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Food_–_What_sort_of_things_to_take
Understand_how_to_use_your_equipment
Other_handy_items
General_Tips
Recipes
Safe_water_supply
Food_Safety_Information_Council
If_all_else_fails_here_is_an_Emergency_Food_poisoning_treatment
Food – What sort of things to take, and tips on how to prepare and store them:
A little planning before you leave can make a big difference at meal times. You can eat gourmet style if you want to, even when your food preparation area is tiny and your ingredients are limited.
Consider what sort of food you would like to eat while travelling, and put together a list of basic ingredients. We have some suggestions further down the page to help you out. Other things to consider are:-
Understand how to use all your equipment, and practice before you go.
Must have food items:- Tea, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, milk (fresh &/or long life), spices, stock cubes, flour, rice, pasta, cereal, eggs, jam, vegemite, instant meals, bread, fruit +
vegetables + meat (fresh, canned or dried), biscuits and drinks. See our detailed list for more suggestions.
Plan your meals and buy fresh, but only what you will need until your next shopping opportunity. This will save you money and time, and will minimising waste later on. Deciding what to cook can be the hardest part of a meal. If you are organized at meal time it won’t be a chore. We have some suggestions for you, but feel free to adjust according to your own tastes.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | |
| Breakfast | at home | Bacon & eggs + juice | Blueberry pancakes + juice | Toast & eggs + coffee | Eat out | Cereal & Juice |
| Morning Tea | Coffee & cake | Grapes | Dried fruits & Nuts | Fruit in season | Apple | Muesli bar & coffee |
| Lunch | Sandwiches made at home, with fruit | Smoked chicken salad + drink | Ham & Cheese toast sandwich, fruit | Tuna salad with crispbread | Chicken, tomato & mayo wraps | Damper, sliced meats & veg |
| Afternoon Tea | cheese & biscuits | Muesli bar & coffee | Coffee & cake | Coffee & biscuits | Cheese & biscuits | Dried fruits & Nuts |
| Dinner | Spaghetti & sauce made at home, with garlic bread | One pot stew, bananas with custard | Rosetta's Lamb Shanks, with Cous Cous or Crusty bread etc | BBQ pasta salad & veg + chocolate pudding | Fish caught in morning & chips + toasted marshmallows | Corn, Mushroom & salami risotto + wine |
Click here for a blank planning chart you can print as many as you need, which includes space for a shopping list so you can start planning your own meals, or for a fully editable version, just
contact us - click here and change the "at" to @ this is to help prevent spam and request one. Also download a Conversion Chart and for instructions on the bottom of Budgeting page, if you need them.
Other handy items:-But see our packing list for more details
Most foods are available in a canned variety, and these can be vegetables and meats, or even dairy foods. Dried foods e.g. peas, lentils, pastas and powdered milk, all take up less space and weight, and can be stored easier than fresh foods. Just be sure the water you use to re-hydrate them is not contaminated.
See
packing list
for food preparation items etc. If you would like an “editable” version of the list, please just
contact us and request one. By having your own copy, you can add and subtract your own special items.
Be sure to take suitable medications with you, to treat simple food poisoning, but always seek help if symptoms persist. You can very quickly become dehydrated, which can be very dangerous if in a remote area. If you are in any doubt at all about symptoms, see a health professional, or Call 000 if it is an emergency. Be sure you have adequate
health cover, as it can be very expensive if you have to be air-lifted out to a Hospital.
For more information on food standards see Food Standards Australia and NZ or see their advice in these two pamphlets: Cooling and heating foods safely and Transporting food safely
Be very careful when preparing food, also where you eat, and what you drink while travelling or dining out.
It is not always possible to detect foods that are at risk. Sure if some things smell off, or looks dodgy you know to avoid it, but that is not always the case. How can you tell before you eat or drink it? The truth is there is no sure-fire test, but with vigilance you may avoid most of the pitfalls of outback travel. First and foremost, water is one of the worst culprits.
It could even be the water you have in the tank of your van. Filling up at a place you think has "safe" water, is no guarantee it is right for you. The locals may tolerate a high mineral content because they are used to it, but you may not be. So the water does not have to be polluted to make you sick, it can just be different to what you are used to. Boiling will not remove the minerals, so you can still have nasty side effects.
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Safe water supply
For the full article the following comes from
If you are using an un-serviced site, remember, water, even in remote and pristine wilderness is not necessarily safe. It might look absolutely pristine, but can be contaminated by animal faeces and naturally occurring parasites, such as Giardia. If the water tank in your motorhome or caravan is unsealed, or if the water has not been regularly changed, it may have picked up contaminants and should be treated, if used for drinking or washing ready to eat food.
What you can do
Following this advice will help you to enjoy your trip and maximise the chance that your memories will not be marred by bouts of avoidable food borne illness. For safety's sake and to make sure that you do have a great holiday always remember the 6 key tips:
Food Safety Information Council
The Food Safety Information Council is a non-profit group with representatives of State and Federal governments, food industry and professional associations. Membership is open to any organisation with an interest in promoting safe food handling practices for consumers.
We aim to reduce the over five million cases of food poisoning in Australia each year by educating consumers to handle food safely from the time it leaves the retailer until it appears on the plate. We organise Food Safety Week each November as part of our campaign to pass on simple messages to improve consumers’ knowledge of how to handle, store and cook food safely. For more information
Email: info@foodsafety.asn.au Website:
www.foodsafety.asn.au
This website name and shames Restaurants in NSW if you wish to check them out,
before actually trying them out, just copy paste into your browser
http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/penalty-notices/
If in doubt don't, is always good advise, but failing that and you do get sick, the following may help.
If all else fails here is an Emergency Food poisoning treatment:
To know how to prepare a simple food poisoning treatment is a good skill for all outback travellers. If you aren’t careful, it's very easy to get sick anywhere when travelling. Food poisoning occurs when we consume food or water contaminated with certain viruses or bacteria.
Note: that this is not medical advice, for that you should alway consult a Doctor or Health Professional
Food poisoning usually causes sudden onset of vomiting and diarrhoea. Diarrhoea is one of nature's own defence systems to help the body get rid of toxins and poisons as quickly as possible.
Drink plenty of clear fluids
It's important to drink plenty of fluids when you have a bout of diarrhoea. You have to replace the fluid lost by your body to keep from becoming dehydrated. The result of dehydration is a depletion of energy and fitness. To get weak and sick in the bush has the potential to put you in a critical emergency situation.
Food poisoning treatment
As a general recommendation let the diarrhoea run its course for 6-12 hours to rid the body of the toxins. If your problems continue past that time, you should treat your stomach. Anti-diarrhoea medication should be included in your first aid kit. But if for some reason it's not or you have run out, in an emergency you can make your own.
A good food poisoning treatment is charcoal powder mixed with water. A small amount of charcoal slurry will settle the stomach. Charcoal powder can easily be produced when required, at least it can if you have a fire.
Prepare your charcoal slurry
Take charcoal from a cold fire. Grind it to a powder. Mix it with clean water. A suitable mix for diarrhoea is about 1 tablespoon of charcoal to a cup of pure water (Boiled & cooled).
Charcoal will stop the diarrhoea quickly by adsorbing the toxins that are causing the problem. Drink 1-3 glasses per day, until the desired results are achieved.
Yes, charcoal slurry tastes awful, but the alternative is not so pleasant either.
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