# US Army breakfast



## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

hi everyone, 

In Sweden we atm have a military exersise (Aurora 17), and this time NATO were invited to participate, so among other US troops were in sweden. 

I spoke with some few of them, (Minnesota national guard) and they were decent enough people, but while we ate breakfast at a Swedish regiment I asked what they thougt about the food, and they had only good things to say and then he added, "at home we only get 2 donughts and a cup of coffe for breakfast" ... and Im not sure if he was joking or not... 

So my question is, is that a plausible breakfast for troops in the us army?


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

Swedishsocialist said:


> hi everyone,
> 
> In Sweden we atm have a military exersise (Aurora 17), and this time NATO were invited to participate, so among other US troops were in sweden.
> 
> ...


He was joking.

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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

Once in a blue moon soldiers get a donut. Usually it's scrambled eggs with a meat such as bacon. Usually some potatoes and toast.

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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

MaterielGeneral said:


> He was joking.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


good, we were not sure, there is this picture of USA among people here that americans dont eat that healty, but this was kind of to much... oh well, now I know


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

Oh, we eat healthy (usually), it's that we eat to much.

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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

And little exercise besides going to work for the day.

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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

MaterielGeneral said:


> And little exercise besides going to work for the day.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


Cant say to much about the amont of exercise they have, but they all looked in good shape so I assume they know what they are doing


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## SGT E (Feb 25, 2015)

Some of the breakfast chow lines I've been in (The better ones) give you a choice of eggs...over easy...scrambled...omlet and then you have a choice of bacon or sausage. You will also find french toast and an occasional tray of dohnuts but the main thing that splits Northern US from Southern is you will almost always find a pan of GRITS !! This delectable ground corn mixture is made to be served as a oatmeal like consistency but is almost always so thick you can cut it and serve it like brownies! It's made to be sugared and buttered and mixed and since I'm a southern boy its just damned delicious!...We have OJ/Milk and lots of coffee!

Breakfast in the field consists of scrambled eggs....bacon....sometimes soggy french toast and regular toast...and GRITS!...OJ/Milk and coffee. If it was fixed in a field kitchen the food always has a gasoline odor and taste where food straight from the field kitchen does not...had to be those damned mermite cans!


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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

SGT E said:


> Some of the breakfast chow lines I've been in (The better ones) give you a choice of eggs...over easy...scrambled...omlet and then you have a choice of bacon or sausage. You will also find french toast and an occasional tray of dohnuts but the main thing that splits Northern US from Southern is you will almost always find a pan of GRITS !! This delectable ground corn mixture is made to be served as a oatmeal like consistency but is almost always so thick you can cut it and serve it like brownies! It's made to be sugared and buttered and mixed and since I'm a southern boy its just damned delicious!...We have OJ/Milk and lots of coffee!
> 
> Breakfast in the field consists of scrambled eggs....bacon....sometimes soggy french toast and regular toast...and GRITS!...OJ/Milk and coffee. If it was fixed in a field kitchen the food always has a gasoline odor and taste where food straight from the field kitchen does not...had to be those damned mermite cans!
> 
> View attachment 55170


while at home base, we have fine food, breakfast is a buffe of 
porridge,sandwitches, boiled eggs, corn flakes, musli and things associated with it, like cheese, butter, jam, ham and so on.

But in the field... oh, breakfast can be nothing at all to something almost eatble,


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## Jammer Six (Jun 2, 2017)

You only get breakfast in the messhall if you're new, young, unmarried and live on post.

If you're old, married and live off post, you have to pay for breakfast in the messhall, and you don't have time on the way in, anyway, so you just grab coffee and doughnuts so you can eat and drive.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

SGT E said:


> Some of the breakfast chow lines I've been in (The better ones) give you a choice of eggs...over easy...scrambled...omlet and then you have a choice of bacon or sausage. You will also find french toast and an occasional tray of dohnuts but the main thing that splits Northern US from Southern is you will almost always find a pan of GRITS !! This delectable ground corn mixture is made to be served as a oatmeal like consistency but is almost always so thick you can cut it and serve it like brownies! It's made to be sugared and buttered and mixed and since I'm a southern boy its just damned delicious!...We have OJ/Milk and lots of coffee!
> 
> Breakfast in the field consists of scrambled eggs....bacon....sometimes soggy french toast and regular toast...and GRITS!...OJ/Milk and coffee. If it was fixed in a field kitchen the food always has a gasoline odor and taste where food straight from the field kitchen does not...had to be those damned mermite cans!
> 
> View attachment 55170


Let me tell you, that picture could have been of ME! That is taken from the time frame when I was in.

M113 in the background, Korean caps, M1 Garand, mouse boots, immersion heaters, and freakin snow!

