Defender's meal plan: how food provision is organized in the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Service members receive meals according to state standards, ensuring complete daily nutritional provision. In the field, military personnel are supplied with individual rations, while at base locations, they receive three or four meals a day, depending on the provision standards.

Foodstuffs are procured according to the approved Catalog, which includes 360 entries. This enables the formation of a balanced and diverse menu to meet the nutritional needs of Ukrainian defenders.

Meal sets for service members are procured by the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition (DOT), the acquisition agency of the Ministry of Defence. The quantity is determined by the Command of the Logistics Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which submits a consolidated request to the Procurement Policy Department of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.

The procurement results specify the price and caloric value of each foodstuff. The cost of a single set of products is also indicated.

Personnel are served in stationary mess halls of military units or temporary dining facilities.

Three meals a day consist of breakfast, lunch, and dinner (evening meal). In addition, a second evening meal is prepared for service members on guard duty.

Specific categories of service members receive four meals a day. This applies to the crews of ships and support vessels, personnel of coastal units of the Ukrainian Navy and the headquarters of joint task forces, cadets, and flight personnel.

Food in the military units' canteens is prepared per the approved food allocation plan. This plan is prepared by the food supply officer of the military unit, taking into account the daily food ration and caloric content. The minimum caloric value of a service member's meals per day should be no less than 3,500 kcal.

Basic menu of a military unit 

Default dishes 

- Breakfast: 

  Side dish, meat and/or fish dish 

  Beverage 

  Bread, butter 

  Cold appetizers 

- Second breakfast: 

  Side dish, meat and/or fish dish 

  Beverage 

  Bread, butter 

- Lunch: 

  Side dish, meat and/or fish dish 

  First course (soup) 

  Beverage 

  Bread, butter 

  Cold appetizers 

- Dinner (evening meal):

  Side dish, meat and/or fish dish 

  Beverage 

  Bread, butter 

  Cold appetizers 

- Second evening meal: 

  Side dish, meat and/or fish dish 

  Beverage 

  Bread, butter 

Additional food items that may be included: 

- Fermented dairy products 

- Dairy products 

- Fruits 

- Cold cuts 

- Berries 

- Cheese platter 

- Nuts 

- Vegetable platter 

- Sweets 

- Fruit salads 

- Desserts 

- Juices 

- Soft drinks 

- Bakery products (produced in-house)

The food allocation plan is developed taking into account the following factors:

• The basic menu outlined in the table

• The available assortment and quantity of food products.

• The need to replenish food stocks and ensure their shelf life is maintained

• The maximum amount of funds allocated per person and the amount of funds saved

Under the commander’s direction, the menu is planned to include at least two options for the first course, side dishes, and meat or fish dishes. When planning, the personnel's preferences, cooking conditions, the kitchen's technical capabilities, and food storage conditions are considered.

In field conditions, depending on the nature of training or combat tasks, a more substantial meat and/or fish dish with a side may be prepared instead of the first course. This decision is also made by a commander of a military unit. 

The procedure for supplying individual meal provisions

If hot meals cannot be prepared, service members are issued individual field rations (MRE - Meal, Ready-to-Eat), commonly known as "dry rations.” The Armed Forces of Ukraine have two types of field rations (MRE) in use:

• Daily Dry Food Set (DDFS), developed in accordance with regulation No. 10.

• Daily Field Food Set (DFFS), developed in accordance with regulation No. 15.

Each ration is prepared for three meals per day.

DDFS rations (Regulation No. 10) are issued to service members when preparing hot meals from the foods specified in the basic norm is impossible. This set is also part of the emergency reserve of the Ukrainian Navy.

DDFS rations can be issued not only during combat operations. The ration includes a selection of dishes consisting of canned meat and meat-vegetable canned food, ready for continuous consumption for up to three days. The energy value of the ration is 1,250 kcal per day.

DFFS ration (Regulation No. 15) is also issued to service members when preparing hot meals from the foods specified in the basic norm is impossible. However, this applies to service members who are in the field, engaged in training, involved in activities related to national security and defense, repelling the armed aggression of the russian Federation, or en route to their destinations.