Food Storage (canned and boxed) in a Van

[Thoreau]

Hi everyone,<br /><br />Does anyone have experience with storing food in their van-home? <br /><br />I don't mean food that needs to be kept cold. I mean things like canned chicken, canned vegetables, or boxes of instant mashed potatoes, etc.<br /><br />Did the extreme heat of summer in the desert, or the cold of winter, create problems for your food storage? If not, is your van very well-insulated? Or what other factors may be involved?<br /><br />I ask because as I plan my "escape" from stix-and-brix, I'd like to account for a month or two of basic food supplies in the van.<br /><br />Thanks

 

[VanGirl]

I don't have a problem with storing food in my van. I go up to the cabin once a month or so just to can some more chicken and beef for use in the van (sm glass jars). You can also buy canned chicken at the store. My pantry is filled the dehydrated food from honeyvillegrain.com. I could not be a successful vandweller with out Honeyville foods. I Don't need a refrigerator for any of this I even can my butter which you could do in a van. Just can your butter in the small gift jars. I open my and it keeps well for a couple of days. I also buy canned food at the store. I have to 1.5 L pressure cooker that makes beans in about 30 minutes. <br /><br />It is so easy to cook a good meal with the caned meat and dehydated veggies.<br /><br />I would be happy to share cooking with anyone. I'm just a meat and veggies (eggs also) kind of girl.

 

[twokniveskatie]

I avoid weather extremes, but keep some canned goods in my van. I was camping in -12 F this winter and no cans ruptured. I don't imagine dried things like instant mashed potatoes are affected much, unless their is some nutrition loss at high temps.&nbsp;

 

[Guest]

<img src="../images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

I avoid weather extremes, but keep some canned goods in my van. I was camping in -12 F this winter...

<br /><br />That's funny right there, I don't care who you are!

 

[Thoreau]

VanGirl and TKK, thanks for the responses. <br /><br />VanGirl: To clarify a bit further: Though I admire those with homesteading skills, and&nbsp;if I were to keep a house I'd want to know how to independently preserve food, at this point I'm not practiced with canning/bottling my own food, and when on the road I don't think I'd have room for the necessary equipment. But you also mention that you use canned food from the stores in your van without a problem... Does your van get very hot (over 100) sometimes, especially when you're not in it...but the food is?<br /><br />And TKK, I'll keep in mind what you say about the cold not seeming to damage the cans. Now for the other half of the equation: I'm hoping to avoid much cold, by spending most of my time in warm country (moving with the seasons)... <br /><br />So on store-bought canned (in metal cans) chicken,&nbsp;vegtables, sardines, chili, etc. as well as boxed potato flakes, oatmeal,&nbsp;and other starches...what&nbsp;about the daytime temperatures in a hot van in summertime? Example: Let's say I was spending a few hours at a library or bookstore, and the van was in the hot sun, with internal temps going well over 100 degrees. Would the canned and boxed&nbsp;goods be affected? <br /><br />I guess I could make it my business to always keep windows a little open&nbsp;so the temps don't climb too high...but I was interested in people's actual experience with packaged foods and hot temps in vans, overall, and if they used any strategies for storing their food.<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[sl1966]

I used to toss my dried and/or canned goods into an ice chest sans ice. It helped to keep things dry and a little cooler than whatever the outside temps were. Never had a problem with anything spoiling.<br /><br />

 

[Thoreau]

Good tip, sl1966, I guess I could get an extra cooler or two (as space allows) and use, without ice, for food storage. It would prevent rapid temperature changes, and would also help&nbsp;keep out bugs and rodents from the boxed potato flakes, etc.

 

[Guest]

I don't have any experience first hand with this, however I would imagine a roof vent with a fan would greatly help with the over heating of your van. This would make it more bearable for you and your food supply. Couple that with the cooler and you should be golden.

 

[Rollin]

Panco, I had the very same question&nbsp;earlier&nbsp;that you have about storing food in extreme heat. I&nbsp;couldn't&nbsp;find to much about it on the internet. From the little bit I did learn was that in high temp's food&nbsp;breaks-down&nbsp;faster. That means a shorter self life.&nbsp;<br /><br />How much heat effects canned or dry goods in relation to the&nbsp;expiration&nbsp;date is a big question.&nbsp;<br /><br />In my case I plan on storing as little as&nbsp;possible&nbsp;and doing as sl1966 suggested by keeping what I do carry in a cooler without ice.<br /><br />VanGirl, Thanks for posting that site.... honeyvillegrain.com.&nbsp;

 

[Thoreau]

