[25 October 2007]
Food
When undertaking any outback travel you should always carry a stock of emergency food. If the route becomes impassable due to weather, you need to have enough food for the occupants of the car for a week.
The participants in Raid Australia will self cater with the exception of a few meals that are incorporated in the registration fee.
The food requirements for the Raid proper are set out in the guide book so that you can purchase enough for the duration of the next stage prior to departure. The longest period of time between opportunities to re-stock is seven days.
Click on
Quarantine Guide for Travellers for details on carrying food into and within Western Australia.
Andrea has prepared helpful and detailed notes for first-time Raiders (and veterans too!) on what to pack and how to do it - see What to Take>Camping. Andrea's notes on food follow;
Food (30 litre box)These notes on food were part of a longer document about Raid packing in general; the rest of the document, including the reason for the 30 litre box, is in the Camping section. Take from this what you feel is useful for you, and please contribute alternative ideas to help everyone prepare well.
Fruit Fly. If you are coming from the Eastern states you must allow for crossing several checkpoints: maybe more than one approaching SA, and then one at the WA border. Fruit fly is a massive issue for farmers, and fines range from $200 - $20,000, so don‘t risk it. I couldn‘t find all the information on just one website, it was spread all over; it seems there is an enquiries number 1800 084 881 but I‘m not sure if this is just for the East - google it yourself if you want more info. Basically, don‘t stock up big on fresh fruit & veg until you are in WA; before that, take just what you will be able to eat before the next checkpoint or you will have to hand it all over. Also the exclusions cover honey & un-roasted walnuts, also cardboard or styrene boxes that have been used for fruit & veg, and contaminants in any soil, mud, weeds, seed or plant material on/under/inside your car.
Food & nutrition. I know some people plan to live on noodles for a few weeks; for those who want more variety & more nutrition, below are my ideas. The main thing is, take plenty of food; if you need to lose weight, do it now, not while you are out in the desert.
Meat/protein - as we won‘t have a fridge, we will buy meat when it is available & eat it the same day (and perhaps cold leftovers for lunch the next day). Another possible source of meat would be tinned stuff eg hotpots or spam; you will normally avoid tins because of the weight, but there might be a case here to make an exception of a tin or two, especially considering the weight you are saving by not having a fridge. Eggs that have been hard-boiled while cooking last night‘s dinner would also be good for lunch; and you can get foil packs of fish.
Dairy same as with meat, buy it when you can get it & have it the same day (a 600ml iced coffee BigM at teabreak, and maybe yoghurt for lunch or dessert. I used to drink coffee with milk, but last Raid I found it easier to just drink it black, and have not switched back; you could try tubes of condensed milk, or powdered milk.
Margarine don’t even consider it, it turns to liquid in an hour. Try olive oil instead (trendy) or have sandwich toppings that are moist enough to not need anything else (eg jam, peanut butter, tuna).
Bread rolls last a bit better than sliced bread. Ricecakes last for as long as you need, we found them to be a great staple. Flatbread / Turkish bread, if available, probably lasts a few days.
Cordial or a little bottle of lemon juice or lime juice can help give water a bit of extra flavour this is especially helpful in places where the water supply tastes unusual.
Dinner - There are lots of compact/ lightweight foods; also some package meals can be useful. Meals from hiking shops are a bit expensive but are probably fairly nutritious, and are an easily-cooked complete meal that doesn‘t need a saucepan (just boiling water in the bag useful if you get into camp late/tired/stressed). Some packet meals from the supermarket do not need water added, but make sure there is a stove option for heating it, not just microwave instructions.
Vitamins etc - Some vitamins can be stockpiled in the body - eat up on these when available; others need to be consumed every day (is there a nutritionist in the house? does anyone have specific information about this?). If you have any doubts about whether your diet will be adequately nutritious, see the pharmacist about vitamin/calcium tablets.
Check in the evening, what food you will need if you will be passing a shop tomorrow. Only buy perishables if you are certain to be able to eat them in time. Plan in advance ideas for meals based on food you like that can be cooked in one or two pans (alternating each on the burner); check out the supermarket shelves, there are lots of ideas.
supplements/multivitamins?
Drinks: coffee & sugar (use several small stackable plastic containers, so that when empty they can be used for something else, or stacked so they don‘t take up any space), coffee bags, powdered /longlife milk, cordial, juice, lemon juice in bottle
Dinner:Staples: 2 minute noodles, cous cous (neither of these need actual stove time, just pour on boiling water & leave for 5 - 10 mins), quick-cook rice or pasta, rolls/bread (if you have any, eat it before it goes stale, or toast it), flatbread
Protein: flat foil packets of tuna, meat when available, bacon
Vegies: dried peas, potato flakes, dried tomatoes, fresh veg when available (allowing for fruit fly checkpoints)
Meals: pre packaged meals (supermarket, camping stores)
Other: cooking oil (olive oil spray), herbs & spices (in film canisters), pesto (in plastic bottles), soup (in cartons), Kraft parmesan cheese (doesn‘t seem to need refrigeration), stock cubes
Tins: (if you need to, and can spare the weight) baked beans, tomatoes, meat, tinned meals (do not need water)
Dessert/Sweet Snacks: marshmallows, dried fruits (sultanas, apricots, nuts), chocolate, sweets, dry-mix pancakes, muesli bars, plastic containers of fruit salad, biscuits
Breakfast & Lunch BagHopefully you will then only need to use the main food & utensils boxes at dinner, so you could pack them back into the car in the evening; it all contributes to a quicker departure in the morning, and a more efficient lunch break
We found it is easier to have a separate bag of things for breakfast & lunch; stock it each night with the food you will need for the next day, including breakfast bars, coffee etc; pre-heat the thermos, then use that water for the dishes; refill the thermos with boiling water for tomorrow; return the cleaned plates & cutlery to the lunch bag after you have done the dishes; empty the rubbish bag.
Thermos, cups, coffee mug, chopping board, plates x 4, teaspoons, butter knives x 2, sharp knife, bag for scraps, bag for dishes (or washcloth)
bread, rolls, flatbread, Turkish bread, corn/rice cakes,
cuppa soup, coffee, sugar, muesli/breakfast bars, fruit, peanut butter, vegemite, jam, hard boiled eggs, sardines.