BajaNomad - What’s in your camping cooler

What’s in your camping cooler

BGR - 6-9-2019 at 04:31 PM

What do you have in your cooler when you are camping off the beaten path. I’m interested in knowing what your menu consists of, what kind of ingredients you use and what is readily available in the smaller towns to re-supply.

AND, of course, your go to camping meal.

David K - 6-9-2019 at 04:45 PM

When my wife and I were younger and raising kids in the outdoors, we cooked meals and had a good chow box. Big breakfast scrambles with eggs, potatoes, bacon, cheese, onions were a favorite of mine.

As we got older and got into "easy" -- we simplified a lot. So breakfast is instant oatmeal or cold cereal, lunch is P B & J sandwiches or cold cuts, and dinners are backpacking meals with beef stroganoff being our favorite.

That being the case, the ice chests are used for these:

1) Beer (and water).
2) Milk (for cereal).
3) Sandwich meats.
4) Cheese
5) mayo, ketchup, butter
6) ? any food that we pre-make and bring.
1 chest for drinks (crushed ice & 1 block ) and 1 for food (block ice). Ice lasts 5-7 days by which time we pop out of the boonies and find an Oxxo or local store to get more ice.

JZ - 6-9-2019 at 04:59 PM

One of my MX friends is a very good chef. So have some great meals that would rival some MX restaurants. Typically seafood dishes, either hot (dinner) or raw (lunch).

We use 4 coolers, sometimes 5.

1st one is a big 150 quart Coleman marine cooler. It has moveable dividers creating 3 compartments. One is for MX beer, another is for water/Gatorade, and sodas. Last one is for IPAs.

Then take 1 or 2 small Yettis for food depending how long we are going out for. Generally, one has seafood (shrimp, scallops, fish, clams, and crab) and lunch meat/cheese. Sometime have beef in them for tacos or sausage for breakfast.

Also bring 2 collapsible Coleman coolers. They fold up really small. Use these for when we rent boats or go off somewhere for a few hours without the rest of the gear. Pack them with food and drinks.

Use 3 stack-able packs from FrontRunner to hold all the cooking supplies and eggs. Pretty easy to take one or two of them with us if we do a side trip or go out on a boat. Finding these things has made life much easier.

We always travel with a small Honda generator and an electric skillet.

[Edited on 6-10-2019 by JZ]

advrider - 6-9-2019 at 09:08 PM

JZ, are the front runners coolers or storage boxes? We use and ARB fridge so we don't need ice. With a small solar panel we can go several days without even starting the car.
We usually Take a couple of tri tips and chicken from the local butcher to share with some locals. The rest we source locally from the markets of fishermen. Shrimp, asada and whatever else looks good. PB&J is hard to beat for a quick fix..

BGR - 6-9-2019 at 09:17 PM

Thanks Guys

Hey JZ

I'm just going to follow you around, Sounds like you are set up, especially with a chef on board. We'll be somewhere in between you and Dave with 6 people and taking turns cooking. The plan is to source food locally when the opportunity presents itself.

mtgoat666 - 6-10-2019 at 06:37 AM

Quote: Originally posted by advrider

are the front runners coolers or storage boxes? .

They are over-priced totes. You can get similar totes much cheaper at Costco, Home Depot, Uline, etc.

mtgoat666 - 6-10-2019 at 06:43 AM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

We use 4 coolers, sometimes 5.

We always travel with a small Honda generator and an electric skillet.

That sounds like a lot of work hauling all that crap.

For car camping we (4 to 6 people) can get by with 1 or 2 coolers, and a 2-burner stove (white gas or propane)

JZ - 6-10-2019 at 02:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

That sounds like a lot of work hauling all that crap.

For car camping we (4 to 6 people) can get by with 1 or 2 coolers, and a 2-burner stove (white gas or propane)

You and I both know, you don't even go to Baja anymore.

