Expedition food

knithryn

I'm helping train up our Gold DOE group...
I would suggest
supernoodles as above - add a cupasoup for a thicker consistency
couscous as mentioned above
jars of meat paste
eggs can be carried in a screwtop plastic container (ie break the egg into it) - like the sort you would use for small amounts of shampoo on holiday
Small cartons of orange juice for vits

I would suggest a solid breakfast (eg scrambled eggs if she can be bothered with the cleaning up) or poached eggs...
Or cereal (and use powdered milk)

Lunch - something quick and easy as they won't want to spend too long cooking at lunch time - noodles are v quick but if it's a hot summer day, maybe just a meat paste sandwich, or chocolate spread on bread, some fruit juice or an apple, a flapjack

Dinner should be reasonably substantial
for example pasta with sauce (the pasta with dried sauce in a packet sort), perhaps a tin of tuna in it. If she is very health conscious, throw in a small tin of sweetcorn too.
Or corned beef hash - tin of corned beef, tin of beans, tin of potatoes. (a lot of tins, but a solid meal for two or three hungry people).
Tin of minced beef with a tin of beans in it, and Smash (yup, it works REALLY well when camping!)

Avoid glass jars, anything with lots of salt (eg salted peanuts), anything that makes a mess to clean up.

A batch of flapjacks will last well, maybe with raisins, seeds, nuts or chopped apricots in them, avoid chocolate as it will melt.

Avoid having all prepared food as a lot of the adventure is in cooking their own food, and it wouldn't be the same if everything was packaged. For the same reason I'd avoid 'ratpacks' which are fairly expensive.

BitterAndTwisted

I'd slip some hard-boiled eggs in the pack. They're almost indestructible, won't go off and they're very hunger-satisfying.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Are you allowed peanut butter? I haven't taken girls to anything in the last 7 years which didn't state absolutely unequivocably 'NO NUTS'.

Small double resealable plastic bag of flour for dampers.

Prepacked mini cheeses/mini babybel - take the plastic off beforehand, leaving them in wax and there's less litter to worry about/something savoury to counteract all the sweet stuff.

Freezedried fruit.

Kabanos/frikadellen in its vac pac.

jonni3000

When I go backpacking/wildcamping I always take for breakfast several plastic bags that contain porridge oats, powdered milk and sugar. This makes for a good long release energy source, easy to make - just add boiled water and it is very lightweight.

For other meals I take the dehyrated packets of pasta 'n' sauce, again, just add boiling water and for that added 'luxury' add a tin of sardines. (or tuna if not fussy about the extra weight of the tin you have to carry) It is much cheaper to do that than get the "Wayfarer" foil packs that boil in the bag.

piglet6

Agree with earlier posters - for my D of E expeditions I took noodles (supernoodles and pot noodles - the supernoodles are better space-wise...the pots are too bulky really, even if they don't weigh much!), pasta'n'sauce type packets, flavoured packet rice, and a couple of little tins of tuna/mayo/sweetcorn that you can buy ready mixed (and again, are not too heavy, but are quite nice cold straight out of the tin, even if you can't manage to cook your pasta/rice!!! ).

We were allowed to "find" water to make these things up with, so mostly carried dehydrated foodstuffs where possible - by the time you've got your tent/sleeping bag/clothes/cooking utensils, etc, etc, all in your rucksack, the last thing you need is heavy food!

P x

Kaz2904

We always took instant porridge for breakfast (know better now and if my kids do DofE they'll take oats, sugar anddried milk mixed!). Super noodles or cup a soup for lunches (noodles are better) along with crisps/ nuts/ chocolate. Tea was things like beanfeast or the rice or pasta things you mix with water. Once we tried vesta curry and vowed to just stick to the dry stuff.
Remember that everything has to be carried so small dry things really are better. Emergency rations must be kept easily accessible. We just drank water all the time as it was easier to just find the water and bung in the steritabs. Then you have your cooking liquid too.
Hot chocolate is a nice evening drink treat when she will be tired and feeling a bit spent!

Bogof_Babe

Has anyone mentioned those tins of All Day Breakfast? They come in several variations nowadays, although I think they are all based on baked beans. They are quite weighty but are a meal in themselves, so she'd only need a couple.

JuneBow

Thanks for all of these replies.
Like especially the jar of peanut butter decanted (don't know if she is allowed that) and also the can of corned beef. Also the eggs.
I had thought about cheese sandwiches but did think they would sweat.
She has the other meals sorted. There are five of them in the group and they are sharing breakfasts and dinners. Only two of each of those. They will be cooking for both of these. I am not having any involvement in these as they are working it out between themselves, so its up to them how much they want to take for carrying etc. They are all very "hungry" types so I think they will be less bothered about weight than the quality and quantitiy of what they eat. Anyway - their problem.
Its just packed lunches I was concerned about. I am encouraging her just to drink water so she does not have to carry anything.
Anyway, thanks for everyone who wrote. Very kind. Some fantastic ideas there.

bananadog

Hi everyone,
My 2 boys are going on Saturday morning (yes...this saturday with not much notice) and coming back sunday evening.
This is now so unorganised that I have no kit list for this Bronze camp and they will have supervision but it is minimal supervision so they have to cook and do everything for themselves.
All I have been told by my eldest is "you need to get green ration packs..not the silver! My mate said all get the same ones!" (there are 3 staying in one tent)
I am desperatly trying to get in touch with cadets as I only have a Millets store in town and managed to get 2 x choclate puddings, 1 x beans & sausage, and 1 x bacon & beans...
the other problem is that I have no idea if they need to take pots to cook with and also my younger son cannot stomache potato or beans so the ration packs are hopeless for him!!!
ughhhh, I feel sick with panick now as I don't know what they need and dont have enough time...even if my son ate beans the shop doesnt have enough packs for them anyway!
Has anyone else done the Bronze...any ideas about food/kit?
Thanks

babychick

Have you had chance to have a look at the DOE award website - it has some useful info on there as to what they need to take for each award.

I would suggest things like, super noodle type pastas that only need water, cereal bars...

Hope this helps a little!