Expedition Food - Introduction

The following points should be considered when choosing your menu. Some of the points relate more specifically to expeditions of a longer nature i.e. over four days, than those you will typically experience within the ATC. However if you apply the following principles you will have a more enjoyable expedition. You normally have a lot of time to spare at the end of the each day whilst on expedition so it is worth spending some of it cooking a good meal. If you experiment at home before you go, you will know what to expect. You do not want to be cooking something for the first time when you are tired as if you make a mistake and ruin the food you and your cooking partners will not be very happy. You should remember that ‘Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance’ so think about your food early and use any training sessions to try out new and different foods.

The importance of food on expeditions 

Obviously everyone needs to eat but food should be far more than just fuel. The quality of food is always important. Having both enough to eat and making sure that meals are tasty and enjoyable goes a long way to ensuring good morale. A few luxury foods such as chocolate, sweets, cakes and if available, fresh fruit, usually outweigh their cost and weight by their positive effect on mood.

How much do you need to eat? 

Young people need lots of energy and nutrients because they're still growing.

These are estimates of the average amount of energy young people of different ages need. Energy is measured in calories (kcal).

Boys aged 11 to 14 need about 2,220 calories a day.

Girls aged 11 to 14 need about 1,845 calories a day.

Young men aged 15 to 18 need about 2,755 calories a day.

Young women aged 15 to 18 need about 2,110 calories a day.

But remember these figures are only a guide, and young people might need more or less than these estimates, depending on a number of things, such as how physically active they are.

When you are on your expedition you will be doing a lot of physical activity, so you will need to eat more than you normally do. If the expedition involves a lot of uphill the amount of food has to increase again.

As a guide a range of 3000 – 4000 calories are recommended each day when you are on expedition.

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The influence of diet on performance

To put the role of diet into context, an inappropriate diet will not affect performance as much as a lack of endurance training and an appropriate diet will not improve performance as much as training. Eating correctly will make the most of whatever fitness you have but it will not compensate for any months of idleness before an expedition!  

Having enough to eat and therefore enough energy is the primary consideration. If this was all, then the best food to eat on an expedition would be lard. It has the highest calorific value, is the cheapest source of energy and you can spread it on your skin for insulation or burn it for heat and light at night. However there are good reasons why a 100% lard diet is not the best to choose.

Energy is stored in the body in three ways: CARBOHYDRATE is stored in the liver and muscles as GLYCOGEN (800 calories) PROTEIN is stored in the muscles (24,000 calories) FAT is stored in the adipose (fatty) tissue (141,000 calories). Protein is generally not used as an energy source because it is less readily available.  

When exercising the body uses a mixture of fat and glycogen as fuel for energy. At low intensity exercise or at rest the body uses mainly fat, at high intensity exercise mainly glycogen is used. The body's glycogen store is relatively small and when it has been used up, fatigue sets in. So to delay the onset of fatigue you need to be using less glycogen and more fat as your energy source for any given exercise intensity. You also need to make sure that your glycogen stores are as full as possible for as much of the time as possible. The only way to increase the proportion of fat used for fuel at high intensity exercise (and therefore to spare the glycogen for as long as possible) is to train. However you can ensure that your stores of glycogen are kept full by eating plenty of carbohydrate foods. This is particularly important after exercise when the glycogen stores will be depleted. You need to eat lots of carbohydrate as soon after exercise as possible since this is the time when the body can replenish its glycogen store most quickly and to the highest degree. 

If you need to be active day after day and wish to delay the onset of fatigue, eat a high carbohydrate diet -plenty of bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, beans, cereals, sweets and sugary foods (more of the former and less sweets and sugar). In this way you are more likely to replenish glycogen stores or "refuel" fully -a low carbohydrate diet will lead to partial refuelling and therefore poorer performance than you would expect. See the ‘when to eat’ section below.

The importance of drinking plenty of fluid whilst active cannot be overstated since fluid loss will reduce performance more than any other factor including diet. During a normal day the average water loss is 2 -2.5 litres. This is increased by exercise, a high calorie diet and hot weather. As the intensity of exercise increases so does the rate of water loss and if you wait until you are thirsty before you drink, you will never be able to replace all the water lost. At a water loss of 500mls per hour (e.g. easy prussiking, climbing a rope), if you only drink when thirsty you will at best only replace water lost by 75%. For each litre of water lost and not replaced performance is reduced by 20%.

Ideally you should drink before you feel thirsty, about 200mls every half-hour (remember this is ideal and you have to carry the stuff in the first place). If you are active for 6 hours with no way of replenishing your water you will need to carry 2.4 litres. The best drink is a very weak solution of sugar and salt since this will lead to the most effective and rapid re-hydration -better than water alone (you need to try this out as it may not be to your taste and watch the amount of salt your consuming). 50g sugar and 3g salt in a litre of water can be flavoured with a little fruit juice.

