Food storage for long trips
- Thread starter punisher1130
- Start date
workingonit71
Aspirantes ad Adventure
Thanks for the heads-up, I was just about to purchase one. Which 30 quart cooler is the best for the money, for the limited use I plan for it (frozen and perishable foods only, no drinks)?
perterra
Adventurer
I used an igloo 25 quart marine cooler for years, then bought a canyon cooler 20 quart beer box (old version) and it was tougher but no better insulator. I now use a RTIC soft cooler. Doesnt sweat and works great. Today I would just look at the Ozark trail cooler or RTIC, either soft side or hard
slowtwitch
Adventurer
- Good cooler.
- Pre freeze entire cooler at grocery, meat processor, etc.
- Ice in heavy plastic juice bottles. Bigger ice=better. Doesn't get your food wet. Don't need to drain. Have an emergency stash of water. Reusable. Damn near free. Maybe dry ice pending what's in cooler.
- Never drain cooler.. volume goes out (water), volume goes in (ambient air).
- Make sure seal is tight (many aren't). Use NRS straps to facilitate a tight lid if need be. Elevation changes while driving will suck/push air into/from cooler.
- Freeze as much of food as possible.
- Keep cooler in shade. Put a sleeping bag over it. Wrap it in a space blanket foil side out.
- Pack smart, think ahead. Digging through the cooler like it's a home fridge is a no no. Grab what you need. Find bread, grab two pieces, put rest back in cooler asap.. not on camp table to heat up and then be put back.
Fridges are fine, but for a long deep trip where there will be no resupplies I'll take a well packed high end cooler any day. Dead simple. Nothing to break. No batteries to worry about.Cold beers.
Of course, there's always an emergency food 'plan b' right?
- Pre freeze entire cooler at grocery, meat processor, etc.
- Ice in heavy plastic juice bottles. Bigger ice=better. Doesn't get your food wet. Don't need to drain. Have an emergency stash of water. Reusable. Damn near free. Maybe dry ice pending what's in cooler.
- Never drain cooler.. volume goes out (water), volume goes in (ambient air).
- Make sure seal is tight (many aren't). Use NRS straps to facilitate a tight lid if need be. Elevation changes while driving will suck/push air into/from cooler.
- Freeze as much of food as possible.
- Keep cooler in shade. Put a sleeping bag over it. Wrap it in a space blanket foil side out.
- Pack smart, think ahead. Digging through the cooler like it's a home fridge is a no no. Grab what you need. Find bread, grab two pieces, put rest back in cooler asap.. not on camp table to heat up and then be put back.
Fridges are fine, but for a long deep trip where there will be no resupplies I'll take a well packed high end cooler any day. Dead simple. Nothing to break. No batteries to worry about.Cold beers.
Of course, there's always an emergency food 'plan b' right?
perterra
Adventurer
I just thought of something, I picked up one of the little 7 quart Stanley Adventure coolers cheap for daily behind the seat of my truck. Been a good cooler, dont think it is 4 or 5 days cooler, but if I had it to do over again I would probably pick up a larger Stanley instead of the small Canyon Cooler I have. https://www.amazon.com/STANLEY-10-01936-001-Stanley-Adventure-Cooler/dp/B0159W9QO4
Kerensky97
Xterra101
I love having an in-cab cooler behind the passenger seat that I can reach in and grab a drink from while driving. I forget what brand mine is, it's just slightly larger than a 6-pack with hard sides. Ice only stays for about 48 hours though. So I usually transfer cold drinks and a handfull of ice to it every morning before heading back out on the trail.
perterra
Adventurer
Mine is for when I find a deal on cheap beer. LOL Grab a six pack, and keep it cool till I get home in the evening. A 36 ounce cup of ice on a six pack in a 7 quart cooler means I can pop one as soon as I walk in the door