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Since 1932, BSES has evolved a rationing system which aims to feed you well, to provide you with nourishment and interest, and to offers flexibility. One problem is that the Expeditions are long and it is difficult to avoid monotony. We will have to purchase local foods in Anchorage.
Expedition rations are usually high in protein and have a high calorific value (often as high as 4500 K cal/day), but they probably contain less bulk, especially carbohydrate, than your usual menus. You are likely to feel hungry as the extra calories are burnt off in the sustained activity and in the first two weeks whilst your stomach adjusts! You are not being starved, so a mutiny over the food is not in order, but as you adjust, and apply mind over matter, you will find you feel less hungry; most YEs will actually put on weight.
Keep food supplies safe, well away from fuel stores, and in Bear country, (which is everywhere in AK), out of your tent and out of the reach of the Bear. Animals may visit to investigate your cooking smells, and also the smells of leftovers, so eat everything! All non-combustible rubbish will have to be returned for its eventual removal (regulations!). Do not leave litter, pick up your and that of others. If the wind blows it away run after it, do not let it become someone else's problem.
All Fires will be issued with probably all their food for the whole of expedition, or for a significant part of it, when first in the field, so it will be essential to devise a plan to separate, store and carry your food – identifying someone to be quartermaster(s) (often someone with an ordered mind and able to resist the advances of hungry colleagues!) has worked very well in the past. On our first arrival in Anchorage you may well be given money and instructions to buy your own food for two or three days – plan now!?
Some items are an individual issue and these can of course be pooled. Similarly other items may be issued to a Fire for a number of days, e.g. jams, pepper, toilet paper, and you will have to work out how to break these down; small plastic containers are always useful.
Variety will be a problem, so it is worth bringing a selection of herbs or spices, such as curry powder, to add interest. You will know what you like.
Each daily ration will contain breakfast, a mid day snack meal (needs no cooking although soups/hot brews can be made), and a main evening meal. The main evening meal should be based on a dehydrated meal. In spite of the flavours, all dehydrated meals are intended to be suitable for vegetarians! Sundries e.g. loo paper, matches, tea bags/coffee and chocolate are also likely to be included.
Everyone on the expedition will have the same rations. Rations will be a combination of vacuum packed, freeze dried, tinned and dehydrated goods. Bulk will be provided by nutrient high biscuits – usually a packet per person per day, the equivalent of Healthy Life – powdered potato, rice, porridge/muesli and pasta. Vegetables will usually be dehydrated or sometimes canned. If meat is issued, vegetarians will be issued with an appropriate alternative.
Cookers and Fuels
YEs will live in 3-man tents, each tent will be issued with an Optimus-type pressure stove and a set of cooking utensils. Fuel will be carried by individuals in their Sigg-type fuel bottles, but the fuel must be considered the Fire's resource. The fuel will be Coleman fuel which is suitable for priming too!
Organisation
The secret of eating well in the field is not only a question of good rations but also of good organisation.
Site cookers in an area where they and the food will not be knocked over, stood upon or blown away! It is often more convenient if the "kitchen area" is by a boulder, with the cookers raised on a ledge, utensils and pans at hand but out of the way. Water bottles should be handy, and fuelling always done away from cookers.
Food storage has to be seriously considered where wildlife abounds – Bears, birds, ground squirrels, marmots, chipmunks, ants etc. Do not let tinned food freeze – they will burst.
Provision needs to be made for both dry and wet waste. Tins should be burned so that animals are not attracted by the smell and so that the residue will not go bad. The burned and empty cans should be flattened to save space and then returned to Base Camp for appropriate disposal outside the Area. It is forbidden to cook in the same place that you sleep in Bear Country.
Consider pooling cookers, rations and cooks to cook centrally within the Fire. Provided that conditions permit, a saving in effort and fuel can usually be achieved; stoves can be 'rested'.
Plan your meal well in advance. Always read the instructions on the packets and do not cut corners. For example, porridge mixed in the correct proportions of water to oats and then cooked for the time on the packet, will produce a larger volume than using hot water. Re-hydrate vegetables for the evening meal by soaking them throughout the day. Even if moving, vegetables can soak as you walk if they are placed in a strong poly. bag or other container. Cooking time is cut down, fuel saved and 'tummy aches' avoided.
Do not boil water unless needed. Use pan lids and turn off cookers when there is nothing on them. Only light them when the meal is ready to be cooked. Unless an "all-in-one-stew" or curry meal is planned do not throw all the contents into a single pan, consider instead cooking/heating vegetables in their cans in boiling water – do not pierce the tins (but take care when opening!), then the hot water can be used for powdered potatoes, brews, washing etc. With planning and forethought, one boiling can do a meal for several persons using just one pan, saving on both fuel and washing up. Remember you have to carry the fuel.
Rice and pasta will often be issued in place of potato powder. Read the instructions especially with reference to quantities. Dehydrated material looks depressingly small in quantity but on re-hydration increased many-fold in volume.
Some meals can be brought to the boil, put into strong poly bags and wrapped in a sleeping bag. They will then cook themselves on the hay. box principle over several hours. Some desserts e.g. cheese cakes and fruit dices do not need cooking.
Ovens can be made from flattened tins or flat stones and surrounding them with mud. They can then be easily heated by an Optimus stove and are very effective. Scone and cake mix can be used, fish and potato pies can be produced from the normal rations. Use your imagination and collect some simple recipes before leaving the UK.
It is important to use your fat ration and although frying meats makes a mess of pans, make Bubble-and-Squeak from reconstituted potatoes and re-hydrated/drained vegetables. Make some Expedition Burgers from corned beef etc. of Fish Cakes from tinned fish, oatmeal and potato, and then fry.
Use sugar and milk powder to make fudge or toffee, flavoured with coffee or chocolate.
Use local edible plants, berries and other vegetation – check first. Experiment to make jams, tarts etc. local fish may be available? Rice can be cooked in polythene bags (with holes punched with a fork) and peas in the same steaming water. Steamed fish cooks very quickly.
Finally keep everything clean – fine sand or earth will clear away grease, but then use hot water. Do not leave unwashed pots, they will attract unwelcome guests. Have fun experimenting.