The good old days, Graffonwoehr, FRG.

@Swedishsocialist,

in all the time I spent in the military, always had good food served,

and you could always go back for seconds if any,

always was some left in the mess halls.

In the small mess halls, generally the cooks would prep as you like

whatever be it steak, eggs, chops, etc.

The scene shown is field serving, no field kitchen present, that is

why the mermite cans.

I knew a guy who would eat the bread at the bottom of the three

inserts after the bacon was taken out!

When too far out, we carried "C" rats and "K" rats to eat,

was not until in the guard 15 years later did I get MRE's.


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## Jammer Six (Jun 2, 2017)

SOCOM42 said:


> Let me tell you, that picture could have been of ME! That is taken from the time frame when I was in.
> 
> M113 in the background, Korean caps, M1 Garand, mouse boots, immersion heaters, and freakin snow!
> 
> The good old days, Graffonwoehr, FRG.


The M1 Garand was withdrawn from field service in 1959.

The first M113 were fielded in Vietnam in 1962.

There was no time when M1 Garands served with M113s.

Therefore, the weapon in the picture is an M14.

It pleases me that you made that post.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

I remember the green eggs for breakfast. Think they sat in a pan to long, so the cooks said. "Eat them up there's nothing wrong with em".


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Jammer Six said:


> The M1 Garand was withdrawn from field service in 1959.
> 
> The first M113 were fielded in Vietnam in 1962.
> 
> ...


I made a long response to this but lost it, so I will simplify, it was most likely an M59, not a M113 in that picture.

You think you caught me in something? you loose, M14 officially adopted in 59, took over two years to field it.

During that time we saw the M113 come into service.

I liked the 59 with the commanders cupola with the M2's huge ammunition box under the VC's seat.

I spent a long time in the guard and around M113's so they came to mind first.

We did not get the M14 until Oct. 62 one month before my discharge.

You think that is a M14 in the picture? then you have no idea what you are talking about.

You fit right in there with rjames.

As a side note, I worked at H&R in 59 and 60 up until I went in the service on M14 production..

I was in an apprentice program for toolmakers as part of the trade high I went to,

following the footsteps of three generations, Engineering came later.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

I never saw donuts in an army mess hall. Breakfast was a typical American breakfast.

Air Force dining facilities were a different story.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

After having to suffer some Army chow in my enlistment, . . . I became ever so grateful for having joined the Navy, . . . because the chow was definitely a couple steps up.

Of course, . . . you have to take into consideration that in those days, . . . fresh milk was not delivered 8,000 miles away, . . . and there were months on end that if you wanted Wheaties or Cheerios, . . . you put lemon lime kook aid on them. Actually shredded wheat is not too bad with cherry kool aid.

And then there was the episode where the cook decided to get creative, . . . stirred a 1 gallon can of sweet pickle chips into the mashed potatoes, . . . but only once......

We had breakfast / dinner / supper / and then 2 out of 3 days on watch, . . . mid-rats, . . . a meal of left overs at 11:15 for the oncoming mid watch, . . . and the left overs from that were all scarfed up by the guys going off watch at 11:45. Cold roast beef, . . . cold fried chicken, . . . ham slices, . . . biscuits (occasionally), . . . just good munchy stuff.

Breakfast was the best usually, . . . bacon, ham, toast, . . . chipped dried beef on toast, . . . eggs, . . . mush, . . . sometimes biscuits and gravy, . . . 

In a 7 month cruise, . . . I gained 30 lbs, . . . and very little of it was muscle.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Dad carried an M1 Garand. Early 1950's Heidelberg, Germany I believe.

View attachment 55186


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Slippy said:


> Dad carried an M1 Garand. Early 1950's Heidelberg, Germany I believe.
> 
> View attachment 55186


Exactly what my uniform looked like, M1 helmet, M65 field jacket, M1 Garand and cartridge belt with suspenders. .

Jammer is going to tell you that is an M14.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

SOCOM42 said:


> Exactly what my uniform looked like, M1 helmet, M65 field jacket, M1 Garand and cartridge belt with suspenders. .
> 
> Jammer is going to tell you that is an M14.


Funny story,

Dad "smuggled" a VW back from Germany courtesy of Uncle Sam. He laughed about that for years.

I miss my Dad. He was a great American.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

In the late 1960's, at every Army mess hall I was ever in, from Georgia to Virginia to Colorado to Vietnam, breakfast always included a pan of SOS for any one who desired. I personally loved the stuff.
Army SOS is ALWAYS made with ground beef, not the dried chip beef of the other services.

Swedish Socialist - SOS stands for Sh** On a Shingle. :tango_face_wink:
It was ground beef browned in a pan, and the grease from it was used to make a flour based gravy. Lots of salt and black pepper to spice things up. The "shingle" was the piece of toasted bread the mixture was slopped on top of.

