# Any Food Packing Tips?



## watervalleykampers (Jan 16, 2007)

I like to make camp cooking as easy as possible for myself, since it is supposed to be a holiday for me too! So, while I'm at home packing food for the trailer, I always scrub all my potatoes, wash all other veggies like carrots, celery, lettuce etc and pack them in Ziplock veggie bags, and, if baby back ribs are going to be on the menu, I boil them, let them cool, then put them in a large Ziplock bag and pour BBQ sauce over them. (I actually double bag the ribs...wouldn't want to spring a leak and have BBQ sauce all over the fridge!)

This saves me a lot of time when it comes to dinner prep. Does anyone have any other ideas to keep things simple?

Cheryl


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## FraTra (Aug 21, 2006)

You do more than I do. I did more in my old tent camping days but now with all the features of the OB I just thorw stuf in the fridge and pantry and put it together later. However I still like to wash meat (steaks, etc.) put them in a freezer bag with marinades/tenderizers or whatever.


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

I freeze a few milk jugs filled with water to use in the cooler with the ice cubes.. Keeps the beer cold longer









Someone had to bring beer to this subject







, It was my turn









John


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## GlenninTexas (Aug 11, 2004)

Durn John beat me to it. Here's my tip

First pack the beer. Then squeeze the non-beer items in around the beer.

Glad I could help, Regards, Glenn


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## outtatown (Feb 15, 2005)

Here's a tip. Instead of packing eggs, we get a couple of cartons of egg-beaters (they're better for you anyway). They take up little room, don't break, isntant scrambled eggs and you always know 1/4 cup equals one egg. The carton sits in the door of the fridge and takes up no room. We buy the Wal-Mart brand instead of the egg-beater brand...much less $.


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## MattS (Oct 15, 2006)

Those are all great ideas!

I bring along bagged salads, too b/c they are fast. I hadn't though about preparing the meats ahead of time, I like it.


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## Colorado Outbacker (Jun 6, 2005)

My DW takes it one step further. 
She has me do all the cooking and cleaning while we are camping because... it is her vacation. Funny thing is the family gets to camp a lot







no questions. Honey lets go camping this weekend and zoom out the door she goes, kids get in the truck, lets go, hurry up what are we waiting for, oh it's only Monday.


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

I use to when getting ready for camping take and pre-cook the sausage and hamburger and freeze it. I would also package such things as pre-diced onions and other veggies so I can just through stuff together and have the food prepared. My DW and I both fight over who gets to cook in the outback. She says the outside stove is mine and the inside is her's but I usually get up and get things started before she does, then we work together to get a nice meal together and then cleaned up afterwards. Some reason it's so much easier to do in the OB than at home.


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

These are all great ideas!

I'll have to try the Egg Beaters, thanks!









I usually do my shopping at Trader Joe's. They have lots of great pre-packaged main courses, so you just open the bag and microwave or barbeque. The marinated boneless Hawaiian Short Ribs are to die for. Throw them on the BBQ for about 5-10 minutes. Serve with boil in bag white rice and a side salad...easy and quick!

If you have a TJ's nearby, I highly suggest perusing the fresh and frozen meat section for ideas


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## redmonaz (Jul 24, 2006)

We also like Trader Joe's. You need to be extra careful because a lot of their products don't contain preservatives. We had a bottle of their Apple Cider EXPLODE as soon as I cracked the cap. I know it is supposed to be better for you, but getting sick while on vacation is no fun!


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

redmonaz said:


> We also like Trader Joe's. You need to be extra careful because a lot of their products don't contain preservatives. We had a bottle of their Apple Cider EXPLODE as soon as I cracked the cap. I know it is supposed to be better for you, but getting sick while on vacation is no fun!


Oh yuck!
I haven't had that happen before, but I do freeze everything (if it's not already frozen) if we're not going to eat it right away.


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## MattS (Oct 15, 2006)

Great idea about pre-cooking meats, also saves greasy messes! And I also shop at TJoes- I'll have to grab some bagged foods next time.
On our last trip we tried the outside kitchen- its DH's thing to cook breakfast on the grill, so we popped our new skillet top on there and started the pancakes, eggs, heat control knobs, and sausage.... Yes, we melted a knob,







I guess b/c the skillet was over both burners. So, the breakfast grill came inside.


