Switzerland’s army may not be known for a Michelin-style gastronomy, but the soldiers can count on some classic dishes that have made a military history of their own.
In April 2025, a call for tenders was published on the Defence Department’s procurement platform, seeking a supplier to deliver more than 54,000 boxes of canned ravioli for Swiss troops.
Why the ravioli? That is because ravioli smothered in tomato sauce is a Swiss military classic.
In 2024, for instance, Swiss soldiers consumed 64 tonnes, or 175 kilos per day, of this food, according to the military procurement agency, Armasuisse.
“Ravioli are an important part of the storage strategy,” Armasuisse pointed out.
Their long shelf life (in a can) and ease of preparation make them an ideal food in the field, and nutritious as well: it contains 22 percent protein, 16 percent carbohydrates, and 9 percent fat – ingredients that “effectively contribute to the soldiers’ energy needs”.
Not only that, but the cans can be easily opened with another military icon: the army knife.
READ ALSO: Do Swiss soldiers really use the army knife?
This brings up another pertinent question: what (besides the ravioli) do Swiss troops eat?
The general rule for the approximately 40,000 meals prepared each day in military kitchens throughout Switzerland is that, whenever possible, Swiss products must be used for food preparation and, preferably, they should be locally-grown and seasonal.
The troops are fed three times a day; this is a sample from a typical Monday spring lunch menu:
Broth with croutons
Ravioli
Mixed salad
Fruit tea
Assorted nut mix
Apple for desert
Breakfasts are the same each day:
Coffee or cocoa
Orange juice
Assorted baked goods
Butter
Jam
Muesli with fruit
Yogurt
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Army supplies
You may take it to mean weapons, ammunition, and tanks, but this is a term the Defence Department uses to describe the non-perishable food supply the army keeps in its reserves.
This is the standard stock:
Photo: Defence Department
Note that this is separate from a stockpile of essential reserves that the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES) wants the country’s population to keep for emergencies.
READ ALSO: What residents in Switzerland need to stockpile in case of crisis
The army also occasionally adds new products to its stock. The most recent additions are chocolate and raspberry flavoured high-protein bars, double-chocolate energy bars, basmati rice and chocolate pudding, among others.
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Besides ravioli, are there any other ‘cult’ Swiss army foods?
Yes.
The classic army biscuits have been distributed to the troops since 1959 .
This is how the Defence Department describes its versatility: “As a neutral bread replacement, the biscuit pairs just as well with cold cuts and cheese as with chocolate or vanilla cream and applesauce.”
The biscuits come in a 50-gramme pack because “this portion is ideal as a bread replacement for breakfast in the field during a deployment exercise or as a traditional snack instead of crackers”.
Then, there is also a well-known “military stew” – a mix of beef cubes, onions, carrots, leeks, celery, cabbage, and potatoes that are boiled until soft.
