*Every Friday is all about food on Red Cross Talks – everything from Red Cross inspired recipes to emergency food tips and solutions
We often talk a lot about what to eat during a disaster. Do you ever wonder what Red Crossers eat when responding to big disasters around the world such as the Haiti Earthquake?
We recently put on our reporter’s cap and asked our own JP Taschereau (Canadian Red Cross Senior Manager for International Emergency Response) to find out the answer to this question. First of all, we are happy to report back to you that it’s not SPAM! Instead, when Red Cross delegates head into disaster zones they take with them “Meals Ready to Eat” or MRE’s for short.
JP told us that when disasters occur, markets and food supplies are interrupted making it difficult to find food. With the MREs, our delegates know exactly when and what their next meal will be. The food comes in a pouch that you put in a plastic bag. All you have to do to heat it up is add some water to cause a chemical reaction. Fifteen minutes later you have a meal! They are also easy to take with you, which is especially handy if you’re in the aftermath of a hurricane or earthquake.
This is also the same type of food Red Cross delegates eat to prepare themselves for the field. At a recent training session for our Emergency Response Unit (ERU), our delegates had veggie lasagne, penne with sausage, and Mexican rice – all MRE style. The MREs have lots of carbs and calories to help you get through the day.
Check out photos from the recent training ERU session here.