Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Camping Tip - Keeping your Food Cool

Milk, cheese, meats and some other foods should stay cold until you cook them or eat them, or else they can make you very sick. Most of your drinks and fruits don't have to necessarily stay cold but they taste better when they are cold. If you are planning on smores make sure to keep your chocolate bars cool or you will end up with a pile of melted chocolate if they are in the car too long or sit out in the sun at camp.

I recommend, if you have the space to bring one, that you have a separate ice chest filled with ice, it will keep longer if you aren't in and out of it on a regular basis as you would your food ice chest. If you pack your ice in a freezer bag, it will last longer. If you do the same with your spare ice you can just take out a few bags at a time as needed. You can also make ice in freezer bags at home to take with you.

Once you get to your campsite, you might be able to use natural refrigeration to keep some of your foods cool. If you are near a lake or stream that's not to deep or too swift, you can bundle up your fruit (packed tightly in Ziploc bags or small containers) and put them in a plastic grocery bag or small bucket and set them in a shallow spot in the water. Make sure you carefully seal your items so that they will not get wet as most rivers and lakes carry bacteria. Fruits that can be peeled (bananas, oranges, etc.) should be OK as you would not eat the peel, but never eat anything that directly touches the water. You can also do this with drinks to keep them cold. Make sure you tie your items to a rope around a tree or a big rock so they don't end up down stream.

Last, try and find a shaded area at your campsite for your coolers so the sun is not beating down right on them.

Eat safe!

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