AKgringo - 6-11-2019 at 08:08 AM

What's in my cooler? Nothing that requires cooking and cleaning equipment over paper towels and a trash bag!

I travel in a very small 4x4 with a large dog, and I am ok feeding on sandwiches, and finger food for a few weeks at a time in exchange for more room in the Kia. Besides that, who likes cleaning up after every meal on a camping trip?

I do make sure that I have a supply of dill pickles with me since they scarce in Baja stores, but other than that, I learn to like what I can find locally!

As you might imagine, I really look forward to roadside resteraunts, and local vendors for a hot food fix when available.

Ken Cooke - 6-11-2019 at 09:28 AM

In carry the Dometic 65 quart dual zone fridge in my Jeep.
In the freezer compartment:
Trader Joe's Wild Sockeye Salmon
Trader Joe's Vegan Bean Burritos (we don't eat cheese)
Smart&Final Vegetarian and Black Bean burger patties
Trader Joe's Multigrain tortillas
Wheat bread

In the refrigerator compartment:
Cooked black beans
Milk
Salsa
Eggs
Fruits and vegetables (onions, tomatoes, grapes, apples)
Cooked chicken - ready to eat.
Mineral water (10 oz cans)

Beverages:
I keep water inside 5 gallon container for ease of packing.
I leave alcoholic beverages for the restaurants to serve chilled and inside original bottles/cans - opened in front of me.

ehall - 6-11-2019 at 09:57 AM

Beer, ice and frozen water bottles.

BGR - 6-11-2019 at 08:58 PM

Good info.

On our camping trips here at home I bring some quick meals and some gourmet meals. Sounds like I'll stick to that program and adjust according to what's available locally down there.

Thanks for all the help.

Oh yeah, I like my overpriced totes

JZ - 6-11-2019 at 09:06 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BGR

Good info.

On our camping trips here at home I bring some quick meals and some gourmet meals. Sounds like I'll stick to that program and adjust according to what's available locally down there.

Thanks for all the help.

Oh yeah, I like my overpriced totes

I get 95%+ local.

Only stuff I bring from the US is IPA/brown ales (available in Baja, but pretty sparse), diet mountain dew (don't drink coffee and have 1 a day in the AM for caffeine), 3) breakfast meat like kielbasa.

Check out the FrontRunner store: https://www.frontrunneroutfitters.com/en/us/?utm_campaign=Fr...

I just put one of their racks my truck. If you like cool stuff you will be a kid in a candy store with their accessories. They make great stainless steel tables that slide in just under the rack, as well as about a hundred other neat things.

[Edited on 6-12-2019 by JZ]

Hook - 6-11-2019 at 11:00 PM

We're pretty big on freezing pre-prepared meals and then vacuum sealing them. Especially messy things like chili, or pesto pasta or red sauce pasta. Also any meats. When vacuum-sealed foods eventually thaw, they last for many days longer than foods exposed to oxygen. And they aren't susceptible to getting soaked if they float around in ice slush.

These pre-cooked foods can become a one-pot meal with a side of salad. The meats we always cook in camp, but they do stay preserved longer in the vacuum.

There are raw vegetables that can stand up to the vacuuming process; broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, carrots.

mtgoat666 - 6-12-2019 at 01:13 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by BGR

A fool and his money are soon parted. Those sst tables are over $300. My folding tables are lighter (plastic) and less than $50.

bajaric - 6-12-2019 at 02:01 PM

Me, I usually bring one small cooler with bread condiments and cold cuts, coffee, just the essentials for cooking including spices, another full of ice, then buy the rest of the food at Calimax; usually some tortillas salsa eggs canned food treats enough for a few days and also and some grass fed beef (edited, BEEF) and some potatoes. With the Coleman stove I can grill the meat also make a stew the next day. I have had good and bad experiences with Mexican beef but look at it all as a great culinary adventure . One thing is that salsa and cheese tastes better in Mexico although sloshing around in Ziploc bags always makes it soggy what is a good solution to that !

