RATIONS
 Is scurvy ever got while sledging, sir?
Marine J Dodige, 1875
INTRODUCTION
The ration requirements for the expedition must be balanced against high energy needs and the resultant weight/volume ratio. Nutritional amounts need to be adapted to the physical and psychological capacity of the individual to eat and digest food; given the fact that the team will be carrying 30 days (MNP) and 65 days (GSP) of food without any outside assistance, everything needs to be put in place to provide maximum nutrients with the minimum of weight. Management of these problems means substantial modifications to the normal balance of basic nutrients.
INTAKE VALUES
 The intention is to progressively increase the calorific intake during each Polar journey. This will allow the body to get used to its new diet, as all surplus nutrients which have accumulated before the departure are used up. During the first few days we will need to find our levels, in physical effort and the daily tasks. The stress encountered by this new way of life is anorexiagenic and takes away the will to eat. To compensate for this phenomena the following progressive intake is planned:
Magnetic North Pole Trek
10 days at 4500 Kcal/day
10 days at 5200 Kcal/day
10 days at 6200 Kcal/day
Geographical South Pole Trek
25 days at 4500 Kcal/day
25 days at 5200 Kcal/day
15 days at 6200 Kcal/day
Feeding Levels (FL)
The total days consumption represents 100% FL, of which during the expedition will be divided into 3 distinct groups as follows:
Breakfast - This represents 30% of the FL. It gives the body the necessary energy in the first few hours of walking.
 Hauling - The units en route comprise 50% of the FL. These are to be split into blocks, spaced out 1 per hour during the daily trek. The first is light and gradually increases throughout the journey. Their frequency allows the body to remain active throughout the effort whilst maintaining a quasi-constant temperature. Furthermore, as digestion takes place over several hours, the body is able to absorb greater energy; this leads to less tiredness for the organs.
Dinner - The evening meal is light, with 20% of the FL eaten as soon as possible, so that digestion is completed by the time we go to sleep. Digestion produces a great deal of heat and keeps the body warm during the evening rest in the tent. If the meal is eaten just before bedtime, the production of heat is excessive under the duvet causing the body to perspire profusely, thus entailing problems of freezing on the surfaces.
Packaging Concept
An important consideration is the weight/volume ratio that the rations will pose. The intention is to minimise the amount of packaging being carried through grouping rations together, and stripping outside packaging. Each menu clearly identifies items to be grouped, and placed in individual zip-lock bags (starred under JT in the following menu tables). Other items are to be bulk packaged in waterproof storage containers.
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