Cooking and overall food questions......

[civileng68]

Ok, I got my tent, got my sleeping bag and am trying not to spend TOO much more money if possible so here's my question.

I'm trying to go pretty bare bones or rather........as easy as possible with what I currently have. I'd like to note have to buy a propane stove or butane stove if possible.

Here's my question(s):

A) I was thinking of getting a cooler (normal foam cooler) for food. My food I was gonna put in it is: *eggs, *ham, *hamburger meat, and maybe a *steak. If I replaced the ice daily at the CS, will a cooler keep those foods cold enough to not spoil?

B) Now to cook foods........I dont have a portable stove but was wondering......can you use a grill for normal stove type foods? If I took a griddle from home that I normally use on the stove, can I put it over the charcoal grill and get the same quality of cooking things like eggs?

C) What about boiling water on a grill using a small pot? Does that acquire the same effect?

I know this all sounds stupid but, I'm just not a camping expert and am used to the comforts of home. i dont want to buy a bunch of stuff if the things I have will make themselves useful. If I take a pan and a pot, can I do most of my cooking on a grill once I get it up and going?

D) Do I need to consider a charcoal starter or do you typically have plenty of success just throwing the bricks in the grill and lighting them up?

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Gotta question for you,,

1. When do you plan on going to the Fort ?

 

[civileng68]

Gotta question for you,,

1. When do you plan on going to the Fort ?

next friday night

 

[acenorm]

In the long run, it might be more economic to buy a propane stove for $50 from WalMart than the money for the charcoal you'll burn.
Also it will be faster to boil water and you can use your griddle from home on it. Cooler wise, same thing. You can get a $34 50 quart cooler that will hold ice longer and you'll spend less money on after the cost of ice and the styrofoam one. Plus you'll have both items for your next trip.
Of course all I have written depends on the length of your stay.

Best Regards,
Norm

 

[civileng68]

Is ice provided for free at the comfort stations?

 

[DisCamper]

Is ice provided for free at the comfort stations?

No it cost $2 for 7 pound bag and the comfort station ice doesn't last long

 

[civileng68]

oh ok.

Well I'm only going to be at the Fort from Friday night til Monday morn so i'm trying to go without buying as much as possible being that I wont likely be camping back there for a while.

Anyone used any freeze dried meals? Sports Authority has some that sound enticing but I've never tried them as a replacement for cooking over a stove/grill. I may have a water boiler to plug in.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Well you can make up some meals from home as well to keep in a cooler. You can make some spaghetti, chili, or any kind of casserole. You can cook eggs and bacon. If you are near outlets you could use a crockpot. If you reasearch you can find all kinds of camping dishes to make ahead and then not worry to much about how much you need to bring.

 

[MomofSixinSC]

I like to make most food ahead and then freeze it. That way, it helps keep the cooler cold as well. I'll make a stew, freeze it, and then re-heat it in a crockpot while I am enjoying the day.

Another meal we enjoyed was bringing hot dogs to the campfire and cookinng them there.

I also skip things like eggs in favor of cold cereal and made ahead muffins. I don't want to spend my vacation cooking.

Enjoy!

 

[mikeymouse1]

When I started hiking we used Sterno stoves (very cheap). Walmart had them at one point. We would use them for caned soup beef stew and such. I would probably eat cereal pop-tarts and bagels for breakfast and chips and salsa, fruit and yogurt or sandwiches for lunch or dinner.For a real treat grill a steak for dinner and throw your tader in the coals to bake it! A small toaster oven if you have one is a good Fort item

 

[retired and happy]

I've been told the ice from the trading posts lasts longer and is only a few cents more than the machines at the CS. This time of year that may not be much of a problem. Might need a small heater for the tent unless you have a really good sleeping bag..

 

[GOBA Mom Lynn]

When camping at the Fort, you need to think about one thing that as a tent camper you may not normally consider: electricity. Use the grill for that steak dinner, but for everything else, think small electric appliances. A crockpot, electric frying pan and hot pot (or electric tea kettle) would do just about everything unless you want to bring a small coffee maker, too. So take stock of your home kitchen and see what you can easily bring.

I agree with momofsix, freeze what you can at home for the cooler. Less ice you may need to buy.

Have a great time, whatever you decide to do.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Just my opinion,
I know that you want to plan this as cheap as possible, but I would not skimp on the cooler, buy a good one.
You might consider one of those little "dorm room refrigerators" bout the size of a cooler and you don't need ice and you can also use around the house when you aren't camping.
We camp with one.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

When camping at the Fort, you need to think about one thing that as a tent camper you may not normally consider: electricity. Use the grill for that steak dinner, but for everything else, think small electric appliances. A crockpot, electric frying pan and hot pot (or electric tea kettle) would do just about everything unless you want to bring a small coffee maker, too. So take stock of your home kitchen and see what you can easily bring.

