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Frozen food for bush trip – ideas please?

Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 19:23

Mike Harding

Article Overview - Food & Water
One of the most important considerations when planning an outback trip is the selection of foods to take and the amount needed to keep everyone healthy and happy. View Full Article...
Being the new proud owner of a Chescold 3 way fridge/freezer (-20C no problem for all you skeptics :) I’m now wondering what frozen food I can take bush for a stay of two weeks plus. Various meats, of course, but I suspect all you clever people out there have other suggestions which haven’t occurred to me? Frozen veg. – can get tinned veg though?

Gin and tonic, naturally, now that I have a source of ice cubes :)

Mike Harding

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AnswerID: 255952   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 19:36

Member - Ed. C. (QLD) replied:

I scream, you scream, we all scream for
ICE CREAM!!!!!!!!

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Reply 1 of 17
AnswerID: 255953   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 19:44

Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) replied:


Wengel's are colder. Especially if fitted with the shoelace and Cobb option.

Solar LPG panels will mean you can camp for 2.33 Milleniums and eat what you like.

Pre-cooked curries, stews etc. Even presliced roasts. Cook it at home, just need the ability to re-heat it at camp.

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Reply 2 of 17
FollowupID: 517094   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 19:53

Mike Harding posted:

Don't mention Cobbs! :)

Pre-cooked...???? Nah. I like to cook in the bush and, frankly, I couldn't be bothered with trying to cook and freeze a week or two's meals.

Mike Harding
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 520836   Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 at 12:32

Mainey (WA) posted:

""Wengel's are colder. Especially if fitted with the shoelace and Cobb option.

Solar LPG panels will mean you can camp for 2.33 Milleniums and eat what you like.""


The LPG panels are too lite, and it's hard to stop them from floating away because the gas is stored too close to the glass and it heats up to high !!
The Weengel are colder only because the shoe lace is able to hold it closer to the Waycoe !! lol

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FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 255954   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 19:46

Muddy doe (SA) replied:

Hi Mike

How are you going to run it, 1/2 and 1/2 or all freezer then fridge towards the end?
You can easily live like a king if you want too. As a freezer you could have premade curries, stews, sweet and savoury sauces as well as meat sauces (for spag bol etc), stewed fruits, various fish, various meats, sausages, minces and roasts etc, etc, etc. Not to mention icecream, various pies (sweet and meat) sponge cakes, tarts etc. and the list just goes on and on. You can freeze oranges (nice on a hot day), bananas (as an icy pole, just peel put on wooden skewer, coat with ice flavoured magic toppings or as is and wrap in alfoil) If you can freeze these all these items before departure and only have to do the extras when you arrive at your destination.

Enjoy and feast well!!!

Cya
:)
Ms Doe

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Reply 3 of 17
FollowupID: 517096   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 19:56

Mike Harding posted:

Hi Ms Doe

I've got the blue one and thought I would use it as a fridge/freezer.

Pies are a good idea - oranges and bananas!!! really? I'll clearly have to put a bit more thought into this freezer thing than I thought.

Mike Harding
FollowUp 1 of 3
FollowupID: 517100   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 20:17

Muddy doe (SA) posted:

Hi Mike

I have read your replies on the other posts and didn't realise you wanted to stay away from prepared foods. Best to make a menu up, take only what you will require if cooking from scratch with a campfire/stove.
As for the oranges and bananas, yeap it works. Oranges will keep frozen in their skins for quite some months but the bananas (buy when cheaper) won't keep as long. To be honest they never lasted too long in Summer with 3 kids around anyway.

I don't know where the element is in the new ones so I can't help there except to say, try and contain the colder parts for your frozen goods with a divider. I used to do that in the Chestcold we bought in the late 70's and it still was going strong when I left 2 years ago. All the meats, juice, milk and water all froze/iced over nicely as well as we had cold drinks for the kids, the adults at happy hour and that was in Qld weather too!
With the Trailblaza the majority of the element for that is on the bottom so I divide that with wood hinged in the middle on 6 little pieces of dowell or pvc pipes. We turn it down a notch when most of the meat is used and use it more like a fridge, the meat still stays frozen.

