Individual Meal Pack facts for kids
The Individual Meal Pack, or IMP, is a special type of meal used by the Canadian Forces. Think of it as a ready-to-eat meal designed for soldiers when they are out in the field. These meals give soldiers all the energy and nutrients they need to stay strong and healthy, even when they're far from a regular kitchen.
IMPs are packed with nutrition. They provide about 1200-1400 calories per meal. If a soldier eats three IMPs a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), they get around 3600 calories. This is enough to keep them going during tough physical activities. The best part is, these meals are already cooked! Soldiers can eat them cold, but they usually prefer them heated up.
Contents
What's Inside an IMP?
The meals in IMPs are always being updated. Every few years, new meals are added, and some older ones are replaced. Soldiers even help test new meals to make sure they are good! There are 21 different meals available: seven for breakfast and 14 for lunch or dinner.
Besides the main meal, each IMP also comes with lots of other useful items. These include things like:
- Powdered coffee and tea
- Drink mixes (like sports drinks)
- Energy bars and trail mix
- Peanut butter and cereal
- Condiments (like ketchup)
- Candy, chocolate, and gum
- A plastic spoon, a wet wipe, and matches
How Do Soldiers Eat IMPs?
IMPs are already fully cooked, so soldiers don't need to cook them from scratch. While they can be eaten cold, most soldiers like to warm them up.
There are a few ways to heat an IMP meal:
- Soldiers can boil the meal package in water.
- They can use a special portable stove.
- Some armored vehicles even have a built-in pressure cooker!
- In cold weather, a soldier might even put the meal packet in their coat pocket to warm it up a bit.
- Newer IMPs also come with special chemical pouches that heat the meal without needing a flame.
Other items in the IMP, like soup or rice, can also be improved by adding hot water. Even the bread, which is quite dense, can become softer when heated.
IMP Meals from 2005
In 2005, IMPs offered many different meal choices. Here are some examples of what soldiers might have found:
Main Dishes
- Beans and wieners
- Beef stew
- Chicken à la king
- Chili con carne
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Meatballs
- Pork chow mein
- Sausage and hash browns
Fruits and Desserts
- Sliced apples or applesauce
- Blueberries and cherries
- Fruit cocktail
- Baked maple dessert
- Pears and peaches
Drinks
- Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate
- Powdered drinks in flavors like grape, orange, and strawberry
- Different kinds of soup (like chicken noodle or cream of mushroom)
Other Items
- Bread, cookies, and crackers
- Chocolate bars
- Cereals and oatmeal
- Mashed potatoes or rice
- Pudding (strawberry, banana)
- Jam, peanut butter, and marmalade
Each meal also usually included sugar, coffee whitener, salt, pepper, a towelette, matches, a paper towel, a toothpick, chewing gum, and a spoon.
The Canadian Forces also make sure to have special meals for soldiers with different dietary needs, such as those who are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or vegetarian.
Other Types of Rations
Besides IMPs, the Canadian Forces use other kinds of food for soldiers:
- Fresh rations: These are hot, cooked meals brought directly from a kitchen.
- Patrol packs: These are small, high-protein snacks like beef jerky or shredded cheese. They are great for quick energy when soldiers are on the move.
- Boxed lunches: These often include sandwiches, juice, fruit, and a dessert. They are used when soldiers are training but can't get a hot meal.
IMPs are mainly used when fresh meals aren't possible. They can also be kept as emergency food.
History of IMPs
IMPs first started being used by the Canadian Forces in the 1980s. Before that, soldiers ate meals that came in cans. The old canned meals took more time and equipment to prepare.
The main meals in IMPs come in special "boil-in-a-bag" pouches. These pouches are much easier and faster to heat up than the old cans. They also help the food taste better because it doesn't need as much heat to warm up.
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