Condiments

[stacktester]

I'm curious to know how some other campers do some things like condiments and what not. It seems that whenever we camp our mayo, mustard and other stuff no matter how small a container I buy is left over. I am a bachelor and don't cook too much at home so between trips these things may not stay fresh.

This is going to sound chincy but I have been getting some small packets like mayo, catsup and mustard from restaurants and keeping it in a bag I can put in the house. Things like those small containers of Smucker's jelly and honey seem to make sense for those of us who have a small camping family. I just hate to see a whole bottle of these things go to waste and have to buy more. I keep the Splenda, Equal and sugar in a bag as well that I put in the house.

Coffee stirrers in the plastic wrapper are good from Mickey D's and I always get a few moist wipettes from Sonny's which are a great thing to have anywhere if you don't have a place to wash up before eating.

I got blasted on my thread about parking in the overflow lot the night before we checked in so I hope nobody filet's me on this. I don't like take handfuls from 1 place. I usually get 1 or 2 at a time so it's not taking too much. I just don't ever see these things in Costco or whatever to buy like this. I think we're all familiar with how things like this don't keep well in a closed up camper that sits in the sun. Any other ideas???????

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

I'm surprised you haven't found them at Costco or Sam's Club. I could've sworn I've seen them there before

Anywho, to answer your question; we're a family so I easily use all of our condiments. So, no great advice on that issue. If I were you, and the small, individual packets really work for you, I'd contact a private, locally owned restaurant. See if they would be willing to sell you maybe 1/2 of a case. The wet wipes can be bought and resealed effectively. I buy the hand wipes in the toddler isle of my grocery store. The coffee stirrers are at both Costco and Sam's club, I bought a case around Christmas because I do breakfast for the extended family around the holidays. (saved me from having everyone grab a spoon to stir their coffee ) Maybe try looking with the insulated cups and lids.

 

[FloridaTeacher]

Well - I'm the antithesis of a bachelor (wife, mom of 2 boys - always a houseful of teenagers ), but here's what I sometimes do. Because I always have these items in the house, I simply transfer some into small containers. I buy small containers at Walmart to put mayo, ketchup, etc. in.

I'm certainly not gonna blast you for collecting packets from restaurants. You said, after all, you only get a couple each visit and I think you are entitled to those -whether you use them there at the restaurant or later? Would I do it? No - I hate all those little bags.

I must've missed the thread that blasted you about parking in the overflow, but Disney told us to feel free to park there if we arrived in the night prior to our reservations??

Happy Camping,
Laurie

 

[ohmersgirl]

If you have a GFS (Gordon's Food Service) near where you live (they may be a regional chain, I'm not sure), I know I have seen "sets" of mustard, ketchup, mayo packets. Alot of people in our area use them for graduation open houses, so I think that's when they began packaging the three together. You could probably get a not to huge amount, of everything that you need all neatly packed.

 

[clkelley]

We had the same problem on our Boy Scout Camping weekend camping trips. The food buyer was buying the smallest package available and still lots left over. (Or the least expensive package, which with store brand, a big bottle of ketchup could be less than the small package of the name brand). The troop finally broke down and went to Sam's and purchased a box each of the packets of ketchup, mustard, mayo, and Thousand Island salad dressing. We store them in a plastic storage bin in our meeting room. Then before each camping trip, the food buyers grab what they need from the box.

As far as coffee stuff, that is an adult thing, so most of the adults that like coffee bring their own personal supply of stuff. For the boys for stirring hot chocolate, each boy is supposed to bring their own washable dishes, mug, and silverware, so no disposable stuff allowed.

 

[stacktester]

Carol the no throw away thing is a peeve of mine. I even put my plasticware in a bag and put it in the recycle bin at home. I hate wasting even if it's a dollar bottle of catsup. Sometimes I unload my fridge at my brothers when we get home because I keep my camper on his property. He has a cooking wife so they can use what we have leftover. I will look int the costco thing. I know having the wipes is really good to have no matter where you are. Can you imagine the germs on all those handrails at WDW and other places.

 

[reneritch]

We (there is only 2 of us) do basically the same thing. Especially when the fast food places puts the condiments on your tray already, why waste it. Especially, ketchup. We don't take extra, it just what is left from what they give us.

I keep small plastic containers that I have labeled , ketchup, mustard, jelly, and mayo. When we are not camping, I take the containers out of the MH, especially in the summer, and bring inside for the next camping trip.

So if you get blasted, I will too.

 

[Escape Artist]

...the no throw away thing is a peeve of mine. I even put my plasticware in a bag and put it in the recycle bin at home. I hate wasting even if it's a dollar bottle of catsup...

Wow, OP, a man after my heart! I hate all the wastefulness of our modern-day society. I always use re-usable plates and silverware and wash them when we're camping, and I've gotten a ton of flak--mostly from my own family--for "why don't you just use paper or plastic, and throw them away?" (Because we're out here enjoying nature, and we shouldn't be putting needless trash in the environment. All that trash has to go somewhere!) It drives me nuts!

Anyway, for the stuff I don't use much of, what I do is I buy the small containers for use in my house normally. Then when we go camping, I take what's left of those small containers with me in the trailer. I use what I need in the campground and at the end of the trip if anything is "iffy" (i.e., due to irregular refrigeration or contamination), then I toss the little bit that's left and buy a new small container for home and start the process over again.

This way, what I have at home is fresh and good (have you ever noticed the expiration dates on mayo...gosh they come up fast!) and I never wonder if any of it is still good. The stuff I never take camping (like tartar sauce, etc.) can get kind of scary in the fridge, since it never gets cycled out thru our camping trips. I always wonder how long the stuff in those little packets is good for...they never come with expiration dates.

I think taking a few little packets of things at restaurants is no big deal, as long as you're a customer. When you ask for them, they give you tons more than you can ever use. (Like I need 6 packets of ketchup for one burger?) I didn't post your overnight parking thread, but I think that all depends on Disney's rules. If it's a campground's rule, we follow it, even if we think it's stupid.

Happy camping!

Sue in TX