Cya
:)
Ms Doe

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FollowUp 2 of 3
FollowupID: 517118   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:38

Member - Franga (QLD) posted:

Hi Ms Doe
I'm interested in a bit more info on the trailblazer. I have a 60ltr compact type and was wondering what setting you run yours on whilst in the freeze at the bottom, fridge at the top mode.
Any other info would be appreciated.
Regards Franga
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FollowUp 3 of 3
AnswerID: 255958   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 20:07

TD100 replied:

Mike i have the same unit and love it for camping(on LPG)it will run for 2 weeks flat out on a 4kg bottle and still have some left in it and thats on 25 to 30 degree days,keep stuff frozen during the day and also freeze the stuff in the fridge section overnight,pretty ordinary on DC consumption (8A continually)but it still works well and 240v is as good as DC,so all in all its a good unit cheers Paul
Reply 4 of 17
AnswerID: 255960   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 20:11

pt_nomad replied:

Hi Mike,
We have only used our freezer once since picking up amonth ago (evakool). Mainly purchsed to use a larger fridge by removing the tempory divider.

Apart from the novelty value of icecream, we think it is some thing the family can do without in the bush.

A couple of uses I'd consder are :
* A loaf or two of bread.
* Bottle(s) of fresh milk - Freeze at home. I'm not sure if such a large thermal mass (frozen) would decrease or increse power consumption.
* cold pack for strains / burns etc.
Paul.
Reply 5 of 17
FollowupID: 517101   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 20:19

Gronk posted:

You're joking ????
How do you even think of fitting in that sort of stuff ???
A fridge is for beer....and if you can fit it in .......marg, milk,cheese !!!!
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 517106   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 20:42

pt_nomad posted:

Gronk,

Your exactly right, a fridge is for beer.... and a freezer is for other stuff.

Only a wally would leave beer in the freezer for a long time cause it makes a heck of a mess when the stubbiew pop and spill their guts into the freezer.

Now placing the beer from the fridge into the freezer for an hour before drinking is another thing. Works a treat at home so rekon it would work in the bush also - just gotta rember to take the remainer out (have had several sunday morning clean ups).

Paul.
FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 255978   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 20:56

JimDi replied:

Mike,

You can get all sorts of dried,cryovaced?,food,long life milk,etc,etc.
But you cannot get anything like ice with a Gin and Tonic. Thinly sliced lemons??? Well you can pack heaps and in an emergency the Gin and Tonic will still survive without that slice of lemon(I think). Note, in an emergency.
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Reply 6 of 17
AnswerID: 255982   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:20

Member - Brian (WA) replied:

Mike. We just did a 25 day trip camped in one spot. I planed a menu before we
went. We took a Camp oven as well as the stove. In the oven we did Roasts,Pies&
Sausage rolls,Pizza's.We did take pre made Curry's as well as the Steak's,Chops,
Hamburgers,Sausages. We have also taken Fish fillet's but not this time.
Some take the bones out of the chops and we take the boned legs of Lamb.
We just used solar for our power. This might you a bit.
Brian
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Reply 7 of 17
FollowupID: 517113   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:26

Member - Brian (WA) posted:

Another item we got to make Ice cubes.They are ice cube bags made by the glad
wrap people,have a look in the supermarkets near the glad wrap. Make neat
ice cubes. Cheers
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FollowUp 1 of 1
AnswerID: 255987   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 21:31

Andrew from Vivid Adventures replied:

on my photography workshops I take some selection of:
* various pasta sauces (putanesca, boscaiola,...)
* curries of various ethnicities
* chilli con carne
* frozen roast veggie salad (to which you can add some clicken or cous cous or similar)
* frozen marinated lamb-steaks

All seems to work pretty easily.
Cheers
Andrew.
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Reply 8 of 17
AnswerID: 255994   Submitted: Sunday, Aug 05, 2007 at 22:17

Aandy(WA) replied:

Wow Mike another one of the difficult questions that seem to pop up on this forum. I would take sausages, chops and steaks. Enough to last for at least 14 days (I multiplied 2weeks by 7 to get that. Now .... to eat with the meat you will need some vegetables. I think you should take potatoes, pumpkin and peas. If you take frozen peas they are the only vegetables you'll need to freeze. I'm going camping soon Mike and perhaps you can advise me. Do you think I should take more than one jumper in case it gets cold? Also I can't decide whether to take a pillow or not. Enjoy your first ever camping trip Mike.
Reply 9 of 17
AnswerID: 256010   Submitted: Monday, Aug 06, 2007 at 07:12

Al & Mrs Al (Vic) replied:

Hiya Mike,

I think working the menu out is a good thing, that's what we normally do, also, after a few trips I've realised there's no need to do anything differenty than you would at home. So if you want to make a curry up in the bush do it, and then if you've got left overs you can always freeze those. As for frozen veg, I really only get frozen peas..the others I get fresh, pies & sausage rolls are great, we've taken away frozen doughnuts as well and heated them up in the 12volt oven...I also bung in a spare tub of marg incase we run out...Icecream or Icy pole things, I eat neither really but the kids enjoy them...and frozen fruit as Judy has said, does work a treat, esp Oranges...better than a Orange Sunnyboy anyday...just have to convince Callum of that.. :) Enjoy the freezer, glad to see you have the right priorites with the ice..for the G & T..

cheers

Lyn


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Reply 10 of 17
AnswerID: 256011   Submitted: Monday, Aug 06, 2007 at 07:29

Ron173 replied:

Mike,

Have you got 2 units yet? If not it will be next.

I was in a constant turmoil wether to run Engel as fridge or freezer every trip. Then going freezer and taking esky, swapping blocks etc etc

So I decided to buy another unit, went Waeco so have one of each, hope they dont fight!

Was out this weekend with both sucking off my 120 a/hr agm, and with my solar panel on it was still topping up battery. (happy camper, great to be all leccy and apart from drinks cubes, ice free)

Your as bad as me for your toys (he who dies with most toys wins!) so how long will it be before you have 2 units??

Ron
Reply 11 of 17
FollowupID: 517376   Submitted: Tuesday, Aug 07, 2007 at 21:50

mattche posted:

On a side note to this, what brand and size solar panel were you using to top up the battery.
FollowUp 1 of 8
FollowupID: 520837   Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 at 12:52

Mainey (WA) posted:

mattche,
3 weeks and no reply so maybe a bit more info from elsewhere will not be mistaken as intrusion... lol

The two fridges would be using ~6ah so would have to replace that at least to keep the agm at a fully charged state.
FollowUp 2 of 8
FollowupID: 520861   Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 at 16:23

Ron173 posted:

Sorry mate,

never got the email follow up, the panel is a 60w Kyocera, and a projecta 10a regulator.

All works pretty well, I dont doubt that when its 40deg it will be a different story, but when its that hot so is solar output so panel maxes out.

I only usually camp a few days at a time if bush camping, and it works fine.

Battery is an Amptech, and its HUGE in physical size, but works fab.

Ron
FollowUp 3 of 8
FollowupID: 520880   Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 at 17:00

Mainey (WA) posted:

Ron,
You posted,
""Was out this weekend with both sucking off my 120 a/hr AGM
and with my solar panel on it was still topping up battery""


If it's the Amptech D87L, it's a Deep Cycle but not an agm battery !!
FollowUp 4 of 8
FollowupID: 520896   Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 at 17:37

Ron173 posted:

Dunno?,

was told it was an AGM, paid $220 inc for it, does that help? I did get a fair bit of discount though,

not real fussed what it is, it does the job very well
FollowUp 5 of 8
FollowupID: 520902   Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 at 18:16

Mainey (WA) posted:

being 120ah tells me it's not agm as they don't make a 120ah agm.

As your not fussed, it's ok to pay whatever is asked, but to be told your buying an agm battery with their real benefits of very fast recharge and high discharge capabilities is immoral and deceitful when all you are given is a common sla battery.

