WASHINGTON -- When U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan open group combat rations in the months to come, they might find an unexpected treat: a walnut tea cake that serves 18. And before they even get to it, they'll have chicken pesto pasta and Burgundy beef stew to finish off.

At a recent Pentagon demonstration of advances in field food, a group of Army veterans and young soldiers who had recently returned from Iraq stood shoulder to shoulder with military brass to sample entrees and desserts that will be introduced in war zones over the next few years. A compact one-day food supply for mobile combat troops -- the First Strike Ration -- also made its debut.

The event showcased selected rations developed at the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Mass. The new menu items will arrive at the front lines in several guises. The chicken pesto pasta, for example, will be available as a Unitized Group Ration, or UGR-E, a new self-contained module that can provide 18 hot meals in 30 to 45 minutes, replacing the need for a field kitchen.

Other entrees, such as the Southwest beef and black beans that will replace the unpopular beef enchilada, are destined as MREs, which stands for meal ready to eat.

Depending on their location, most U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan eat in mess halls managed by catering contractors. The MRE and UGR-E were designed for Special Operations forces, military police and artillery soldiers in remote locations.

Soldiers can choose from among 24 MRE menus, up from 12 in 1998. On average, 3 million cases (36 million meals) of MREs per year are shipped overseas in peacetime, while hundreds of millions are shipped in wartime.

The set calorie count for operational rations is substantial -- 3,600 per day -- and the foods at the Pentagon event tasted that filling. World War II veteran William Kelley said he enjoyed the entrees he tried, which included garlic mashed potatoes and barbecued pork.

"It's all good," said Mr. Kelley, 86, who served in Europe and lives at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Northwest. "What they served us in combat -- the K rations -- were terrible. They gave us eggs cooked in flour that came in small boxes."

Army Reserve cadet and Arlington resident Kadija Kargbo, 26, praised the beef teriyaki. "This is good. The meat is soft and tender," she said after a bite.

Chef R.J. Cooper and sous-chef John Engle of Vidalia in downtown Washington were also asked to critique the dishes that were served at the event. Mr. Cooper was polite as he walked the buffet line, telling his hosts that "the flavors are good." Later, he had less-flattering things to say about the food, but he gave high marks to the chefs for their efforts.

"Was it the best food I've ever had? No. A lot of it tasted chemically induced. And, oh my, the dried basil," said Mr. Cooper, who also has not served in the military. "But it would bring comfort to soldiers. It shows a lot of skill and knowledge. It's important, what they are trying to do."