Managing Food and Cooking While Long-Term Tent Camping

Long-Term Tent Camping

When we refer to “long-term” tent camping, we mean camping for a period of time anywhere from a week to a month or more, using a tent as your primary shelter. People tend to take on the long-term camping lifestyle for several reasons– for jobs that require travel, as an extended vacation, and many even establish their outside tent as their main dwelling, easily enabling them to embrace the nomad lifestyle. 

As wonderful as it can be, long-term camping can bring with it a number of difficulties that do not necessarily have to turn into major inconveniences if you know how to manage them. Food storage, preparation, and refrigeration are a major concern when it comes to long-term tent camping–though not impossible to navigate. We’ll discuss a few ways to ensure you are safely and hygienically handling, efficiently preparing, and stashing your food where animals and spoilage can not reach it. 

Food Refrigeration 

First and foremost, the easiest way to ensure that your food stays cool is by investing in a high-quality cooler. We know it seems silly to spend an outrageous amount on something like a cooler, but this is a “get what you pay for” circumstance. The better quality cooler you have, the longer your perishable food will last and the safer it will be to consume. When it comes to prioritizing health and preventing the many dangerous food-borne illnesses that can arise when perishables are not properly refrigerated, it is worth every penny to go out on a limb for a good cooler. 

Once you’ve secured your cooler, we recommend pre-chilling the entire cooler before packing it. Yes, we are telling you to stick the whole thing in your freezer for at least a night before heading out on your long-term tent camping trip. Freeze your meats before placing them inside the cooler as well.

Especially if you are planning to camp for longer than a week, cool your meats and perishables with dry ice. Again, we know this might seem like overkill, but trust us. If you are after lasting refrigeration, dry ice is your friend! 

Classic crushed bagged ice is a good method if your cooler is strong enough to keep it from turning straight to water, however, if you are planning to use regular ice instead of dry ice we recommend purchasing or DIY-ing block ice as opposed to using pieced ice. A block will melt much more slowly, keeping food cool for longer while you are camping. You can make your own block ice by freezing a tub or milk jug of water, or purchase a block at a gas station or grocery store near you. 

Frozen water bottles are great to use as an extra cooling method, as they can be placed inside your food cooler until they thaw out, and then consumed.

Separating drinks and food into two separate coolers is a good way to keep your food cool for longer, as you tend to open and close a drink cooler far more frequently than you would a food cooler, letting warm air in and melting ice quicker. By keeping your food in a separate cooler from the easily accessed drinks, you’re further preserving the cool air and ice inside.

On this note, cooler organization is key. Store items that will be needed most frequently (like condiments, snack fruits and veggies, or dips) nearest to the top, and delicate perishables such as raw meat or cheese toward the bottom. 

Portable refrigerators are another option that may appeal most to those planning on camping for longer than a week. These can be plugged into a vehicle, or you can certainly purchase a battery-operated refrigerator. For those long-term tent camping while backpacking or hunting, however, carrying an entire portable fridge might not be the most practical option.

Natural cooling is a great option for keeping food safe and cold for long periods. If you find yourself lucky enough to be camping near a stream or lake, submerge your cooler in the icy water to keep it from warming from the outside in. Be sure to double, triple, or quadruple anchor it to a nearby rock or tree so your food supply doesn’t float away! 

Food Storage

Once you feel confident in your ability to cool, preserve, and transport your perishables, storing your dry goods and non-perishable food items is the next obstacle of long-term tent camping to tackle. It is important to remember to animal-proof your food storage containers, as critters like raccoons, bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and wolves may show up to camp uninvited and unwanted. 

Hard-sided containers with proper bear-proof latches are the best way to store food at camp. Waterproof, odor-proof, bear-proof bags are also available, but should still be placed far away from your tent or hoisted into a high tree branch for maximum preservation and safety.  

Bear canisters are efficient food storage methods and are available in all sizes–some are even small enough to be tossed into your canvas duffel bag or included in your backpacking gear. 

Never store food inside your tent or leave it unattended–even if you are just going on a short hike or trip to the campground showers. Small critters like mice, raccoons, squirrels, and birds act fast! 

Nutrition

Keeping meals balanced and nutritional value high is sometimes difficult when it comes to the minimalistic nature of camping food. However, there are ways to keep your body properly fueled and vitamins aplenty!

The Beauty of Non-Perishables

Stocking up on dehydrated fruits and veggies is a great way to get your vitamins and fiber during your long-term camping trip. This way, you are not at risk of wasting produce gone bad or dealing with rot. 

Nuts and trail mixes are another way to get your healthy fats and proteins, supplying plenty of energy for hiking, hunting, fishing, and general physical labor demands required of you during a long-term camping trip. 

Cooking Methods

Cooking on long-term camping trips can be as simple as campfire cooking, or as close to home as stove cooking. It all depends on your resources, carrying capacity, and preferences.

Propane stoves are a great option for long-term camping because they can be used rain or shine. Just pop a tarp shelter up over your cook station, fire up the stove, and prepare a warm cozy meal even during a rain or snow storm.

Campfire cooking, on the other hand, is a bit trickier when it comes to battling the elements. So long as you aren’t caught in the rain or gnarly winds, the campfire is a reliable heat source by which to properly cook anything from meat to grilled veggies to eggs. 

Don’t forget your cast iron skillet and Dutch oven! These are versatile campground cooking essentials and will provide the necessary containers for cooking most meals.

Safe Food Prep

Food preparation safety is essential to preserving your physical health during your long-term tent camping trip. The last thing anyone wants is an interruption to a perfect camping excursion for a trip to the doctor. After using the restroom and before preparing a meal, ALWAYS wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water– preferably somewhere a safe distance from camp. Avoid contaminating a freshwater source, no matter how tempting the nearby stream might be. If you do not have access to a handwashing station, use hand sanitizer or wipes. When sharing food with others, distribute everyone’s portion with clean utensils rather than having several hands in and out of a campsite buffet. 

Keep dogs away from the food prep and cooking station as well! As much as we love to spoil our four-legged friends, it is extremely unsafe to allow them to track their muddy, poopy paws around the area where food for human consumption is being handled. Place dog beds on the perimeter of the camp or inside your roomy canvas wall tent to encourage them to settle a safe distance away from the cookstove.

Water Treatment

The final and arguably most important piece of food, cooking, and nutrition management on a long-term tent camping trip is proper water treatment. Ways to efficiently treat water so that it is safe for drinking, washing, and cooking include boiling and careful filtration. 

Boiling water is the surest way to kill dangerous bacteria, microorganisms, and parasites that could make you very sick. Water should sustain a full rolling boil in a pot over your campfire for at least one minute. At 6,500 feet elevation or more, boil for three minutes. Cool before drinking or handling. 

Filtration is another easy, safe, and reliable way to rid camp water of parasites, but perhaps not all bacteria or viruses. A filtration system certified by NSF Standards 53 or 58 (check labels) will remove parasites, but will not remove viruses or some bacteria.