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BGR
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 12-7-2018
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What’s in your camping cooler
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.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64480
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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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.
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9231
Registered: 10-3-2003
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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]
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advrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 1847
Registered: 10-2-2015
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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..
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BGR
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 12-7-2018
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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.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17295
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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They are over-priced totes. You can get similar totes much cheaper at Costco, Home Depot, Uline, etc.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17295
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Quote: Originally posted by JZ  |
We use 4 coolers, sometimes 5.
We always travel with a small Honda generator and an electric skillet.
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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)
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9231
Registered: 10-3-2003
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| 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)
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You and I both know, you don't even go to Baja anymore.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5807
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
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Mood: Retireded
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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.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8921
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Black Trans Lives Matter
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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.
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ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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Beer, ice and frozen water bottles.
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BGR
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 12-7-2018
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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
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9231
Registered: 10-3-2003
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| 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]
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9006
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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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.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17295
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by JZ | | 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] |
A fool and his money are soon parted. Those sst tables are over $300. My folding tables are lighter (plastic) and less than $50.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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bajaric
Senior Nomad
Posts: 602
Registered: 2-2-2015
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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]
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SFandH
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6925
Registered: 8-5-2011
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One thing that is not in my cooler, melted ice water. ALWAYS empty out the water.
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del mar
Banned
Posts: 1057
Registered: 7-23-2016
Location: the cantina of course
Member Is Offline
Mood: lil' fuzzy
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 ...here we go again!
not according to coleman or igloo.....
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17295
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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People who understand basic physics leave the water in their cooler. Science deniers drain the water.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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bajabuddha
Banned
Posts: 4024
Registered: 4-12-2013
Location: Baja New Mexico
Member Is Offline
Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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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.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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