[Edited on 6-12-2019 by bajaric]

SFandH - 6-12-2019 at 04:29 PM

One thing that is not in my cooler, melted ice water. ALWAYS empty out the water.

del mar - 6-12-2019 at 04:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

One thing that is not in my cooler, melted ice water. ALWAYS empty out the water.

...here we go again!
not according to coleman or igloo.....

mtgoat666 - 6-12-2019 at 04:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by del mar

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

One thing that is not in my cooler, melted ice water. ALWAYS empty out the water.

...here we go again!
not according to coleman or igloo.....

People who understand basic physics leave the water in their cooler. Science deniers drain the water.

bajabuddha - 6-12-2019 at 04:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by del mar

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

One thing that is not in my cooler, melted ice water. ALWAYS empty out the water.

...here we go again!
not according to coleman or igloo.....

I must vehemently concur with Handsome. After boating in Canyonlands/high desert environs in summertime, not only drain your cooler, but never set things directly on the ice. We would 'wrap' the ice in cardboard, and you could set items on the cardboard on top of the ice, but never directly so. Melts right through it, destroying the ice 10x quicker.

We would re-stock the beer/drink coolers at first light pouring the COLD water from the food igloos (120 quart big boys) onto the cans of drinks after draining the drink coolers out. Food was packed in the order menus were filled, oldest/frozen stuff on the bottom. Plastic tubs were used to keep produce and fresh food OUT OF THE WATER. Also, cooler 'blankets' were put on top over the lot in the big coolers.

Biggest problems we had were our guests trying to 'ice' their personal stuff, or trying to stock the drink coolers in the evenings when their warm cans were extra-warm rather with a little morning chill on 'em.

All in all was quite an art form to run a canyon in the 100+ degree ranges (no shade) and still after 5-6 days have gourmet meals, even ice cream for dessert in the bottom of Cataract Canyon. Bottom line, water melts ice. Sealed dry coolers do not.

SFandH - 6-12-2019 at 05:09 PM

Plus, it's a disaster when the deviled eggs with avocado and/or the mushroom caviar get wet. You must drain the cooler.

AKgringo - 6-12-2019 at 05:41 PM

My ice chest is a cube, it fits nicely in my small car. It sits on an inch thick insulation panel, and I keep a blanket wrapped around it. Loose food items are in Tupperware containers.

At frequent pit stops, I drain the melted ice water into my dogs dish, and what she doesn't drink I use to wet her down. She is a large, dark haired girl, and seems to enjoy the instant air conditioning!

David K - 6-12-2019 at 05:53 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Plus, it's a disaster when the deviled eggs with avocado and/or the mushroom caviar get wet. You must drain the cooler.

My dad was a drain guy and I WAS a drain guy... But, I did test the difference and after 5 days in the summer on Shell Island, two identical Coleman (5 day) ice chests, one had drinks and was opened often and one had food and was not opened often. Both kept out of the sun as best as possible.

A) The chest that I drained (the food chest, not opened much) lost ice the quickest.

B) The chest that I left the melted water in (the drinks chest we opened often) had much more ice!!

The exception!!! If you are moving, especially Baja roads: DRAIN! The sloshing of the melted ice water really speeds up the melting... plus, if you have food in there as SFandH says, drain it or lose it.

SFandH - 6-12-2019 at 05:58 PM

To drain or not to drain, that is the question. Watch an experiment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vclUo238moM

John Harper - 6-12-2019 at 06:02 PM

I have found that if I cover the ice chest with a towel, and keep it wet, that will keep ice much longer. I just use the drained ice water to wet the towel. I also try to cover my ice chest with a white towel when it's just in the bed of the truck, seems to keep it from getting sun baked.

Two ice chests seems to work well, one for food, one for drinks that you open more often. If alone I usually just get by with one.

Keeping the water in the chest seems to work better, as DK has observed.

