The seven-minute video, released on Wednesday, shows the soldiers, Bartek from Poland and Mirela from Romania, tasting each other’s provisions and offering their candid reviews.
"Every military in NATO has its field ration, known as MREs (meals-ready-to-eat)," reads the video’s caption. While these rations may not win any culinary awards, the video highlights their importance in fueling soldiers through long, tough days in the field.
The video, which quickly gained traction online, emphasizes the differences—and similarities—in the contents of military rations across NATO forces. "From Ally to Ally, their contents differ in sometimes small, sometimes big, but always interesting ways," the caption notes.
The fun begins as Bartek and Mirela exchange their food pouches. Among the Polish offerings are tea with lime extract, a chocolate bar, and canned meat with crackers. Mirela sniffs the canned meat and says “It smells... ok. I could eat it, but probably not all of it.”
The highlight of the Polish ration is a can of pork neck with carrots and beans, which Bartek prepares on a portable stove. After tasting the dish, Mirela compares it to a homemade stew and generously gives it an “8 or 9” out of 10.
Next, the pair try a Romanian meal—creamy pasta with chicken—accompanied by crackers and peanut butter. Sipping on powdered orange isotonic drinks, Bartek gives the Romanian dish a solid “8 out of 10.”
After the tasting session, the soldiers—part of Romania’s 26th Infantry Battalion, known as the ‘Red Scorpions,’ and Poland’s 12th Mechanized Brigade—trained together near Craiova, Romania. They practiced joint military exercises, including embarking and disembarking from armored vehicles and clearing simulated explosive devices, according to the caption.
(jh)
Source: NATO Multimedia