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## firemedicinstr (Apr 6, 2005)

Ever seen the Swanns trucks that run about the neighborhood? We buy the steaks, fantail shrimp, crabcakes etc from the local Swann driver before a trip. They are all individual serve shrink wrapped, steaks, pork chops, etc.
Works real well in a cooler or in the freezer.

mk


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

firemedicinstr said:


> Ever seen the Swanns trucks that run about the neighborhood? We buy the steaks, fantail shrimp, crabcakes etc from the local Swann driver before a trip. They are all individual serve shrink wrapped, steaks, pork chops, etc.
> Works real well in a cooler or in the freezer.
> 
> mk


We don't have Swanns trucks here, but we do have a U.S. Beef truck that comes through once in awhile. Haven't bought from them in a long time, but now that you mention it, that's a great way to go!


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## jbwcamp (Jun 24, 2004)

I like to cook ahead of time and freeze it so when we go camping I can just pull something out (meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, chili, and soup freeze well) that way no one has to spend a lot of time cooking. That is unless we are at a competition (BBQ) then we just cook all night.


watervalleykampers said:


> I like to make camp cooking as easy as possible for myself, since it is supposed to be a holiday for me too! So, while I'm at home packing food for the trailer, I always scrub all my potatoes, wash all other veggies like carrots, celery, lettuce etc and pack them in Ziplock veggie bags, and, if baby back ribs are going to be on the menu, I boil them, let them cool, then put them in a large Ziplock bag and pour BBQ sauce over them. (I actually double bag the ribs...wouldn't want to spring a leak and have BBQ sauce all over the fridge!)
> 
> This saves me a lot of time when it comes to dinner prep. Does anyone have any other ideas to keep things simple?
> 
> Cheryl


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

jbwcamp said:


> That is unless we are at a competition (BBQ) then we just cook all night.


So jbwcamp.........When ARE you going to come out to California and fix us some real Kansas City BBQ anyway?????


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

outtatown said:


> Here's a tip. Instead of packing eggs, we get a couple of cartons of egg-beaters (they're better for you anyway). They take up little room, don't break, isntant scrambled eggs and you always know 1/4 cup equals one egg. The carton sits in the door of the fridge and takes up no room. We buy the Wal-Mart brand instead of the egg-beater brand...much less $.


Regarding cost...how do they compare head to head with real eggs?


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## Gemsters (Jul 7, 2006)

Lots of great ideas! I also pre bake muffins, cakes, etc and freeze them (later just let them defrost) for yummy desserts along with _Ice cream _ which is new for us since we got the outback!







(is it lunch time yet...all this talk of food!







)Teri


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## watervalleykampers (Jan 16, 2007)

I knew this was the place to go for great ideas. Thanks everyone!

We do the majority of our shopping at Costco...with our growing family we need to buy in bulk. I never thought of precooking hamburger & sausages, but I will have to try that. I really like the idea of having DH do all the cooking so I can have 'my' holiday, but unless I was willing to eat steak & potato chips for every meal, I don't think that would work here!!


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

watervalleykampers said:


> I knew this was the place to go for great ideas. Thanks everyone!
> 
> We do the majority of our shopping at Costco...with our growing family we need to buy in bulk. I never thought of precooking hamburger & sausages, but I will have to try that. I really like the idea of having DH do all the cooking so I can have 'my' holiday, but unless I was willing to eat steak & potato chips for every meal, I don't think that would work here!!


Buy him a good cookbook. I love trying new things while we're camping.


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

We have a vaclum sealer that we use alot. You can pre cook meats, cool and seal. Just mircowave and eat. Also if you are a bacon eater....the pre cooked bacon is the way to go and I read that it is cheaper to buy it precooked.

The best advice I have is put all the beer in a cooler....the fridges just aren't big enough!!!!

Gary


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## Chabbie1 (Dec 3, 2006)

I agree with precooked bacon. It is less messy with most of the grease already cooked out and much quicker! Also, for pancake mix, I pre-measure the mix in a ziploc bag. Then I just add the rest of the ingredients in the bag and mix. Then throw the bag away! 
I tried freezing the milk jugs with water for the beer cooler, but the one gallons took up too much space, so I tried 1/2 gallon size milk or juice containers with the screw on lids. Works great!


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

I also buy the precooked Farmer John sausage patties...no grease to clean and they are really good!