John

David K - 6-12-2019 at 06:06 PM

Yes, but only if you are parked. I highly recommend draining if you are going off-roading!

BGR - 6-12-2019 at 06:19 PM

While we're on the subject of ice I've got a couple of tips for ya all to try.

1 If I'm going on a short trip and use the cooler I get an XL zip lock freezer bag, one that's big enough to fit a block of ice or a full bag of cubes, put the ice in and zip it up. No leaks, no mess, no water sloshing around in the cooler. If the bag ever breaks open I'd have a mess but it never has so far.

2 I cut out a piece of reflectix to fit my cooler, ice and frozen food under, other food over.

I realize these tips won't work for everyone but sure work for me.

My solution to the ice problem on long trips.........bring the fridge. :biggrin:

JZ - 6-12-2019 at 07:04 PM

You only drain water when too much ice melts, and you don't drain it all the way, unless you are adding new ice.

Every experienced boater or camper knows this.

motoged - 6-13-2019 at 04:24 PM

Lotsa experts here....Google the debate and form your own conclusions....pros/cons

JZ - 6-13-2019 at 04:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

To drain or not to drain, that is the question. Watch an experiment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vclUo238moM

Holy missing the main point of having some water in the cooler. The difference is if your drinks are submerged in the cold water they're actually much colder then ones just sitting on ice.

You don't want so much water that it completely sloshes around causing 1) an annoying noise and 2) bottles to break from off-roading or rough water on a boat.

[Edited on 6-14-2019 by JZ]

motoged - 6-13-2019 at 05:26 PM

What is a better insulator/temperature "moderator-retainer"": water or air?

Does water in a cooler make ice melt faster?
More accurately, a warm beer placed in a cooler of ice will emit heat as it chills. ... If you drain the water, the ice isn't going to get any colder. Because the water is already at 32º (and not warmer), draining it won't slow down the rate at which the ice melts.

[Edited on 6-14-2019 by motoged]

MMc - 6-13-2019 at 05:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

What is a better insulator/temperature "moderator-retainer"": water or air?

Does water in a cooler make ice melt faster?
More accurately, a warm beer placed in a cooler of ice will emit heat as it chills. ... If you drain the water, the ice isn't going to get any colder. Because the water is already at 32º (and not warmer), draining it won't slow down the rate at which the ice melts.

[Edited on 6-14-2019 by motoged]

As you open the cooler you warm up the air, the water will retain the cool temp.

I put my ice in a plastic container in my food chest. The chest stays about 35 to 37 most of the day. I find it easier to manage my food products in a dry chest.
The drink chest is only drained if I am moving or it fills up. I use the water around camp for non food things, cleanup and such. I also prechill my drinks in ocean water and a bucket. Getting them to 65 or 70 helps reduce the ice melt. slower.

BajaTed - 6-13-2019 at 07:23 PM

Solar powered coolers are awesome.
Plugs into roof mounted panel with cable or stands alone with lid panel.
It was 117 in Ehrenberg AZ yesterday

motoged - 6-14-2019 at 09:08 AM

When away for more than 3 days I will use a separate cooler to store BLOCK ice and also use block ice in coolers for food/drinks...it might mean having 3 different size coolers, but I will still have ice at end of a week.....normal crappy standard coolers....will cover w/ wet towels and keep out of sun and out of vehicle in hot climates.

Pre-cool canned/bottles liquids before placing in cooler....tupper-ware and quality ziplock baggies are your friend.

No one has mentioned sand in their coolers yet....

AKgringo - 6-14-2019 at 09:16 AM

I prefer my sand at ambient air temperature!

David K - 6-14-2019 at 09:18 AM

Great advice!

*Block ice lasts the longest.
*Pre-cool anything that is going into the icebox if possible.
*Keep iceboxes out of the direct sun or cover with wet towels.
*While staying in one place, do not drain the water to retain the ice and cold as long as possible. Only drain if you are going to be driving.

motoged - 6-14-2019 at 10:15 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Great advice!

