Storing Food Without Refrigeration

[Firtree]

By Carolyn Shearlock. She also wrote  The Boat Galley Cookbook  

Wish the books were available from libraries but they are not mega sellers. 
For us the storing book, even the $8.++ kindle version might be too expensive. 
Now if someone would buy the paperback/kindle for you, it would be worth a good read. (Paperback About $10.++ @Amazon)

One thing she discussed was canned food in glass jars. Normally all that glass would creep me out on a boat, RV, van but she says to put the jar in a sock, then into a section of standing PVC pipe and then into one of those plastic milk crates. Made sense that would be a pretty safe way to transport. 

She does like Harmony House for dehydrated veggies as they can be found in sizes smaller than a #10 can. And she’s really big on the green beans and buys in gallon size for their salads.

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]You can find many of her ideas on cooking and storing food in a small place at [/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]https://theboatgalley.com/[/font][/SIZE]

 

[Gypsy Freedom]

that method will do a good job of keep the glass intact, but it sure eats up a lot of premium space.

i buy dehydrated and freeze dried fruits and veggys in bulk on line then repackage in ziplocs or even vacu-seal

also as a mobile lifestyle alows me i tend to follow the harvest and am able to buy fresh often from local farmers markets. if you are in a dry climate, a simple evap type cooler can be made with a box and a wet towel. it wont keep your milk from turning but can give you a couple extra days on the life of fresh veg

i feel guilty sharing this as i sold out and installed plenty of solar and refrigeration freezer space. but i did live for years with out. i even did the dry ice in a cooler thing for a few years back when i had a source for free dry ice

 

[crofter]

So is dry ice better than wet ice?   ~crofter

 

[Gypsy Freedom]

If you are crossing the Atlantic and need a bunch of food for a bunch of people in the boat, that would be a legit concern.
But we are (mostly) riding vehicles, moving through towns and villages with food stores and  restaurants. Long term storage is not such a major issue. Instead of packing dried foodstuff and inventing new storage contraptions to stash it, I would say get a small 12 volt fridge and eat some fresh food during your travels. It is healthier too...

not everyone as the room of finances to buy and provide power to a 12v fridge. not everyone wants to stay in or drive to the city to shop every couple days. 15 day camping in the forest can easily mean 15 days before resupply. also small towns and out of the way places often do not have the variety, quality or reasonable prices. dried or freeze dried quality fruits and veggies are far healthier than campbells soup

learning tips and tricks to store food without refrigeration is a wise skill set to have. it give you the freedom to go places without being chained to staying in range of a grocery store.

sure, if you stay on the main road and, stay in bed and sleep late. then this might not be fore you

 

[Gypsy Freedom]

So is dry ice better than wet ice?   ~crofter

yes, dry ice has 3 huge benefits in my book

first it has around 10 times more cooling potential than regular ice. it is a dual phase change material where as water ice is only a single phase change.

second, it is DRY, no melt water to deal with. no more dealing with draining water from a cooler or worrying about soggy contents

third, it is so cold (around minus 100f) that you can keep thing frozen! like icecream or meats

that third one, blessing as it can be. can also be a bit of a challenge. you cant just drop a block of dry ice in your cooler or you are liable to freeze your eggs and veggies. frozen cucumbers or lettuce does not make for a happy camper

i would section off my cooler. frozen foods and the dry ice in one section. then an insulating divider with the remaining foods on the other side of the divider. it takes a bit of figuring to get the dividing right.

 

[jacqueg]

In your experience, does dry ice last longer than water ice?

I know how to keep keep my food cold and dry with water ice. What I am looking for is something that keeps my food cold for more hours/days.

 

[XERTYX]

I dont have much experience with dry ice. 0 experience with using it to cool food but as you may know dry ice is solid carbon dioxide gas. When it evaporates it returns to a gas, and that gas occupies MUCH MUCH more volume than the solid state does. So I'd imagine it would last longest in a nearly air tight container to belay the evaporation a bit but not a sealed container. Like a yeti or similar with locking latches. If there is enough pressure built from the evaporating CO² it will cause your cooler to explode.

 

[AnnieSantiago]

I don't have refrigeration.
i don't refrigerate eggs or mayonnaise.
I use yogurt for cereal when I eat cereal and it doesn't need refrigeration.
I use canned chicken, tuna, salmon and when I want a fresh steak or pork chop, I go to the market.
Fruits and veggies are kept in a cool dark place in the van and last for weeks.
Just haven't found a need for a refrigerator yet.

