Separating Foods on Long Trips

[Unsurecamper]

Hi,

We are currently discussing a trip part way around Australia but to keep it interesting we are planning to take some dirt roads from one place to another to another and so on which can possibly and most likely leave us completely self sufficient for up to 14 days.

We recently bought an Engel fridge which we made sure was big enough to store food, meat, drink and anything else for periods of time but now it has suddenly occurred to me that i have no idea how to pack for 14 days regarding food and drinks, my first thought was to freeze the meat - the fridge can be a fridge or freezer but not both at the same time so then it was obvious that wouldnt work because then everything would be frozen and if frozen first then put in the fridge within a few days it would be off.

Can someone please give me some advice on the best action to take regarding this? as i am at a loss and beginning to think the only way is it buy another fridge or something.
Also any tips on what is good to pack while away like this - I have been looking through the camp oven section but there aren't too many recipes so i am guessing anything like at home goes well.

Also i am unsure if we will have a camper by the time we go away so we may be tenting it, making life a little harder for the food

Thanks in advance

[McGirr]

When we head to the Cape we cryovac our meat, in meal proportions, more to take up less space in the fridge. We use 2 fridges one for drinks and one for food. If you are only having one fridge and you can cryovac the food great if not take what will last wrapped properly. Depending on the fridge size have a small towel over the food so that when the fridge lid is open the warm air does not affect the cold food. 

I would also take alot of food that does not require refridgeration. You will be surprised what is available.

We have a container in the camper for the food and drag it out once the camp is set up.

Another factor is keeping the batteries charged for the fridge.

How big is the fridge.


Mark

   

[D4D]

As McGirr mentioned, get yourself a vacuum sealer and go crazy. Freeze everything prior to leaving. We use pieces of coreflute between sections, this way when you open the lid only the top section gets outside air in. The other tip is to keep the fridge full, this reduces the air volume that needs to be cooled.

[MDS69]

With regards to drinks, replace a cool one when you remove it with a warm on. You will keep less drinks in the fridge which leaves more room for food. Eg if it is 2 adults start with 4 cans of drink and if you remove 2 then replace these with 2 warm ones. Next drink get the 2 oldest drinks etc etc. Also we keep 2 x 1L long life milk in the fridge so you always have a unopened cold one, same thing replace the empty one when you are finished.

[LJs GU]

You'd be surprised on how you can manage when push comes to shove... We've done many trips with just a 40l Engel.

Two questions for you:
How many are you packing for?
Have you got/started a food list?

Anyway, agree with the fellas about cryovaccing meat as a must (either done by you or by the butchers).

Like most swaggers, we freeze the meat first (if possible) and then, if you just use your fridge as a 'fridge', let it slowly thaw.   Even like this, red meat will be easily be good for 2 weeks. Chicken meat gets eaten first as a precaution.

Some other pointers:
Find the perfect size 'decor' type containers to help pack the fridge. We freeze the meat at home in them first, then transfer to the fridge.  Helps stop any leakage as well.
Get used to pasta and sauces without the meat
UHT milk packs
Small juice tetra packs
Butterless sandwiches
Canned tuna for stir throughs
One out, one in beer/drink rotations
one word... SPAM

Try the packing once or twice and it becomes easier each time.

LJ

[Unsurecamper]

Pretty sure its a 60ltr?
Thanks for the advice, so if we kyvac them they will stay frozen and cool and fresh in the fridge on just the fridge cycle? I really dont want to have to take a second fridge (even though it sounds much more easier) We had the option when we bought our fridge to have the whole fridge or have a half and half fridge/freezer, we decided against the fridge/freezer because i wanted more room in the fridge - now i am wondering if i made the right choice  Anyway if that it how it works then thats fantastic - but will it keep it ok for 2 weeks?

[McGirr]

Freeze the cryovac food in the fridge itself and then when you are ready to go turn it back to fridge cycle approx 2 - 4 degrees. This should keep the frozen food frozen for a good number of days. As mentioned it depends how often the fridge is open but put a towel or corflute between the frozen and normal food.

Check with the butcher regarding how long they recommend the food lasting once cryovaced before you buy. This will help in the food planning. 

