Not all the research is done at the stations and small parties often travel to remote field sites. For travelling by sledge or aircraft, the rations need to be light and compact. Whilst camping in the field the meals should be easy and quick to prepare in order to save fuel, and the ration boxes must be well packed to avoid deterioration. BAS has standard sledging ration boxes to last for twenty person-days. They contain food for a balanced and varied diet providing around 3500 kilocalories for each person daily.
Water is made by melting snow and the water purity is exceptional.
Cooking is still done over paraffin fired primus stoves, the most dependable and robust system. For all expeditions the preparation of these special sledging rations is expensive, about twice as much to feed a person at a field camp as it does at the main research station.