This Is The Food Antarctic Exploration Was Built On

Antarctica. A barren wasteland one and a half times the size of the continental United States, it is the harshest environment on earth and for the most part, completely uninhabited. In a place like this, the name of the game isn't just exploration. It's survival. Over the last century and a half, food has been a literal lifeline to the scientists and explorers setting out for the world's largest desert. From early expeditions' reliance on basic rations to the comfort food dished out at modern research stations, food has kept generations of adventurers alive — and sane!

The initial period of Antarctic exploration was known (rather grandly) as the Heroic Age. This was the time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when iconic explorers like Ernest Shackleton, Roald Amundsen, and Robert Falcon Scott set out into the unknown, seeking glory and knowledge. The food they took with them was utilitarian, designed to maximize their caloric intake while remaining unspoiled in the freezing conditions. 

Pemmican, essentially a brick of fat and dried meat, sometimes mixed with preserved berries, was a popular choice. Originally a Native American food, it was prized by explorers for its long shelf life and heartiness. Other common foods included tinned goods, tea and cocoa, and hard tack (or sledge biscuits); crackers made of flour, water, and salt. These practically never spoiled. In fact, hard tack from the Civil War era still exists — and might even still be safe to eat! Of course, if all that failed, there were always the seals and penguins...

By the mid-1900s, technology had advanced significantly, changing the way people explored the poles. One of the most noticeable changes was in the quality of the food that explorers were able to bring with them to the Antarctic. Advancements in preservation techniques such as freeze drying, in which whole meals could be dehydrated and brought back to life with the simple addition of water, meant that adventurers could store more food than ever before without the risk of it spoiling. Freeze-dried food was also considerably more nutritious than previous offerings — and it tasted better.

Specialized "sledging rations" were also introduced to replace the hard tack of the past, scientifically developed, including things like rice, tea, coffee, and dried milk. Often, expeditions' supplies often included boxes of "goodies" — the odd treat or two to keep morale high in the face of extreme conditions. These included comforts like herbs, spices, and other sauces and condiments — opening the door for a little welcome creativity when it came to cooking.

The modern life of an Antarctic researcher can still be brutal, with long periods of sustained darkness, isolation, and constant sub-zero temperatures — but as far as the food is concerned, things are a far cry from the rations of the 1940s and 50s, let alone the 19th century. Food at modern research stations is crucial to a crew's morale — so the goal is to strike a balance between satiety, nutrition, and flavor. 

Advancements in freezing and transporting food have meant that stations can receive shipments of pantry staples you can make at home, canned goods, and even frozen meat — and after supply drops, can contain fresh food like fruits and vegetables (that haven't been freeze-dried). Some outposts have even developed their own greenhouses — allowing them to cultivate much-needed fresh food year-round, even through the long winter months of cold and darkness, bringing comfort to research crews, as well as allowing them to get crucial vitamins into their diet. 

Antarctic exploration is now a more international endeavor than ever before — and with that diversity among the crews comes a similar diversity in the food that they eat. From curries to pies, to the best way to stir fry, the food available to researchers is more varied, and more tasty, than ever before — and plays as crucial a role in the exploration of the very ends of the earth as it ever has!