Recommended food for expedition

Importance of food on expeditions Whilst you are away on your expedition you will be trekking in environments that will challenge you in many different ways. You and your teams ability to cope with these environments on expedition, is in many ways, linked to the food you buy and prepare. So making sure it is done properly is very important.

Whilst the obvious effect of food on expediton to your energy levels is important to consider it should also be remembered that food can affect many other aspects of your expedition such as budget, itinerary, morale, hygiene, long term health and team development.

What to consider when planning your expedition menu

There are many different ways in which to plan your expedition food and one team may have a completely different way of doing this to the next. Whilst each different method will have its own merits they all cover the same basic principals which can be broken down into five areas of consideration.

1. Does your food provide warmth when it’s required on expediton?
   It is important to make sure that your team have the ability to provide a warm meal whilst trekking on expedition. This will allow you to function better in the evenings and in the event of an emergency.  
    
2. What are the practicalities of your food on expedition?
   How much does your food cost? How much does it weigh? Can you cook it on your stoves? What rubbish does it produce? Does your team have any dietary requirements? Does your food require anything to add to it such as milk? How long will your food last? Do you have enough?
    
3. Does your food provide enough of the right energy on expedition?
   Age, sex and weight all affect the amount of energy that a person consumes on expedition in a day but on average it is advised that males take on at least 2500 calories a day and females around 2000. This is of course subjective and shouldn’t be taken as anything other than a guideline. What is important is that the energy taken on reflects the nature of the task in hand. As the energy you require will be needed throughout the day it is better if it is released slowly. With this in mind slow releasing complex carbohydrates are better so foods like pasta are more suited for trekking days.  
    
4. Is your expediton food nutritionally balanced?
   Ordinarily in the UK this would be less of a consideration, but as you will be away for a month and will be trekking it is important that your diet is well balanced and that it contains the vitamins and minerals you require. This will lessen the chance of you getting ill whilst you are away.
    
5. Is your food fun?
   One of the single most important factors on the team’s moral is the food you eat. Gone are the days of eating semi cooked pasta with a thin film of cheap sauce covering it. If your team have just spent the last 7 hours trekking to the next camp the last thing they want is a drab, uninteresting meal so make your grub fun!!

Shopping list

Whilst you are away on your expedition you will be trekking in environments that will challenge you in many different ways. You and your teams ability to cope with these environments on expedition, is in many ways, linked to the food you buy and prepare. So making sure it is done properly is very important. Once you have planned your food you can then write a shopping list. Obviously it is important to buy enough food so knowing how much of each major food groups you need while trekking, will help a lot. There are a number of websites or publications where you can get this info but below are some recommendations. Alternatively you could enlist the help of your food tech teachers.

Pasta: 100gms per person
Rice: 50gms per person
Cous cous: 75 – 100gms per person
Porridge: 50gms per person

Top Tips for buying food for a training expedition!

Spaghetti is the best pasta to buy as it takes up less room than any other type of pasta Rather that buying expensive bags of trail mix, make your own Buy a group sharp knife at the beginning of your expedition rather that using a 2” penknife to chop your onions Buy some strong bin bags to take on your trip. The last thing you want is a burst rubbish bag in your rucksack Readybrek shouldn’t be mistaken for porridge and doesn’t taste good with water. It also bursts in rucksacks!

• Tabasco sauce is a great way to spice up your pasta and goes a long way
• Tortilla wraps or pitta breads last much longer than loafs of bread when carried in a rucksack
• If you intend on making your lunches on the morning before you start trekking, it is important to have something to carry it in
• Whilst pot noodles are convenient they take up a lot of room and don’t contain much in the way of energy or nutrition
• Always read the labels!

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