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PostPosted: February 7th, 2009, 6:17 pm 
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Joined: November 22nd, 2008, 4:30 pm
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Location: Moosonee, ON
Hello,
Please redirect me if this has been discussed before, but I’d like to ask for ideas about camp kitchen organization. I’ve begun to switch from pre-made backpack meals to making my own stuff (or at least plan to). This requires more utensils, little containers of spices, sauces, and a far wider variety of kinds of food to pack. Any thoughts on how to organize all this?

I plan to pick up one of those 60L blue barrels (from a Kijiji link that someone on here helpfully provided), and will use it as a food barrel. It seems that having it all loose in there isn’t a great idea since some items are quite small.

For those of you who have come across and solved such a problem, do you use some kind of fabric bags inside the barrel to keep everything organized? I recall seeing a Bill Mason video where he opened his little wanigan thing and everything was right there all lined up and neatly packed and everything was easy to see from the surface. That kind of organization is great, but I don’t want to use a solid box. I need it to be somewhat malleable to be shoved in the barrel.

I got a product called Campers Kitchen from Mec recently as a gift, it’s a small plastic pot and it holds some spices and a few utensils nicely, but it’s not nearly enough. And certainly doesn’t help with the day to day organization of food other than spices, but it really got me thinking about how to organize the rest.

Thanks for any ideas.


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PostPosted: February 7th, 2009, 6:34 pm 
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el cheapo fanny pack and cut off the strap that goes around your waist.

Rummage around your house and see if there isn't something like that that could have a second life.

I love those little 1 oz Nalgenes with the lids that screw on. Not pop on. Pop on pops off too and who needs salt over everything?

LL Bean used to sell a kitchen organizer for camping. The closest thing now is the Personal Organizer. I think this would do quite well.

But its more expensive.


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PostPosted: February 7th, 2009, 7:16 pm 
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Joined: June 1st, 2005, 7:15 pm
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Location: The Gateway to Woodland Caribou
http://ostromoutdoors.com/barrel-bucket ... p-143.html

there is an insulated one as well that has a piece of metal to keep it's shape.

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PostPosted: February 7th, 2009, 7:57 pm 
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Location: Montreal
With the current switch away from plastic bags, there are greater varieties of longer lasting fabric bags available. The Ostrom products are great, but for the price, I find the cheaper home version a better deal. I split my food into breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the next meal closest to the top.

The bottom of the barrel contains things that can handle the weight, such as fuel canisters, and larger plastic containers (ketchup, mustard, mayo, olive oil, soap, nalgene, cups, bag of wine). I keep the smaller plastic containers (spices, hot sauce, soya sauce) in an OR zip bag . They used to sell one especially for the kitchen, but I wasnt able to find the link for the product on the MEC site.

As the trip progresses, I slowly add more things to the barrel. Water filter, and even the pots and pans. Better weight distribution makes for better paddling and portaging.

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PostPosted: February 7th, 2009, 8:12 pm 
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How many people are going out canoeing with you?
How long are you going for?
I use a 30 L barrel for two adults , two kids for a 7+- day trip.
You should start dehydrating your own food , much better taste wise in my mind . With the barrel we start off with one extra small dry bag with some food until it gets paired down into the barrel. I make my own sil bags colour coded for breakfast lunch, dinner, each one having its own colour and spice , drinks having a seperate colour also. I use screw on lid containers from my vitamins and other safe to use containers.
Probably do not want to use a container that has held toxic items.
kitchen kit includes wooden spoon and platic spatula from dollar store.
Just as gcc_mtl stated move items into the barrel as you empty the food out. My stove and pot set go in as we go along usually by the 4th day. I personally never put my fuel in my food barrel.

I have some sil nylon scraps for making bags if you want .


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PostPosted: February 7th, 2009, 9:05 pm 
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Joined: September 26th, 2008, 1:03 pm
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Location: Kitchener, On
We usually go for from 14 - 18 days with two adults and two dogs. We dry all our own food (including dogs food) and we try to balance ease with creativity by having some ready-made meals that need only be rehydrated, some meals that we put together as we go along and some things that are simply ready to eat without any preparation. (Think trail mix, chocolate, dried fruit, nuts, etc.)
We organize our meals by dividing into stuff sacks. (We like "outdoor research ultra-lights"); one bag for "grains or staples" (rice, pasta, mashed potatoes and the like), another for our "add-ins" or individual ingredients like vegetables, another for "ready to cook" which are pre-made meals that just need to be rehydrated. All of these individual items go into re-useable ziplock bags. We have a drinks bag that holds all our coffee, teas, gatorade, skim milk, etc. The whole works goes into our food barrel and because it's all dried and we don't eat meat, we've never had a problem with critters. (except mice.) We calculate one pound per person per day and have never run out.
Peace,
Rob


