Humanitarian daily ration

Before the HDR was made available, the United States provided military Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MREs) to famine victims. Aid agencies complained that the MREs were too high in protein, indigestible, and violated religious taboos. In some cases, famine victims went into shock (see refeeding syndrome) after eating large MRE meals.{{cite thesis|url=https://dl.tufts.edu/downloads/g158bt96p?filename=0p096k14h.pdf|title=Humanitarian Daily Rations: a decade of experience and new directions|date=2003|first=Benjamin A.|last=Sklaver|degree=MA|publisher=Tufts University}}{{rp|9}} By the time of the creation of the HDR, the Department of Defense had almost depleted its stock of MREs in the post–Gulf War period, having distributed 53 million MREs between 1990 and 1993. The end of the Cold War caused reductions in military funding, prompting the DoD to rethink its approach on aid. Furthermore, MRE producers found the profit in producing MRE "marginal" and wanted to expand to foreign and civilian markets. The HDR provided a solution to all these problems: it is safe to provide to famine victims, cheap enough to distribute broadly, and provides a large potential market to contractors.{{rp|9–10}}

file:Afghanistan hdr-leaflet.jpg

The HDR packages are delivered in cases of packages. Each contains a small selection of food items based on predetermined menus, and an accessory pack containing red pepper, pepper, salt, sugar, spoon, matches, an alcohol-free moist towelette, and a napkin.{{cite web |url=https://www.mreinfo.com/hdrs.html |work= mreinfo.com |url-status=dead |title= Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050104045159/https://www.mreinfo.com/hdrs.html |accessdate= 2007-07-26 |archive-date=January 4, 2005 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/hdr/hdrabt.asp |title=Operational Rations| website= dla.mil |publisher= Defense Logistics Agency |accessdate=2007-10-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716095535/http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/hdr/hdrabt.asp |archivedate=2011-07-16 }}

HDRs are typically air-dropped into the disaster area on large pallets. From the time they were created and used in 1993 until November 2001, HDRs were packaged with a bright yellow outer plastic covering. This choice of color proved to be problematic in areas of the world where cluster bombs were being used, as the bombs were the same shade of yellow. Recipients of the rations sometimes confused the ration package for undetonated cluster bombs, often spotting the bright color from a distance and making an incorrect assumption. {{cite news |url=http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/2001/Winter01/The_Alphabet_Soup_of_Combat_Rations.htm |title=The Alphabet Soup of Combat Rations | first=Albin R. | last= Majewski| website= quartermaster.army.mil |date=Winter 2001 |accessdate= 2007-10-18 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818202042/http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/2001/Winter01/The_Alphabet_Soup_of_Combat_Rations.htm |archivedate=2007-08-18|url-status=dead|publisher=United States Army}} This prompted the United States Federal Government to reissue the packages with a deep salmon pink outer covering to distinguish them from the bombs. This color has been used in the HDR manufacturing process ever since. Later packages were covered in salmon colored foil.{{cite web |url=http://www.billdugan.com/projects/hdr/ |title=MICA Flex Studio 4th group | first=Bill | last= Dugan | publisher= | website= billdugan.com | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201083546/http://www.billdugan.com/projects/hdr/ |archivedate=December 1, 2008 |url-status=live |accessdate=2007-07-26}}

HDRs produced in the United States are manufactured by the same companies that produce MREs designed for the United States Armed Forces. Like MREs, the food components are designed so they can be consumed without requiring additional preparation, including cooking. They do not include flameless ration heaters, which are found in MREs.

file:HDR-contents.JPG]]

There are five menus of HDR. Each menu contains three sub-menus, printed as list-of-content A, B, and C on the packet. Each HDR packet randomly contains two of the sub-menus.{{cite web |title=Humanitarian Daily Ration (HDRs) |url=https://www.mreinfo.com/other-us-rations/current-us-rations/humanitarian-daily-ration/ |website=MRE Info |quote=There are five different menus of HDRs. With a case of 10 HDRs, you’ll have two of each type of HDR available. Depending on the HDR manufacturer (Ameriqual, Sopakco, or Wornick), each HDR type could have one of three lists of contents – A, B, or C. For example, if you had a case of HDR, you would get 10 HDRs – two from each menu. However, it’s a toss-up as to whether (for example with Menu 1) you’d get Bean Salad, Barley Stew, or Beans & Rice. This was a little confusing for me at first – just by looking at the menu, you’d think each HDR bag would contain meals A, B, and C. But I can assure you that’s not how it works.}}