When to eat 

Sometimes it's difficult to eat and drink enough during the day, so your post activity nutrition is absolutely vital. Research has shown that our bodies absorb nutrients most quickly in the first two hours after exercise. This is because despite your best attempts at eating carbohydrate during the day, your muscle and liver glycogen stores are usually severely depleted at the end of the day. In this state the enzymes, which convert the carbohydrate (starches and sugars) that you eat into glycogen, are particularly active. If you feed your enzymes enough carbohydrate at this time, you can be sure that your glycogen stores will be restored by the next morning. It's most important to keep properly hydrated. So as soon as you finish your activity, drink a big glass of water (500ml). There are a number of sports drinks specifically designed for post-exercise consumption, with a higher concentration of protein and carbohydrate to help the muscles recover and repair in readiness for the next day. 

Some people do not feel hungry immediately after exercise. This usually wears off within half an hour - well within the desired two hour 'window' for carbohydrate feeding. Your target intake is around 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight, within the first two hours, and then repeat this amount two hours later.

For example, if you weigh 75kg (11 st 11 lbs)...

75 x 1g carbohydrate per kg = 75g carbohydrates.

You would need to eat 75g of carbohydrate within the first two hours after exercise and then another 75g two hours later. This amount translates into about 300 calories (since 1g carbohydrate provides 4 calories) of food. 

You can get around 300 calories of mostly carbohydrate from any one of the following, 

One medium portion (60g) cornflake type cereal with handful raisins and half a pint of milk

One litre of fresh orange juice

500ml of fresh orange juice and a bagel (no butter, margarine or cheese but honey or jam will increase the carbohydrate content)

Six thick rice cakes with jam or honey

24 dried apricots

Three large bananas. 

There are plenty of high carbohydrate sports drinks on the market. These can be a useful way of taking in enough carbohydrate after exercise, but they are expensive, contain a cocktail of additives and often lack the vitamins and minerals found in 'real' foods.

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Types of food

Carbohydrates – There are 2 main groups of carbohydrates:

Starch – Starchy foods include breads, potatoes (especially if you eat the skin), rice, cereals and pasta. Starchy foods give us energy.

Base meals on starchy foods and make these the main part of the meal. Starchy foods should make up about a third of total diet.

Here are some examples of starchy foods you can use to base meals on:

Rice – offer boiled or steamed as a healthy alternative to fried. You can make paella, risotto, pilaffs and kedgeree.

Pasta – serve big portions of all types but don’t use much oil.

Breads – let your customers add their own. If you’re serving sandwiches, offer thicker slices of bread and rolls and include low-fat fillings. Try to use butter or low-fat spreads sparingly. Include wholegrain, granary and seedy varieties of bread or toast.

Other healthy bread choices include:

Speciality breads such as olive and sun-dried tomato bread wedges served with soup

Chapattis with Indian food

Pitta breads with Mediterranean food

Flour tortillas with Mexican food

Bagels and crispbreads

Potatoes, yams, cassava – leave the skins on potatoes where possible because the skin contains fibre. Note that under lightweight camp conditions you will probably only be using instant mash potatoes.

Flour – wholemeal flour is the healthiest option, but not always a popular choice. You are not likely to use flour unless your are being really adventurous in your cooking.

Couscous and bulgar wheat are other option, couscous cooks in 3 minutes.

Sugar – Sugar is not essential in our diet. It just provides us with calories and contains no other nutrients.

Fats – A small amount of fat is essential in our diets as it gives us energy.

There are 2 main types of fat.

1. Unsaturated fats (which includes polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats)- In moderation these can help maintain a healthy heart. Good sources of these fats are found in vegetable oils like sunflower, soya or corn, oily fish like mackerel, sardines and pilchards, olive oils, margarines (labelled high in polyunsaturates) and avocado pears.

2. Saturated fats - These fats are found in high quantities in meat, dairy products like full-fat milk, cheese, and butter, pies, cakes, chocolate and biscuits.

As well as cutting down on fat intake you should try to eat foods containing unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats.

Dealing with fat

Try to cut down on the amount of fat you use in recipes, especially saturated fats and try to replace saturates with unsaturates. This is because, while saturated fats may raise the level of cholesterol in the blood, unsaturated fat actually lowers it. 

So remember:

Use oil, butter and other fats sparingly

Try to replace saturated fats with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats or oils

Use reduced fat varieties where possible 

All fats and oils are a mixture of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The table below shows which fats mostly contain each of these.  

Fibre 

Fibre helps to keep our bowels working regularly and keeps the large intestine healthy. It also provides us with some nutrients too.

