WSU Thurston County
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Lacey WA 98503
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Thurston County Extension
Food Safety: Package Food
Keep Food Safe When Camping
The Olympian, June 17, 1998
The Northwest abounds with opportunities for overnight camping trips. The basic food safety guidelines apply to the campsite: keep it cold, keep it hot and keep it clean. Actually following these guidelines during a family outing can be challenging, to say the least.
Camping does pose some special food-safety problems, but with a little planning, they can be solved ahead of time.
QUESTION: What is the most common food-safety problem associated with family camping?
ANSWER: The most common challenge is the lack of adequate refrigeration. Perishable foods like fresh meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and butter must be kept cold to be kept safely. Remember the danger zone for bacteria growth is between 40 and 140 degrees F.
It's important to use ice-requiring foods early in the trip. If you don't consume these foods soon, you'll have to throw them out.
QUESTION: Do you have some suggestions for picking foods for a camping trip?
ANSWER: One of the things we do to prepare for camping trips is to cook and freeze several entrees ahead of time, including hamburger patties. It's a win-win scenario. The pre-cooked food save times at the campsite, and while frozen helps maintain the temperature of the cooler.
You can also explore the grocery store for items for use later in your trip. Take the children along to help you choose. There are the old standbys like canned fish, meat, vegetables, peanut butter and jelly, jerky or dried meat sticks, and all kinds of nut and trail mixes.
But, there are also many other products that can add culinary interest to your trip. You can purchase packaged milk that doesn't require refrigeration; beef stew in pouches; and dried products like cereal, mashed potatoes, noodle dishes, or instant rice products. There's lots of variety at the supermarket for your trip at relatively low prices.
QUESTION: Our family likes to catch and eat fish while we're camping. Do you have any safety tips for fish?
ANSWER: Remember that fish is perishable. After cleaning, wash the fish thoroughly. Cook immediately or wrap tightly and keep in the cooler with ice for no longer than 24 hours.
QUESTION: We like to grill meat and poultry while camping. How can you tell if it's been cooked long enough to be safe?
ANSWER: To kill any disease-causing bacteria, meat must be cooked thoroughly and served hot.
Generally, red meat should be cooked until all the pink is gone. This is especially important and ALWAYS necessary with hamburger because of the possibility of contamination with E. Coli.
Poultry is usually adequately cooked when there is no red in the joints. It's easy to be rushed in preparation and cooking times when you've had a long day and everyone is tired and hungry. It can also be difficult to tell when food is adequately cooked if it's beginning to get dark.
Be Safe: Use a flashlight or a lantern when you check to see if the meat is done.
B. Susie Craig
Area Faculty
WSU Cooperative Extension Thurston County
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Last updated January 22, 2001