Audoni, yes, that's a good point: If a vent with a fan were installed, and&nbsp;set up to run even when I wasn't in the van, that could be a big part of the solution. Thanks. I imagine having a solar setup to run the fan would work.<br /><br />Rollin, I apprecite your input: Yes, I'd also read somewhere that heat shortens shelf life of canned/packaged foods, but like you I didn't find specifics. So I was hoping to hear from vandwellers about their experiences. But I guess even direct experience can't tell people how much of the nutrition was lost, even if it could tell us whether things got spoiled or not.&nbsp;When boondocking, I'd like to keep open the option of&nbsp;staying out of town for weeks at a time, and I do value independence and preparedness, so I'd want to balance my concern about shelf life...with my desire for a well-stocked "pantry."&nbsp;But I can see how some others would choose to store as little food as possible.&nbsp;

 

[twokniveskatie]

I think one way to approach this is to "eat what you store, and rotate your stock". In other words, don't keep "apocalypse" rations for just in case. I do not think something stored in higher heat will deteriorate that quickly, so of you were making a supply run ever month or two, you would have no problems.&nbsp;<br /><br />Rhis topic has generated a vague memory of reading about dried food storage, and how every 10 degrees of temp elevation shortens storage, but we're talking years, I believe. I'll see if I can dig it up.&nbsp;<br /><br />

 

[sl1966]

Here's something else you can do. If you're working and have access to a freezer there. You can alternate one of those blue gel cool packs to keep the ambient temp lower.<br /><br />

 

[twokniveskatie]

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469);">https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information_center/storage_life_of_foods.htm</span>

 

[Thoreau]

sl1966: 'Appreciate the additional idea of a frozen gel pack (presumably in the cooler). I'm sure there's a way to make&nbsp;that work, though I'd&nbsp;be a bit concerned about introducing extra moisture to the equation...though the gel pack is far better than ice, of course, for that reason.<br /><br />TKK: Thanks for the link to&nbsp;food storage life info. It does seem that increased heat has a signficant effect on long-term food storage life (50% for every 10 degrees, according to that article, at least for seeds and grains and such). But, as you say, especially with rotating and for short to medium term use,&nbsp;there shouldn't be a problem.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

 

[twokniveskatie]

There was also a link to another page on that website that I couldn't shorten because bitly is broken, so I deleted it. That page discusses the difference between loss of nutrition and palatabity, and I believe addressed other than dry storage.&nbsp;

 

[VanGirl]

I pretty much stay between Austin and Yuma. I was in the hottest temps on record in central Texas last year from Jan till Sept. 4th and did not have a problem with my canned food (both glass and metal cans). I work days so the van is pretty much in the heat all day. I have the little wind guards over my front windows so I can leave them down about 1 inch to keep a little air going. I also have the van very well insulated. The temp. in my van was around 110 degrees most days last summer. This summer in Az is no picnic either. I keep my canned food as close to the floor as possible. I rotate as often as I can and I do meal planning. I have never lost any of the food in glass jars for heat or cold. <br /><br />VanGirl

 

[Thoreau]

TKK: Thanks for the links. Yes, from what I've been reading...even when canned food is less tasty, it doesn't mean it's necessarily lost nutrition value, and even when it's less nutritious in some respects, it doesn't necessarily mean it's spoiled or bad to eat. I appreciate your responses.

VanGirl: TX and AZ certainly qualify for hot parts of the country. And I was indeed considering spending a good deal of time in the southwest. So I'm grateful to hear about your direct experiences with canned food in a van under such conditions. And keeping it close to the floor is another good tip...and meal planning, too--though I'm probably a little too spontaneous to stick with planning on so primal a pleasure as eating. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">
Thanks for the responses.

 

[sl1966]

Actually, I was homeless living in TX, NM, &amp; AZ when I realized my 2nd empty ice chest did what it did in the heat. Until then I was keeping it available in the event I had more cold stuff that needed storage. Point of fact it was because of squirrels raiding my food that made me start using it. I was getting tired of having to replace food.<br /><br />

 

[Thoreau]

sl1966:&nbsp;'Never did trust them squirrels. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[akrvbob]

Since you are only talking months, I don't think you have to give food storage any thought at all, even in extremes of heat and cold. Canned goods are good for many years, so even if the temps cut their life in half (which I don't think they would) you still wouldn't have an issue. I'm a snowbird, so most of my time is in moderate temps. But in the spring and winter I can run into cold into the teens and heat into the mid 90s. <br /><br />When things go on sale I stock up. So I know I have canned goods with me now that are at least a year (and probably much more) old. I wouldn't hesitate to eat them. <br /><br />Dried goods are a little more touchy, but I still don't think I would worry about it. I bought too much hamburger helper on sale a few years ago and I'm still eating it. No worries! Bob<br /><br />I'm now blogging, follow me here: http://cheaprvlivingblog.com/