DofE participants putting Wayfayrer expedition food to the test

Wayfayrer is a leading expedition food brand and now features on the DofE Kit List. Wayfayrer food includes a range of meals and puddings that can be packed easily in a rucksack and eaten on expeditions, filling you up with hassle free cooking.

We decided to see what one group of hungry participants thought of Wayfayrer by giving it a taste test on their expedition training day.

What is expedition food?

Expedition food provides a substantial pre-cooked meal to those on outdoor adventures such as DofE expeditions. Ready straight from the pouch, Wayfayrer meals come in sixteen different flavours, so there’s something for all taste buds.

Whilst individual participants can simply use expedition meals for their expedition, we recommend that they are used for a warming breakfast or energy boost on your journey and that the group prepares their own hot main meal.

The Trinity School Taste Test

Trinity School in Carlisle have been running The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) for many years and currently have 114 young people doing their DofE.  In February they ran an expedition training day with Jo Roberts, Leadership and Expedition Support Officer, from the DofE North of England office. We thought it was a great opportunity to get Wayfayrer in front of them to see what would be a winner with hungry teenagers.

Thirteen participants volunteered to take part and between them they tried a wide range of flavours including: All Day Breakfast, Chicken Tikka & Rice, Vegetable Chilli and Sticky Toffee Pudding.

It was interesting that before the session ¾ of the group weren’t aware that special expedition food packs even existed. However, when asked what they thought they would need to think about when planning what food to take on expedition they said:

“High energy, health, easily carried, small packaging”

“Something that’s high in carbohydrates to give me the energy for walking”

“Small and compact but easy to cook and tastes good!”

Even though, Wayfayrer food can be eaten hot or cold it was no surprise that the majority would want to eat the food hot.  As Wayfayrer is just warmed up in hot water within its packaging, and eaten straight from the pouch, participants can have a warm meal without any washing up.

So, what did they think?

The Verdict

The taste test was a great exercise, not just to try out the Wayfayrer meals, but to get the participants thinking about food and nutrition for their expedition. 

The good news is that 80% said they’d consider taking them on expedition. With each person trying three meals, there wasn’t a firm favourite and they liked;

– The wide variety of flavours available – That there are tasty vegetarian options – Most of the group said they’d eat it for breakfast, lunch or while walking

Comments included:

“It didn’t take long to cook and was filling. I’d take it on expedition for lunch.” Emma

“Really nice – good mixture and obviously can be eaten all day.” Harry

“Would take it on expedition for my pudding as it was so easy to make.” Daisy

Event organiser and expedition expert, Jo, gave her feedback too, “What a fantastic day and opportunity to try so many different flavours of the meals. I didn’t realise how many varieties there were. I can’t wait to use them myself on my next expedition, especially the chocolate pudding!

The students had a great day, they really enjoyed trying them all, smiles on their faces despite the cold wet weather. No one left feeling hungry that day. It was great to see everyone involved and how easy the meals are to cook, giving the students a different outlook on expedition meal time.

Easy to pack and good value for money – I would recommend them for DofE expeditions. Three different people could have three completely different meals all being cooked and eaten at the same time with reassurance that if you don’t cook them long enough, they are still safe and tasty to eat.”

What else?

Don’t worry about going hungry on your expedition. Download the expedition meal planner to plan breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for everyday of your expedition.

Our ‘eating on expedition’ poster gives you advice for cooking outdoors – including tips and advice on stoves, cookware and even snack ideas.

Save at least 10% on Wayfayrer food pouches using your DofE Card or Voucher at our recommended retailers. Find your nearest store.