What was the typical diet of German soldier in 1941 when Nazi Germany was probably at its peak and what was it like after battles like Stalingrad when Germany went on the defensive? I mean in 1941 they had most of the continent of Europe providing them with food and I don't think Nazi high command would have felt confident to launch the largest invasion in history if the troops weren't getting properly fed? Am I wrong?
Believe it or not, there's a web thread devoted to exactly this topic.
http://www.dererstezug.com/IronRation.htm
In short ...
While on campaign, German soldiers during World War Two were served hot meals once a day from their company or battalion field kitchens. Ideally, while the troops were marching from one mission to another, the unit’s kitchen personnel (which included the mess sergeant or Feldkochunteroffizier and his cook’s assistants or Küchenbullen) would start the fires in the mess wagon trailer or Gulaschkanone early, so hot water for tea or coffee could be served out, especially during cold weather. Normally, Landsers would be issued their bread ration for the day (Kriegsbrot, a dark, multi-grain bread), and would draw cheese (Käse), jelly or preserves (marmalade) and perhaps hard sausage (Dauerwurst) for their morning meal. The hot coals in the Gulaschkanone would be kept going all day to cook stew or Eintopf for the mid-day meal, normally the largest meal of the day. The evening meal would look much like that of the morning, using the remainder of the bread issue, with perhaps the addition of instant soup or Wehrmachts-Suppekonserve).
The "Iron Ration", which was consumed when the above supplies were not available or when the troops could not be moved off the line to a field kitchen, was the rough equivalent of the American GI's K Ration.