How To Keep Food Cold Camping

If you are planning a camping trip soon, then you are probably figuring out all of the stuff that you are going to take with you.

One of the most important things that you are going to need is a supply of food to get you through the trip, but if you are taking things that usually live in the fridge, then how are you possibly going to keep everything as cold as it should be?

How to Keep Food Cold Camping

We are going to tell you exactly how to keep food cold when you are going camping, so you can have a great trip without worrying about your food going bad. 

Thankfully, there are lots of different ways in which you can keep your food cold when you are camping, and we will tell you how you can do so below.

Some methods might be more adventurous than others, but either way, there are definitely some efficient ways of cooling food. 

Use a Cooler Box

One of the best ways to keep your food cool while you are away on a camping trip is to take a cooler box along with you.

There are lots of different types of cooler boxes available, and the one that you get will depend on the budget that you have available, but there are definitely both low and high cost options available.

The price will also be reflected in the capacity of the cooler box that you choose, as some are bigger than others.

The amount of food that you take with you will determine the size of the box that you need. For example, a family of five is going to need a lot more food than a couple of two.

However, one thing that you should have in mind when it comes to choosing a cooler box is that the more you spend, the better the quality will be.

Some of the higher end cooling boxes will have features like better insulation and they will be able to keep cooler for longer.

You should also think about how long you need to keep your food cold for. So, if you are only camping overnight, it doesn’t matter too much as long as it can cool for more than this length of time.

But, if you are going camping for a few days, or even a week, then you are going to need one that will last for a longer time.

 You should read the product listing thoroughly to find out more information about these things before you purchase one. 

Freeze Some Food Before Your Trip

You could also fill a cooler box or bag with some frozen food, as this will last much longer than frozen food.

You can take enough chilled food for the first two days of camping, and then frozen food for the next few days.

The frozen food will help to keep the cooler colder for longer, and it will then be ready to eat after you have diminished your original food supply. 

This is a great way to keep your food fresher for longer, and to help to ensure that it is being kept in a cool environment at the same time. 

Ice Packs

When you are going on a camping trip, one essential thing that you should take with you is ice packs.

Ice packs are great for helping to keep your food and drinks colder for longer periods of time, and they are widely available online or in camping stores. 

One of the best things about ice packs is that they are reusable, so you can use them over and over again for multiple camping adventures.

If you are camping on a site, and not in the wilderness, then you might also have the luxury of a freezer on site that you can use to re-freeze you ice packs once they have melted.

This might not always be the case, but it is something that is worth enquiring about before your trip.

This would allow you to keep interchanging the ice packs that you are using and replace the old ones with fresh ones when you need to.

For shorter camping trips, you might not need to change them around at all, and this is because the majority of ice packs will keep cold for around two days.

So, for those who are only camping for two days or less, this could be the perfect way of keeping your food cold.

If you are camping on a budget and have just spent out on lots of equipment, then you might want to consider making your own ice packs. This is really easy to do and it takes almost no effort at all.

To make your own ice packs, all you have to do is fill up multiple sealable freezer bags with water, and then put them in the freezer overnight until they have frozen solid.

Something that you should keep in mind with this method is that you will need to leave some space at the top of the bag so that the water can expand as it freezes.

Another handy use for ice packs is to use on any injuries that might occur when you are camping, especially if you are going camping in a remote location.

Ice packs are great for helping to reduce swelling, so they are handy to have in an emergency.

Another great idea would be to take frozen bags of food or vegetables with you on your trip.

These will help to keep your food cool for a long period of time, and you can even then cook and eat the food when you need to. Ultimately, you are making the best of the situation with this option. 

Make Sure You Pack Your Food Efficiently

When it comes to storing all of your food into your cooler using your preferred methods of cooling, make sure that you are packing the bag in a way that is as efficient as possible.

Try creating layers of ice packs in between food, or put frozen food next to chilled food. This will help to maximise the cooling abilities of your cooler.

Andrew Mullen

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