Grungle replied:

Hi Guys,

We used to use the green long life vege bags that do a good job at extending the life to around 2-3 weeks.

If you have a freezer you can do what we now do and pack a lot of frozen vege's. Supposed to be better nutritionally (according to the reports) because they are snap frozen.

Aside to the original question, I have never heard of anyone cryvacing their vege's so you would be the first but could well set a trend.

Regards
David

Nav 8 replied:

Try wrapping each piece of the vegetables in news paper and carry them in a cardboard box. Store for transport in the coolest spot in the vehicle or trailer and you will find they will last up to a couple of weeks, try it you will be supprised.
Regards ,,,Nav.

Member - Phil G (SA) replied:

#1 Pumpkin - we peel it and cut into good size bits and vacuum pack it - no need to refrigerate - comes out as fresh as when you peeled it.
#2 Coleslaw - we vacuum pack it, don't refrigerate it, and add the dressing etc after we open it.
#3 Spuds - wrap each potato individually in newspaper and pack them in a cardboard box.
#4 Carrots and parsnips - we have no answer yet, so we put them in the fridge. But this month will try the vacuum pack.
#5 Tomatos - we buy the Truss tomatos, half go in a lunch box in the engel, the other half get wrapped in newspaper and put in the cardboard box.
#6 Apples, kiwifruit etc get the newspaper treatment too.
Lettuce is too hard for us.

In August, in the Simpson, you'll have no probs keeping things cool - it will get down to freezing each night. In years gone by, we've been out there without a fridge, and just left the esky open at night.

Cheers
Phil

Garbutt replied:

That time of year vegies will keep well foir a week or so without refigeration, how long you expect to be there will determine what you need to do. We also find dried vegies pretty good after fresh stuff runs out. My SWMBO dries a lot of home grown fruit in a dehydrator and this keeps very well.
Pasta type stuff, the flavoured kind I mean is also a great alternative to spuds etc.

GB

Member - Brenton H (SA) replied:

We cryovac our carrots cut up ready for a stew (simply because i'm lazy). Pumpkin we leave whole until we need it but will cryovac Ok. Broccoli on the other hand is more difficult and needs to be blanched. Had to bury the last lot that we didn't and if i close my eyes can still smell the bloody thing. Do all our meat in the cryovac (except sausages which crush too much).

Nick R replied:

Looks like you can vac pack anything nearly.
on SBS's "Iron Chef" tonight they were vacuum sealing all sorts of food for the purpose of cooking. Veggies, Scallops, Foie Gras, you name it, they sealed the food in the plastic and boiled it or put it in hot water not quite boiling.
They even did steak and scallops together in the bag then pan seared after (out of the bag of course)
NickR