Mark

[Unsurecamper]

Thanks MDS69 and LJ's for the great advice - only packing for 2 of us
I have not done a long trip without access to shops and food for more than 3 days since i was living with my parents way back when and we travelled but as a kid you dont care about things like that so i have no idea how it was done.

Havent even thought of food list yet - wont be going until mid next year but thought the more advice i can get the better it will be and i wont feel so anxious knowing i have no idea what to do with the food.

I have wanted one of those kryvac machines and will definately get one before we go away on any long trips - just holding off for the moment as they arent cheap and i really dont need one right now with a huge chest freezer at home.

Looking at travelling up to the Kimberly's down to Perth and across the Great Central providing all goes well - other half is still toying with directions up first then down or the other way around and which dirt tracks we take etc etc. So will know more when he decides.

LJ's by the way you are talking about spam makes me think its much harder to eat like normal than i thought?? I am not a fan of spam but if needed i guess i could, do you have any other suggestions food wise on what is good and what lasts?

[LJs GU]

Only 2 of you??? Piece of cake then.  I can shoot you a copy of our camping list if you like to give you a starter/ideas???  (It's that old I'll have to fax it you! haha)
The other thing you should do is start writing a meal list, then 'disassemble' it to see what you need to buy.  Depending on the meals, you'd be surprised what ingredients don't need to be refrigerated.

Keep a look out on fleabay for the Cryovac machines.  Should be able to pick one up for the $50-70 mark.

As for Spam... that's the breakfast of champions!  I don't have fussy tastes so that used to get a run most trips. Admittedly the missus does the food prep nowadays, so it's miraculously disappeared from the food crate.

Have fun planning your route... that's harder than the food prep.  You probably even find that when you're travelling, you'll come across places that may stock some basics (fruit & bread).  Obviously with a 'bit' of a mark up, but it gives you a chance to stop and chat to the locals.

LJ

[GU_Thomo]

You do not need to freeze the cryovaced meat.
Once meat has been frozen and defrosted it should be cooked and eaten quite quickly.
Get the butcher to do the cryovacing of your meat, his machine is much better than any you will buy.
We have a home cryovac machine and use it for a lot of the food we take, but every time we buy meat we get the butcher to cryovac in meal portions.
The red meat will easily last several weeks in the fridge @ 2 - 4 deg without freezing.
As others have said poultry will not last very long and pork will last for over a week.

Cheers
Parry

[Unsurecamper]

Wow thanks everyone! i feel much more confident with how to go about this now!!

One thing that is bugging me though - is how much do you roughly pack? i mean obviously if you are going for 14 nights then it would be 1 meal for everynight so i kryovac for enough meat for one meal and so on right? Or do you do it differently?

[LJs GU]

i mean obviously if you are going for 14 nights then it would be 1 meal for everynight so i kryovac for enough meat for one meal and so on right?

Spot on... (if you want meat every night.)

[Unsurecamper]

Thank you. 

[MDS69]

Wow thanks everyone! i feel much more confident with how to go about this now!!

One thing that is bugging me though - is how much do you roughly pack? i mean obviously if you are going for 14 nights then it would be 1 meal for everynight so i kryovac for enough meat for one meal and so on right? Or do you do it differently?

Sometimes sausage sambos are a good thing to have and don't take much room or long to cook.
With regards on how much to pack, allow for your 14 nights but keep some tinned items like baked beans, spagetti, chicken in a can etc for toasted sandwiches over the fire. We were rained in for 4 days at Montecollina bore and had to dig into the backup rations as we expected to be in Innamincka after an overnight so be prepared.

[lilstookie]

We are leaving in 6 days for life on the road. We have a 45lt evakool (freezer) and an ALdi 3 way fridge which we use for drinks and dairy and general fridge stuff. The 3 way runs for a month on gas and goes in 12 v mode when driving. 12v isn't great but it keeps milk and drinks cold.
It's 55 lt and cost us $299
We now have a 55lt fridge and 45lt freezer all for under $1000 and charge via our solar panel. 160w. Very cheap to maintain with gas running the fridge. We can be camped up till we run out of food. We can go for 4 weeks without shopping and we have 2 kids 2yo and 9 month.

