How To Store Food When Camping | Camping Food Hacks

Do you plan to go camping alone or with family and wondering how to store your food so it can last for a couple of days? Then you are in the right place. Storing food does not only mean preserving them to meet your hunger. Instead, the food still needs to be safe enough so you can cook and eat them at the campsite. That is why the process of storing food needs to be appropriate.

Otherwise, the smell of the food may attract critters, bears, and other animals, which can eventually cause great havoc at the campsite. And, to help you with that, we will walk you through some of the most effective ways to store food during camping, as well as some hacks to prepare mouthwatering foods at the campsite. 

How To Store Food During Camping?

Keep Camp Clean

The most straightforward way to safeguard your food is to keep your campsite as clean as possible. That is because bears and other animals are attracted to smells, and it can help them trace your location. And the moment of encountering a bear during camping is what most campers would want to avoid. Therefore try to store food in a closed container or odor-proof bags. However, you also need to treat sunscreen, ointment, and toothpaste as food as these have a strong smell. So you also need to lock them in a container with your food.

Handle Raw Meat in Camp

When you store meat and other foods in the same cooler, make sure to keep them separate. Otherwise, germs from raw meat could contaminate your ready-to-eat foods, making you and your family ill. In that case, double-bagging meat can be beneficial. There will be no risk of juice from raw, uncooked meat leaking into other foods.

Storing Fresh Waters

Staying hydrated is crucial to have a fun adventure at the campsite. On top of that, it can be pretty exhausting if water isn’t available near your camp. So the best solution to it is to store water in a large metal jug or plastic container. So you can refill your small bottle whenever necessary. It will eliminate the hassle of carrying multiple bottles and help you keep track of water usage. But in case you are staying for a couple of days and may need to fetch water from nearby streams, then purification tablets are indispensable to serve you fresh water at the campsite.

Hanging Your Food

Keeping your food safe from animals will spare you from going hungry at the campsite. So you need to be aware of bears and other animals that can ruin your camping gear and meals. An easy way out of that is to hang your food up in the tree. For executing this process, a sturdy bag and some ropes are all that you need. Finding a sturdy branch is the key. So it can hold the weight of your bag. Hang the bag at least 20 feet above the ground and hundred feet away from your campsite. Such that it is harder for the animals to trace the food as well as your location. However, it is one of the best ways to store your food if you are camping in areas where bears are available.

Metal Bear Boxes

More often, larger animals such as bears or deer are much more interested in tracing food, but you also need to watch out for smaller animals like chipmunks or mice. These tiny rodents can chew food through a shelter or a backpack if it is left unattended. Even at times, the decision of hanging food can go wrong if a bear is smart enough to locate the bag up in the tree. That is when a sealed metal container or bear-proof canisters can be of great help. It can save you time and may also provide peace of mind about the safety of your food. But the only downside is that you will need to carry more weight.

Store In The Vehicle’s Trunk

If you are traveling to the campsite by vehicle, keeping food in the trunk of your vehicle is the most reliable way to store food at night. In that way, there is no risk of scent coming out of your food. In addition, this is the safest way possible. But if you are keeping food inside a cooler, you need to bring it out of your vehicle during the daytime. That is because if the temperature rises too high, the cooler might fail to work and spoil the food in the trunk.

Camping Food Hacks

With some smart outlining, you can eat healthy and appealing dishes even at the campsite. Hence, we have enlisted a few camping food hacks so you can apply them to have food during camping without putting in much effort.

Plan The Shopping

Packing too little food can keep you unfed on the day of departure. Also, packing too much can lead to food spoilage. So plan ahead which foods you will have on your camping trip and then pack it likewise.

Eggs In A Bottle

For most campers, scrambled eggs are more like a go-to dish during camping. But carrying eggs might be risky as you may break a few along the way. So crack all the eggs you need, beat them up in a bowl, and pour them into a plastic bottle. That way, you can easily store it in your bag.

Suitable Food Storage

Plan the storage process of perishable goods carefully before you embark on your camping trip. So you can prevent food from spoiling. There are some cheap coolers that barely can keep the foods cool for about 12 hours, let alone a day. Hence, it is better to invest in a heavy-duty cooler that is capable of keeping ice frozen for a couple of days, even in the height of summer.

Label All Bags Clearly

This is one of the most efficient ways to save time and hassle at the campsite. Try to label all the canisters you are carrying. So you know what they contain. It will save you from rummaging around your bag to find the right stuff.

On-The-Go Pancakes

If pancakes are your favorite then premix all the ingredients you need to make it. Pour the mixture in a plastic bag and store it in the cooler. Just snip a corner off and dispense the liquid mixture on the griddle and you have your pancake served in minutes.

Store Spices In Old Small Boxes

While cooking over a campfire, you might not want your food to taste bland. Also, it would be tough for you to carry your entire spice drawer. In that case, pour a small number of spices into Tic Tac bottles or small containers. However, if you do not have any such containers, pill organizers can be the savior to storing spices when you are out camping.

Carry Coffee

If you are a coffee addict and need to have a sip of coffee when you wake up the next morning in your tent, filter paper is the way to go. Pour some crushed coffee on filter paper, tie them with some dental floss, and you are ready to embark on camping. All you have to do is, throw one sack in the boiling water to have your cup of coffee.

After a strenuous day at the campsite, nothing beats a dinner that is cooked live, served fresh, and devoured under the moonlight. So to keep your food fresh and intact, follow the ways we have mentioned on how to store them. Besides, our camping hacks can also help you to cook meals conveniently.