Fibre can be found in breakfast cereals, wholemeal or granary bread, fruit and vegetables, wholegrain rice, pasta, potatoes (especially if you eat the skins), beans, pulses and lentils

Protein  

Protein is essential for growth, repair and the healing of the body. Protein may be found in meats and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and lentils.

You only need to provide moderate amounts of foods rich in protein. These include:

Meat

For a healthier choice, cut down on the amount of fat by doing the following: Use leaner meats. Replacing some meat with pulses to add extra fibre and protein and less fat. Reduce the amount of meat slightly and serve with more vegetables and starchy food. Use alternatives to meat such as tofu, soya, Quorn™ or pulses. 

Fish

Try to include some oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, pilchard, sardines, trout or fresh tuna (canned tuna doesn’t count as an oily fish because the canning process reduces the levels of beneficial oils). White fish is a good low-fat choice.

Eggs

No explanation needs. 

Pulses

Pulses are low in fat, good value and a rich source of protein, carbohydrate and fibre. As well as being a good source of protein for vegetarians, they can also make a tasty alternative for meat-eaters. They count as a portion of fruit and vegetable and they are cheap and healthy, so why not add some pulses to your soups and stews?

Nuts.

Soya products such as bean curd and tofu.

Milk and dairy foods

Use lower-fat versions of milk and dairy foods in cooking. Lower-fat versions are a much healthier option and contain as much calcium as full-fat versions. Here are some suggestions: Switch to semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. Use a strong tasting cheese such as Parmesan or mature Cheddar so you can use smaller amounts. Use lower fat cheeses in sandwiches – such as Brie, Camembert, cottage cheese, Edam, Emmental, feta, mozzarella and low-fat soft cheeses. Hard cheeses can be grated for sandwiches, to reduce the amount you need.

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Fruit and vegetables

Have as much fruit and vegetables as you can and remember these can be fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced. Have them at every meal in some form and have them as snacks. The aim for everyone should be to have at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day. For information on what is a portion, see the end of this section.

There are lots of ways of increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat. You can: Add more vegetables and pulses to dishes. Include plenty of vegetables with meals. Try salads. Use a variety of fresh and dried fruit and vegetables for snacks. Have fruit juices to drink.

Remember that the vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables can be lost easily, some vitamins are water-soluble. So here are some practical tips for maximising the goodness, flavour and texture of fruit and vegetables: Store and cook for as short a time as possible and prepare as late as possible. Use the minimum amount of water for cooking. Stir-frying vegetables in a small amount of oil helps keep their texture and ‘seals’ in the vitamins 

One portion = 80g = any of these 

1 apple, banana, pear, orange or other similar sized fruit

2 plums or similar sized fruit

½ a grapefruit or avocado

1 slice of large fruit, such as melon or pineapple

3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen or tinned)

3 heaped tablespoons of beans and pulses (however much you eat, beans and pulses count as a maximum of one portion a day)

3 heaped tablespoons of fruit salad (fresh or tinned in fruit juice) or stewed fruit

1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit (such as raisins and apricots)

1 cupful of grapes, cherries or berries

A dessert bowl of salad

A glass (150ml) of fruit juice (however much you drink, fruit juice counts as a maximum of one portion a day)

Salt 

Most of us eat more salt that we need and we should try to cut down. Try to avoid salty snacks like crisps and nuts, do not add salt at the table. Try to add herbs and spices to food instead of salt and cut down on salty foods like ham and bacon. Also beware of ready meals which all contain lots of salt.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential for good health. The majority of us who maintain a healthy diet will have all the vitamins and minerals we require. If you are eating a varied diet, vitamin and mineral supplements are probably not necessary.

Minerals are substances required by the body for a variety of functions. We need some minerals in larger amounts than others. These include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and phosphorus. Others minerals such as iron, zinc, iodine, fluoride and selenium are also required but only in small amounts.

What to consider when choosing foods?  

Whatever type of expedition you are planning there are a few points which should always be considered. Food should be:

HIGH ENERGY – average energy requirements will increase by 50% on an expedition and if weight and/or bulk are a problem then the food should be energy dense, e.g. chocolate, cheese, dried fruit, nuts, tinned meat or fish, biscuits.

LIGHTWEIGHT – very important if you have to carry food yourself. Where possible choose dry foods; don't end up carrying water. WELL PACKAGED – to ensure it remains fresh and does not spill or leak.

EASILY PREPARED – if you are the cook and there is limited time, fuel, cooking facilities, cooking skills or space, you will need food which can be cooked in less than 15 minutes.

TASTY, APPEALING AND VARIED – this is always essential because food is no good unless it is eaten. Take along plenty of herbs, spices, salt and pepper – three times more than you think you will need and it will probably then be enough! When using similar ingredients day after day meals can become monotonous so different flavours are essential. Boring food will reduce appetites, something which you cannot afford to happen when energy requirements are so high.

