This year we did not fly to hot countries and did not go to celebrate the winter holidays in Europe; the pandemic has made serious adjustments to Russians’ plans for the New Year. Public transport and planes are not very safe, they are crowded. That's why many people paid attention to their cars. We went on a road trip in the summer and decided to repeat the successful experience in the winter. One of the important aspects of preparing for a trip by car is food for the road. In winter it should be different from what we take in summer and autumn. We tell you what to take with you on the road.
Often, when packing a bag of provisions for a trip, we think that it will be stored in the car like in a refrigerator, because it’s cold outside. But that's not true. Still, it’s better not to take perishable foods.
Article on the topic of NT for salvation. What things should you put in your car in winter?
Buy an electric dish warmer
The easiest way to heat up dishes is in the microwave or oven. However, such methods cannot be called budgetary. Both devices consume a lot of electricity. If you want to save it, you can buy a special warmer for dishes. It will heat the plates evenly, but will not consume a lot of electricity. Place dishes on it and turn on for 5 minutes. This time is enough for the plates to warm up. Similar devices are sold in large hardware stores. The heater can also be replaced with an electric back warmer. It is important that it be big. Otherwise, the heating pad will hold less dishes. You can also warm up the dishes by placing them in hot water for a few minutes.
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Half frozen
In some cases, simply freezing bottled water halfway will work. This means that the container filled with the drink needs to be placed in the freezer and wait until part of the water freezes. This way you can drink water from the container and it will remain cold for a long time. Moreover, when the pieces of ice completely melt, the water will not heat up for a long time.
Coolers method.
Yes, you read that right. Chillers do more than just keep your food cool if you use them correctly.
- Get some insulating bags.
- Place your stew in these bags.
- Place the bags in the refrigerator.
Tips to Remember
- You can also use clothes, towels or a sleeping bag instead of insulation bags, but these work better.
- If you want to keep food warm, always close the top lid.
- Place other insulating materials on top of the bags if your food is very hot.
This method works great for hours. This way you can keep your food warm even if you miss a meal. On the other hand, this method is not very good for hiking unless:
- You have a small cooler .
- More people walking and you can split the luggage between you.
- and you're not walking on a hilly path , so you can carry a small refrigerator in your hand.
Water in water
And the last method is a method that is quite popular among fishermen and beach lovers. Its essence is to cool the liquid with colder water. In natural reservoirs, and especially in rivers, the water is always several degrees colder than the temperature of the human body. To keep drinks cold, simply place the bottles in a bag or bucket, tie a strong rope and lower the container into a pond. Moreover, the deeper the bottle is immersed, the colder its contents will remain.
plastic container
Ice cubes
The more well-known and more often used method is cooling with ice cubes. However, it is not suitable for hiking; it is more useful for outdoor recreation. To implement this, you will need to freeze a large number of ice cubes in advance. Place them in a large container or several, where you can place bottles of water. This way the melting liquid will not spill out and the bottled drinks will remain cold for a long time.
Cooler bag
It's below zero outside, yes, but the heater is on in the car. And food can spoil even faster than in summer, since they are affected by temperature changes - first it’s cold, then it’s hot inside, and then you turn off the engine and the car cools down again.
To avoid this, we need a cooler bag. It is only advisable to take one that does not connect to the cigarette lighter and does not produce cold. In severe frost it can deteriorate.
It is best to place the bag with groceries not in the passenger compartment, but in the trunk, away from the stove. This will keep the temperature low but stable.
Thermos
This is the most obvious and at the same time forgotten method. At the last moment, people realize to use this item to keep water cold. This is due to the fact that a thermos is usually used to keep food and drinks hot and its ability to reverse action is not taken into account at all. However, a thermos will do the job perfectly; just fill it with pre-cooled liquid and just close it. This container is easy to take with you on a hike or on vacation.
thermos
Towel method
A great way to store hot food is to store it in a box full of towels...
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- Get a drawer that is large enough for your pots or pans.
- take four medium towels or two more.
- Place the towels in the box. , so that they overlap at the bottom of the box, and its corners protrude.
- Place your potty or food inside the box .
- Fold the corners of the towels over the top of your food.
- If your food is not only warm, but downright hot, the heat will tend to increase, so you need an extra towel or other insulating material.
Tips to Remember
- If you have cold food , do not place it on the floor but on the seat next to you.
- Also, don't put cold food that you want to store at the bottom of the backpack, but at the top .
- Do not ignore this advice if you want to warm up cold food.
- If you are traveling by car , place the box on the floor. So, as your car's floor tends to warm up and the heat increases, keep your food warm longer.
- If you're hiking, place the box on the bottom of your backpack and your clothes on the insulator.
