How to Store Food Safely When Camping

Whether it's the fresh air or the extra exercise, everyone seems to get hungrier than usual on a campout. Without the benefits of refrigerators and ovens, you should take extra steps to keep food safe when you camp. Follow the tips below.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Coolers
• Ice

1. Designate one cooler for long-term storage if you plan to camp for several days. Freeze everything that will go in this cooler and pack it so the items you need first are on top. Open this cooler only when necessary.

2. Use a separate cooler for items you need more often, such as drinks, fruit and snacks.

3. Add new ice to your coolers before the existing ice melts away. As long as you have ice in your cooler, your food will be safe to eat. Blocks of ice last longer than cubes.

4. Store the coolers in a shady area and insulate them with blankets.

Tips & Warnings

• In addition to the food in your cooler, pack shelf-stable items that don't need to be refrigerated. Good choices include peanut butter, individual packets of condiments, beef jerky and powdered biscuit and pancake mixes.
• Bacteria begin to multiply rapidly when food is stored at temperatures over 40 degrees Fahrenheit and can grow to dangerous levels in only 2 hours. Remember this rule of food safety: when in doubt, throw it out.

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