Have you seen the pancake mix in the bag? I think it's Betty Crocker, comes in regular or buttermilk. I keep a couple of bags in the TT all the time. Easy too! Just add water


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## FraTra (Aug 21, 2006)

Chabbie1 said:


> I agree with precooked bacon. It is less messy with most of the grease already cooked out and much quicker! Also, for pancake mix, I pre-measure the mix in a ziploc bag. Then I just add the rest of the ingredients in the bag and mix. Then throw the bag away!
> I tried freezing the milk jugs with water for the beer cooler, but the one gallons took up too much space, so I tried 1/2 gallon size milk or juice containers with the screw on lids. Works great!


I never have time to precook anything but I, and my oldest son if he's with us, get up first and fry some bacon and I use the grease to poor on the kindling and it helps to build the fire for the kids after breakfast. The smell of bacon frying in a camp site on a brisk cool morning is something special.


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## happycamper (Jul 26, 2005)

We do many of the things already suggested. My favorite is an idea I got off of Outbackers about a year ago. I prepare a crockpot meal for set up night. I forget who but someone here actually has an inverter and cooks in the back of the TV while towing. Haven't done this yet but I like the idea. I'll prepare and cook a meal all day before we go or maybe the day before if we are leaving early in the morning. When we arrive at our destination plug in and set up crock pot first thing. Have a few fresh cut veggies or fruit on hand for snacking and by the time we are all set up dinner is ready to go.

We rarely go on a trip with out the things below

1. bisquick add water and shake pancake mix.
2. refrigerated roll out pizza crust and fixin's
3. cinnamon rolls in a tube.

These are our favorite quick fix stand by's


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## outbackinMT (Oct 7, 2006)

Lmbevard said:


> I use to when getting ready for camping take and pre-cook the sausage and hamburger and freeze it. I would also package such things as pre-diced onions and other veggies so I can just through stuff together and have the food prepared. My DW and I both fight over who gets to cook in the outback. She says the outside stove is mine and the inside is her's but I usually get up and get things started before she does, then we work together to get a nice meal together and then cleaned up afterwards. Some reason it's so much easier to do in the OB than at home.


I do the same thing with hamburger (for tacos) and sausage--plus cut up and brown bacon to mix in the scrambled eggs with sausage and make breakfast burritos. I also make hamburger patties ahead of time and freeze them in a bread bag with wax paper between the patties. This way I'm not using the realy fatty premade ones from the store, I'm actually using hamburger from our bulk beef.

Brenda


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## outtatown (Feb 15, 2005)

Oregon_Camper said:


> Here's a tip. Instead of packing eggs, we get a couple of cartons of egg-beaters (they're better for you anyway). They take up little room, don't break, isntant scrambled eggs and you always know 1/4 cup equals one egg. The carton sits in the door of the fridge and takes up no room. We buy the Wal-Mart brand instead of the egg-beater brand...much less $.


Regarding cost...how do they compare head to head with real eggs?
[/quote]

Eggs (large or extra large) here in KC run about $1 to $1.75 per doz....one carton of WalMart brand egg-beaters that I think is the equivalent of 8 eggs is $1.65. So, yes, it's a little more $....but you won't lose any of them during the transfer!


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## OregonCampin (Mar 9, 2007)

Ok - a few of my tips (keep in mind this is my first REAL trailer and have been tent and/or pop up camping for years)

1. Dehydrated hashbrows - a pantry staple. You open the box, add water and let sit for 10 minutes and then fry them in a pan. The other thing that is great is instant mashed potatoes

2. All meat pre-prepared (is that a word????) Sloppy joe mix cooked, seasoned and frozen. Taco meat - the same. Chicken marinating. Lunch meat sliced (if you don't buy it that way). Cheese sliced (ditto). Shredded cheese. Speghetti sauce works good this way too (All of these items are stored in zip-loc bags and or seal-a-meals)

3. Eggs - I like real eggs and I generally only eat them when camping. Here is my simple fix to the egg-beater controversy - buy a tupperwear container with that has a removal lid with a spout (I have found several vintage "juice" tupperwear containers at garage sales) - crack the number of eggs you need for the trip, use your hand held mixer and or wisk to "break" them up. You can also crack them in a blender, whip them up and the pour into your container. Store in your fridge.

4. Veggies/Fruits - I buy the romaine hearts for lettuce, separate and wash and then wrap in damp paper towels and store in a zip-loc bags. Onions - pre sliced or chopped. Tomoatoes - whole - they get yucky. Pre-wash all fruits for quick easy grabbing. Pre-chunk melons.