 

[crofter]

dry ice is solid carbon dioxide gas. When it evaporates it returns to a gas, and that gas occupies MUCH MUCH more volume than the solid state does. So I'd imagine it would last longest in a nearly air tight container to belay the evaporation a bit but not a sealed container. Like a yeti or similar with locking latches. If there is enough pressure built from the evaporating CO² it will cause your cooler to explode.

Wow. Exploding coolers. Did anyone have this problem?    ~crofter

 

[frankgibbons]

One thing she discussed was canned food in glass jars. Normally all that glass would creep me out on a boat, RV, van but she says to put the jar in a sock, then into a section of standing PVC pipe and then into one of those plastic milk crates. Made sense that would be a pretty safe way to transport. 

I like her idea :idea: , it's a good way to take glass jars on a trip without worrying about breaking or cracking. But it will consume good enough space in the transportation.  :huh:

 

[eDJ_]

I'm thinking of taking along a couple of small Co2 fire extinguishers for one,  fire issues, and two,  to spray into the ice chest
to add refrigerant. (not ice)  The extinguishers may be recharged in almost any town as they become low. 

Some guys I spoke with who were in Viet Nam did this for their refrigeration (aboard a Tank)  where they would lay out 
foods & beverages and hose it down with a Co2 fire extinguisher and throw an army blanket or two over it  Within minutes they had cold beverages. 

When I asked if they were worried about a fire in the tank's engine or something,  the answer was a resounding NO.  What about the fire extinguisher ?  Well the supply truck was thru their area about every day and carried charged up fire extinguishers to swap.  

FireMasters is one nationally franchising fire extinguisher company.

 

[poot_traveller]

Anything goes in a war but blasting food with a fire extinguisher seems a bit extreme for van camping.

I criticize your idea while my chicken dinner sits in a uncooled chilly bin while I contemplate blasting it with Co2.

Now where did I put that fire extinguisher.......

 

[eDJ_]

Perhaps it is just our cultural conditioning,  but it seems like using a fire extinguisher for anything but fire fighting is blasphemy. :dodgy:  LOL,  But the military has a different way of thinking.  Of course they have supply logistics most of 
us wouldn't have.  

But if you purchase fire extinguishers from a Nationally Networked Company.......you would have someplace to take it 
for a refill while traveling.  All that Co2 extinguisher is.....is a most convenient canister of "canned dry ice" at the ready.  

My veteran buddies could get cases of beer while in the field but it wasn't too often nor was it cold.  With the Co2 fire extinguisher and a blanket they had freezing cold beer within a few minutes.  As one said to me,  "In the steaming hot jungle weather it was important to savor the occasional pleasures life sent their way".   But I took this lesson to heart and found it to be a keeper of a tip.

 

[Rainier70]

Sorry, I have to throw this reminder in.

For those of you considering using either CO2 extinguishers or dry ice, keep in mind that you need lots of ventilation.  CO2 can displace the air in a closed vehicle or small room.  Unfortunately you can't smell it, and by the time you realize that you are short of oxygen, you can pass out before you can get out. 

I know from experience that it can happen.   When I was in college we were transporting some ice cream, with dry ice to keep it cold, in a cooler in the trunk of a car.  Suddenly we all got dizzy and almost ran off the road.  Luckily we weren't traveling fast, and we got stopped just in time to throw open the doors.  One of our friends had already passed out briefly.  We were all fine, but it could have ended in a horrific wreck. 

Just take care.    :shy:

 

[highdesertranger]

dang that's some scary stuff. highdesertranger

 

[eDJ_]

Yes,  that's a good heads up.

I'm sure people here who would use the Co2 fire extinguisher trick would take it to heart too.   Just like sleeping with a propane heater operating in the rig at night.  You're not living in a house any more when you're a Van Nomad.

For those boondocking for an extended period, dry ice in a convenient form may be a solution for their refrigeration.  They may have to keep the cooler outdoors and possibly hoisted up over a tree limb to keep it safe from animals, but if one wants to boondock they may need some pioneering skills and some basic gear for it. (unless they are in a factory built self contained RV where they wouldn't need primitive refrigeration)

But make no mistake, the information about dry ice and your experience with it is well received.