Humanitarian daily ration

Instructions intended for Afghan refugees for human daily rations.(PD) Image: United States Department of Defense

Humanitarian daily rations and contents.

Salmon colored Humanitarian Daily Ration.

Humanitarian daily ration is the name for an emergency ration, with a long shelf-life, intended to be used for refugees during natural diasters, or in conflict areas.

The meals are designed to be able to survive being air-dropped, without a parachute. This is safer for the refugees than parachuting large palletes of rations. And it prevents hoarding of the meals by a few individuals. The meals cost approximately 20 % the cost of a meal ready to eat.

Initially the rations came in a yellow wrapper, but that was the same color as a antipersonnel cluster submunition The color was changed so civilians would not pick up a dangerous unexploded munition thinking it was food. <refname=QuartermastAlphabetSoup>Albin R. Majewski. The Alphabet Soup of Combat Rations, United States Army, Winter 2001. Retrieved on 2007-10-18. </ref>

Specifications

Shelf life	36 months at 80 F
Weight	30 ounces
Kilo Calories	at least 2200 per package
Protein content	10-13 percent
Fat content	27-30 percent
Carbohydrate content	60 percent
Prohibited contents	Any animal products, except a limited amount of dairy products, below the limit that would cause a problem for a person with lactose intolerance.
Infant component	All rations contain a fruit paste, suitable for feeding to infants
Utensils'	All rations contain a spoon and a paper towel moistened with a non-toxic, non-alcoholic cleanser

The rations were first used in Bosnia in 1993.