Camping Tips

Preserving food:

Meat: The shelf life of meat on a camping trip is very short. What I do is freeze my burgers and hotdogs and pack them in a small cooler (large lunch box type) with no ice. Then, I pack that cooler into a larger cooler packed with ice. This keeps the meat dry and usually lasts a few days longer than just storing it in a single cooler. I don't use the larger cooler for any other purpose than keeping the smaller cooler cold.

Canned Goods: Canned goods have a long shelf life, perhaps years; however, leaving canned goods in the hot sun can spoil them. Always make sure all canned goods are stored in a cool shady location.

Bread: Bread is one of the hardest things to keep on a camping trip. The hot humid days of mid-summer can cause condensation to build up inside plastic bags, spoiling the bread. It is also hard to store bread products from wildlife so that they cannot enjoy them too! Plastic bags give bears and raccoons easy access to a quick lunch. Always keep bread products away from sunlight and in a safe place away from wildlife.

Water: I always bring my own drinking/cooking water on a camping trip. Usually, I buy spring water in 2.5-gallon or 1-gallon containers. Water will spoil as easily as food if left in the sunlight. Always store your drinking water in a cool location.

Keep Dry:

Tent: Always keep your tent in good condition. Sealing the seams each trip will ensure leakage will be kept to a minimum. Pitch your tent on high ground. Many people make this mistake and pay the price in the middle of the night when they wake to find they're sleeping in a puddle of water.

Plastic: A layer of plastic should always be used between the ground and tent. This acts as a barrier to keep moisture out. Also, there are many other uses for plastic around the campsite when bad weather arrives.

Tarps: Those cheap blue plastic tarps really come in handy around the campsite. They make a temporary rain tent over cooking and eating areas, and also provide shade on a hot day.