I agree with momofsix, freeze what you can at home for the cooler. Less ice you may need to buy.

Have a great time, whatever you decide to do.

That's what I was going to suggest -- an electric skillet. You can cook a lot of stuff in it easily. And/or an electric pot (I think the brand name is Kitchen Kettle) to boil water or cook in. Simple and easy to clean.

Have fun!

 

[mikron]

oh ok.

Well I'm only going to be at the Fort from Friday night til Monday morn so i'm trying to go without buying as much as possible being that I wont likely be camping back there for a while.

Anyone used any freeze dried meals? Sports Authority has some that sound enticing but I've never tried them as a replacement for cooking over a stove/grill. I may have a water boiler to plug in.

Freeze dried meals, only thing I can say they are better then the GI meals I had in the service (YUCK). How about the pre packed foil tray with charcole.

 

[BradyBz12]

The way the weather has been recently, a foam cooler and a bag of ice really might get you through a weekend, although I'd definitely agree about the merits of a decent cooler (DH kids me that I collect them)

One note on CS ice... a good bit more comes out of the machine than fits in the bags they give you. Sometimes almost another half a bag! I either bring a clean trash bag or take the cooler with me.

If you can, freeze the meat ahead, at least a little. That'll help in the "keeping things cold" dept. Just don't freeze things rock solid if you're going to be eating them in a day or 2.

For cooking, the grill may be fine for typical grillables but it's likely to take forever to heat up anything in a pot. If you're going to use the grills, remember foil is your friend and good for all kinds of grill cooking.

If it were me I'd take advantage of the fact that you'll have electricity and bring a hot pot for heating liquids. Small, cheap, lived out of one in college.

If you need something a bit bigger... I bought an electric "tea kettle" that'll boil up a big ol' pot of water in minutes.

Heck if it were me I'd be bringing my electric perk coffee maker too!

An electric skillet isn't a bad idea either if space/budget allows.

One thought... if you do go the electric route and decide to bring a few "appliances" you might want to consider a heavy duty multi-plug connector thingy or a power strip.


Have a great time!

 

[DebbieT11]

I'm seconding the "small electric appliances" ideas.... snag something like this at a thrift shop, or new at a discount store

and an electric pot to boil water quickly..... you can manage just about anything with them. Also, yes, spring for a good cooler. If you can't manage it financially now, keep it in mind for future purchases.

 

[SCtigercock]

If you don't decide on electric, which I think is a great idea since the Fort offers you those capabilites, the grill we use is the 19.99 LP special from Wally World. It takes small LP tanks from the camping section and ours sells them in 2 packs for ~$5. We have found the non Coleman brand gets better results. The grill lasts us ~2 years and by then is filthy when it breaks.
We use ours for both grilling and cooking in a shallow pan.

Our last purchase was ~2 years ago, so the grill price may be hgher now, but the cheap ones haven't let us down yet. On our 3rd in 7+ years.

 

[LarryJ]

Ok, I got my tent, got my sleeping bag and am trying not to spend TOO much more money if possible so here's my question.

I'm trying to go pretty bare bones or rather........as easy as possible with what I currently have. I'd like to note have to buy a propane stove or butane stove if possible.

Here's my question(s):

A) I was thinking of getting a cooler (normal foam cooler) for food. My food I was gonna put in it is: *eggs, *ham, *hamburger meat, and maybe a *steak. If I replaced the ice daily at the CS, will a cooler keep those foods cold enough to not spoil?

B) Now to cook foods........I dont have a portable stove but was wondering......can you use a grill for normal stove type foods? If I took a griddle from home that I normally use on the stove, can I put it over the charcoal grill and get the same quality of cooking things like eggs?

C) What about boiling water on a grill using a small pot? Does that acquire the same effect?

I know this all sounds stupid but, I'm just not a camping expert and am used to the comforts of home. i dont want to buy a bunch of stuff if the things I have will make themselves useful. If I take a pan and a pot, can I do most of my cooking on a grill once I get it up and going?

D) Do I need to consider a charcoal starter or do you typically have plenty of success just throwing the bricks in the grill and lighting them up?

I would go with the electric skillet and extension cord. You can do almost anything with one of those and you can pick one up for around $15. Once done the skillet becomes your dishpan too.

Back when we traveled with the sons and w/o the RV we used one of the old style electric coffee pots and made, bean and franks, soup, hot dogs, etc. in our motel room for supper and after washed the next morning we made coffee for the day in it.

Larry

 

[Born 2 Fish]

I use to travel a lot in my early years, I worked for a , now famous, restaurant chain. We always had to pack as light as we could, so I only wore the socks on my feet, and the "fruit of the looms" on my butt. After I'd retire for the night in my motel room I'd wash/sterilize them in the motel rooms coffe pot, and sleep in the buff while the undies would dry over night.

TA DA,, clean drawers !!