If you are gearing up for a camping trip, you know that one of the most important things is to have enough food for all of your meals. How do you keep food cold while camping in a tent? How can you keep it cool on the hottest days? These are questions that many campers find themselves asking before they head out into the wilderness. There are some simple solutions to these problems! Here are ten top tips on how to keep food cold while camping in a tent.
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How cold should food be for camping?
Keeping food cold while camping is important for health and safety reasons. Food poisoning can occur if foods are left out for too long or at incorrect temperatures, leading to illness in the people who eat them. Keeping food cold while camping will also reduce the amount of unnecessary waste that is produced from food spoiling. It will also keep food from rotting, which can attract bugs! Read our guide on how to keep bugs out of your tent if this happens!
Some foods require a colder temperature than others in order for them to remain safe, but most people generally aim for their coolers to be around 0 degrees Celsius (32F). If this is not possible then it’s important to know the temperatures that certain items should be stored at.
Foods like meat, dairy products, and eggs need to be kept below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (below five degrees Celsius) or they can spoil quickly. These types of foods are often responsible for food poisoning so it’s important not to let them sit out in extreme heat for too long.
These tips will help you with how to keep food cold while camping to prevent food poisoning and other food born illnesses.
Looking for some tasty camping food options? Check out our guide!
What type of cooler should I use to keep food cold while camping?
If you are lucky enough to have an electric campsite, consider using a cooler with an electric-powered fan. These types of camping coolers are more expensive than the traditional type, but they work significantly better and can keep food cold for up to three days (if you use ice packs).
By using an electric cooler, you don’t have to worry about keeping a cooler full of ice cold, just some cool packs. You can rest assured knowing that your food will be cold when you are ready to eat it.
If your campsite doesn’t have electricity, stick with the traditional type of cooler with good insulation (we love our RTIC cooler!). Although this type of cooler won’t stay ice-cold for three days like an electric-powered cooler will, it is significantly more affordable and easy to transport. By keeping your food in a standard ice chest, you can rest assured knowing that your food will stay fresh for about one day of camping (if the weather isn’t too hot).
How to Keep Food Cold while Camping:
Pack a cooler with ice or frozen water bottles
Before heading out to your campsite, put all of the cold food you’re bringing into a cooler with ice or frozen water bottles, and put it as far back in the car as possible so that it doesn’t get too hot during travel time (and potentially ruin your trip before it even starts). Consider covering the cooler with towels or blankets to help block the sun.
Once at your campsite, make sure that there’s enough ice in the cooler to keep everything cold, adding more ice if necessary.
If you’re camping for more than one day, it may be necessary to buy bags of ice when you arrive at your campsite so that there is always plenty of ice on hand. Keep your campsite neat and organized so you can keep track of this along with all your other responsibilities!
Fresh solid ice is better than crushed or shaved ice since it melts slower, so place your wrapped food on top of large blocks of frozen ice instead of smaller pieces that will melt faster. You can also pack drinks around the perimeter of the cooler to help block cold air from escaping.
Freeze your food ahead of time to keep it cold for longer
Another tip to keep food cold while camping is to freeze food ahead of time. Before heading out to your camping spot, freeze any meats or other food that you would need for cooking while at camp so it is still cold by the time you are ready to cook them.
Freezing food will keep it cold for a longer period of time, so it will be a good option if you aren’t going to be cooking your food for a while. The frozen food will also act as an ice pack to keep other foods in your cooler cold!
If you don’t have access to pre-frozen foods or would prefer not to use those as an option, another tip is packing ice blocks into the cooler along with the cold food. By keeping the ice frozen, it will help keep your other foods cold for a longer period of time so you don’t have to worry about going out and buying more ice while camping as often.
Check out these no-cook camping meals if you don’t want to worry about the hassle of cooking while camping!
Keep perishable items close together so they stay cold as long as possible
Keeping perishable items close together will help them stay cold for as long as possible. By keeping cold foods close together in the cooler, they will help keep each other cool. Coolers are designed to be an insulator so this is one of the best ways to maintain cold temperature when camping out in a tent for several days.
If foods are frozen this will help keep them cool longer as well since they will act as an additional ice pack.
If there is no way to keep items together, then make sure that they are separated into airtight bags or containers with a high-quality seal so as not to let any cold air escape. Many people invest in silicone freezer bags that have an excellent quality seal and are able to keep food fresh longer than other types of bags.