We don't drink beer or alcohol so were not dependent on alcohol to tell us we need to go shopping.

Stookie

[SteveandViv]

Pretty sure its a 60ltr?
Thanks for the advice, so if we kyvac them they will stay frozen and cool and fresh in the fridge on just the fridge cycle? I really dont want to have to take a second fridge (even though it sounds much more easier) We had the option when we bought our fridge to have the whole fridge or have a half and half fridge/freezer, we decided against the fridge/freezer because i wanted more room in the fridge - now i am wondering if i made the right choice  Anyway if that it how it works then thats fantastic - but will it keep it ok for 2 weeks?

We did 6 Months with a 60ltr fridge. You can play around a little but we found that a setting of -1 was perfect (for beer also) I wouldn't worry about freeing, in the end it uses to much power.We have a sunbeam cyrovac machine will get 2 weeks out of steak etc with our freezing and a week for chicken. I also always freeze the meat in the cyro bag and if possible in the actual fridge as the meat then molds to the shape of the fridge but like I say you will be fine if you pick the lowest temp you can with out freezing every thing else.

[Alan Loy]

I suggest that you take some time to look in the shelves at the supermarket.  There is an amazing amount of food that doesn't need refrigeration.  If you make a special trip just to look you may come up with plenty for 2 weeks.

[LJs GU]

I suggest that you take some time to look in the shelves at the supermarket.  There is an amazing amount of food that doesn't need refrigeration.  If you make a special trip just to look you may come up with plenty for 2 weeks.

x2 Great suggestion Alan.

[chester ver2.0]

Dont take 14 meals you will waste some
For our 5 month jaunt we would only taken enough meals for say 18 nights out of the month then on cooking nights we would make extra spagetti and the like and freeze it makes good leftover meals and great for those long drive days when you set up late and could not be bothered cooking

I purchased 4 months of meat prior to leaving had it all cryoed and then ran my 80 litre waeco as a giant freezer and used the fridge in the van for drinks etc

As the meat supply went down i would chuck a 6 pack or omething in at lunchtime to bulk the fridge back up and have cold beer in the arvo.

I found it weird on the road maybe it was more activities maybe you dont snack as much but after 5 moths we had both lost about 8 to 10 kg without trying

[lilstookie]

I bought carrots last Monday (with other vegies, but I've been surprised by this) and, after reading one of Viv Moon's cookbooks, tried wrapping all the veg in newspaper. They haven't been refrigerated since purchase either. The carrots I used tonight, while obviously not fresh, were far from the limp and wrinkled things I was expecting...I quite happily bit off and ate the end of one while grating the other. I imagine they'll last at least another couple of days as well!

Lil


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[fuji]

Hi Unsurecamper
We did 6 weeks similar to what you are doing. We sold our 40 litre Engel and bought a 57 litre fridgefreezer. We cryovacced our meat, the butcher did anyway. He charged $1 per bag. We took enough meat for about twp weeks spread over 6 weeks. We also went to the SPC cannery and bought a heap of spag and baked beans and fruit. We also packed instant rice. The rice is the microwave job and chances are you may camp in the caravan park and use their camp microwave. We also ate instant noodles alot. As one said you dont need to freeze your meat. It will keep for a couple of weeks. One to two degrees is good. We knew we were going to Broome so we restocked there in meat, fresh bread,veggies. We kept the bread in fridge. Have a good trip.
Wayne

[SteveandViv]

Spot on... (if you want meat every night.)

Agreed, if you want meat every night. Nothing wrong with Pasta now and then, all you need is Pasta, Tin of Toms, garlic, chilli, onion and you've got a great feed right there.

[Nay-DMAX]

I dont have experience in packing for long trips with no shop access but what we did when we went away and usually when we bush camp.  I did a casserole in the slow cooker before we left and froze meal size portions good for quick meals and go in engel nice and cold.  We have seperate drink esky but with ice so if no ice access then we rotate cold one out warm one in too.  We had tinned veg which were pretty good.  Also u can get so many soup/meal tins now that taste ok and are filling.  Good luck with the packing when it comes time to set off

[SteveandViv]

if no ice access then we rotate cold one out warm one in too.

I drink to fast for that. I need at least 10 in rotation