The Best Camping Food Storage Ideas

These are the best camping food storage ideas.  Be sure to save these to use for your next trip into the wilderness!

Camping can be a fun and rewarding experience for the whole family, but packing for the big trip can be difficult. Namely, packing food can easily turn into a hassle for a variety of reasons. 

Trying to get all of the food to fit together in as little space as possible can seem like it takes a small miracle, but it doesn’t have to. The following are some great tips to start packing your camping food like a pro.

1. Freeze As Much As Possible

Ice cubes and packs can take up a lot of space in your cooler, so try to freeze as much of it as possible to serve double duty as ice packs. The night before you pack,  see how much of your food can be safely frozen.

This way, the non freezable food will be kept cold by the frozen food, meaning that you will not have to use up as much space with ice packs or cubes.

2. Remove Food From Packaging

Not all food needs to stay in its original packaging, especially many dry goods. Sort through your food and see what can safely be removed from its packaging to reduce the space it takes up. 

Be sure to factor in what would happen if the food gets wet and how long you will be camping before you remove it from its container.

3. Pack In Layers

When camping, it is best to have a basic meal plan together to determine when you will eat what food. This can also help you pack food in layers, where you will have easy access to the food that you will be using first. 

This can save you a lot of time and frustration during the campout, and it is always a good idea to limit any possible sources of stress while camping. 

4. Keep Cold Foods & Dry Goods Separate

This tip is important for keeping your food fresh and edible, as wet foods and dry foods do not mix well when stored together. Wet and cold foods can create condensation, or will need to be kept cold by ice which in turn can lead to your dry foods getting wet.

Make sure you plan ahead and pack food separately to limit the chance of this happening.

5. Use Appropriate Containers

Not all of your food needs to be stored in coolers, and it is totally fine to store different foods in more appropriate containers. For example, you should store snacks in a container that is easily accessible without digging through ingredients coolers.

Further, if you are not able to fill up a container with food, consider opting for a smaller one, especially since you will have to take even less home with you.

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Tips for camping meal preparation:

• Prepare meals in advance at home whenever possible.  Leave most of the mess at home where running water is more accessible and clean up is easier.  Trust me on this one!
• Create “one pot” family style meals for quick dinners that don’t require a lot of thought. 
• Use tinfoil packets, foil pie pans or pie irons. These tools help to make clean up a breeze!
• Pack ingredients in 1 gallon size ziploc bags for flexible storage in small fridges and coolers.
• Plan meals that use similar ingredients to help make packing and planning easy.  These Cheesy Vegetable Campfire Dip, Loaded Campfire Potatoes and Tinfoil Packet Taco Salad recipes are some of my favorites.

Food is a staple of camping, and can be an immensely satisfying experience to cook and eat your own food with family and friends. However, getting food to the campsite can be difficult. 

With the tips on this list you can be sure that all of your food is safely packed and ready to use on your next great outdoor adventure.

Do you have anymore Camping Food Storage Ideas?  Please share!