Eating and drinking in the cold

The body produces heat through its metabolism and through muscle work. In the cold the demand rises: shivering is nothing other than rapid muscle work that produces heat and uses energy to do so. Heavy clothing, a backpack and hard walking in snow or slush cost extra strength. Food supplies the fuel for all of this.

Carbohydrates such as bread, oats or dried fruit provide energy the body can use quickly. Fat, for example in nuts and cheese, provides more energy per gram and is used more slowly. A mix of both in small, frequent portions keeps the energy flow steady – like a stove you feed regularly rather than throwing in one huge pile at once.

Hot drinks warm you only a little directly, but they help against dehydration. That is easily overlooked in the cold: you feel less thirsty, but you lose moisture with every breath into the dry, cold air and still sweat under your clothes. A warm drink simply makes drinking more pleasant.

Plan more food than usual for cold days, especially easy-to-eat, energy-dense food that tastes fine without cooking: nuts, dried fruit, bread, cheese, oats. Do not rely only on hot meals – if the stove fails or the weather turns, you still need to be able to eat.

A good rhythm: breakfast before setting off, a snack every one to two hours on the way, a hot meal in the evening and something to eat before sleeping. Drink regularly, even without thirst. Pale urine is a simple sign that you are drinking enough.

Cold makes eating and drinking awkward: chocolate and bars go rock-hard, water can freeze. Carry snacks close to your body in an inside pocket and drinks in an insulated bottle. Store bottles upside down – ice usually forms at the top first, so the opening stays clear for longer.

No alcohol to warm up. It widens the blood vessels in the skin so that you feel warm for a short time – in reality more warm blood flows to the surface and the body loses heat faster. Alcohol also impairs judgement, precisely when good decisions matter.

Severe shivering, confusion or apathy can be signs of hypothermia. Then get the person to a warm, sheltered place and call for help on the local emergency number (112 in the EU). Hypothermia is a medical emergency; food and drink do not replace treatment.

Drinks and food are never heated with a stove or grill inside a tent, porch or home. Carbon monoxide is invisible and odourless and can cause unconsciousness without warning in enclosed spaces.

On a winter trip, pack more food than for a summer trip and distribute it so that you can reach it on the way without unpacking. A break to eat and drink every one to two hours keeps you warm and capable – and is a good moment to check how everyone is doing.

If the heating fails at home in winter, the same applies: eat regularly, drink warm drinks, wear several layers of clothing and keep one room warm together. Hot drinks in an insulated bottle, heated once outdoors or on an approved cooker, stay warm for hours.

Pay special attention to others. Children, older people and exhausted people often eat and drink too little in the cold because they lack appetite or unpacking is a hassle. Actively offer them something instead of waiting until they ask.

According to the FAO/WHO/UNU report on human energy requirements, needs depend on body, age and activity. Military survival manuals such as FM 3-05.70 treat food and fluids in the cold as an integral part of cold protection – not as a side issue.

This entry deliberately gives no fixed calorie figures for the cold, because they depend strongly on weather, clothing, exertion and the person. The simple rule of thumb is: pack more, eat more often, drink regularly – and take one break too many rather than one too few.