Food Storage on big trips

Romandar ,

I transfer oils etc into Nalgene bottles that will not leak and that will fit into my drawers height-wise . Likewise I transfer coffee , tea and sugar to Nalgene jars .

I keep my carton of eggs in the fridge and have had no problems .

I use small bottles of low fat chocolate milk , for my Coco Pops as breakfast .

I get the butcher to pack cryovac meat in dinner size packets .

If I think of anything else I will add it later .

Cheers ,

Willie

You really need Mrs Duncs to answer this for you but I will give it my best shot.

We carry all our food either in the fridge, the esky or in plastic storage tubs with lids. We have Nylex tubs which we have been carrying without problems for over 10 years now. We label tubs on the outside so we know what type of food is in each tub before we get it out and open it.

Foods like rice and pasta are light and compact to carry but fill you up once they are cooked. There are quick cooking varieties available which save time and fuel (for the stove). Fresh vegies are the best, potatoes, onions, carrots and pumpkin all carry reasonably well. Use small pumpkins because once you peel them they need ot go in the fridge. As a back up for those long legs between towns canned vegies are great as are the dried things like surprise peas.

We carry a mix of frozen and cryovac meat in packs suitable for one meal. Using this method, with the meat packed into an esky we have gone over two weeks between butcher shops and lived pretty well and there are 5 of us.

Eggs, in the original pack, go in the fridge which we keep full all the time. I am not a big drinker and usually leave home with only 1 or 2 bears in the fridge. We operate one in one out but as the trip goes on the number of bears in the fridge grows. In a full fridge things don't move around and eggs don't get broken.

We do a lot of pre-cooked stuff before we leave home. This saves time and fuel when camping. On long trips, when we get to a big town to restock, we will stop in CV Parks with a good camp kitchen and cook up a storm before we head back into the bush. Cooked food carries better than fresh.

Duncs

Hi Romandar,
Just a thought for you and others.
"Minimise the food that you buy on the way round"
Sounds great, but next time you go round the little country store that you bypassed last time may well not be there this time.

OK it's a sore point with me, but many small towns are battling to stay alive and travellers who don't support these little places as they travel through don't help.

I'm not saying that you must buy all your stores there, but please stop and buy something. If nothing else you may well get some interesting local information about camp sites or places to see in the area that you would otherwise have missed.

Please just think about it.

Disco

Romandar ,

I must also introduce you to the Willie "I hate washing up" dinner.

I eat on good quality thick paper plates , I cook all my meat on a grill on the open fire , and I cook all my vegies ( zucchini , carrots , potatoes , parsnips , onions , or baby beetroot ) in foil on the coals .

The only things I have to wash up , are a knife and fork , long tongs a mug and a wine glass . I am thinking of dropping the wine glass and swigging straight from the bottle !

Cheers ,

Willie .

On 11 months around Oz trip last year we only ever carried 3 days food in 50l fridge prefering to shop in any town we stopped prices were not that bad and if the was an IGA we try to support them as they are usually owner operators. We always prefer fresh if possible.
Markets and road side was always good for fruit and veg. Minimise liquids as the love to leak, pwdered detergent. Beer in cans stow and cool better although not as good as stubbies.
Decor screw bottles were good for milk.
Switched to glass bottled wine as got sick of cardbaord carbony. Eggs travelled well in those little plastic boxes from camp shops, we usually only buy 6 packs.
We like the camp kitchens for cooking as you meet great people and catch up with the Goss.
Have fun

In addition to all the above, we always carry a heap of resealable bags, into which go leftovers for another meal, as well as sugar, coffee etc. We got right around Australia with only one leak (lamb curry of all things). Likewise we avoid glass like the plague.

Jack

We have a 7 day set menu and use stuff like chicken first, then steak or other meat and then sausages as they store better.

Vaccuum packing is a good idea but you still have to rely on a fridge, if the fridge stops (1 in a 1000 chance but happens) yuo have no food to eat.

We try and carry canned food where possable because they don't go off and can be kept for a long time if not used.

The probelm with glass jars is they brake your in the s*#t and they take alot of room when empty..with cans you can crush them down for disposal.

Cover eggs in butter and the last about 2 months.

Rice is fantastic and so is spargetti or fettucini, other pastre take up to much room.

When using stuff out of packets, cans and jars, make sure you only have enough for one meal per packet, can or jar so you don't have to store it and you reduce the chance of food poisioning.

Cut up vegys and place then in vacuum bags or freeze in zip bags, again enough for one meal per pack.

For onions, potatoes etc place them in a a open box with holes in the side and bottom to aid in air circuulation.

Carry dry gravy and spices to enhance to food.

When buying stuff check to expiry dates, youi would be surprised stuuf at back of the rake can have upto 2 to 6 month long expirey dates.

Limit junk food and eat healthy and enjoy you trip.

Riegards Richard

Hi Romandar & Nathan

We also remove anything from glass but have not purchased expensive plastic containers. I save all sorts of plastic food containers such as peanut butter jars and small sipper drink bottles which are marvellous for sauces and vinegar. I have never had a problem with plastic containers leaking if they are kept clean around the tops and sensibly packed.

I do leave herbs and spices in the glass bottles but have made a padded fabric wrapper with pockets, something like a tool wrap for spanners etc. No breakages to date.

When I buy fresh veges I wash and dry them carefully and cut things such as celery to fit and carry in a large plastic box. Only small veges have to be in plastic bags as well. Keep in esky and use defrosting items and frozen blocks to keep the esky cold. It is amazing how long fresh food will keep when packed carefully.

We also like to support local businesses especially IGAs