This method works great for at least three hours. Some heat will be lost through the cardboard from the carton and through the towels. If you want to extend this time, purchase more insulating towels, not cotton, but wool.
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You can even replace the towels in this method with other things like hiking insulated clothing, even something that is wind and water resistant. The reason is that clothing that is resistant to the elements will prevent air and heat from circulating. This will trap the heat inside, helping to keep your pot warm.
Pyrex method.
Pyrex glass is another good insulator because it retains thermal mass. You can get many dishes and stews made from this great material online, good thing it weighs a lot less than ceramic.
The downside is that Pyrex glass is less durable than ceramic, but you can wrap it in thick bath towels or a wool blanket to keep it from getting damaged while hiking...
Ways to use Pyrex cookware:
- Just carry the food without adding anything else if you plan to eat in the next two hours.
- Wrap these dishes in towels, blankets or sleeping bags for added insulation. This should keep you going until your next meal.
- Use insulating bags or hot packs. so you can eat a hot meal about 10 hours after you start your walk.
Tips to Remember
- Use towels or fleece for extra insulation during a long hike .
- Avoid wrapping utensils in towels if you want to use handles if you are hiking short distances .
- Towels also work wonders when it comes to stabilizing the bank at the bottom of your backpack.
Make a water bath
Take a large, wide saucepan and fill it halfway with cold water. Then place it on the stove, turning on low or medium power. Let it warm up to a temperature of 65-75 °C). But don't bring it to a boil. When the water is hot, place the food container on top of the pan. It is best to use aluminum containers or plastic containers. They allow warm air to pass through better. To maintain the water bath, keep the stove on constantly. Add cold water to the pan from time to time. Remember to stir the food so it heats evenly.
Options for retaining heat in a container
Method 1. Making a simple thermos
You will need another larger jar. The container with food should fit freely into it, and there should be air gaps at the edges. To eliminate the contact of the bottom, cut a stand from foam rubber or insulation in the shape of a larger container. Heat the food to high, seal it in a container and place it in a second one. The dish will definitely remain hot for three hours.
Method 2. Improved
Use the previous method, but first wrap the food container in foil or several layers of newspaper. This will extend the heat retention time.
Method 3. Fur
Any fur coat warms due to the air that is between the fibers. Heat the jar and food separately, then fill the container. Close it tightly and wrap it in a plastic bag, foil or a layer of paper. Place in a fur bag. An old coupling will do. The warmth will remain for a long time.
Method 4. Multilayer
If there is only one container, choose this option. It is quite labor-intensive, so it is used for one-time occasions when you need to keep dinner warm. Warm up the container. You can rinse it with boiling water and wipe it dry with a towel. Place hot food. Wrap in many layers of newspaper. Place everything in a plastic bag.
If you need to keep warm for a long time, then make the protection multi-layered - paper, polyethylene, and so on.
If you regularly carry food in a jar with you, sew a multi-layer bag.
Method 5. Wool
Wool is great for keeping you warm. Use a blanket at home, and if you need to take food out into the cold, you will need a scrap of fabric, or better yet, an old blanket. Wrap the hot container in towels and then wrap the material. For regular use, sew a wool bag.
Method 6. Thermal bag
Special thermal bags are sold, but are quite expensive. You can do this yourself.
For the outer cover, use waterproof fabric. Best suited with polyurethane impregnation. You can buy one at a fishing or sports store. You can take artificial leather.
Any insulation is placed inside as a gasket: synthetic winterizer, foam rubber, polyethylene foam (with bubbles), thermal insulation material, polystyrene foam. The latter is best crushed into balls and poured between the walls. The size of the bag should be large enough (the larger, the longer the heat will remain), the bulky layer will make it even larger. If carrying a large bag is not convenient, take thin materials. For example, a building thermal insulator (one side is foil-coated) or just several layers of foil.
The inner layer is usually sewn from the same material as the outer one, but regular raincoat fabric can also be used. The option without a layer involves a fur container inside, but if the container leaks, it will be quite unpleasant. Waterproof fabric makes it easier to wipe away food marks.
To make such a bag you need to be able to sew well, since it is much more complex than a fur bag or muff.
Ready kebab
If you have already fried the kebab, you can store it in the refrigerator.
In order for the kebab to remain fresh as long as possible, it must be placed in a deep enamel, ceramic or glass container, wrapped very tightly in cling film to limit air access, and stored for no more than 3 days.
You can also use a food container with a very tight lid. For example, the one you use for lunch at the office. It is important that the lid allows almost no air to pass through.
Without a refrigerator, at room temperature, the meat can be left for 2-3 hours, no more. It's best to cover it with a lid or foil to keep insects out of the bowl.
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