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Opening 80-year-Old WWII US Army C-Ration can with original chocolate, coffee, biscuits, and jam inside [1]

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Date: 2026-05-18  

This fascinating video shows an original World War II–era US Army C-Ration can from the 1940s being opened today, in 2026. Its preserved contents are revealed after roughly 80 years, and the results are surprisingly edible-looking. These olive-drab tins were designed to provide soldiers in the field with a meal, and this particular example still contains a small assortment of wartime provisions.

The sealed can contains chocolate cubes, Nescafé instant coffee, sugar cubes, four biscuits, and a small can of jam. These ration kits were engineered for portability and durability. They even included a tiny key attached to the lid to help troops open them in rough conditions.

Seeing the contents still intact so many decades later gives a strange, almost time-capsule feeling of everyday military life during WWII. It's always interesting how something so utilitarian can become a historical artifact over time. I wonder if one could still eat the contents of this can without getting sick. Considering how pristine the food looks, my biggest fear would probably just be breaking a tooth on a hardened chocolate cube.

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2026/05/18/opening-80-year-old-wwii-us-army-c-ration-can-with-original-chocolate-coffee-biscuits-and-jam-inside.html

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