham Steak!?!?!


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## bender (3 Feb 2002)

What about chicken breast, and beef tortaliny? Now that‘s good eatin‘!


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## Spanky (3 Feb 2002)

Veal Cutlet is the WORST!!!!!!!  It gave me food poisoning.  Meaford... late at night.... in the field...no ****ters.... coming out both ends... need I say more?  :crybaby:


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## Spanky (3 Feb 2002)

Ah Yes!  Underwood Deviled Ham, Vienna Sausage, bacon in a can!  What memories!


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## Black6 (5 Feb 2002)

Restore the Ham Vomelette breakfast...yummy!


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## ryemaybee (7 Feb 2002)

I vote for Chili Con Carne! It has the added bonus of either clearing the alrgest sleeping space in your trench/OP or when wearing your new jammy goretex snowpants keeping your bum and legs warm through the inevitable gas emissions.


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## cagomez (7 Feb 2002)

Chilie rules, and it comes with hot sauce !!!  :evil:


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## NormR (13 Nov 2002)

Question to all those Reg/Res ppl who have eaten the IMP/MRE.  Which is the better Rat in your opinion?


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## combat_medic (13 Nov 2002)

I like the IMP better, but I love the MRE heater and the little baggie with the coffee/tea/tabasco sauce. It‘s quite convenient, but the MRE meal tastes like cardboard. The IMPs seem to be improving lately too.


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## Sharpey (13 Nov 2002)

I like the wee little bottles of Tobasco that come the the MRE‘s      I‘ve also discovered that Salisbury Steak and the Meatloaf appear to be the same slab of "meat" with a different gravy!


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## NormR (13 Nov 2002)

OKay then how would you like to see the IMP improved? 
Would such things as the MRE Tobassco Sauce suppliment be useful? 
What other condiments should be added to basic IMP?


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## Sharpey (13 Nov 2002)

OK then...wee little bottles of Rum      . Hey, look back at WWI, why did the SRD (service rum diluted) get taken out of the system?

Seriously though, take the jerky from the supliments (that are rarly seen) and putting them into the IMPs. mmmm, jeeerrrky.

Secondly, at least the IMPs are now brown instead of the flashy white. Nothing like seeing an Iltis blow by with all the little white packets bouncing around in the back. Oh wait for it...CADPAT!


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## NormR (13 Nov 2002)

Thanks for the info...
BTW:
1] Is there a link or URL which actually lists all the IMP meals and suppliments that are available?
2] Can the IMP‘s be purchased commercially from outside sources? If so from whom...?... other then surplus sources..


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## ArmyBoyzGurl (13 Nov 2002)

know what the SICK thing is? they STILL feed the old white pack IMP‘s to cadets on their field ex‘s.. LOL.. and on the survival instructor course, they get 1 ever 24 hours for 2 weeks... VICIOUS...      :crybaby:


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## Korus (14 Nov 2002)

Hey, I like IMPs... Honestley!

Which ones are good? a few, can‘t name any off hand. But I have learnt to avoid the beef-teryaki (sp?) when it‘s cold.


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## Pikache (14 Nov 2002)

Avoid anything ham steak and blargh.
Avoid salmon when cold.


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## combat_medic (14 Nov 2002)

The sausage and Hash browns are pretty good for breakfast. And people may say I‘m crazy, but I actually really like the cabbage rolls. I liked the Macaroni and Cheese, but I‘m told that they took it out of the system... anyone know for sure? 

I concur, avoid the Hamsteak and Pineapple (I think it‘s Hamsteak and Raisins now).


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## Jarnhamar (14 Nov 2002)

I always bring my own food on excersises. Granola bars, cerial bars, few packages of cup a soup. Odd snacks.  I couldnt stand sitting down to eat only to have to throw the food away and run to a trench or leave it for later and its cold.


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## Sharpey (14 Nov 2002)

Hey, after going 24 - 36 hours without having a chance to eat, i‘ll eat any IMP cold, except cabbage rolls, i would rather starve!


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## Hayrick (14 Nov 2002)

I don‘t know if you guys would agree but what I miss the most from IMP‘s is the old style tube of peanut butter.  Now they have the packets.  I used to trade people for that stuff.  It handy to have on patrol.  Keep in an accessable pocket and munch while you walk.  It helped to keep hunger away for at least a while longer.


