Military rations

[13] Soldiers of the Byzantine Empire were trained in sustaining their food supplies for as long as 20 days, with many also carrying small hand mills to grind grain to make paximathia.

[1] In feudal Japan and the Sengoku period, military nutrition habits depended on the daimyo commanding them:[15] In general, Japanese soldiers would bring uchigaibukuro, pouches used to store rice and medicine, into battle with them.

The British Empire's Royal Navy relied on hardtack, salted meat, and alcoholic drinks (originally beer but later rum).

[14] The Continental Army of the Revolutionary War-era United States had, on paper, plentiful rations including salted meat, legumes, grains, bread, milk, and alcohol, with jerky and hardtack if those foods were not available.

The situation deteriorated to the point that the U.S. Congress pressured George Washington to permit the seizure of food, but he declined, fearing it would alienate the colonials.

[1][18] Shortly before the Napoleonic Wars, the French government offered a 12,000 franc reward to invent a reliable food preservation method for the military.

In World War I, both Allied and Central Powers soldiers had relatively sufficient food supplies due to the static nature of trench warfare.

British, French, Canadian, and ANZAC soldiers were regularly issued "dull" foods such as bully beef, biscuits, pudding, and Maconochie (tinned meat, potato, and vegetable stew), the latter of which was vilified for its poor quality, especially if not sufficiently heated.

[21] The American Expeditionary Forces had a variety of different rations issued to them, organized based on freshness and purpose, and were generally considered well-fed compared to their British and European contemporaries.

[27] Red Army soldiers received rye bread, potatoes, vegetables, pasta, meat, and fish (in order of quantity).

The Schutzstaffel received four-day rations consisting of Graubrot, canned meat, vegetables, spreads, coffee, and cigarettes (despite the SS's strong anti-smoking stance).

[30] The Royal Italian Army ate mainly pasta, bread, oatmeal, meat, fish, broth, and salad from their field kitchens, with alcohol also regularly issued.

The Soviet Armed Forces issued their personnel a very basic ration of tushonka, bread or crackers, and condensed milk, with little variety.

In the early days of the conflict in spring 2022, the Russian Ground Forces had to contend with low supplies of rations, which led them to forage for provisions in a manner reminiscent of the practices of ancient armies.