Safe Food Packaging and Storage

 

Camping meals are meant to be enjoyed without the worry of food spoilage or being a tasty treat for local animal population.


What is the number one issue in food storage safety? Avoiding spoilage! This means providing adequate cooling for perishable foods.

  • When camping, take two coolers – one for perishable foods, one for drinks and snacks.
  • Keep lids closed as much as possible to retain cooling.
  • A drink cooler will be opened more often than one containing food.
  • Invest in a quality cooler.
  • Replenish ice as necessary. Blocks of ice last longer than cubed or crushed ice.
  • Food safety experts recommend using freezer ice packs or frozen jugs of water because they drip less. Loose ice can melt, then drip and possibly transfer contaminants from one food to another.
  • Keep food wrapped or enclosed in containers to avoid having it sitting in water at bottom of cooler.

Separate raw food from cooked food. Place raw meat and poultry in sealed containers and pack them at the bottom of the cooler to keep juices from dripping on to other food.


Freezing foods ahead of time will extend their storage life and decrease the need for replenishing ice. (This is very useful for chicken, which should be eaten the first day or two, because it spoils faster than other meats.) Many recipes can be prepared ahead of time, frozen, and then finalized at the campsite.


Keep coolers in the coolest part of a vehicle when traveling. Keep coolers out of the sun at the campsite.


Repackage foods at home to get rid of extra packaging materials.


Never store food in tents. It will attract wildlife – everything from snakes to raccoons to bears. Sealing foods in air-tight containers will help minimize smells. Scented articles such as soap, sunscreen, hairspray, and toothpaste also attract animals. Store these items the same way you do food, in sealed containers. Never leave food unattended at your campsite, and always dispose of all garbage properly.


Bears are wild and their behavior is sometimes unpredictable. Treat all bears with caution, and keep food stored so as not to attract them. Special bear-proof lockers are available in such places as national parks. If your campsite has special bear-proof storage, use it.


Camp Pisgah unit shelters have a metal-lined shelf for food storage.




Let's Review:

© GSUSA. All rights reserved.
1)  True  False  Litter can be reduced by repackaging food.
2)  True  False  The number one issue in food storage is spoilage.
3)  True  False  One cooler is usually sufficient for food storage while camping.
4)  True  False  Coolers containing food are usually opened more often than those containing beverages.
5)  True  False  Raw food and cooked food should be kept separate.
6)  True  False  Freezing food ahead of time extends its storage life.
7)  True  False  Crushed ice generally works better in coolers than ice packs.
8)  True  False  Animals are attracted to items other than food – such things as soap, toothpaste, and sunscreen.
9)  True  False  The safest way to protect food from bears is to use a special bear-proof locker, available at many national parks.
 

Click Here to Return to Main Online Training Page without Checking Answers

© 2007, Girl Scouts of Western North Carolina Pisgah Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
The GIRL SCOUTS name, mark and all associated trademarks and logotypes, including the Trefoil Design, are owned by GSUSA.