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## Spr.Earl (15 Nov 2002)

Give me the old heavy rat‘s were you could make corned beef hash ,eat smoked sardine‘s ,canned bacon and weenie‘s,chili con carne etc.
All the good poop   

 Ah the good old day‘s


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## max flinch (16 Nov 2002)

I always found the key to happiness in a long term relationship with IMP‘s consisted of two items: A box of granola bars in your ruck(one a day keeps you regular, regardless of how many times a day you eat a hot lung omlette) and a bottle of tobasco sauce in your webbing (because tobasco sets the standard for spicing things up!).
I still laugh thinking about haybox buffets from a canteen cup - start with the cherry pie on top, and work your way down to the porkchops and peas at the bottom (Canteen cup is easier to carry with one hand, and all good troops should have their own thermal mug to hold hot bevvies anyways...)


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## portcullisguy (17 Nov 2002)

My uncle, a retired Lt-Cdr (RN), told me once that  *curry* is a standard ingredient in any British survival kit, particularly RAF and RN pilot kits.

The reason?  You can eat almost anything once you‘ve doused it in curry, much like tobasco.  And curry powder can be carried in a piece of folded paper or small packet, as opposed to the mini-bottles that tobasco normally comes in.


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## sgtdixon (18 Nov 2002)

I went on the Survival Instructors Course this summer and we ate the White IMP‘s alot, I had on labelled "90" ewww.. A funny thing that happened though was that the only muslim guy on the course got the one meal per 3 days ration which turned out for him to be (wait for it)     Ham Steak     oh man that guy looked like he had been stuck in a dungeon for a week hehe.. and on the topic that we get one every 24 hrs for two weeks we got them in the following schedule. Canoe Training 3 a day for 3 days, and our duo and our solo1 every 3 days field stripped down to either the meal of dessert.


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## Sharpey (18 Nov 2002)

ummmm...isn‘t the shelf life on an IMP only 3 years? Yuk, I would rather have chewed on some bark than eat 12 year old IMP‘s!


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## Korus (18 Nov 2002)

I‘ve just gotta say, IMPs are better than hayboxes. Though, maybe that‘s because just about all we ate on my basic was out of hayboxes, and I got sick of ‘em after the first couple weeks.


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## NormR (20 Nov 2002)

Sounds like some good Ideas out there, the tobassco sause and the curry spice. Any others.. I have come across a spice cachet that contain 6 or 7 different spices that can make the rat taste better. Garlic, Salt,and Pepper would be at the top of the list.
Also per my previous post has anyone come across a link for the complete list of available IMP‘s and where I can find sources other then Surplus suppliers?


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## Sharpey (20 Nov 2002)

I‘m still for the rum ration     As for finding a supplier, I couldn‘t find any either. But, I do have a wack of 95‘s in the basement! Though, I wouldn‘t recommend munching on those now.


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## NormR (20 Nov 2002)

Hey Sharpey, thanks for the idea, but I think there is a 3 year limit on those things.... Right?
I have a box or 2 of 97‘s, I keep around for camp expeditions when I have to feed myself. 
But seriously!! 
Are there other sources for IMP‘s out there? 
What is the oldest IMP anyone has tried without food poisoning.


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## sgtdixon (23 Nov 2002)

Oldest IMP Ive Eaten:
Salisbury Steak
1991
No Poisoning


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## SpinDoc (29 Nov 2002)

A recipe my trench partner had was to mix the instant mashed potatos with the package of Lipton soup to make it nice and thick and boiled it all up using a heat tab under the canteen cup.  I never tried it though but it looked pretty good.

Chipmunks in Gagetwon seem to love the bread though.  It was recce week and we had a box of unopened IMPs (still in cardboard) in one of the hooches (we didn‘t have time to distribute them) and when we came back from patrol, there was shredded cardboard everywhere.  Those chipmunks gnawed a hole through the side of the cardboard box and proceeded to rip open all 10 of the IMPs to get at the bread.  Didn‘t touch anything else, just the bloody bread.  Oy.

I vote for those water-activated heating sleeves to be included in all IMPs.  Beats lugging around a stove AND it‘s quicker!

