What Foods Do Sailors Actually Eat On Submarines?

Imagine a hatch closing, and you're suddenly without Internet, mobile phone access, or even sunlight, in a shared space of 600 feet or less for the next three months — could you survive it? Well, the seamen who board submarines for their Naval service manage, and food plays a huge role in helping them get through the long days and nights while on duty. Because submarines are such a difficult assignment, the U.S. military actually gives submarine sailors the very best food in all the armed services — at least to start.

A typical day of eating on a submarine actually doesn't look much different than it does on land (which is good, since Navy sailors actually have to pay for it). For breakfast, the sailors can expect something like eggs and sausage, pancakes and bacon, or even waffles and oatmeal. Lunch and dinner might consist of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, roast turkey and gravy, or baked ham and sweet potatoes, with a side salad and fresh-baked bread. Special occasions might call for truly decadent meals, like prime rib and lobster, though we suspect the tails do get cooked from frozen. And some submarines actually have soft-serve machines on board, so the sailors can indulge in a little ice cream after dinner.

Military cooks — called Culinary Specialists — play an important role overall, but their jobs are especially significant when they serve on a submarine. Because food is so important for these particular sailors' overall well-being, the culinary specialists have to be at the top of their game, constantly flexing their skills and creativity. Not only that, but they have to perform this seemingly impossible task while underwater, managing both a schedule and the food allotment, in a cramped kitchen that must stay clean and tidy.

When the submarine first leaves port, the food is fresh and abundant. Within about two weeks, anything perishable has been completely used up, and culinary specialists must turn more and more to frozen foods. Once those are gone, they start to rely heavily on canned goods. However, they might save special food items, like the aforementioned prime rib and lobster, to be sure to have them on hand for celebrations (or, conversely, before relaying bad news, like a deployment extension).

A skilled culinary specialist can also pull off special sweet treats akin to miracles. While there is typically a dessert each day, they've been known to bake cakes to celebrate sailors' birthdays (shared between everyone who has the same birthday). Though the flavor options are limited, and we'd bet they're not making them in the shape of numbers, nothing beats a thoughtful gesture like a homemade cake, especially when you're hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from home, and living in a submarine in the middle of the ocean.