A cook who could make good SOS was prized. :tango_face_smile:
:vs_coffee::vs_coffee:


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## Jammer Six (Jun 2, 2017)

I _still_ love the stuff.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Years later, I think Dad struggled to be a "Grandpa", PawPaw is what he was called but he never quite filled the role for some damn reason. I really cannot explain that.

But, every Veteran's Day, PawPaw put on a suit and tie, an American Flag lapel pin, and went to one of his Grandkid's schools for a Veteran's Day celebration. He always stood and saluted during the National Anthem. 

He was a big man. But one day I was visiting, he asked that I call before I arrived. I called to let him know I was 20 minutes away. He hung up the phone quickly and when I arrived he was wearing this god-awful sears-sucker suit. He proudly told me that he had this suit since the 1960's and he could now fit in the suit again. (He was eat up with cancer and had lost a bunch of weight).

I didn't miss a beat and said, "Dad, I don't know if I'm more impressed with the fact that you are wearing a suit from the 1960's or the fact that you actually kept this damn suit for 40 years!

He laughed.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Did anyone mention SOS?


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Denton said:


> Did anyone mention SOS?


Best made on an M37 Field Stove in a combat zone.

You know, kinda like Mom used to make. :vs_lol:


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Denton said:


> Did anyone mention SOS?


Slippy's Famous Shat on a Shingle (gluten free of course!)

Brown 1lb of hamburger meat 85/15 and save the drippings. Season ground beef with worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of crushed red peppers.

Add rice flour and butter to the drippings and make a roux, mix with ground beef.

Mash up some Idaho baking potatoes and spread on a plate in a square (shingle)

Open a can o' corn and warm.

Pour ground beef (shat) over potato (shingle) and add corn on the side.

Bon appetite or whatever the hell that means! :vs_laugh:


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Denton said:


> Did anyone mention SOS?


Uh, you mean the stuff that blew my insides out 15 minutes later ready or not? I think it was.:vs_shocked:

Stuff was great, I loved it, but my stomach had a different opinion.:vs_no_no_no:


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

rice paddy daddy said:


> Best made on an M37 Field Stove in a combat zone.
> 
> You know, kinda like Mom used to make. :vs_lol:


I have a complete company level field kitchen with the two stoves, four Griswold square heads dating back to WW2 and Korea.

Got them out of DRMO when Devens closed..

Used them for when we had outings here with 30 or 40 people.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

SOCOM42 said:


> I have a complete company level field kitchen with the two stoves, four Griswold square heads dating back to WW2 and Korea.
> 
> Got them out of DRMO when Devens closed..
> 
> Used them for when we had outings here with 30 or 40 people.


M1937's or the later M2's for the fire units?


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

being you were talking to a civilian soldier - I think the donut & coffee was more his civilian lifestyle than the occasional time he spends soldiering for the MN NG ....


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## RedLion (Sep 23, 2015)

Swedishsocialist said:


> hi everyone,
> 
> In Sweden we atm have a military exersise (Aurora 17), and this time NATO were invited to participate, so among other US troops were in sweden.
> 
> ...


Sweden and the MN National Guard have been "Sister Units" so to speak for quite a few years. MN Guard goes to Sweden one year and Sweden military comes to MN the next. On another note, quite a few U.S. active duty military units, including SEALs, Jar Heads and Rangers come to MN and train at Camp Ripley for cold weather training.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

rice paddy daddy said:


> M1937's or the later M2's for the fire units?


M2's, have three, one has never been lit. The round pots can steam a bushel of clams.

I only burn Coleman fuel in them, saves the generators.

The preheater burner is the same as the ones in my M1951 single burner stoves.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

A memory that will stick with me to my dying day is back in fort Knox Ky we were out playing army, it wasn't overly cold but just wet and one of those days that chilled you to the bone. Along about dark the deuce and a halves pulled up. Had something that amounted to chicken bouillon and rice (least I hope it was rice floating around) but it was hot, and I swear, at that moment in time, it tasted like the best thing I had ever tasted in my life.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Moonshinedave said:


> A memory that will stick with me to my dying day is back in fort Knox Ky we were out playing army, it wasn't overly cold but just wet and one of those days that chilled you to the bone. Along about dark the deuce and a halves pulled up. Had something that amounted to chicken bouillon and rice (least I hope it was rice floating around) but it was hot, and I swear, at that moment in time, it tasted like the best thing I had ever tasted in my life.


I remember a similar incident, was January, was in an OP about 3 in the morning and about +5 degrees out, we

were brought up GI coffee in those mermite cans, just black, tasted like the best thing in the world,

could feel it going all the way down, I had and drank 3/4's of a canteen cup's worth in almost one slug.