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PostPosted: February 7th, 2009, 11:17 pm 
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I'll second the last poster that separates things accoding to carbohydrates, veggies, fruits, meats/proteins, dairy. I dehydrate everything myself, including the meats. I like to keep separate ingredients because sometimes my cravings change- I might decide to bake up fresh bread with soup, instead of pizza- you never know. Each of these groups is in a light weight nylon or mesh stuff sack. Gas is never with the food.
Also, I always keep my lunch and 'snack' stuff in a separate barrel or dry bag. Lunches and snacks for me never involve the stove. They are usually quick sandwiches, spreads, trail mix, brownies....
Melissa


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PostPosted: February 8th, 2009, 9:16 am 
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Melissa wrote:
. Each of these groups is in a light weight nylon or mesh stuff sack.
Gas is never with the food.
Also, I always keep my lunch and 'snack' stuff in a separate barrel or dry bag. Lunches and snacks for me never involve the stove. They are usually quick sandwiches, spreads, trail mix, brownies....
Melissa


Ditto to most of that, except that we seperate by breakfast, lunch, dinner. The dollar stores have mesh bags of different colors, which helps. The 'lunch for today' goes in a small dry bag, easily accessible, but the rest of the lunch stuff goes in a color-coded mesh bag.
Works well for me most of the time, except when my wife reorganizes partway thru the trip. :( :doh:
I carry the 'white' gas in a pocket on the outside of a big backpack, seperated as much as possible from everything else.

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PostPosted: February 8th, 2009, 12:10 pm 
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Location: Kitchener, On
Dehydrating your own food will save a lot of money but is alot of work (our idea of fun). We learned to make bases, which are basicaly pre-cooked dehydrated stews, that can be used as a sauce by itself or added to for a different dish. This saves alot of time in camp as most of the preperation is already done. It is easier to prepare as you just cook a meal and dehydrate it on sheets. We use 2 pots so1 is for grain and 1 for "sauce". Therefor we prepare the bases without a grain and save that choice for camp.
Timothyj, do you have a dehydrator?
Rob


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PostPosted: February 8th, 2009, 7:41 pm 
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Joined: November 22nd, 2008, 4:30 pm
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Location: Moosonee, ON
I don't presently have a dehydrator, and I don't think it's in the canoe budget for this year. I understand that that's the way to go though.

I like the idea of getting little fabric bags from a dollar store, sounds like it would be in my price range over the OZ zip bag. Though, that site didn't say how much that thing was. The OZ thing looks kinda like a first aid kit, which gets me thinking that first aid kit bags might work nice. The kind without the first aid stuff in them. :)

Thanks for the offer of the Nylon scraps, but I'm not much of a sewer.


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PostPosted: February 8th, 2009, 8:06 pm 
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Location: North Bay, Ontario, Canada
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_deta ... 4140595821


We use a similar bag to the link about. It is a bag we picked up a local department store for a few dollars.
It it meant to be used as a bag to carry your personal grooming stuff e.g. Tooth Paste , shaving kit, soap etc.

It has several pockets and we can carry all our cutlery, utensils, spices, dish towels and many other kitchen supplies.
It has a small loop that we use to hang it from a tree branch to keep it out of the way.


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PostPosted: February 9th, 2009, 4:44 am 
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Location: Montreal
Im loving that bag va3spt. Might get one.



Timothyj wrote:
I don't presently have a dehydrator, and I don't think it's in the canoe budget for this year. I understand that that's the way to go though.


I bought one a while back, and it wasnt part of my budget either. If you go camping often enough, it pays for itself (if you make your own vs buying the pre-made pouches). Also, its a clear step above in flavor.

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PostPosted: February 13th, 2009, 2:40 pm 
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Location: Moosonee, ON
Thanks for the ideas guys, I found a great little toiletries bag at a dollar store which works great.

Attachment:
kitchen bag (2).jpg


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PostPosted: July 15th, 2011, 5:29 pm 
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Location: Bristol, New Hampshire, USA
Go to an army/navy store & see if you can find a medic aid bag. It's expandable, has several zippered pouches and is lightweight and tuff. I've had & used mine for about 25years (God, am I that old?)


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PostPosted: July 15th, 2011, 10:02 pm 
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va3spt wrote:
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302883913&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442617614&bmUID=1234140595821


We use a similar bag to the link about. It is a bag we picked up a local department store for a few dollars.
It it meant to be used as a bag to carry your personal grooming stuff e.g. Tooth Paste , shaving kit, soap etc.

It has several pockets and we can carry all our cutlery, utensils, spices, dish towels and many other kitchen supplies.
It has a small loop that we use to hang it from a tree branch to keep it out of the way.

I use something very similar to that, it is intended as a personal items bag. We keep the utensils, soap, lighters, matches, and a few other small items in it. Works great.

i use different coloured bags for Breakfast, Lunch and Munch, Supper and Drink Stuff.

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