what kinda food to take

[ltrcrr]

I  plan to do some "dry" camping in June. I have a pop-up and it sleeps 6. Also, I will be taking my gen for power. There will be 5 of us going. My fridge in the pu is a three way...I can run it on batteries on the way down and switch over to propane once we get there. Now here is my question. Since I am limited to space (carring everyones personal stuff) What is the BEST foods to take. I plan to go for 5 days. I also plan to take dry ice to keep things cold (froze) as long as possible. Has anyone ever used MRE's? Sure would like some pointers... Thanks

[flyfisherman]

I do the MRE's ... buy the civilian version, they are the same as the G.I. only they pack them in a clear plastic pouch rather then the olive drab. They are packed over in Mullins, South Carolina, about 100 miles from here. I keep a case (12 meals) on hand and store six of them in the PU at all times ... and they have been put to good use, too!

Besides the MRE's, I keep a plastic food stuffs bin aboard during the camping season and in it keep a tin of Hormel roast beef with gravy, a tin of Tyson breast of chicken, packet of Idahoan instant mashed potatoes, can of oreintal vegetables (to mix with the canned chicken, plus a couple cans of vegies, a couple more cans of soup, tin of tuna fish ... and hey ... some pork & beans, too! Also really like Wal-Marts instant nonfat dry milk powder. Carry a qt glass jar to mix the stuff in and that nonfat milk tastes everybit as good as the 2% milk you buy at the grocery store. Plus keep coffee in those snap shut storage containers along with the instant oat meal and other such items.

Bottom line is that I could hook up to the PU and head out for one of my favorite spots and I would have enough rations to last a long weekend for two ...plus the mre's for back-up. And I'm supposed to be going on fishing trips so we do get lucky every now and again and there's fish to eat, too!

And let's not forget the makings for a dump cake in the camp dutch oven for around the campfire dessert.



Fly

[mike4947]

Since we dry camped for about the first 10 years we found we stocked the trailer with the non perishables we used at home first. DW loved German potato salad and canned roast beef hash, and I had my childhood favorite Chef Boy-O Boy raviolis in the six packs from BJ's. Then a lot of the same stuff Fly packed, but of course back in those days MRE's weren't available and MCI's; their predecessor; wasn't a good substitute.
But every thing would be something we would use during the non camping season so once the trailer was closed up it could be brought in the home and used there so everything stayed "fresh".
 
As a side note in one trailer we sold in 1991 when cleaning (a 1982 Jayco IIRC) ;we were the third owner; a can of soup with a date code from 1983 stuck in the wheel well area as we were cleaning it out for the next owner.

[CajunCamper]

We have dry camped in areas before where we knew we could get to a grocery store fairly close by. In that case when space was limited when traveling to the campsite, we have actually just packed a few food items for the trip and then once we reached our campsite and were set up, we would then make a grocery run.

CajunCamper

[austinado16]

We try to eat like we eat at home, so we just bring normal stuff.  I do have MRE's tucked away under the dinette seat, but they're really there for emergency backup.

[perterra]

I dont do MRE's as much as freeze dried. Mountain House has some pretty good stuff that just requires boiling water. I'm not real high on their cheesecakes but the dried ice cream as well as the chili mac and such is pretty good.
http://www.mountainhouse.com/
If I spend a hard day of hiking, just about anything taste great and in the fall and winter months darkness is always right around the corner a quick meal is always handy. After a hard hike with the sun dropping fast I can consume a bag of freeze dried chili mac in less time than it takes to type it out.

For me, with dry ice and time to cook, I would load a big ice chest and eat like a king if I had the time and space. If your pressed for space and time, a load of canned goods, some canned brown bread, some freeze dried, I wouldnt starve.

[AZsix]

I don't have any suggestions for food but we run our fridge on propane while pulling it to the campsite. I haven't had the flame go out yet and propane seems to be what keeps the fridge the coolest.

[tlhdoc]

We eat the same type of stuff we eat at home.  Keep drinks in a separate cooler so that the food cooler ice last longer.  Have a good trip.

[SheBantam]

check the internet, there is a way to "dry" hamburger (a very good grade of burger/low fat) by frying it up, draining it, putting in the oven and baking it on a low low temp (or high in a food dehydrator). this is good for sloppy Joes and other meals where scrambled beef is used (not for hamburger pattys or meat loaf). Must be hydrated in warm water prior to use.

have never used MREs, but do keep canned and dried soups and hash, Bush's beans, those rice packets that are flavored (red beans and rice and saffron rice).  

I normally cook like I do when I have electricity and water (IF I cook).

Freeze meats well before you leave, and an old milk bottle filled with water and frozen works as a great block of ice and is generally less messy.  Keep cooler as shaded as possible and ice will hold longer.  If you are lucky and you are dry camping close to civilization, like Assateague or Green belt NPs, then there are places to eat relatively close by and that is my dry camping meal of choice!!!  Though I do cook...occasionally.  

Another trick I learned...BLUE ICE...IF you rotate a couple blue ices in and out of your freezer in you camper, you will have more room for non-frozen like sodas lunch meat, etc, I also freeze a few bottles of water (taking a little out of each before freezing) this helps to keep from buying ice as often and as it thaws, you can then drink it!! Double duty.

[wavery]

5 days........no problem. Just bring what you would normally eat. If you are concerned about refrigerated items, here's a couple tips.

Buy eggs that have never been refrigerated. Eggs don't need to be refrigerated and they are space hogs. It's just an "American thing". They'll keep 2 weeks, no problem (I've had them last 30-days). After the 1st week, test the eggs by putting them in a bowl of water. If they float, throw them out. If they sink, you're good to go.

Potatoes, rice, pasta, and a lot of different veggies don't need to be refrigerated.

Canned and freeze dried meals are good and need no refrigeration. I'd suggest keeping your fridge space for meat and put your drinks in a cooler. 5 people x 5 days x 3 meals a day.........that's 75 meals. You are right to be concerned and plan ahead.

I lived on my yacht for 14 years and made several ocean crossing that were over 30-days. The first 6 years, I had no refrigeration at all and there are no stores in the middle of the ocean. I learned what works and what doesn't.

[curryp]

I have dried camped for more than 5 days at a stretch. I use a 5 day cooler and cover it with a Cabela's Sportman's Space Blanket. Only food goes in this cooler and drinks are in another cooler. That way the food cooler is opened less frequently. Do as much cooking/prep ahead of time and freeze whatever you can. Pre-make burgers and freeze them with a piece of wax paper in between, freeze boneless chicken breasts in marinade, you can freeze egg beaters and milk in their original cartons. You can make chili ahead of time and freeze that as well. Just warm up the outside of the container to get the chili out and you can cook it in a pot.

Basically, get creative and plan your menu for the duration of your stay. Eat the most perishable meal first and freeze what you can ahead of time. I do this and found out that the all the frozen stuff I had actually iced up my OJ I had put in for the first couple days of camping.

I keep all the condiments in the camper fridge to eliminate the cooler being opened up too much. I don't keep meats there because where I camp there are bears and I don't want any meat smells in the camper.

[Haroki]

I'd agree with those that said to just eat what you normally eat. Just be aware of fridge capacity and bring stuff that's in the pantry, rather than in the fridge as much as you can.

But no need to be a Barbarian either. Salad bags, frozen vegs, etc are always nice treats to have.

About the only thing I avoid is pasta/noodles. Basically anything that needs to be boiled, since it burns a lot of propane and wastes water, since you always end up throwing it all out.