How to organize your camping cooler
Planning a camping weekend? You have to think about the tent, the sleeping bags and...the cooler! For worry-free outdoor dining, here’s how to maximize the space in your cooler and arrange food so that it stays fresh for as long as possible.
Plan for cold food in a cold cooler
If your cooler is stored in a garage or shed where the temperature is high, temper it in the house for a few hours before filling it so that it is not too hot. Add food that is already cold so that it does not heat up too quickly. You can even freeze the foods you want to eat later.
Place items strategically
Since heat rises and cold descends, keep the most perishable foods (meat, fish, dairy, etc.) in the bottom of the cooler and the least perishable (fruits and vegetables) on top. Provide a second cooler for beverages, which you can open more often without putting the temperature of your food at risk.
Distribute the ice
Ice packs stay cold longer and don’t fall to the bottom of the cooler as they melt, like ice. Be sure to add a few of them to the cooler, but for filling the empty spaces between containers and food, ice cubes are better. Put them in waterproof bags so that the cooler doesn’t fill with water.
Keep it cool
Bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature, and even faster when the temperature climbs above 30°C (86°F). During the car ride, leave the cooler in the air-conditioned cabin rather than in the trunk.
Avoid cross-contamination
You must prevent—at all costs—fruit and vegetables or non-perishable foods get in contact with products that could contaminate them, such as meat, fish and seafood. Keep the latter in airtight bags or containers and handle them with care. Do not forget to wash the tools with which you touch them as well.
Make room
Try to prepare as much food as possible at home before you leave so that it takes up less space in the cooler. Cut fruits and vegetables and debone meat, for example. Transfer the ketchup and mustard to smaller containers to avoid bringing the whole bottles and get rid of the packaging to carry only the essentials.
Cook!
After you’ve organized the cooler and arrived at your camping destination, it’s time to cook outdoors. Here are some recipes to prepare during your stay: