Camping Food Storage
Whenever we set up camp or spend time in the wild, we need to try and remember we are in the habitat of animals. Wherever you camp, animals can and will get into the food you bring with you. Rodents like mice – as well as other, larger creatures – won’t think twice before ripping into your tent for a tasty snack.
In addition to keeping your food out of the paws of ravenous beasts, proper food handling and prep is crucial for your health and the health of those who are camping with you. If you want your camping experience to be an enjoyable one, you need to adhere to sensible safety procedures. Follow all campsite rules for food storage. Never leave your food unattended where animals can take or contaminate it, and never store food or food waste inside your tent.
Even if you are only going to be away from the campsite for a short while, make sure your food is secure in your camping coolers and that these coolers are securely stored in a car or somewhere else animals can’t get into. Some animals are sneaky and can easily break into camping coolers, so be sure you buy one that’s animal-proof. Failing that, make sure that, at a minimum, you can lock it to deter any thieves.
Some camp areas have metal food lockers you can take advantage of. You might sometimes need to use canisters with lids you can screw on and off. Humans can get these lids off, but most animals would struggle. If you’ve got loads of non-perishable food in plastic bins and totes, be sure not to overfill these containers or you’ll end up overburdened
Prevent Spoilage of Food With the Right Camping Food Storage
If you’ve got a camping cooler rammed with food, you’ll want to make sure it doesn’t spoil so no one in your group gets sick. Keep all raw meat and dairy products properly cooled. Stock up on reusable ice packs as well.
Chill your camping coolers before packing them if at all possible. Add in bottles of frozen water or milk that will get consumed so you don’t end up wasting anything. These frozen drinks will stay colder for a longer period of time than ice cubes anyway, and when they’ve melted, you can drink them.
Be smart when packing your camping coolers. Pack the things that will get used first on top so you aren’t digging aimlessly to find what you want. If you’ve got the room and the budget for it, a camping fridge is not a bad idea either.
Camping Cookware
After eating nuts and dried fruits on the trails, you’ll likely want a hearty meal in the evening. For this, you’ll need the right supplies. When looking at cookware, don’t be overwhelmed by all the options out there. Whether you go for individual pieces or sets of cookware depends on your needs. A great deal depends on the number of people you’re catering for and, to some extent, your budget.
Cookware Sets
Cookware sets have multiple pieces that almost always nest together to save space. When using individual pieces, you have the ability to make up your own personalized cook set for your camping meals. Consider the number of pots you will need to create the meals you have in mind. If you’ve got a larger group, one small saucepan won’t fly, but if you’re cooking for just yourself and one other camper, that should do just fine.
Be sure to get pots with lids. Not only do lids cut down on the time it takes your food to cook, but they also reduce the mess and can even double as a makeshift plate if you have an unexpected guest.
Cookware comes in many different materials as well. You can expect to find lightweight aluminum as well as hard-anodized aluminum pieces, cookware made from titanium or stainless steel, the old faithful cast-iron, and even plastic ware. Obviously, some of these materials will be far more durable than others, so while you might spend a little more, you can consider it a reusable investment.
Plates and Utensils
As far as plates and utensils go, you can find sets or individual pieces here as well. Often when you buy a camping gear cook set, it will include pots, lids, mugs, plates, and utensils. If you’d rather piece together your own, focusing on precisely what you need, that’s down to you.
Make sure you pick out multi-purpose cookware. Your pack will be heavy enough without adding twenty different things in it for mealtime. Quality knives, cutting boards, and other accessories will be worth their weight in gold once you are out in the wild. Be sure to pack everything you need without going overboard.
Cooking With Fire
To cook your food, you have a few different methods at your disposal. The most traditional way to cook food when camping is, of course, over the campfire. There are not many things better than a hunk of meat cooked on a stick over an open flame under a vast sky.
However, a lot of people aren’t comfortable cooking over an open flame, especially not when it’s as large and uncontrolled as a campfire. Beyond this, it can sometimes be difficult to get the campfire started or to keep the flames burning. With the dry seasons and risk of fires in the Australian summertime, open fires are banned nearly everywhere anyway. You don’t want to go hungry, so you’ll need a reliable and legal cooking method since you won’t be able to call up for pizza delivery.
For this reason, a lot of people like to cook their camping food on a camping stove or a camping cooker. A good camping stove is easy to set up and simple to use. Look for solid build quality and at least two burners. Some stoves sit on a tabletop, while others have extendable legs for convenience and stability combined.
Some camping stoves are wood-fuelled, so you’ll still get the feel of cooking over a campfire without the risk and unreliability. Other camping stoves use gas in order to cook the food, so you’ll feel just like you’re cooking in the kitchen at home.
Cooking your camping food doesn’t have to be intimidating; it should actually form part of the fun. You just need to think about your requirements and buy accordingly, rather than expecting a one-size-fits-all solution.
Beverages
When participating in any physical activity, you know you need to stay fully hydrated. Hauling yourself and a bunch of camping gear around the Australian wild during the hot summer months only makes this even more important.
No one likes warm drinks, so be sure you have a way to keep them chilled when camping. Ice you purchase along the way won’t last too long in a small water cooler even if it’s equipped with top-notch insulation. If you’ve got drinks like milk or juice that need to stay cold, you should consider getting a camping fridge to add to your arsenal.
Also, think about bringing along insulated mugs and cups. These will keep your drinks cold or warm, giving you maximum bang for your buck while also lightening your load by lowering the need for ice.
If you’re a coffee drinker, bring along your coffee setup. A traditional drip brewer is out of the question when you’re roughing it in the wild, but there are other options for making your morning drink, too. You can use a French press or buy a kettle that to place over the campfire or on the camping stove.
