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All Things Vegetarian/Vegan (merged)

ab00013

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Hello,

First off I searched the site and couldn't find any info that I'm looking for. I am lacto-vegetarian which means I don't eat seafood, meat, or eggs. I am wondering which of the IMPs are vegetarian because I just finished my BMQ course and was told, to their knowledge, that the only one I could eat was Mac & Cheese, which I am really hoping is wrong :(

If anyone knows it would be greatly appreciated. I have SQ and BIQ in the summer so I think it might be helpful for me to know which ones I could eat.

Thanks!!

ab00013,
I changed the title of your thread. We decided to put all these points into one thread for ease of information.

 
I know there are some vegetarian ones out there, I am not sure what are available any more, but you are really limiting yourself, (not that its wrong or i disagree) by your lifestyle choice and may have to bend your views in order just to survive.
Good luck with your ideology. Go to the supermarket before you go to the field. Thats all I can suggest.
 
mover1 said:
I know there are some vegetarian ones out there, I am not sure what are available any more, but you are really limiting yourself, (not that its wrong or i disagree) by your lifestyle choice and may have to bend your views in order just to survive.
Good luck with your ideology. Go to the supermarket before you go to the field. Thats all I can suggest.

Thanks for your supermarket advice. I was told that when we went out in BMQ for field exercises and I'm glad I brought some snacks. For some reason there is no problem getting hayboxes of fried chicken, lasagna, and brownies out in the field but a can of beans is an inconvenience.  ???

Anyways, I was hoping for someone to respond that there is a great variety of delicious vegetarian IMPs  ;D but I guess that's wishful thinking. Thanks again!
 
I remember last year in St-Jean there was a girl on my course who was a "vegetarian".  While we were in the field she got special IMP's that included pasta dinners and granola bars etc.  I'm not sure but they might have been American?  Nonetheless, the school put in the effort to ensure they were available.  They actually looked pretty good as I was gnawing on my Salisbury Steak....
 
a great variety of delicious vegetarian IMP

I wouldn't call it a "great" variety, and I can't vouch for the taste, but kosher/halal IMPS(yes, they are  American MREs really, like the previous poster said) are vegetarian and should be available upon request. I say "should" because it takes more work to get a hold of them. Make sure your stores NCO is aware of your requirements. The same goes for boxed lunches.
 
I have just pulled out of my desk drawer a "My Own Meal" Ration.  It has an entre in a 'bag in a box' and an accessory pack in a see through plastic bag. This is a commercial USA product, and is issued in the Canadian system as well.  Certified Halal and Kosher.  It is not an IMP or an MRE.  But, there are vegetarian MREs. The 'Black Bean and Rice Burito' comes to mind.  I ate four in one day, once.  The side dish was Mexican Rice.  They were great.  We had to open all of the Coyote hatches.  Crew wouldn't talk to me.
 
I'll vouch for the taste of the  Kosher/Halal/Vegetarian IMPs, delicious, and when those of us who aren't Kosher/Halal/Vegetarian can get their hands on them, they're a welcome change to the normal IMPs (Though honestly, I don't mind IMPs, they're not as bad as people complain about them would have you believe).

Despite being delicious however, they do not come in a wide variety, there are only three types in the system that I am aware of.

They also come with a stubby american sized spoon, not a nice long canadian spoon...
 
"They also come with a stubby american sized spoon, not a nice long canadian spoon..."

Which snaps in two when you need it.  The US MREs have a good, tough, long, brown plastic spoon.
The commercial M.O.M. has a short, but flex, white plastic spoon.  The old USA MCIs - the OD green tins in a small cardboard box - also had a short spoon, but you could set it on fire and then it was great for blackening iron sights.  (Don't try that on your ELCANs, kids).
 
I keep hearing that, but I've never had a spoon break on me. Just lucky I suppose, but still, until I eventually have the same complaint about the Canadian spoons, I'll continue to dislike the vegetarian spoons on the basis they don't reach the bottom of the bag.

(You'll note I made no tired and predictable references to length vs skill)
 
Canadian Forces Food Services offers one or more vegetarian options at every meal. An estimated 10% to 15% of Canadian Forces members choose vegetarian meals for combat rations (individual meal packs)

Below are the "offical" veggie meals...two of my staff are vegetarians, I've had them too, I like the cheese tortellini  ;)

FLORENTINE LASAGNA
WATER, COOKED MAFALDA (ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT: SEMOLINA, EGG WHILTE, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), TOMATO PASTE, RICOTTA CHEESE (PASTEURIZED WHOLE MILK, VINEGAR OR CITRIC ACID, SALT) LOW MOISTURE MOZZARELLA CHEESE (PARTIALLY SKIMMED PASTEURIZED MILK, CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), SPINACH, ZUCCHINI, CORNSTARCH, PINTO BEANS, ONION, PARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CULTURE, SALT, ENZYME, SODIUM SILICO ALUMINATE, SORBIC ACID), NONFAT DRY MILK, ONION POWDER, SALT, MINCED GARLIC, SPICES.  210 Cal, 10g protein, 4.5g fat, 34g carbs

PASTA WITH GARDEN VEGETABLES
TOMATOES (TOMATOES, JUICE FROM TOMATOES, SALT, CITRIC ACID, CALCIUM CHLORIDE), WATER, COOKED ROTINI (ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT: SEMOLINA, EGG WHITE, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), RED AND GREEN BELL PEPPERS, ZUCCHINI, ONION, MUSHROOMS, GREEN BEANS, CELERY, CARROLTS, CORNSTARCH, TOMATO PASTE, CORN OIL, SUGAR, SALT, ONION POWDER, SPICES, PARSLEY FLAKES, PAPRIKA.  180 Cal, 5g protein, 4g fat, 31g carbs