My complaint about IMPs in general is that the meals are too saucy.  They are too wet!  Why can‘t they all be like the Sausages and Hashbrowns meal?  That‘s nice and dry, no messy sauce...


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## sgtdixon (1 Dec 2002)

Sausage and Browns   :blotto:   Oh man i would trade almost anything for those, but they should make Eggs and Corned Beef Hash IMP‘s with salsa topping, and a mini TV to catch NASCAR on sundays, and.....(on he goes with Wishlist)


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## SpinDoc (2 Dec 2002)

If you are to trade anything for something, it should be for the Salmon... That one BY FAR is the best one I think (unless you don‘t like fish).  You can eat it cold and it‘s just like eating it straight from a can from Clover Leaf.

Come to think of it, I‘ve never had it heated up before... both times I had it I had it cold because it was just that edible.  It‘s definitely the freshest tasting meal (in my humblest opinion) of all the IMPs.


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## Pikache (2 Dec 2002)

Eeg...

Salmon cold is just horrid, and I love fish.

It‘s tolerable only when heated.

And who the heck eats can of fish cold anyways?


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## Troopasaurus (4 Dec 2002)

what about the Type II cereal with the blueberries those things taste like puke no joke i just had one 3 days ago that was grose same with the hamsteak in raisin sause 

whats this about getting the heating packs with the IMP‘s those are great i had some MRE‘s with them i hope they give the heating packs to all the IMP‘s also i want the tubes of peanut butter and honey back that was so much better than the packets and if you get the angle of the peanut butter right the oils from it produce a flame about 2 foot long also the coffee whitener and mash patatoes are explosive when poured over a fire (powder) all items in the IMP‘s burn except for the main course and dessert (baked cherry exception)


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## PTE Gruending (4 Dec 2002)

I gotta say; the first time I ate an IMP I got awefully sick and barfed my guts out in the field... ;-)


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## combat_medic (4 Dec 2002)

I agree about the salmon; I had it a week and a bit ago, and ate the whole thing!!! That‘s quite the first for me. Also, the sausage and hashbrowns, and the new ravioli-type thingy is great! Also, if you get the chicken breast and gravy one, and you pour the gravy into the mashed potatoes packet, you have a great side meal.

And someone should take up a colection, and re-shingle their houses with the baked cherry dessert.


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## SpinDoc (4 Dec 2002)

You know what I miss about the 2000s?  Meatballs and Gravy.  I think that was a 99 meal.  That was actually my first IMP ever and I thought it was great.  Had me optimistic about IMPs.

First impressions are pretty important eh?

You know, given the choice, I would rather have finely-ground mystery meat than fibrey mystery meat.  Getting meat fibre between your teeth is horrible when you don‘t have floss handy out in the field.


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## Sharpey (4 Dec 2002)

If they ever take away my beans and weiners, I think I will have to quit the Army! As for the Salmon, fish in a bag does not sound appealing to me. Being a Newf and not liking fish is one thing, but fish in a bag? Yuk! Plus a stinking Salmon stake doesn‘t seem very tactical anyway.


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## portcullisguy (6 Dec 2002)

Only slightly off-topic ... on the way back from our BMQ‘s first range weekend, we were fed "lunch boxes" for the bus trip back.

This little beauty had two sandwiches, an apple or orange, a fruit cup tin, a milk, a juice, and something else.. cookie or something, can‘t remember.  Condiments included mustard and mayo, salt & pepper.

The milk was 3 days expired!  Some people drank it!  Mine looked like it was well on its way to becoming cottage cheese, and I gave it a wide berth.  Everything else was edible and filling, especially because I had one of those camping spice containers with 6 spices in it (salt, pepper, garlic salt, cayenne, papkria, curry -- I highly recommend this bit of kit!)...  the lunch box wasn‘t as good as the "in-flight meal" on the way up to Borden.. we stopped at McDonalds!

During the weekend all our meals were hot, straight out of the catering containers, so nothing to really report there.  However, during one morning in the range butts, I was given permission to cook up some hot chocolate with my mess tin & canteen stove.  I hadn‘t tried this before, and it worked out great, although it never quite got boiling hot.  Is this how the IMP‘s are cooked normally?


