What makes a great expedition meal?
Getting the right food will help you enjoy your adventure. It’s a chance to be creative and to understand more about rationing and outdoor survival.
Your DofE expedition food should be calorie dense, compact and easy to carry.
To optimise your expedition experience you need to plan, prepare and cook a meal as a group. Bonus tip: outdoor food packs are great for breakfast or when journeying.
All DofE recommended expedition food is easy to prepare and the packaging won’t split in your rucksack. You don’t need to keep them refrigerated – your bag will be just fine.
There are two types of DofE recommended expedition food: ready to eat and dehydrated.
Wayfayrer expedition food is nutritious and ready to eat hot or cold. They’re small to carry, have durable packaging, and match meals you might have at home. You can pick from savoury or sweet options.
Wayfayrer expedition food packs – savoury
Flavours include:
- Ready to eat – hot or cold.
- Lightweight with durable packaging.
- All Day Breakfast, Beans and Sausages, Chicken Tikka and Rice, Chilli Con Carne, Pasta and Meatballs, plus many more.
VIEW WAYFAYRER EXPEDITION FOOD
Wayfayrer expedition food – sweet
Flavours include:
- Ready to eat – hot or cold.
- Lightweight with durable packaging.
- Salted Caramel and Chocolate Pudding, Sticky Toffee Pudding.
VIEW WAYFAYRER EXPEDITION FOOD
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- Designed to provide the body’s metabolism with the nutrients it needs to thrive
- Dehydrated meal and breakfasts
Flavours include:
- Easy to prepare and ready in minutes by just adding water.
- High in protein, fibre and other nutrients, and Gluten and GMO free.
- Apple & Cinnamon, Blueberry Breakfast, Smokey Barbecue, Indian Curry, plus many more.
- Get creative with cooking to have the most fun possible.
- Pack your meals together to save time.
- Aim for compact food with lots of slow-release energy.
- Plan an expedition menu to give yourself something to look forward to when you reach camp.
Expedition meal planner
Plan breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for every day of your expedition.
- Prepare a menu as a team where you can, so you can share meals and a budget. Buying larger quantities can save you money. Split the ingredients, cost, packing and effort between the team.
- While tins are cost-effective, they’re also heavy. Opt for lighter packaging if you can, and remove unnecessary wrapping before packing your rucksack.
- Look for energy-dense foods to cut down on weight. Noodles are light and high in carbohydrates, and cost-effective too.
- Look for the supermarket’s own brand, it’s often cheaper than named brands.
- Keep an eye out for offers and deals.
- There are lots of everyday foods you can add to keep costs down. Chocolate bars, boiled sweets, jelly cubes or Kendal mint cake are just a few everyday foods for that extra energy hit.
- Save food from other trips such as your practice expedition – it might come in handy again.
- Food can be expensive, so speak to your Leader if you’re struggling to bring food for your expedition.
- More information on food and other perishable items can be found in Chapter 5 of the Expedition Guide.
- Use your DofE Card to save at least 10% on expedition kit at our recommended retailers. Full T&Cs apply.
- Take a spare set of laces in case yours break.
- Take a blister kit and make sure it’s easy to reach when walking. Prevention is better than cure, so put some plasters on where you’ve had blisters before to protect your feet from the start of your expedition.
- Try on boots while wearing expedition socks and walk around in them.
- Look for moisture-wicking properties in socks.
- Make sure your socks have padding where your feet need them.
- Remember to fully clean your boots and let them dry naturally when you get home from your expedition.
- Clean your boots with footwear cleaning gel and treat them regularly with a waterproofing solution. This will keep your boots strong and dry.
- Make your socks last longer by washing them inside out, and don’t walk them over carpets.
- Don’t spend a vast amount of boots if you’re still growing or unlikely to use them again.
- Often you can get last season’s boots in the sales and still get a professional fitting.
- If you decide the boots don’t fit, some retailers will allow you to return boots if you have only worn them indoors.
- If you need to, buy one outer sock pair and two liners. Liners can be easily washed and dried overnight, keeping fresh socks next to your skin.
- Use your DofE Card to save at least 10% on expedition kit at our recommended retailers.
How to look after your feet for your expedition poster:
No other piece of kit impacts the enjoyment of your expedition more than what you put on your feet.
