Submarine Food & Cooking - The Galley Beneath the Waves

The day starts with a full hot breakfast. Typical items include eggs (scrambled, fried, or omelets made to order), bacon, sausage, hash browns, toast, cereal, fresh fruit (when available), pancakes or French toast, and coffee. Breakfast is often the simplest meal but is essential for crew coming off the mid-watch. Coffee is available 24 hours a day and is arguably the most critical supply item on any submarine.

Lunch is typically a substantial hot meal with multiple options. Common lunch items include soups, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, pasta dishes, stir-fry, tacos, and a salad bar (while fresh vegetables last). The goal is variety - repeating the same meals too quickly is a major morale issue on long patrols. Submarine cooks maintain detailed logs to ensure menu rotation.

Dinner is the main meal of the day and receives the most attention from the cooks. Entrees include roast beef, fried chicken, grilled steaks, baked fish, pork chops, or pasta with meat sauce. Side dishes, fresh-baked rolls, and dessert (cake, pie, brownies, or ice cream) accompany every dinner. Sunday dinners are traditionally special, often featuring prime rib or other premium entrees.

Midrats serve the crew members on the mid-watch (typically midnight to 0600). This fourth daily meal ranges from leftovers from dinner to specially prepared items like slider burgers, pizza, breakfast burritos, or soup. The quality of midrats varies by submarine and cook, but they are essential for maintaining the energy and alertness of the watch standers during the most fatiguing hours. Some submarines have legendary midrats - the reputation of a boat's midrats can precede it.

Large walk-in refrigerators and freezers store perishable items. Fresh produce - lettuce, tomatoes, fruit, vegetables - is consumed first and typically runs out within 7-14 days. Fresh milk lasts about a week before switching to powdered or UHT milk. Frozen meats are the backbone of the protein supply, carefully managed to provide variety throughout the patrol.

The largest food storage volume is dedicated to frozen items: meats (beef, chicken, pork, fish, shrimp, lobster), frozen vegetables, ice cream, bread dough, and prepared entrees. These freezers maintain temperatures below -18C (0F). The freezer inventory is meticulously managed - losing a freezer to mechanical failure can compromise the entire patrol's food supply.

Canned fruits, vegetables, sauces, and soups form the long-term food supply. Dry goods include flour, sugar, rice, pasta, cereal, coffee, tea, and spices. These items are stored in dedicated lockers and in any available void space throughout the submarine. Canned goods are reliable but monotonous, which is why cooks work hard to prepare them creatively.

Perhaps the most distinctive submarine food storage: cases of canned goods and bottled water stacked under removable deck plates in passageways and berthing areas. At the start of a patrol, the "deck" may be raised 15-30 centimeters above normal as crew literally walk on top of their food supply. As provisions are consumed, the deck gradually returns to normal height - a tangible indicator of how far through the patrol the crew has progressed.

On many submarines, the torpedo room doubles as overflow food storage. Cases of drinks, canned goods, and dry provisions are stacked between torpedo racks and in any available space. On some boats, particularly during extended deployments, the torpedo room contains nearly as much food as torpedoes. This dual-use of space is a defining characteristic of submarine logistics.

Submarine duty receives the highest food allocation. Four meals per day. Dedicated culinary specialists.

Aircraft carriers have the largest galleys. Smaller ships have more limited galley facilities.

British submarine food is highly regarded. Traditional Sunday roast is maintained at sea.

French submarines are famous for their food quality. Wine was traditionally served with meals (now discontinued on nuclear boats).

Smaller crews (27-28 on Type 212A) allow more per-person food allocation. Fresh bread baked daily.

Japanese submarines maintain traditional Japanese cuisine at sea. Friday curry is a legendary naval tradition.

What do submarine crews eat?

Submarine crews eat remarkably well compared to other military branches. Meals include steak, lobster, shrimp, roast beef, fried chicken, fresh-baked bread and pastries, salads (during the first week), and elaborate desserts. The US Navy allocates the highest per-person food budget for submarine crews - approximately $12-15 per person per day. Four meals are served daily: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and "midrats" (midnight rations for the mid-watch). Fresh produce is available for the first 1-2 weeks before transitioning to frozen and canned foods. Quality submarine food is considered essential for morale, and culinary specialists (cooks) take tremendous pride in their work. Holiday meals and special occasions like "halfway night" feature premium items like filet mignon and king crab.

How is food stored on a submarine?

Food storage on a submarine is a monumental logistical challenge. A 90-day patrol for a crew of 130+ requires approximately 30,000-40,000 meals worth of provisions. Food is stored literally everywhere possible: in dedicated refrigerated and frozen food storage compartments, in dry stores lockers, under deck plates (creating raised walkways that gradually lower as food is consumed), in passageways, stacked against bulkheads, and in any available void space. On the first days of a patrol, crew members often walk on top of cases of food in some passageways. Fresh provisions occupy the refrigerated spaces first and are consumed early. Canned and dried goods occupy the longest-term storage positions.

How many cooks serve on a submarine?

A typical US Navy submarine carries 3-6 Culinary Specialists (CSs), the official Navy rating for cooks. On a Virginia-class with 132 crew, there are usually 4-5 CSs who work in rotating shifts to produce four meals per day, seven days a week, for the entire patrol. The lead CS (often a Chief Petty Officer) manages meal planning, inventory, and menu variety. Submarine cooks are among the most highly trained in the military and often cross-train at civilian culinary schools. The quality of food directly affects crew morale, and an exceptional cook is one of the most valued members of the crew. The small galley and limited equipment make submarine cooking a demanding specialty that requires creativity and efficiency.

Does food taste different on a submarine?

Yes, food can taste different on a submarine for several reasons. The recycled atmosphere has slightly different levels of CO2 and other trace gases compared to fresh air, which can affect taste perception. After weeks of breathing recirculated air, some crew members report a dulled sense of taste and smell. The lack of natural light and the psychological monotony of long patrols can also affect appetite and food enjoyment. To compensate, submarine cooks often use more seasoning and spices than typical military cooking. Hot sauce and seasoning bottles are staples in every submarine mess. Some foods that are normally unremarkable - like fresh fruit or a simple salad - become extraordinary treats after weeks of canned and frozen provisions.

How does a submarine get fresh water for cooking and drinking?

Modern nuclear submarines produce their own fresh water through desalination. Distillation plants evaporate seawater using heat from the nuclear reactor and then condense the steam into pure fresh water. A modern submarine can produce 10,000-40,000 gallons of fresh water per day - far more than the crew needs for drinking, cooking, and bathing. This was not always the case: early diesel submarines had very limited fresh water capacity, and crews were often restricted to minimal drinking water with salt water used for some cooking and all washing. Even today, some navies on conventional submarines enforce strict water conservation during long patrols. The abundance of fresh water on nuclear submarines is considered one of the major quality-of-life advantages over diesel-electric boats.

What is "halfway night" on a submarine?

Halfway night is one of the most celebrated traditions in submarine service. It marks the exact midpoint of a patrol and features a special meal that is the culinary highlight of the deployment. The cooks prepare the finest food available - typically steak (often filet mignon), lobster tails, king crab legs, shrimp, premium desserts, and fresh-baked bread. The meal is accompanied by crew-organized entertainment: skits, games, contests, and awards. Halfway night serves an important psychological function - it tells the crew that they have made it through half the patrol and the return home is now closer than the departure. The Supply Officer and cooks carefully plan the menu and preserve the best ingredients specifically for this event.