Fueling the Arctic Journey: More Than Just Battling the Cold

It’s D-30 to the start of the expedition. I am getting into a more detailed review of everything from medicine to food and small equipments. When planning the logistics of an expedition in the Arctic, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the cold—and rightly so. Braving sub-zero temperatures requires high-quality protective gear, and without it, you're simply not going far. But through my experiences last year, I’ve come to realize that another, often overlooked factor plays a vital role in both physical endurance and mental resilience: the food you eat.

“Comfort,” of course, is a relative concept. When you’re winter trekking across Greenland with no access to showers or heating, it comes down to the little things—things that differ for every adventurer. For some, it's staying warm at night. For others, it's keeping fingers and toes from going numb. Over time, I’ve learned to pinpoint what matters most to me—and food, especially breakfast, has emerged as a surprising yet powerful morale booster.

That’s why, I decided to gave special attention to what will go into my dry rations in the morning. A warm, satisfying breakfast can make all the difference when you’re waking up in a frozen tent with another long day ahead. It’s not luxury—it’s strategy.

On an Arctic trail, hot meals are rare currency. You get just two a day: breakfast and dinner. A “proper” lunch? That’s a fantasy. Midday sustenance comes in the form of energy bars, trail mix, a thermos of tea, and whatever high-calorie snacks you can reach without breaking stride. That means breakfast isn’t just important—it’s mission critical. It has to fuel you from the first step in the morning to the last pull of the pulk in the evening. Cold can suppress appetite, so it is important to make sure you actually like what you are packing.

Typically Arctic trek requires in average 5,000 calories per day, accounting for cold temperatures, heavy effort hauling gear, wind exposure and long days. I break this down with 600 to 800 for breakfast, 1,500 with snacks along the way, 1,200 for dinner, 600 with morale booster like chocolate.

The market today offers a surprising variety of freeze-dried options, so I placed a bulk order across several brands to test for flavor, texture, ease of preparation—and, of course, morale impact. From that tasting marathon, I selected some favorites to cover the ten mornings of the expedition. I’m not stuck on sweet breakfasts either; savory works just as well for me. So the final lineup includes both muesli-based meals and egg-forward dishes—anything to keep the body moving and the spirit lifted.