I have been fed by the RNZAF, RAAF, USAF etc. The USAF one was best. It had an EAT BY Time on it. We had to scoff it down before flight and before it ran out of crew eating time.
The RAAF rations? well we were not airborne long enough to eat them all.
French? with wine.
Back to BEagles point about food hygiene or more properly Aviation Medicine that was the reason for the V-Force having PRE-FLIGHT and POST-FLIGHT meals as well as in-flight.
It was deemed necessary to eat a proper meal before flight that was low on cellulose and fat. In-flight was low quantity, high energy food. Post-flight was designed to ensure that the jaws were sufficiently exercised to allow air into the inner ear. Having suffered oxygen ear I assure you that is no joke.
Back on the food hygiene issue, cooked meals were provided by galley slaves on the Nimrod and Shackleton but no hygiene rules except, and I think this was unofficial, captain and copilot would eat different meals.