XP Gateshead

As G29 prepare for their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Expedition on 4th–5th July, it’s essential that pupils are well-fuelled and equipped with suitable food to keep them energised and healthy throughout the two-day experience. Here’s everything you need to know to help your child prepare, including detailed advice on what to bring—and what to avoid.

General Food Guidelines

• NUT-FREE ONLY: Due to serious allergies, no nuts or nut products are allowed at any point during the expedition.

• High energy, long shelf life: Choose foods that are energy-dense and will last without refrigeration.

• Easy to carry: Food should be lightweight, well-packed, and not prone to squashing or spoiling.

• Low waste: Pupils must carry all their rubbish until they return, so avoid excessive packaging.

Examples of Suitable Food Items

Day 1

Before School – Breakfast at Home

Pupils should eat a substantial breakfast before arriving to school. Good options include:

• Porridge with fruit

• Eggs and toast

• Beans on toast

• A bagel with cream cheese or jam

• A smoothie and a cereal bar

Packed Lunch + Snacks (for during the walk)

Suitable options include:

• Tortilla wrap or roll with filling (avoid mayo or perishable sauces)

• Pasta or couscous salad in a reusable container

• Crackers and wax-wrapped cheeses like Babybel

• Dried meats like beef jerky

• Dried fruit, raisins, seeds, cereal bars (nut-free), flapjack

• Rice cakes

• Fresh fruit that travels well (apple, satsuma)

• Water (at least 1.5L), plus optional isotonic drink

Evening Meal – Cooked on a Trangia Stove

Pupils will cook their own hot meal in pairs/groups using a Trangia stove.

Meals must be quick, simple, and safe to cook with minimal washing up.

Great options:

• Wayfarer Camping Meals

• Instant noodles or pasta pots (add boiling water)

• Pre-cooked pasta with a pouch of tomato or stir-in sauce

• Boil-in-the-bag rice or couscous with tinned meat (e.g. hot dogs or tuna)

• Tinned chilli or curry (can heat in Trangia)

Day 2

Remember: Pupils will not have access to fridges, and any perishable food will have been unrefrigerated for over a day.

Breakfast (no cooking)

• Cereal bars, flapjacks, or brioche rolls

• Breakfast biscuits or oat bars

• Dried fruit (e.g. apricots, raisins)

• Fresh fruit that travels well (apple, satsuma)

Lunch and Snacks

• Tortilla wraps with shelf-stable fillings (cheese, hummus sachets, jam)

• Pitta bread with tinned tuna or veggie spread

• Crackers with cheese or veggie pate

• Snacks from Day 1 list (e.g. fruit, cereal bars)

Items to Avoid

The following food items are not suitable for the expedition:

• Anything containing nuts or nut products

• Yoghurts or dairy items that require refrigeration

• Sandwiches made the day before

• Mayonnaise-based fillings

• Raw meat or frozen meals

• Chocolate or items that melt easily in hot weather

• Foods with long cook times or that require large amounts of water (e.g. dried pasta or rice)

• Anything that requires an oven or microwave

• Leftovers from the previous evening

• Any food that needs to be kept cold to remain safe

Final Tips

• Use resealable bags or lightweight Tupperware.

• Pack foods in meals/snack “sets” so they’re easy to find.

• Keep it simple—DofE is not the time for gourmet meals!

If you have any concerns about dietary requirements or providing food items for your child, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

If your child is entitled to free school meals and you would like some support in providing suitable food for the expedition, please contact your child’s Crew leader.

We’re looking forward to seeing G29 rise to the challenge—well-fed and ready to go!

Dear G29 Parents,

The countdown to the Qualifying Expedition is on and it is coming round quick! Thank you to all parents who have completed and returned the medical consent forms in the last couple of weeks. We could not provide your children with this rewarding experience without your support.

In our previous post about Duke of Edinburgh we had requested that all kit for the qualifying expedition be ready by 13th June. As such, we hope that everyone is ready to go! As mentioned in previous correspondence, we have some kit in school that we can lend out if needed, but to be able to manage this, we need to know what students are missing.

To help us do this, we would like all G29 students to bring their full kit to school on Friday 20th June so that we can check for any issues before we go. Some of it may be in rucksacks already, this is fine – we will check those too!

The kit list can be found here – it has been updated to include everything (like toothbrushes and underwear, as some of the basics were previously left off).

Whilst it is important to be prepared, please don’t overpack! The students will have to carry their rucksacks on their back all day, so efficiency is important – avoid heavy items where possible. They should have what they need, but nothing unnecessary – the most important items are walking boots and waterproofs.

We will post an update next week about bringing appropriate food on the Expedition, but in the meantime if you have any questions about the Duke of Edinburgh Award, please contact your child’s Crew Leader or Ms Marshall.