Matt Wallace has always been an adventurer at heart. But nothing could have truly prepared him for the extreme challenge that awaited him deep in the heart of South America. Together with his team, he embarked on an extraordinary journey: a 40-day world record expedition, kayaking the Coppename River in Suriname from its remote source all the way to the sea.

This expedition tested not only their skills in navigation and survival but also pushed their bodies and minds to the absolute limit. One of the biggest challenges? Nutrition. Because out there, food wasn’t about pleasure anymore — it was pure fuel for survival.

In this article, Matt gives us an inside look at what a typical day of eating looked like during this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

When you’re hiking and hacking for hours through dense jungle, hauling gear over log jams, and battling against river currents, your body quickly turns into a ravenous calorie-burning machine! In normal life, food is often about taste and enjoyment. But on an expedition, food becomes fuel — pure and simple. Here's what a typical day of eating looked like during our 40-day world record kayak expedition down the Coppename River — from source to sea!

So here's what I eat in a day during this awesome adventure:

Mornings came brutally early. We would always wake before first light to maximize the cooler morning hours for paddling. Breakfast had to be quick and efficient: a few spoonfuls of oats soaked overnight in river water, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

If rations allowed, we treated ourselves to a few dried cranberries — luxuries that brought a rare moment of joy. The oatmeal provided slow-burning carbohydrates, essential for long days of physical exertion. However, portions were tiny, barely satisfying our shrinking stomachs after weeks of near-starvation.

Instant coffee wasn’t an option because of the weight and time needed to boil water. Instead, we had No Normal coffee paste, made of coffee concentrate, intense in taste coffee could also be consumed directly out of the tube. (More about coffee concentrate and why it isn't instant coffee you can find here) Some mornings, I would mix it into my oats for an extra kick of energy and motivation.

A couple of hours into paddling, the oatmeal would feel like a distant memory. That’s when we’d dive into our precious food barrel — securely fastened to one of the kayaks.

We would carefully split a small bag of salted peanuts between the four of us, counting each peanut to ensure fairness. Whoever got to lick the remaining salt from the bag was considered the lucky one! Around this time, another round of No Normal coffee paste was shared among us, providing a much-needed hit of sugar and caffeine.

Lunch was minimal. We typically pulled over to a shaded spot along the riverbank, desperate to escape the oppressive midday heat.

One of our staple meals was cooked Cecropia "tops" with some herbs, and occasionally, a drizzle of honey if spirits were low. Cecropia, known as "bush papaya" in Suriname, is abundant along riverbanks. We harvested the reddish-brown new leaves — the "tops" — carefully, as the trees were fiercely protected by stinging ants! Calories were paramount, so the risk of a few ant bites was always worth it.

Dinner was sacred. It was the single meal we truly looked forward to throughout the day.

Once camp was set up, exhausted but relieved, we prepared a hot, hearty meal. Fish was our main protein source. Forget fancy fishing gear — a sharp machete and a headlamp were all we needed. After nightfall, fish species that were impossible to catch during the day came close to the river's edge to rest. Armed with a machete, we could hunt them efficiently.

Our real prize, however, was the Anjumara — a nocturnal fish predator weighing up to 30kg, with massive teeth. Catching an Anjumara guaranteed a feast! After removing the scales and guts, the chunks of white meat were stewed with herbs and spices. Sitting around the campfire under a starry sky, we would reflect on the day's hardships and successes, anticipating the well-earned feast to come.

In the heart of the remote jungle, food isn’t just sustenance — it’s critical for survival, morale, and mental clarity. Every calorie was precious, every meal served a vital purpose. When you’re pushing yourself toward a world record, staying fueled becomes as crucial as the journey itself.

If you want to hear know more about No Normal Coffee, the adventure-ready coffee in a tube, then make sure to check out or other blog-articles on our story behind the first edible coffee!

Or ever heard of chaos packaging? – Then this article about the packaging methods disrupting the norm might be of interest to you: Chaos Packaging - 6 examples.

We sat down with the unstoppable Matt Wallace to discuss his mind-blowing exhibition, in which he and his team crossed the jungle of Suriname and crushed two world records while doing so! Fueled by No Normal Coffee, Matt pushed beyond the limits of "normal" and showed what true adventure looks like. Now officially part of the No Normal family, Matt embodies our mantra: there’s no such thing as a normal adventure and that is why you need to be prepared for anything that could come your way. Don’t miss this inspiring interview, which features behind-the-scenes moments and amazing stories and insights from Matt.

Make sure to follow his adventures on Instagram @wallace_untamed