Remember to always separate meats from vegetables and other perishables so that they don’t cross-contaminate.
Wrap food in aluminum foil to keep it cold and place the wrapped food on top of ice
Wrapping food in aluminum foil will create an insulating layer to keep it cold while sitting on top of the ice. The aluminum foil keeps food cold by reflecting heat and creating an insulating layer around the food. It also protects the food from absorbing any odor or flavor of other foods that might be sitting on top of ice in a cooler.
You can also wrap food in plastic wrap or place it inside a freezer bag before wrapping it with aluminum foil. This will add another layer of insulation and keep the food as fresh as possible for as long of a trip.
Pack your cooler as full as possible with cold food. If there is space, fill it up! This will ensure that your cooler’s insulation remains strong throughout the trip.
Keep the cooler out of direct sunlight
Keeping your cooler out of direct sunlight during the day will keep your food colder for longer. Put your cooler in the shade if you can. If not, try to position it so that any sunlight is hitting at an angle and will be less effective in heating up your food.
You can also put your cooler under a tarp or canopy to give it shade. Some campers put their cooler under a shaded tree, or under their car if it fits. Anywhere you can find shade for your cooler during the day will help keep your food as cold as possible!
Make sure you close your lid and latch your cooler closed as tightly as possible. Closing a cooler tight after adding ice or cold food into it will save energy that would otherwise be used to cool down the food.
If you are camping with kids, remind them of this important rule as they might not close the lid all the way!
Be sure to only open the cooler when absolutely necessary. Remember that keeping your cooler closed tightly all day will help preserve as much cold air inside of it as possible!
You should always keep a separate cooler for cold food and another one solely used for drinks! Keeping all of the items you want to stay cold in their own completely separate container from any drinks or other non-cold foods ensures that the necessary food will stay cool when you frequently open the cooler for a drink.
Put dry ice in your cooler to keep food cold for longer.
Using dry ice packs in a cooler will keep food cold for up to three days. This is a great option for those without access to electricity.
Put the dry ice on top of the food you want to keep cold. Make sure that there are at least two inches between dry ice and your cooler’s lid. Be careful when handling dry ice as it can cause severe burns.
Do not place any containers directly on top of the layer of dry ice, as they may crack or shatter from the extreme temperature change.
It is important to have several layers between dry ice and any exposed foods, as it will quickly cool down anything that touches it. If you do not have time to purchase proper storage containers for your trip, you can wrap food in plastic bags, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil.
Use insulated containers that will hold their temperature better than plastic bags or paper lunch bags
Another tip for how to keep food cold while camping is to use insulated containers. These containers will hold their temperature much better than plastic bags or paper lunch bags. Insulated containers help keep food cold by creating an insulating layer between the food and its surrounding environment.
If you do not have insulated containers, you can also keep your food cold by wrapping it in towels or cloth napkins before placing it into plastic bags. This will help to insulate the food and prevent heat from transferring to it.
You can also use insulated lunch boxes to keep your food cold while camping. Just freeze the lunch box before packing it with food, and place it in the cooler for an added layer of insulation.
Add an additional layer of insulation by wrapping towels around the outside of the cooler
Use towels to add an additional layer of insulation around your cooler. This will help protect the ice from melting for longer, allowing you to enjoy your food without it getting soggy or warm. Be sure to remove towels if they get wet.
Another option is to use insulated blankets to wrap your cooler in. These work even better than towels, but they can be more of a hassle to carry.
Some people have success with using bubble wrap or foam insulation sheets around their cooler for extra cold protection.
Replace ice frequently, and dump melted ice to prevent food from getting soggy.
It is important to always have a supply of ice on hand and to replace it in the cooler when it begins to melt. Additionally, any melted water should be dumped out so that food is not allowed to get soggy or wet. If you leave melted ice in the cooler, it could increase humidity which can lead to spoilage.
If your ice begins to melt faster than expected or if there is no way for you to get more ice, consider freezing water bottles before putting them into the cooler. While they will not stay frozen as long, these bottles of ice can help preserve food longer than simply relying on regular ice cubes.
What’s Next?
You can now enjoy your camping trip without worrying about the food going bad. We’ve compiled a list of tips and tricks for keeping things cold to help you out on your next adventure. Hopefully, these will come in handy! Remember, we’re always here if you need any additional information or guidance; grab your camping planner below today!