*Block ice lasts the longest.
*Pre-cool anything that is going into the icebox if possible.
*Keep iceboxes out of the direct sun or cover with wet towels.
*While staying in one place, do not drain the water to retain the ice and cold as long as possible. Only drain if you are going to be driving.

Jeeeez....do we have to copyright our posts so DK doesn't repeat our comments to bolster his hits?????

I don't go with the "drain if off-roading".....cold water retains temp longer than cold air.... :light:

TMW - 6-14-2019 at 12:29 PM

Of course it depends on how long I'll be gone. For most desert and Baja trips I boil some eggs and pack them in the container and in the cooler. I'll fry some ham, sausage or hamburger or a mix of hamburger and sausage and put that in the cooler. I bring a mix of sodas, beer and non-alcoholic beer all in the cooler. A 16 inch tool bag with various can food like soup, chili, tuna fish, crackers etc. I also take vodka and sometimes wine. I usually don't eat or drink all that I take so I give away everything before crossing the border except the can goods and a couple of beers or the vodka. I also tend to eat in restaurants a lot.

We sometimes have an excellent cook with us as some of my trip reports have shown and will bring whatever he needs to fix us a great or gourmet meal.

I have two Canyon Country coolers a 35 qt and a 50 qt. Depending on how long and who is with me depends on which one I take. I put a block of ice in them, sometimes two blocks in the big one along with cube or crushed ice. The blocks will last a week or more. I don't drain the water from the cooler until I have more ice to add.

I seldom eat bread, candy, donuts, pie, cake or ice cream. I prefer mixed nuts to chips. My favorite food is fresh caught fish. But I'm not picky. I like liver and onions as well as tongue like that served in a Basque restaurant.

mtgoat666 - 6-14-2019 at 01:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

*Block ice lasts the longest.

block ice does not last longer. all ice melts at a heat transfer rate of 80 calories per gram.
you keep your cooler closed, with all other things equal, and heat transfer through cooler walls is same whether you have block or cube ice in the cooler.

basautter - 6-14-2019 at 01:46 PM

I take a large cooler (70 qt), and fill it half way with frozen water bottles, the rest of the way with food. The bottles last about 5-6 days with an Igloo Extreme (maybe longer with more expensive coolers), and you have water to drink after the bottles melt :bounce:

.

[Edited on 6-14-2019 by basautter]

Barry A. - 6-14-2019 at 05:09 PM

Block-ice frozen "clear" in my home freezer does last much longer than the compressed crushed ice now available, for the given space. I normally expect my ice to last up to 9 days in my ancient Coleman ice-chests, with permanent 2 inch styro-foam panels around all sides, top and bottom of the ice chest. My coolers are built in to my CAllen Camper. Milk and lunch meat etc. and not much else is in my coolers when in Baja which is not often anymore. Just my observations.

David K - 6-14-2019 at 05:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by motoged

Quote: Originally posted by David K

The sloshing of the water in the chest while driving really speeds up the melt over a drained chest off roading. Reducing the weight by draining the water can't hurt, either.

SFandH - 6-14-2019 at 06:00 PM

I'm beginning to think that draining or not draining does not really make a difference as far as ice longevity is concerned. In other words, take two identical coolers, loaded identically, drain one and not the other, and the ice will melt at the same rate. That's probably why there is so much debate.

One thing for sure, wet food sucks. I'll keep draining my cooler.

JZ - 6-15-2019 at 12:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

I'm beginning to think that draining or not draining does not really make a difference as far as ice longevity is concerned. In other words, take two identical coolers, loaded identically, drain one and not the other, and the ice will melt at the same rate. That's probably why there is so much debate.

One thing for sure, wet food sucks. I'll keep draining my cooler.