VEGETARIAN STEW
WATER, CORN LENTILS, PEANUTS, TOMATO PASTE, POTATOES, RED AND GREEN BELL PEPPERS, COOKED SHELLS (ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT: SEMOLINA, EGG WHITE, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), COOKED BARLEY, TOMATOES (TOMATOES, JUICE FROM TOMATOES, SALT, CITRIC ACID, CALCIUM CHLORIDE), CORNSTARCH, ONION, PINTO BEANS, SALT, SPICES, GARLIC POWDER, LEMON JUICE, ONION POWDER, PARSLEY FLAKES.  200 Cal, 7g protein, 6g fat, 31g carb

CHEESE TORTELLINI
WATER, CHEESE TORTELLINI [DOUGH: ENRICHED DURUM FLOUR (NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, EGGS, FLOUR ENRICHMENT (WHEAT STARCH, FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE, NIACINAMIDE TALC, TRCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), FILLING: WHOLE MILK RICOTTA IMPASTATA CHEESE (PASTEURIXED MILK, VINEGAR OR CITRIC ACID, SALT), CRACKER MEAL (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR), EGGS, ROMANO CHEESE (PASTEURIZED SHEEP'S MILK, SALT, EXZYMES), SALT, SPICES], TOMATOES (TOMATOES, JUICE FROM TOMATOES, SALT, CITRIC ACID, CALCIUM CHLORIDE), ONION, CELERY, PINTO BEANS, TOMATO PASTE, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, NONFAT DRY MILK, OLIVE OIL, OPARMESAN CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CULTURE, SALT, EXZYME, SODIUM SILICO ALUMINATE, SORVIC ACID), SALT, SPICES, MINCED GARLIC, ONION POWDER, GARLIC POWDER. 250 Cal, 11g protein, 6g fat, 40g carbs

The accessory packs contain
Baked original bagel chipmix
barbeque sunflower kernels
candy - chocolate starlights
candy - cinnamon starlights
coffee creamer (nondairy)
crunchy granola bar - peanut butter
hot cocoa mix (no sugar)
instant coffee
pepper
raisins
roasted & salted peanuts
salt
smart start cereal
sugar
The Macaroni and Cheese meal is not listed as vegetarian but this is what's in it:
WATER, MACARONI, CHEDDAR CHEESE, CREAM, POWDERED VEGETABLE SHORTENING, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, SOYBEAN AND COTTONSEED OIL MARGARINE, CHEESE FLAVOUR, SALT, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, WHEAT FLOUR, SOY LECITHIN

You will have to inform your chain of command early on as they have to specifically order boxes for you. They come with 10 meals per box.  OLD Timer TIP:  if you have a stubby spoon, take the little box it came in and cut one of the long ends after cooking turn the bag on it's side and slice open the long end and place back in box...keeps the hot bag from your fingers and makes it easier to eat ...works for all meals :)

If you want a list of the non-veggie meals that you may still be able to eat just email me.




 
Who makes the IMPs?  I know its an american company.. everytime i try to remember the name to look it up on the net but i always forget it.
 
Used to be Freddy Chef, not sure if it still is.  Here's a site with a little more info, note it might be a little out of date

http://www.mreinfo.com/imps.html

If you look at the photos you'll see what I mean as per the cutting of the bag.

Anyone out there remember the old Ham Omlete (or bagged lung)?? 
 
It's not called Freddy Chef, they are now called Soup Experts or something like that, in Quebec.  I have there info somewhere, send me  pm and I will look for it for Tues, off to Haliburton for fun in the sun.
The "old lung in a bag" was horrible.  It's like the Salmon Fillet, I can't get past the smell but people say it is great. 
 
The vegetarian rations are actually excellent.  I'm not a vegetarian, but because of my declared religion, keen staff when I was on course have order vegetarian rations for me before.  (I am an adherent of Buddhism, and on course once, my section 2iC was apparently of the same faith and assumed that I might well be vegetarian as well.)

They come with a great little accessory pack that makes for good trading, too.  Advise your staff long before you go to the field of your dietary requirements and they will ensure that your needs are properly met.
 
I found the web address  http://www.soupexpert.com/
They also manufacture "HotPack" meals, some are self heating.  Toronto Fire Service bought a bunch.  They weren't too bad, just not enough as they were only the entree.  I have a few cases of Chicken and Veg stew, expire end of June if they are any help to you.  They should be good for months after.  
Just send me an email.  
 
Those heaters are the cat's a***!!  No more hauling out the colman and the pressure cooker, or even heat tabs....sorry guys that was the old days I'm forgetting this is the modern army.

 
Fusilier said:
I'm forgetting this is the modern army.

Says who ?

I havent gotten the e-mail making the change from old army to new army official yet so i chose to live in the old one.
 
aesop081 said:
Says who ?

I havent gotten the e-mail making the change from old army to new army official yet so i chose to live in the old one.

Obviously you're new army, the old days you would have received a memo not an email.
 
Fusilier said:
Obviously you're new army, the old days you would have received a memo not an email.

I wanted to say " message over the teletype" but i'm trying to get with the times  ;D
 
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