As your happy in the job it does all ends well.

happy travels...
FollowUp 6 of 8
FollowupID: 520999   Submitted: Thursday, Aug 30, 2007 at 07:12

Ron173 posted:

Mainey,

Dont think deceitful, prhaps just not knowledgeable, guy seems pretty good, same battery elsewhere was 285.

It actually says 200ah on side, but rep says its 120 and got wrong sticker on it.

Its biggest batt I ever had, and it was a tight literally sliding fit in biggest box I could buy.

Top has the handles as part of mouldings, and nothing else on it apart from the lead poles, totally flat, no plugs or even vents.

I ran the 2 fridges on it in shed for 2 nights, (i know not scientific and not as hot, but just an idea to see) and then checked battery voltage and it was 12.6v, so without the panel I was happy with that, so should be ok on 2 cloudy days.

What I do isnt life threatening, i dont go across deserts n stuff like that, I camp at dams and fish.

Ron
FollowUp 7 of 8
FollowupID: 521062   Submitted: Thursday, Aug 30, 2007 at 16:23

Mainey (WA) posted:

Ron, the 120ah battery is about the standard 33cm long the next bigger DC battery is about 40cm long and both have two (2) lugs at each end, whereby the Cranking batteries have only one (1) lug each end, both types have the handles as you posted.
Some 200ah batteries are almost 1/2 mtr long.
FollowUp 8 of 8
AnswerID: 256020   Submitted: Monday, Aug 06, 2007 at 08:20

Member - Brian H (QLD) replied:

I'm no skeptic of the chestcold got an older one just had issues with it on my last trip (bugger) another story.

As for food I get things like crumbed breast fillet of chicken, chicken keiv's (spelling) chicken rissoles and freeze these in meal lots. You can also get the small chicken roast rolled with stuffing and macadamin nuts. I know the chicken will not freeze as long as other meats but will give some varities. As for deserts small apple pies can get them in packs of 4 and little dollop cream packs they only about 50 mm high and pack well (on top).

Failing that while out camping cook up some snags and onions and make a curry gravy put this in with the snags let it simmer toss in later some sultanas and peas and place on a bed of rice........... YUM. Takes about 3 cans of beer "consumed" to make for non drinkers about 30 - 40 mins :)

Of course I dare say anything in the frozen section at the supermarket will do pies, sauage rolls, fish fingers, prawns to make curried prawns YUM.

Brian
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Reply 12 of 17
AnswerID: 256053   Submitted: Monday, Aug 06, 2007 at 13:18

Moose replied:

G'day Mike
Those packets of frozen chippies come up a treat and are so much easier than have to peel and cut up whole spuds. No rotten spuds either. Will leave you more time to enjoy the g & t and scenery.
Cheers from the Moose
Reply 13 of 17
AnswerID: 256100   Submitted: Monday, Aug 06, 2007 at 16:57

Axel [ the real one ] replied:

Limes , slice lime and freeze ea slice in glad wrap , gin + tonic time put frozen slice of lime in glass + 2x ice cubes + 2 generous fingers of Bombay and top with Sweppes tonic water ,watch the sunset with a bit of style,
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Reply 14 of 17
AnswerID: 256135   Submitted: Monday, Aug 06, 2007 at 19:51

Member - Bruce T (SA) replied:

We take our food in the fridge, but we vacuum pack it before we go. It will easily last for longer than 3 weeks. That way you don't have to run your fridge as a freezer and use extra power if you're camped in one spot.

Bruce and Di
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Reply 15 of 17
AnswerID: 259304   Submitted: Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 at 22:25

richor replied:

I can't believe no one has mentioned bacon. How can you survive on a camping trip without it. Another meat we take is duck ( for apricot duck), pork roast, and boned butterflied chickens. A couple of bunnies also make a good feed. Frozen prawns are great as well. I can't help with the vegies side of it. We don't put anything but meat and bait in the freezer.
Good luck,
Bob
Reply 16 of 17
AnswerID: 259400   Submitted: Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 at 16:02

Member - Beatit (QLD) replied:

What about the bait - pays to have some frozen just in case.

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Reply 17 of 17