5. Pasta - I always pre-cook any noodles and place in my seal-a-meal bags and seal - then I just boil-in-the bag reheat (you can do this in zip-locs too, but the company does not recommend it







)

For long trips (longer than a weekend) I freeze gallon bottles of water for the coolers. If I know it's gonna be hot I also freeze gallon zippy bags flat to place along the sides of the cooler. Dry ice works too, but you gotta know how to use it our you will blow up your cooler (I have never done it, but did see a cooler go flying one year on a trip)

Hope some, if not all of these things give you ideas! Happy Campin!


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

OREGONCAMPIN said:


> Ok - a few of my tips (keep in mind this is my first REAL trailer and have been tent and/or pop up camping for years)
> 
> 1. Dehydrated hashbrows - a pantry staple. You open the box, add water and let sit for 10 minutes and then fry them in a pan. The other thing that is great is instant mashed potatoes
> 
> ...


Sounds like someone like the easy life while camping!!


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Oregon_Camper said:


> Ok - a few of my tips (keep in mind this is my first REAL trailer and have been tent and/or pop up camping for years)
> 
> 1. Dehydrated hashbrows - a pantry staple. You open the box, add water and let sit for 10 minutes and then fry them in a pan. The other thing that is great is instant mashed potatoes
> 
> ...


Sounds like someone like the easy life while camping!!















[/quote]
And all really great ideas! Thanks!


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

I guess I'm just lazy, but I don't want to precook food for camping. Too much work.

I do make a biscuit mix of dry ingredients, then when making pancakes just add milk eggs and oil. Yum! Also makes great biscuits (who woulda thunk?).

Dh shares in the cooking. He claimed the outside stove, and also likes to cook over a fire. Works for me.

When dry camping it is really difficult to use the slow cooker (the food just doesn't cook very well). Same problem with the microwave.









We just stock the freezer, place condiments etc in the fridge, and stock the pantry at the beginning of the season, and then replace what we use. At least it makes packing a lot easier.


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## bradnbecca (Feb 12, 2007)

One thing that we did that helps with packing (we take a LOT of 2-3 weekend trips), was to get extra condiments (mayo, mustard, catsup, etc.). DW found a plastic basket at Wally World that is just the right size. It stays in our fridge at the house, and then when we get ready to take off, we just toss it in the OB. We pretty much eat the same things when we are camping as when we are at home, so everything else is basically grab and go. Our kitchen in the trailer is fairly well stocked.

We are fortunate enough to store our trailer inside with electric service, so we are debating leaving the refrigerator running all the time. If we do that, we will probably leave some of the items in the fridge.

I am getting some other good ideas here that we will probably start using.


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

We put in a 30 amp circut several years ago. Last summer was the first with the OB, and we left the fridge on all the time. Left the condiments in all summer and even left some things like meats and other goodies sit in the freezer. Everything kept perfectly, and made packing for the next trip easier to pack for.


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## MaeJae (May 12, 2005)

To save room I usually use flat, rectangular or square containers
for things like salad or ground sirloin I may have pre-cooked,
as apposed to bowls. They stack much nicer and save room.
I also use them for leftovers and sauces I have frozen. I trust
them more than ziploc bags. Although I do use ziploc for some things.
Usually lunch meat and things like that, that I store
in the bins in the bottom of the fridge.

I usually store dry stuff like bread, chips, snack type stuff 
under the dinette table while in travel. Then Our youngest DD
arranges it on the shelves when we arrive.
The cereal, rice, noodles, jars, and canned goods are already in 
the camper. It is usually stocked for the season. 
I use the area under the oven for jars and canned goods. The
pantry is for the other I mentioned.

Happy packing!!!

MaeJae


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## watervalleykampers (Jan 16, 2007)

Lady Di said:


> We put in a 30 amp circut several years ago. Last summer was the first with the OB, and we left the fridge on all the time. Left the condiments in all summer and even left some things like meats and other goodies sit in the freezer. Everything kept perfectly, and made packing for the next trip easier to pack for.


We have friends that do this also. She keeps her SOB fully stocked with everything from condiments to meat in the freezer, then she only has to add veggies & fruit, bread, milk, etc. I've tried to talk DH into doing this, but so far no luck; he's worried about the effect on his electricity bill. So until I can change his mind I plan to dedicate the fridge in the garage for camping stuff only. It should make for easier packing when the camping stuff isn't mixed up with everything else in the kitchen fridge.

Cheryl


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

Cheryl,

Sounds like a good idea. Keeping camper stuff apart from home stuff makes things easier.


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