Thousands of Army ration packs will be donated to charities to help feed poor families and the homeless across the country.

Defence chiefs have announced that 20,000 unused ‘operational ration packs’ will be donated over the next few years.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the food will be handed to charity FareShare, which will then divide them up between charities across the UK including community groups, homeless hotels and lunch groups for the elderly.

The ration packs contain enough to give 10 soldiers 4,000 calories to sustain them over a 24-hour period and include items for breakfast, lunch and dinner, such as porridge, sausages, baked beans, pasta and rice.

Minister for defence people and veterans Tobias Ellwood said: “Ration packs help provide nutritionally-balanced meals to our armed forces on operations around the world.

“But charity begins at home, and I’m pleased our partnership with FareShare will make sure no food goes to waste.

“FareShare does a fantastic job redistributing food across the country and I’m proud the military can support communities in this way.”

The ration packs will help the recipient charities save on food bills, allowing them to re-invest money into essential support programmes.

About two million ration packs are used by the military every year, with less than one per cent of the MoD’s stock requiring disposal.

Food banks are more likely to open in local authorities with higher unemployment rates and in areas which have had greater aggregate cuts in welfare spending (Getty)

This scheme means when it becomes clear a batch of ration packs can’t be used, there is an opportunity to gift to those in need and ensure any good food does not go to waste.

The operational ration pack provides a two-course breakfast, lunch and a three-course dinner, as well as a number of drinks, both hot and cold.

Roger West, director of the MoD’s procurement organisation, said the move was “the right thing to do”.

“I am delighted to be able to provide support for this important issue,” he said.

“This solution will deliver food products where they are needed while also minimising waste.”

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Tens of thousands of people are turning to foodbanks for help each year.

The Trussell Trust – a charity which co-ordinates a nationwide network of foodbanks – reported a 13 per cent increase in the distribution of three-day emergency packs last year.

The Trust’s foodbank network distributed 1,332,952 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis between 1 April, 2017, and 31 March, 2018, 484,026 of which went to children.