Camping is a great way to enjoy the outdoors, but food preparation for your camping trip requires careful advance planning. Make sure that cold food remains cold to avoid food-borne illnesses that can put an early and unpleasant end to your camping trip. Meat, fish, poultry, dairy products and eggs should be kept at temperatures of 40 degrees Fahrenheit and below, advises the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
Step 1
Fill an insulated plastic, steel or fiberglass cooler with large blocks of ice or frozen gel packs. Avoid loose ice or ice cubes, which will melt quickly.
Step 2
Wrap food securely in zip-close bags to avoid food juices from contaminating other foods. Take only the food you need and avoid packing large quantities of food that will spoil easily, such as eggs or mayonnaise. Pack the cooler in order of use, with foods to be used first placed on top.
Step 3
Pack nonperishable foods in a separate container, leaving the cooler for frozen and cold foods only. Be sure to wash your hands before removing food from the container. Prevent frequent opening and closing of the cooler by keeping cold beverages in a cooler reserved just for that purpose. Small ice cubes for beverages can be kept in the beverage cooler.
Step 4
Transport the cooler in the air-conditioned part of your car. Avoid placing the cooler in the trunk, which can become too warm very quickly. Move the cooler into the shade as soon as your arrive at your destination, and cover the cooler with a plastic tarp to add extra insulation.
Step 5
Discard any food left out of the cooler for more than two hours. Never allow food to remain out of the cooler for more than one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees F.
Things You'll Need
- Insulated plastic, steel or fiberglass cooler
- Large blocks of ice or frozen gel packs
- Zip-close bags
- Separate cooler for beverages
- Plastic tarp
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