Camping Without a Cooler
You're probably wondering, what is so bad about coolers that I should devote an entire page to camping without one? The easy answer is... nothing. They're not so bad. We've all used them, and we'll probably use them again. The better question to ask is, what is so *good* about camping without one? And that is a question I can answer.
Camping sans cooler is less cumbersome, less ugly (let's face it, coolers aren't the most attractive things in the universe), more period, and (here's the clincher) cheaper! And really, that's what we're all here for. If you're just going to a weekend event, there is absolutely no need for a cooler. Even at Pennsic you can live without one. Read on, and I'll explain how.
A brief note: Most of the tips here are compiled from conversations I've had over usenet, and I sincerely appologize to anyone whose tips I have taken without permission. I unfortunately only saved the tips, and not the emails or names of the people who sent them. If you sent me one of the tips on this page and want credit, just email me.
The stuff on this page:
- General tips and techniques
- Foods that are both period and keep well without a cooler
- Useful web pages on non-cooler camping
- Try using the water from the site if it's safe. Obviously, you need to make sure you have enough water, and you might have to go buy some, but it's easier than bringing it from home. If your stomach gets upset from foreign water, and you're camping longer than a few days, try this tip: bring few gallons of water you're used to use as drinking water. As you use up that water, top off the container with water from the site. The change to the new water is gradual, so it doesn't shock your stomach.
- Prepare food ahead of time. There are plenty of foods you can make ahead of time that will keep for a long time. Check out the links on the bottom of the page for more information.
- Stock up on essentials. Things like crusty bread or rolls, hard fruits and veggies, cheese, sausage, dried meats, and some sweets can keep a long time and require almost no preparation. As we all know, cooking at events can take a while. Why not make things easy on yourself?
- Get period-looking containers. Leaving the cooler at home won't add anything to aesthetics if you have dozens of white grocery store bags lying around camp. Try wooden or ceramic containers (you can subtly mark them or write on the bottom), canvas or mesh bags, and so on. If you're careful, you can pick these up at thrift stores or garage sales for almost nothing.
- Try one-pot cooking. If you feel the need to cook, there are many dishes that can be prepared in just one pot. Stews, pottages, porrages, etc. don't require too much work and are quite filling on cold, wet days.
- It only takes one trip. For a weekend event, you can probably pick up everything you need in one trip to the supermarket.
- Prepare a meal plan. One of my problems is that I always seem to get too much food. Try thinking out your meals ahead of time. This will give to a chance to make anything you need ahead of time, prepare your cooking gear, and know how much to buy.
- Enjoy your free time! Just think about all the time you're saving on trips to get ice to stock the cooler. You're still eating healthy, you're being more period, and it's less of a hassle for you. What more could you ask for?
Foods
Here are some foods that are at least plausibly period and can keep a fairly long time without a cooler. These are just basic foodstuffs that you can pick up at any supermarket. Like I said above, there are also recipes you can prepare ahead of time that will keep very well. This list is by no means exhaustive, but just a suggestion to get you started.
- Bread and Grains:
- round, country-style loafs (look for any loaf with a crusty shell)
- crusty bread rolls -- keep their freshness a bit better than a large loaf
- rice
- barley
- oats
- crackers
- Fruits and Veggies:
- apples
- pears
- melons
- dried fruit--apricots, raisins
- carrots
- turnips
- onions
- parsnips
- pickles
- canned fruits and veggies (obviously not period, though)
- Condiments and Seasoning:
- honey
- preserves
- olives
- herbs
- Dairy:
- cheese -- something in wax (you may be able to get cheddar that comes this way) or the very hard Italian cheeses like Romano. For a weekend, almost any cheese should work.
- Meat and Nuts:
- dried meat (like jerky)
- nuts
- hard boiled eggs
- hard sausages like salami
- gypsy ham
- Drinks:
- water
- fruit juices
- Sekanjabin and similar Islamic syrup drinks
- Desserts:
- various kind of sweets
- cookies
Links and articles on non-cooler camping:
- Cariadoc's Miscellany
- From Stephan's Florilegium:
- Article by Elizabeth Cook
- Article by D. Glenn Arthur Jr.
- Article by Rufina Cambrensis
- Another article by Rufina Cambrensis
Know a trick for camping without a cooler? Email the webmistress at julie.golick@gmail.com.
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