Army's Latest Snack: Caffeinated Beef Jerky

The only problem with coffee is that it has no meat in it, and the only problem with meat is that it has no caffeine in it. Fortunately, the Army has solved both of those problems with its newest snack: caffeinated meat. The beef jerky stick, which contains as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, just tastes like normal jerky. It’s still in the testing stages; it’s just one of a number of experiments the Army is trying in an attempt to beef up (no pun intended) its notoriously reviled Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) options.

Another weird-sounding new dish: Zapplesauce, which is applesauce with the complex carbohydrate Maltodextrin added in, the Washington Post reports. In addition to enriching the MREs with additives, the Army has been attempting to make the meals tastier. Some new additions include feta cheese with tomatoes, ratatouille, and Irish cream coffee. Food technologists reportedly studied TGI Friday’s and Applebee’s menu items to get ideas. For more, click over to the Week. (More US Army stories.)