You don't put your food in the same cooler as your drinks. That's camping 101. Buy a small yeti or the like, and put your food in there. Add just a little bit of ice, plus use zip lock bags.

Jameis, how can you be a veteran Baja traveler and not know the basics of cooler management?

[Edited on 6-15-2019 by JZ]

paranewbi - 6-15-2019 at 04:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Barry A.

Block-ice frozen "clear" in my home freezer does last much longer than the compressed crushed ice now available, for the given space. I normally expect my ice to last up to 9 days in my ancient Coleman ice-chests, with permanent 2 inch styro-foam panels around all sides, top and bottom of the ice chest. My coolers are built in to my CAllen Camper. Milk and lunch meat etc. and not much else is in my coolers when in Baja which is not often anymore. Just my observations.

Similarly, I freeze one-gallon containers of store-bought Crystal Geyser water and carry eight of them in a large cooler. Two others go in the food cooler.
The first evening after our arrival at camp I take one of the two out of the food cooler and drain off the melt into our water containers. I then cut the top third of the plastic water gallon jug off and put the remaining unmelted Ice in a towel and hit it to crush it up for margaritas during sunset. After making the drinks I take a fresh one out of the large cooler and replace the one just used.
The bottom two-thirds of the cut-up jug can be used for any idea that crosses your mind while drinking the margaritas...like; wind protected candle holders, sand filled weights, mixing containers for pancakes in the morning, or maybe nail it to a palapa post for you and others to store items in while camping, etc.
The frozen store-bought water keeps ice melt out of your food cooler and ice storage cooler, provides replenishing purified drinking water in a sanitary container, and some clean ice for that evening drink!

mtgoat666 - 6-15-2019 at 06:13 AM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

You are an idiot if you don’t know how to camp using a single cooler for food and drinks. You are just a dumb chit if you take multiple coolers when 1 will do.

JZ - 6-15-2019 at 12:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

You are an idiot if you don’t know how to camp using a single cooler for food and drinks. You are just a dumb chit if you take multiple coolers when 1 will do.

Congrats on all your soggy, wet food floating with your beer. What a rookie.

Skipjack Joe - 7-29-2022 at 08:09 AM

Block ice does indeed last longer than crushed ice. It also sells for twice as much at the market.

The only time you should drain the water is if it's above freezing. Another words, if you notice that all the ice has melted and you're thinking to add more ice to the water the water is likely above freezing temperature and will melt your new ice immediately, thus giving you less time of ice usage. So that's when the cooler should be drained.

bajatrailrider - 7-29-2022 at 09:19 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

You are an idiot if you don’t know how to camp using a single cooler for food and drinks. You are just a dumb chit if you take multiple coolers when 1 will do.

MR Donkey goat your the idiot of the year dont be calling people your name. :light:

Your camping out in basement means nothing get out enjoy a good dirt bike ride.

BGR - 12-29-2022 at 10:01 PM

You guys getting a wee bit off topic me thinks.

basautter - 12-30-2022 at 02:57 AM

Frozen water bottles. They last longer than loose ice, keep the cooler dry and you can drink the water when they melt. :bounce:

TMW - 12-30-2022 at 10:55 PM

I have two Canyon coolers a 35 qt for just me and a 50 qt if someone rides with me. They both have two baskets for food. I don't drink a lot of beer but I do take a few hurricanes along with orange juice, bloodymary mix, tonic water and reg drinking water. I normally just take stuff for breakfast like boiled eggs and a meat. Ham, sausage or hamburger/sausage mix. Sometimes the small mix fruit bowls. I carry a bag full of can stuff like soup, chili, beef stew and tuna fish with crackers and granola bars. Most of my trips we've had a chef (Phil) that brings and makes dinner. Sometimes Robert who does breakfast and dinner. He tells us what he needs and we get it for him. If we're near a restaurant we'll eat there.

A block of ice in my coolers will last 5-7 days. I pack em full of crushed or cubed ice and if I add more later I'll drain the water.