WITHIN YOUR BUDGET – if transport is not such a problem as lack of money, try to obtain food from sponsors. Companies will often give free food but remember what to give back in return – even if its just acknowledgement in the report and a big thank you. Buying in bulk is cheaper and foods such as rice, pasta and beans are generally cheap as well as being high in carbohydrate which is important for maintaining performance.

EASILY STORED AND/OR A LONG SHELF LIFE – buy dry goods if possible; tins, plastic bags and plastic containers with lids are useful.

NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED – this becomes more important as the length of the trip and /or the physical difficulty increases. For a week or two of easy activity (this depends on how fit you are and on how use to doing the activity you are), what you eat is of less importance than how much. For a long trip of more than six weeks, consider taking a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. If the activity is particularly strenuous or long, having enough energy, carbohydrate and fluid is essential if you want to keep going well. 

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What do you actually eat?

So after you have a good understanding of what is required you need to plan the menu.

Firstly talk to the people in your team to get an understanding of what they like and more importantly what dislike. Agree on the starchy foods and have a different one each day, this should allow you a different one every day for four days. The flavouring of the starchy food can be left down to the individual.

It is also a good idea for you all to eat the same food this allows you to change tent partners in an emergency or if someone forgets or looses their food they are not left with things to eat that they do not like

Remember to plan early and test the menu before you go.

Some of the food noted below is only suitable for large expeditions with lots of logistical support, i.e. transport and power but you might find a dried alternative if you look for it.

Young people often have big appetites, so it's important for them to have a healthy balanced diet, rather than filling up on sugary or fatty foods, such as crisps, sweets, cakes, biscuits, and fizzy drinks. These foods tend to be high in calories but contain few nutrients, and they can also reduce appetite for healthier foods.

A healthy balanced diet should include:

Plenty of fruit and vegetables — aim for at least five portions a day of a variety of different types

Meals based on starchy foods, such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes (ideally brown, wholemeal or wholegrain varieties)

Moderate amounts of milk and dairy products — choose low-fat options where you can

Moderate amounts of foods that are good sources of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, beans and lentils

A gram carbohydrate provides 3.75 calories of energy, a gram of protein provides 4 calories and a gram of fat provides 9 calories.

50% of your energy should come from carbohydrate, 35% from fat and 15% from protein. See the table below for the exact details

Meals

Breakfast / Snacks / Drinks / Evening Meal

Breakfasts

unsweetened, lower sodium varieties of breakfast cereals

skimmed or semi-skimmed milk

dried fruit (as a compote or to add to breakfast cereals)

tinned fruit in fruit juice

fresh fruit salad or pieces of fruit

some nuts and seeds

scones

bagels

fruit buns

raisin bread

glass of unsweetened fruit juice
bread with honey/jam/marmalade

For a hot breakfast, you can have:

baked beans (choose reduced sugar and salt varieties)

porridge topped with raisins

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Snacks (this includes lunch)

fresh fruit

pasta salads (you can make this the night before)

currant buns without icing

scones

fruit bread

English muffins

bread sticks

plain popcorn

unsalted nuts and dried fruit

biscuits with less fat and sugar such as ginger biscuits

dried fruit

nuts

cereal bar

slice of malt loaf

a sandwich with a low-fat filling such as chicken without the skin or low-fat cream cheese  

Drinks

no more than half a litre of high-sugar or low calorie fizzy drinks per day.

mineral water

fruit juices

lower-fat milk dried

tea and coffee.

Evening meals 

Use one of the starchy carbohydrates as the bases of the meal, add vegetables to get your five portions a day and finally add some protein. Remember to have this within two hours of finishing your activity and again two hours later. Two smaller meals instead of one big meal if you have the time. Also try and have a few courses, i.e. starter (soup and bread), then the main meal (as above), then dessert (cake and custard), then fruit and finally a drink with biscuits.

To summaries

Here is a list of foods that you can eat

Porridge oats, rice, pasta, flour, couscous, bulgar wheat, instant mashed potato.

Freeze dried ready meals, dried soups.

Tinned meat, tinned fish, cured ham, cheese, dried lentils and beans.

Dried milk, tea bags, coffee, cocoa powder.

Sugar, syrup, condensed milk, margarine, oil.

Tinned fruit, muesli bars, toffees, chocolates, boiled sweets, dried fruit, nuts.

Biscuits, crackers, jam, chocolate spread, peanut butter, salt, pepper, herbs, spices.

A four day menu with calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein content is attached as a guide.

Some of the above has been base information obtained form the following sources.

Food Standard Agency www.food.gov.uk,

Time Outdoor www.timeoutdoors.com,

Dundee University www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/~arb/speleo/gpfseminar96/food.html

British Nutrition Foundation www.nutrition.org.uk 

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Suggested Menu

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