Cooler question

[SoulRaven]

Cooler question.

My travel plans are to spend November 20 thru December 20 in Ocala National forest, December 21 thru January 1 northeast of Tampa, then January 2 thru early April in Avon Park Sebring.

At the least I will be moving every 3.5 days to get ice, food, and fuel.

I have a three gallon igloo industrial drinking cooler in stock.

With just one bag of ice, with food like hot dogs, cheese, 6 eggs, a bag salad, some fresh veggies (no mayo or fresh meat) contained in a Tupperware type container how long will the ice last?

My thoughts were to use the cold water as the ice melts to make a cold drink.

If 8 pounds of ice is equal to one gallon of water I should be able to generate one quart of cold water for three days.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Block ice lasts longer than crushed. Longevity depends, not only ambient temps, but how many times you open the cooler, the temp of the stuff you add, and whether you wrap the cooler with additional insulation, such as a blanket, etc. However, a 3 gal water jug won't hold much food.
I've gotten 7-10 days out of a larger cooler (wrapped) with 2 blocks of ice loaded with pre-chilled food and drinks. I usually tried to get several things for the day and transfer them to a small cooler without ice.
Its do-able for short term.

 

[SoulRaven]

My plan was to keep my chilled food in a round Tupperware container 7” dia. X 5”h=.31 cubic ft. with no milk or mayo. I have some more space between the cooler and container for a pint of Italian dressing a couple of small juice boxes and a bag salad.

For breakfast I was not even going to open the cooler with perked coffee or green tea, instant oatmeal, and cookies. This serves a second purpose for if it’s a cold morning or rainy I can just stay in the camper and use my alcohol stove that will also provide some interior heat vs. a slab of bacon fried on the tailgate using my liquid fuel Coleman two burner circa 1962 model.

I will take your sage advice and do a double wrap of the cooler body in Reflectix.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Yup, Reflectix is pretty good stuff. You can use it as a makeshift solar oven too.

 

[SoulRaven]

The solar oven is a no go in the bug capital of the US.

By the time the food is ready to eat the fire ants will get it first.

I am going to have a 1 gal. can sprayer and I will kill off any mounds and do a perimeter treatment upon arrival and will try to camp in those same spots during return visits.

I have this stovetop double bottom bun warmer that is going to be my oven.

A new thread could be started with wildlife control of black bears, rattlesnakes, raccoons, armadillos, opossums, wild hogs, plus rats and mice.

 

[Zil]

I had the exact same set up when we crossed Canada in 1976. The ice was fine for 8 hours and 50 minutes. We bought ice every day. My beer was warm. The eggs survived. cabbage was good. Any meat went bad by the next day.

---

Don't buy salad dressing, use oil and vinegar with your favorite spices. No cooling needed.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Mr Loo...good link and right on. People are used to "refrigerate after opening" on everything....food industry covering their *****.
I lived aboard my sailboat for 5 yrs. Ice was a luxury, and refrigeration space was at a premium.
Many things only need to be kept reasonably cool. Commercial eggs are bleached, which removes some sort of natural protection (don't ask me to explain). Fresh eggs need only to be washed to remove the yucky stuff and they will last close to a month in a cool place, safely. Mustard, ketchup, dressings and stuff with lots of salt and vinegar will last a long time. I like Miracle Whip olive oil...lasts well in a cool place.
Cooked meats last longer....cook one day and use valued refrigeration to store for several days. (cook a few burgers and warm them thru the week)

Everything that says you have to refrigerate after opening doesn't always require COLD, just cool.

Now, to cover my ass...
Use common sense. Carefully consider what you will refrigerate and where you'll keep things cool and don't get sick.
And always remember, rum doesn't need to be refrigerated

 

[SoulRaven]

Looking at Sams Club website.
Found condiment packets 200 count

Mayo $8.18
Mustard 5.98
Ketchup 9.48
Lemon juice 15.98
Taco sauce 12.98
Jelly assortment 7.18
Sweet Relish ?
Italian Dressing Packets ?

2000 sugar packets 7.99
1000 powered creamer 11.34

 

[decodancer]

Why would you buy packets of condiments? You can get them for free at every rest area with a food court, convenient store, and fast food place. The packets do expire, there's no way you could use an entire box and storing them in a small space.... They do sell salad dressing in little single serve tubs at the grocery store. A one pound box of sugar is less than a buck and powdered creamer doesn't need refrigeration.

 

[SoulRaven]

1. I do not enter rest areas, convenient stores, and fast food places.
2. Morality and ethics of theft.
3. Available income and one stop shopping.
4. Ease of use and portion control
5. Insect issues of a warm climate.
6. Space not an issue have 32 cu ft under bed.
7. Having provisions for the season (150 days).
8. Less items to buy or forget to buy on weekly basis
9. Having a wide variety of condiments with just one container to open.
10. Sanitation issues in primitive situations (viral and bacteria).

 

[highdesertranger]

don't drink the water out of your ice chest, trust me don't do it. I speak from experience. highdesertranger

 

[SoulRaven]

don't drink the water out of your ice chest, trust me don't do it. I speak from experience. highdesertranger

Excellent advice.

I will put purified pints on the bottom when I get new ice and recycle the cooler water for a solar shower.

 

[LeeRevell]

I never refrigerate the following items:
Honey
Maple syrup
Ketchup
Mustard

I can drink softdrinks that have not been cooled - don't like them hot though.
For my initial use of my van convrsion, I have a Koolatron 12VDC cooler - my understanding is it cools to about forty degrees below ambient temp - should be okay if I can keep the van's inside temp managed. Being a top-loader will help it to maintain it's cool too.

 

[Bdog1]

Sports drinks rant too bad warm. Gatorade power-aid Ect. Better than warm soda. Water also okay warm.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

"Sun tea" doesn't really need sun. put it up at night and it will be cool in the morning and tastes great.
A 2 liter bottle works and fits in cooler or fridge. Being cool it won't require much to chill.