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## Fishbone Jones (6 Dec 2002)

portcullisguy,
Just to keep you on track and get you off on the right foot. The "lunch boxes" are referred to as Box Lunches and your catering containers are called Hay Boxes.


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## SpinDoc (6 Dec 2002)

There are 4 main ways that I can think of to serve an IMP meal

a)  Eat it cold right from the package. *shudder*
b)  Put it into a pressure cooker (along with like the rest of your section‘s meals) and heat it up with a Coleman stove.  This requires someone who knows what s/he is doing -- could result in a) if it screws up -- Pro is that you can cook many meals relatively fast.
c)  Use your canteen cup, get a canteen cup stove and burn a fuel tablet underneath it.  Almost foolproof way of heating something, but it does take a bit... I haven‘t actually timed it and compared it to heating with Coleman stove but I think it might take a wee bit longer.  Problem is you can only fit like 2 (maximum 3) food packets in one canteen cup.  Pro is that you can heat yourself up by burning a tab under your butt when you‘re cold and wet and feeling miserable    
d)  If you‘re lucky (or if you‘re smart and willing to invest a couple of bucks and have your own stash in your ruck), your unit will supply water-activated heating pouches, which are GREAT.  Guaranteed to work, and in 12 minutes exactly the pouch is piping hot.  (Careful about burning yourself).  Only fits one meal though, but it‘s really really great (I think).  No flame, no fuel, just add water.  And no bulky stove to carry around.  Con is that you can‘t heat drinking water this way.


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## Fishbone Jones (6 Dec 2002)

Make sure you don‘t drink the water, because................sorry, what was I talking about?  :blotto:


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## astrof (6 Dec 2002)

Spindoc to add another point.

e) If you are lucky enough to be mounted in armoured veh just throw it in the CBU (Cooking and Boiling Unit) in the morning and when it comes for a break or lunch you have hot water and hot food!


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## Fishbone Jones (6 Dec 2002)

"and when it comes for a break or lunch you have hot water and hot food!"

OK, no joke this time. Pots, canteen cups, heater bags, whatever. DO NOT use the same water for drinking as you boiled your bags in. It‘s not sanitary, and trace elements can leach from the packaging.  BTW, it‘s not called a CBU, it‘s called a boiling vessel.


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## Paul Gagnon (7 Dec 2002)

Oh come on, you guys who didn‘t like ham omlettes are babies. The best way to eat them was cold and then drink the juice.        

Oh yeah, who remembers Corned Beef Hash (IMP) for breakfast?


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## SpinDoc (7 Dec 2002)

I‘m a young‘un... what was the corned beef hash like?  Is it anything like the Hereford corned beef in a tin from Brazil?

I was thinking the other day that I wouldn‘t mind some Spam in my IMP... I could eat that stuff cold and still like it.


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## astrof (7 Dec 2002)

Recceguy: The new boiling vessel, called CBU on the box that I signed for, does allow you to do both. This one replaces the old one but alas you cant fry anything with it.

Provided that you cook the rations inside the little pot like insert that seperates ration packs from the water, it is ok to drink it. It also come with a valve that you would find on a coffee urn for hot drinking water. 

This is for my bison, but I understand that the coyote‘s, and LAV-3s have the same vessel.


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## Fishbone Jones (7 Dec 2002)

Well, better safe than sorry. I suppose if your a Jimmy and your vehicle does‘nt move around much, then maybe no problem. I more than familiar with the unit your speaking of, I taught one of the first courses. Personally, I wouldn‘t trust the cross contamination after a day of movement. The CBU you speak of may be nomenclatured as such, but the armoured has had the same thing in one form or another on most of our tracks for at least the last 50 years, and we still call it a boiling vessel


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## combat_medic (8 Dec 2002)

You also forgot:

f) Stick it on the top of a coleman lantern when in the CP for 8 hours straight *shudder*

and 

g) get yourself a piece of super high-speed kit like    
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  this from MEC, and be able to heat up an IMP in about 2 minutes. Great little piece of kit in cold weather, adn is small enough to store in a C9 pouch, and still have room left over. Man, I should be a salesperson for these people!


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## Korus (8 Dec 2002)

Yeah, my Section Commander on basic highly recomneded those..


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