U.S. military gives combat rations a makeover

NPR | By Jay Price

Published August 31, 2026 at 3:42 PM CDT

The changing nature of warfare has prompted the Army to develop lighter, smaller meals for troops to carry into combat. And the new rations had to fuel performance better... and taste better.

Jay Price

Jay Price has specialized in covering the military for nearly a decade. Before joining WUNC, he was a senior reporter for the News & Observer in...

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