Solutions to win: Ukrainian army pushes for inclusion of kosher, halal, and plant-based dry rations
The Army+ app recently surveyed Ukraine's armed forces members to gauge their satisfaction with dry rations, specifically the standard and thermo-enhanced field kits of products No. 15
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that.
"Over the span of two weeks, a total of 9,128 active duty military members participated in the survey. The State Rear Operator enhanced the variety and suitability of rations for military personnel. Thanks to Army+, feedback from service members could be promptly gathered and analyzed to enhance the overall quality of food," Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Minister of Defense for Digitalization, said.
The survey concerned:
- quality of meal kits,
- convenience and quality of packaging,
- and consideration of religious, ethical, and medical needs.
The findings revealed that over half of the service members highly rated the quality of dry rations; 51% gave them a score of five or four out of five.
For his part, Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Klimenkov emphasized:
"The survey results showed that approximately 25% of respondents need inclusive food. This underscores our responsibility to create customized solutions that consider each military member's religious, ethical, and personal needs. We are already actively working on this and will soon be able to demonstrate the result."
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the State Rear Operator will consider the findings of this survey when revising and broadening the selection of food kits. Technical specifications for halal rations have been finalized, and updates for vegetarian and kosher dry rations are currently being developed. These kits will cater to religious, medical, and ethical requirements.
The military's preferences for the dishes included in the sets were carefully considered. Traditional Ukrainian dishes such as porridge, borscht, and meat dishes were highly requested. Respondents also emphasized the importance of having a diverse selection, mainly including soups, vegetable dishes, and desserts.
In addition, the survey results will help improve the quality of the current sets. The military's proposals and comments will be taken into account when updating the technical specifications and during the procurement planning for 2025.
Saudi Arabia supports 140,000 Ukrainians with hot meals through the UN World Food Programme
Solutions from Ukraine: first Ukrainian kitchen factory begins supplying school meals
Cooking for a cause: Five Ukrainian women make homemade meals for armed forces
Microgreens and long-term storage meals: displaced entrepreneur building a business amid war