My ears were frozen from wearing the PRC-10 headset.

For those that don't know,

GI coffee is made by putting the coffee in a cloth sack throwing the sack into the pot and boiling it,

5 gallons at a time. practically rust remover.


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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

RedLion said:


> Sweden and the MN National Guard have been "Sister Units" so to speak for quite a few years. MN Guard goes to Sweden one year and Sweden military comes to MN the next. On another note, quite a few U.S. active duty military units, including SEALs, Jar Heads and Rangers come to MN and train at Camp Ripley for cold weather training.


This is really not the case, Us soldiers on Swedish soil is really uncommon, I think I read it was the first time in 20+ years.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

yes we eat a regular breakfast -even in the army and even in the field in marmite cans LOL or you may not believe this Swedish but some units actually have a mobile chow kitchen with 3 or 4 permanent military cooks kind of looks like a roach coach but they can and do whip up some good chow a lot better than MRE's for breakfast.


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## RedLion (Sep 23, 2015)

Swedishsocialist said:


> This is really not the case, Us soldiers on Swedish soil is really uncommon, I think I read it was the first time in 20+ years.


Swedish soil, yes you are correct. I had gotten Sweden and Norway confused as you all look the same.....:tango_face_wink:


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

Swedishsocialist said:


> This is really not the case, Us soldiers on Swedish soil is really uncommon, I think I read it was the first time in 20+ years.


more than 20 years - more like pre-WW2 - could be back before the turn of the century - Sweden has set out both world wars and there wasn't any military activity in between ....

Sweden coming out and looking to quasi join NATO shows how serious Russian's moves are perceived .....


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## maine_rm (Jun 24, 2017)

Whenever deployed and most of the time at home station I was always on the flightline so I ate out of the roach coach some of the best burritos you can get.


If your not handsome , best be handy!


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

yah, that 2 pound -8000 calorie gut bomb that has 20,000 ml of sodium burrito -still they sure taste good.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

Anyone in the army, or perhaps any branch of the military, should remember SOS (Same Old Stuff) there's another name for it but we'll leave it at that. Basically it was (I believe) browned ground beef in a gravy, served on toast (hence the Shingle part of the other name it was called) I actually think it was pretty good, but I was in the Military during peacetime, and in most parts we had pretty good breakfasts served at the mess hall (except when we were in the field, and then still pretty good). Keep in mind though, I grew up poor, so it didn't a whole lot to impress me food wise.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Moonshinedave said:


> Anyone in the army, or perhaps any branch of the military, should remember SOS (Same Old Stuff) there's another name for it but we'll leave it at that. Basically it was (I believe) browned ground beef in a gravy, served on toast (hence the Shingle part of the other name it was called) I actually think it was pretty good, but I was in the Military during peacetime, and in most parts we had pretty good breakfasts served at the mess hall (except when we were in the field, and then still pretty good). Keep in mind though, I grew up poor, so it didn't a whole lot to impress me food wise.


Chipped beef and gravy poured over toast. Cheap, but danged good.

You made me think back to cold nights in Germany where I patrolled the woods around special weapons sites until the sun came up. After everything was cleaned and stowed and the dogs were fed, we'd head on over to the mess hall for breakfast. Usually, I had scrambled eggs, grits, SOS, and orange juice. After eating, we'd drink coffee, smoke (yes, we smoked in the mess hall, back then) and shoot the breeze before getting five or so hours before heading back to the woods to stop the Red Army Faction or whoever else would try to penetrate security. 
I miss the breakfast experience with my brothers. Yeah, I know; the passing of time makes the experience seem better than it was. That's OK with me.


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## Amy (Sep 25, 2017)

I worked in a chow hall at a youth intervention program for high school dropouts run by the national guard in high school. I remember there being scrambled/hard boiled eggs, bacon/sausage, pancakes/french toast, hashbrowns, oatmeal/grits, dry cereal, toast, milk, juice, coffee/tea, water, soda and some fruit available to the kids. Sometimes we'd make muffins. 

When I was a kid my Dad, he was in the Air Force, would take white powdered doughnuts with him every morning to eat in front of his Airmen. The chow hall offered food that had some nutritional value he just didn't eat it because he preferred his doughnuts. He was serious about those doughnuts. He once up and left some boy scouts in the mountains alone for several hours after they ate his doughnuts. He went back and got them later. After he'd come back into town, bought more and ate them. They weren't sure he was coming back.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

My Daddy said when he was in the Army back in the big war they ate spam for every meal. Did you let the Manysoto boys try yalls famous pickled herring with cream sauce?


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## Amy (Sep 25, 2017)

Oh and biscuits with gravy several times a week.


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