Camping Q and A - How Do I Keep My Food Safe to Eat While Camping?

Q. How do I keep my food safe to eat while camping?

A. You will want to plan your meals ahead of time, keep everything clean, and keep your food cold to ensure your food is safe for consumption while camping. Follow these tips for the reasons below.
 
First, you will want to plan ahead of time the food you are going to eat and when. By doing this it will help you determine whether or not you should freeze an item before putting it in your camp cooler. Also remember to plan how you are going to cook your food and make sure your have the proper equipment along to do so.
 
Second, you want to keep everything clean to prevent bacteria from coming in contact with your food. Make sure you wash your hands prior to handling any food and after handling raw meats or raw eggs. If you place all your raw meats in plastic bags it will help keep the juices away from your other foods.
 
And third, keep your food cold. Make sure your cooler has plenty of block ice for your camping trip. Remember to keep your cooler in the shade and even place a blanket on top of the cooler for extra insulation. It is a good idea to bring a separate cooler for snacks and drinks. This will keep your main food cooler colder by not having to get in it as often.
 
So, as you can see, following these three food safety tips will keep your food safe and make your next camping trip much more enjoyable.