Food and Cooking

Food used in winter mountaineering must meet the following requirements:

The food must have minimum weight for adequatefood value. About 4200 kilogram calories per day are required by an active man on a mountaineering trip. Lightweight is obtained primarily by using dehydrated foodsand secondarily by selecting foods with a high caloricvalue. About 21/4 pounds per man-day of such foods arerequired.

Food used should be readily digestible and shouldbe balanced between fat, protein, and carbohydrates(starches and sugar).

Good keeping qualities and easy packaging are essential. Bottles and cans are undesirable. They add weightand bulk. Food which can be placed in completely waterproof bags, tied at the top, can be carried most readily.Several items can be dry-mixed at home to eliminateextra bags and facilitate preparation at camp.