Facts About Individual Meal Pack
The Individual Meal Pack or IMP is one type of field ration used by the Canadian Forces. The IMP is designed so that a continuous diet provides all the nutrition needed to sustain a serviceman in the field. The IMP meets Canada's nutrition requirements, with the exception of calcium and folic acid, which are not significant if the consumption period of rations is less than 30 days. IMPs will provide 1200-1400 calories per meal.
Three IMPs (breakfast, lunch and dinner) provide approximately 3,600 calories (15 MJ), enough to nourish a soldier undergoing strenuous physical activity. The meals are precooked and can therefore be safely consumed either heated or unheated. Under ideal circumstances the entrees are generally consumed heated.
Contents of the combat rations are subject to a three-year research and development cycle, where new meals are added, and some replaced. Every second year, new meals are field tested by three groups of 60 people drawn from each of the three Canadian Army brigades. In all, there are 21 meals available - seven breakfasts and 14 meals suitable as noon or evening meals. In addition to the main meal, each IMP contains assorted basics such as powdered coffee, protein and sports drink mixes, energy bars, trail mix, peanut butter, cereal, condiments, candy, chocolate, gum, a plastic spoon, a wet towelette and matches.
Meals are packaged fully cooked and do not require cooking. While edible cold, when circumstances permit the ideal method of preparation is to cook the entrees either in a pressure cooker, heated on the standard issue Coleman stove, or by simply boiling the rations in its package in water. Another way to warm the meal when a stove is unavailable is by putting it in the pocket of a coat during winter. Chemical cooking pouches have also been issued, allowing for flameless meal heating. Other items can also be improved by boiling or adding water, such as packages of soup, rice, powdered drinks and even the prepackaged bread, which is dense and can be softened by exposure to the pressure cooker.
Another technique developed by soldiers in the field is putting the package in the grill covering the exhaust on many armoured vehicles, and on radiators of wheeled vehicles. Some armoured vehicles come with a built-in pressure cooker.
United States