How to Keep Food Cold While Camping

When you think about camping, most will be thinking about instant or dehydrated food. It’s quick, it’s easy, and all you’ll need is a stove and some utensils. However, instant food like noodles often lack nutritional value and dehydrated food may have reduced levels of vitamins such as A and C. 

You might choose to prep your meals and pack them in a cooler box for a car camping trip, but if you aren’t careful, you might find your painstakingly cooked meals are a soggy mess. Not only are soggy meals gross to eat, but they can also be a food safety hazard as bacteria love warm conditions and the last thing you want is an upset tummy when you’re out in the sticks. 

If you could only figure out how to keep your food cold while camping, you can cook wholesome, nutritious meals as if you were at home. We are avid campers, and we’d love to help! Here are all our favorite ways of keeping food cold while camping. 

1. Choose Your Cooler Wisely

Not all coolers are created equal. A cheap styrofoam cooler will retain way less cold than a high-quality cooler like a Yeti, Pelican, or Orca. Some of the high-end coolers have been known to stay cool for more than a week! 

Good coolers are likely to cost a pretty penny, but you’ll be using them for years. Consider the frequency of usage and then decide for yourself whether you want to spring for one. If you don’t, you can get a cheaper cooler like something from Coleman that will do the trick for shorter trips. Also consider the size of the cooler and be sure you have enough space for your food and drinks. 

If you’re planning to car camp most of the time, you’ll be able to get a box cooler with a large capacity. However, if you’re planning to park far from your campsite or take the cooler on a multi-day backpacking trip, you’ll need a smaller one with a strap or a cooler backpack. 

2. Pre-Freeze All Food

If you’re preparing meals at home, be sure to freeze all the perishable foods first before packing them. Not only will they slowly defrost during the day and be ready when you get to your campsite, but they will also act as another layer of ice to keep the whole box cool. Once you’ve gotten to camp, heat the meals up on a stove to prevent any food-borne illness.

3. Have Two Coolers 

If it’s convenient for you to lug two coolers around, do it! One of the ways the cooler heats up is the constant opening and closing which lets cold air out and allows heat to enter. The culprit behind this is usually drinks. 

If you have a dedicated drinks cooler that is frequently opened and closed, your food cooler will continue to stay cool and won’t be exposed to warm air every time you grab a drink. 

4. Cool Your Coolers 

Before packing your coolers, try to cool them down and avoid packing your cold food into a warm cooler. If your nights are cold, you can leave the cooler outdoors overnight. Otherwise, use ice or very cold water to try to lower the temperature before packing your ice packs and frozen food in.

5. Use Ice Packs, Blocks, or Frozen Water Bottles 

Don’t use loose ice cubes if you can help it, as these melt the fastest. You can use food-safe ice packs which can stay frozen for as long as two days. In addition, freeze all the water or liquids you’re intending to take with you aside from a small amount that you might need immediately. 

Be sure not to overfill bottles, as ice expands when frozen and you could spring a leak. Leave at least 10% free as ice expands to approximately 9% when frozen. 

You can also use a large ice block that’s easily available in campgrounds or gas stations. However, be prepared for the wet mess that they will cause once they melt. 

Place all the ice at the bottom of the cooler as this is the coldest part. Once the warm air eventually melts the ice, you now have more drinking water! 

6. Consider Dry Ice 

If you’re going on a longer trip, you can consider using dry ice, a form of compressed carbon dioxide that can keep your food up to three times longer than regular ice. 

7. Pack Your Cooler Tightly

Leaving too much space between the items in your cooler will cause circulating air to warm things up faster. Try packing your cooler as tightly as you can and leave as little dead space as possible. If your cooler is too big, fill the empty spaces with frozen water bottles instead. 

8. Minimize Opening Your Cooler 

Pack your cooler wisely or you’ll end up rummaging around for ages trying to find something you packed at the bottom. You can place the stuff that you will first use at the top, and the second meal at the bottom so you can quickly get to what you need first. Open, grab, and slam shut the lid. That’s what you should be hoping to achieve! 

9. Keep the Cooler Shaded

This might be a little obvious so it is just a reminder! A cooler in the sun is going to bake. You can also throw a blanket or tarp over the cooler for additional insulation. 

10. Consume Highly Perishable Foods First 

Another reminder if you are planning a multi-day trip is to chow down on your highly perishables like meat and fish first. Other foods like sausages, cheese, and jerky will last longer and can make up your later meals. 

Food Safety Tips 

Bacteria can reach dangerous levels in two hours if the temperatures are above 40 F. USDA defines the “danger zone” at temperatures of 40 F to 140 F, and recommends that food is left out no longer than two hours if the ambient temps are below 90 F, and no more than one hour if above. 

Food poisoning is no fun, and when you’re out camping in the middle of who-knows-where, it will be even more of a pain. Literally! 

1. Double Wrap Meat 

All meat or fish should be double wrapped with airtight freezer bags and ideally placed at the bottom of the cooler together with the ice. When the meat thaws, if there are any liquids, they’ll stay at the bottom instead of dripping from the top and contaminating everything in the middle. 

2. Cook Meat Well

Be sure to cook all your meat thoroughly to destroy any lingering bacteria. 

3. Avoid Cross Contamination 

When handling raw food, wash your cooking equipment thoroughly before using them again. Don’t forget your hands! 

4. When in Doubt, Throw It Out!

When all the ice has melted, you might want to double-check the contents of your perishables. Ideally, you would have eaten all the meat, poultry, or fish by now. If the ice bottles or packs are liquified, the food is no longer safe to consume. 

Final Thoughts on How to Keep Food Cold While Camping 

Camp meals are so much more than heating up water and pouring it into a pack, or boiling up an instant meal. With these tips and tricks, you can safely keep your food cold and enjoy delicious meals just as you would at home. 

Plan your cooler packing well and remember to observe food safety rules. Have fun and happy camping! 

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