Hot Food

Question:

When camping in frigid temperatures, what’s the best way to keep my food warm long enough to eat it? And how can I clean my pot once the food has frozen itself to the sides?

Submitted by – Gregory Bettinger, from St. Stephen, NB

Answer:

I have an idea that would solve both your problems at once. To keep your food hot longer–you just have to insulate it while you dine, which a couple of companies have figured out by including neoprene sleeves around their cups, bowls (like GSI Outdoors), and even pots (Jetboil). But I’ve started practicing practicing cooking in freezer bags, which has lots of benefits. First, it’s superlight because you use all dried ingredients prepackaged at home in zipperlock bags. As far as gear, all you need is one pot to boil water in, enough fuel to boil that water, and a fabric cozy for your bagged meal. Once the water boils, pour it into the bag (no, it won’t melt) and slip the bag in the cozy. Set it aside for 5-10 minutes and the meals cooks itself. You’ll save fuel because there’s no simmering, and there’s no pot to scrub, just a bag to pack out. It’s ideal for winter camping, when you really don’t want to spend time outside shivering around the stove. To learn more about this style of cooking, and to get tons of great recipe and technique ideas, check out freezerbagcooking.com.