UK Army rations trashed as US sergeant mocks 'cat food' handed to troops

A US soldier has mocked the British Army rations on YouTube (Image: Getty)

By their very nature rations are never going to provide a gourmet meal. But you would hope that the foods UK soldiers are given to sustain them are at least enjoyable.

Well, that’s not the case for some of them according to an American solider who has been giving them a taste test on YouTube.

Sergeant First Class Tyler Butterworth, a soldier with the Army National Guard in the US, posted his reviews of the British Army menus to his wildly popular channel.

He said the Indonesian-style spicy rice with pork and pasta bolognese meals “look like cat food,” reports The Times.

He also said “I feel like I’m gonna hurt myself” while eating a sesame seed bar, asking: “Why would you like this?”

A fellow YouTube user agreed. They said: “The sesame bars are one of the single worst things to grace our MREs [meal, ready to eat].

“Everyone uses them as cement for defence building or gifts them to this weird lieutenant we have that loves them.”

However, Butterworth did appear overall to be happy with what was on offer for British soldiers that menu six of the 24-hour British ration pack offered and gave the menu a rating of 74 out of 100.

He also highlighted the variety of items included in the pack - such as tissues and water purification tablets.

Butterworth uses social media to try and gain new recruits to the armed forces.

He said: “My inspiration was to do less work.

“I very quickly realised that most kids we’re looking to recruit don’t even know their own phone number or have an email address. I figured the way to communicate [with them] best is the way they do with each other, and that’s through social media,” reports Military Times.

Ration packs are used by the British armed forces for both training and operations, last year spending £14.7million on them. The pack is available with ten different menus.

In 2022, the British Army rations hit the headlines as the daily amount allocated to feed soldiers at sea, on exercise or on operations, can be as low as £3.63.

This contrasted with a £3,559,742 contract awarded to provide straw, forage and fresh produce for around 540 military horses for three years – the equivalent of approximately £6 a day.