A visit to the lab where they come up with new and better MRE's
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/natick-lab-military-food-science “We just do the science—but there’s a lot of science,” Oleksyk says. “Rations are issued all over the world so we have different climates they have to withstand. It could be the Arctic, it could be the desert, it could be the jungle. It could be high altitude or low altitude. These MREs are dropped out of aircraft, sometimes without parachutes. What happens when they hit the ground?”...
While the spinach pasta looks less than appetizing when I rip open the package, the ravioli are a close-enough approximation of a can of Chef Boyardee and the “Mexican chicken stew” has a pleasantly spicy kick. As the demographics of both the military and the people it serves shift, Natick Labs has increasingly added in halal and vegetarian options. Mexican-inspired dishes are increasingly in demand, as are other international options.
“It’s a very different experience when you’re cold, tired, sitting on a mountain in Afghanistan or the desert in Iraq in the cold rain,” Sisto says. “Whatever it is, you appreciate it so much more.".....
“They just make this pineapple upside-down cake as if they were going to serve it in a restaurant,” Yang says, gesturing to the on-site kitchen. “I just take it and dry it for 30 minutes. That’s it. I didn’t add any preservatives. It’s all-natural.” The results are good enough that my photographer and I polish off the whole thing. Yang beams.
“I want soldiers to have real food,” Yang says. “And this is all real.”