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• Main entrée, two of:
• Lentil or barley stew
• Yellow or herb rice
• Red beans and rice
• Beans and rice with tomato sauce
• Peas in tomato sauce
• Beans with potatoes
• Shortbread
• Fig bar
• Vegetable crackers
• Peanut butter (replaced by sunflower butter as of 2021){{cite web |last1=Steve1989MREInfo |author1-link=Steve1989MREInfo |title=2021 HDR Humanitarian Daily Ration Menu 1 & 2 Review 24 Hour MRE Tasting Test |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKfWQ3Sij68 |website=YouTube |access-date=10 May 2024 |language=en |date=1 May 2023}} – sunflower butter at 02:50
• Strawberry jam
• Fruit pastry (much like a Pop-tart)
• Accessory Pack containing:
• Book of matches (unprinted)
• Salt, pepper, and sugar packets
• Packet of crushed red pepper
• Moist towelette (alcohol-free)
• Paper napkin
• Plastic spoon

{{div col end}}

For micronutrients, see full Technical Data.

|-

! scope=row | Prohibited contents

|The HDR is designed to "provide the widest possible acceptance from the variety of potential consumers with diverse religious and dietary restrictions from around the world".

• Contains no animal products, except a limited amount of dairy products, below the limit that would cause a problem for a person with lactose intolerance.
• Any alcohol or alcohol-based ingredients are also banned.

|-

! scope=row | Infant component

|All rations contain a fruit paste, or pudding, suitable for feeding to infants

|-

! scope=row | Utensils

|All rations contain a spoon and a paper towel moistened with a non-toxic, non-alcoholic cleanser

|}

In Bosnia, 1993, HDRs saw its first use in Operation Provide Promise, which delivered "hundreds of thousands of HDR's". By 2003, at least 12.4 million HDRs had been distributed.{{rp|26}}

On October 15, 2001, the United States announced a humanitarian daily ration for Afghanistan.{{cite web |url=http://usinfo.state.gov/is/Archive_Index/Humanitarian_Aid_to_the_Afghan_People-4072c45bad525.html |title=Humanitarian Aid to the Afghan People: Issued by the Office of International Information Programs October 15, 2001 |date=October 15, 2001 |publisher=United States Department of State |accessdate=2007-07-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714002014/https://usinfo.state.gov/is/Archive_Index/Humanitarian_Aid_to_the_Afghan_People-4072c45bad525.html |archivedate=July 14, 2007 }}

On October 24, 2001, Rear Admiral John Dickson Stufflebeem announced fears that the Taliban planned to poison American food aid.{{cite web | url=http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/news/press/2001/nrot107.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923173526/http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/news/press/2001/nrot107.htm |date=25 October 2001 |archive-date=September 23, 2006 |website=bangkok.usembassy.gov |access-date=16 October 2023 |title=Defense Dept. Says Taliban May Attempt to Poison Afghan Food Aid }} Stufflebeem also said that since the program started on October 7, 2001 the United States had dropped 785,000 rations.{{cite web |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2001/10/mil-011024-usia09c.htm |work=GlobalSecurity.org |first=Merle D. Jr. |last=Kellerhals |date=October 25, 2001 |title=Defense Dept. Says Taliban May Attempt to Poison Afghan Food Aid |publisher=United States Department of State |accessdate=2007-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011221125842/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2001/10/mil-011024-usia09c.htm |archive-date=December 21, 2001 |url-status=live }}

{{commons}}

• BP-5 Compact Food

{{Portal bar|Food}}

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Humanitarian daily rations}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716095535/http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/hdr/hdrabt.asp HDR factsheet] by the Defense Logistics Agency
• [http://www.mreinfo.com/hdrs.html A list of menus]

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Category:Military food

Category:Instant foods and drinks

Category:Survival equipment