Fresh greens while travelling outback

Answer, not what you where hoping for :))

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Also, there is quite a selection of veggies available in cans. Fresh is not an option without a fridge or as you say unless you grow it en route.

Hi David,
I very much sympathise with the dilemma, and when travelling with kids I find it really important to keep up with the veggies. Cabbage lasts well, as does carrots, making a coleslaw a good option. I haven't tried growing sprouts but I don't see why not, I have made yoghurt in the Simpson Desert. We also took a whole pumpkin which didn't need refrigeration until we cut into it. I don't think I can help with the lettuce though.

Jo

You're stretching it at "weeks" without a town. However, celery stays nice and crisp if wrapped in foil and refrigerated. And the same applies to lettuce. No soft, floppy leaves, just good old iceberg lettuce. Get one as fresh as possible and wrap tightly in foil. I wouldn't have believed it until I tried it.
Lou

Gidday.

Was out on the csr a few years ago with a group that included some very experienced travellers from Victoria. One day the lady produced an iceberg lettuce for lunch that looked like it had just come from the shop when in fact it had been bought 10 days earlier in Kalgoorlie. Her secret was to wrap it in several layers of newspaper and it was then stored in the car, not the fridge. each night she would "freshen" it by leaving it outside in what were near freezing temperatures. If that works for lettuce shoukld work for other vegetables.


Cheers

Rocco

Hi David

We grow alfalfa sprouts when we are travelling. You can buy them at most health food shops and it's best to buy in bulk not in prepared packets (too expensive). All you need then is a plastic container similar to a take away food container, place a paper towel doubled and folded to fit in the bottom of container, spray the paper towel well with water then spread a thick layer of sprout seeds over the powel and spray again with water. Place the lid loosely on the container and place in a well lit spot. Water three times a day (use a little water sprayer) and inless than a week, hey presto instant fresh vegies.

We keep a couple of containers on the go so we never run out of sprouts.

John

PS I can remember growing wheat in cotton wool in a tin lid as a young boy - basically the same thing.

Back again :-) Red peppers (capsicums) have an amazing life if refrigerated. I have some in the fridge now that are 4 weeks old and in great condition. Thinking that sweetcorn may work well if it still has the husk on. Just wrap in foil and refrigerate.
All this wrapping, I think, has to do with keeping the air out and also stopping the chemicals emitted from some vegetables from spoiling others. There are quite a few articles about this on the web and you could just google 'keep vegetables fresh' to research.

According to World Health Magazine a few years ago the healthiest 5 foods in the world were rated according to type of resident bacteria not freshness, as follows in no order, if my memory serves me correctly,

Kim Chi (Korean) - willl last months in the fridge, i love it
Tofu - dead easy to make in half an hour if you know what to do
Spanish olive oil - needs no refridgeration
Greek Yoghurt - yes needs a fridge very much
Indian lentils - (think very healthy meal no fridge - red lentil curry with potato, carrots and pumpkin with coconut milk from a can and oil and dry spices served on rehydrated dry cous cous from a cardboard packet)

Just my 5c

oh, and don't forget what saved the English navy, take some oranges or lemons ...

David.
We use the plants that grow along the tracks. It makes the trip much more interesting if you do your home work before you leave to determine what plants are in the area. There are plenty of books on the subject. We travel with as little load as possible, that way we are not overloaded which is one of the main causes of vehicle breakdown. We carry rice as the main protein and the local plants for the vitamins. Eric.

Hi David

Sent you a MM

Motherhen

We wrap our veggies in news paper. Most things stay fresh for 3 weeks in the fridge that way. After that we resort to dried veggies.

Neil

As mentioned above - fresh green leafy vegies may not survive long but what about root vegies such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, swedes, turnips, parsnips and carrots - even roasted whole beetroot travels well and taste great. Then there are pumpkin, onions and so on.

You can also get a huge variety of canned peas, beans, corn, carrots; even spinach (not my favourite) nowadays. Then there's all of the canned salad type vegies and fruit.

When travelling out the back of beyond you may have to change your eating habits, but by thinking laterally you’ll have amazing meals.

Anyway I doubt one will get scurvy doing a trip say down the CSR.

cheers

Just make sure you you have a stash of sao biscuits and vegemite, three weeks is a long time for anything 'fresh' However the Kunawarritji store has a good selection of fresh vege and fruit.
Good luck
Stan

We keep our fresh fruit and veges in separate cotrton pillowcases packed in a vented cardboard box and then cover it with a few coats/blankets etc. We find that fresh stuff keeps very well like this. We had oranges stay fresh for 3 weeks whilst crossing the Simpson in heat around and above 40 degrees. Dehydrated peas are better than canned ones in our opinion. We don't worry too much with a lot of salad and just make sure we get our 3 veg most nights with fruit in the day. Snow peas are possibly more practical for salad than lettuce and I would think has more nutritional value. Happy travels. Chris.

If you have a small fridge/freezer buy a few packets of frozen vegies from the local supermarket. Take whatever fresh vegies you like and use until they are gone or gone off and no longer edible then start on the frozen stuff. Of course pumpkin, spuds, carrots, onions and such like keep well without a fridge. At the end of the day it is unlikely you will be taking a voyage of several months like Captain Cook and his crew so probably unlikely you will suffer any long term health issues and just enjoy the journey.

ob

We take a pack of frozen vegies and then revert to dried beans and peas etc. When reconstituted in boiling water or added to a stirfry with a little water you would never tell the difference and 1 pack of dried beans lasts quite a few meals.
Enjoy

Washed spinach leaves in a zip-lock bag will last a fortnight in the Engel - and if you have any left by the time they go limp or start getting slimy, they also make a good cooked veggie. Just make sure you squeeze out any excess air before sealing the zip lock bag. We find spinach more versatile than lettuce, plus it's more nutritious.

Happy travels.