Feed a family of four for 5 days with a 30l fridge

[me217]

As the title suggests. Do you guys think it's possible. Keep in mind the 5 month olds food is on tap.

[Alan Loy]

Clearly you will need to take a lot of unrefrigerated food. 

I think if you make a special trip to the supermarket to have a look at what is on the shelves you will be surprised how many different items will fit with your families diet.

Fruit and vegies that don't need refrigeration include potatoes, onions, pumpkin, sweet poatoes, citrus fruit, bananas apples.  It's quite a long list if your talking 5 days.

Biggest issue is keeping the beer cold 

[#jonesy]

I did 2 weeks food for 3 people in a 50 litre. (Me and the 2 kids)
Vacuum sealed the meat, put in the fridge basket and froze it. You wouldn't need to freeze, but vacuum sealed is a lot less room than a tray of chops.
Milk was 1 litre long life cartons, so they only went in when opened. 
Drinks only had a limited number, what was needed for that day.  As one came out a replacement went in.

[woolgoolgaoffroad]

maybe....so your going remote travelling where you'll see no shops for five days ?

[Beachman]

If it’s just meat/milk/cheese etc then it’s doable, but it’s things like fruit & vegies which I find take up the room IE: Apples and lettuce.

And one more thing that takes up as bit of room is BEER

[Fathom]

I don't think it would be all that hard.
Canned veggies, rice, pasta,  bottled sauces don't need refrigeration. Etc.
If all that was in the fridge  was your meat and milk. A couple of drinks. No problem.
If you really needed to, and didn't have another or a bigger fridge. Heaps of eskies will last 5 days.
Or a run to the shop on day 3

But lots of freeze dried stuff and cans will solve your issue.
Depending where you are even fresh veggies will last that long unrefrigerated.
Maccas deliver now too. 

[callmejoe]

A good esky with already cold beers etc with ice can also last a good 2 days it'll end up as water but still cold. Just buy ice at yr last possible spot. Things also your long life milk etc can also go in here.  By the 3rd day you should then start getting some room in yr 30L fridge. 
Once your finshed with the esky it makes a great pantry.

Joe

[chester ver2.0]

Man we are so bad

We have a 76 litre 2 door between just the 2 of us and we both whinge that with beer and wine the fridge is not big enough

I need to have a hard look at myself

[scrapsD40]

Man we are so bad

We have a 76 litre 2 door between just the 2 of us and we both whinge that with beer and wine the fridge is not big enough

I need to have a hard look at myself

nah, you're normal

[callmejoe]

Man we are so bad

We have a 76 litre 2 door between just the 2 of us and we both whinge that with beer and wine the fridge is not big enough

I need to have a hard look at myself

Got the say problem with our 80L. Beer 1st then what ever else fits.

[Bird]

Depends what you want to take and what is priority. Beer isn't Shit for me, so if its in there or not doesn't matter.

I don't think personally I'd like to try it, but everyone is different...

[Darcy7]

personally I think it will be a struggle but its probably doable. 

Base it on 4 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners.  I think I'd run the fridge as a freezer and get a small esky to use as a 'fridge' of sorts during the day.  Take the day's rations out of the freezer and allow them to defrost in the esky.  Put a day's supply of drinks in the esky and they will chill with the defrosting rations.  Premake meals that will keep and can pack down easily.  Pasta sauses and fried rice can be cooked and stored in zip locked bags and refrozen.  Vacume packed or cryovacked meat can keep longer.  I'd even consider precooking your meat so it can be easily reheated.  Also marinading cold meat can help it last longer.  Take plenty of canned or dehydrated food.  Pack fruit and vegies that don't need refridgerating to keep  like potatos, onions, root vegies, apples, oranges, etc. 

If you have one of those thermal cookers, you can cook meals on the go without having to keep them refrigerated during the day.  Just get the meals started in the morning and you'll have good hot meals ready at the end of the day.

Some of our staples that we keep in the van ready to go:

Tiny Taters
Spam (slice up and fry.  just like bacon...!)
tinned fish (tuna and salmon, can get flavoured varieties)
baby carrots
corn
beetroot
pineapple

creamed mushrooms mixed with soy or terriaki sauce makes an excellent gravy

make anti pasto from preserved food like sun dried tomatos, roasted capsicum, olives, artichokes, pickles, onions, etc.

instant asian meals like sui min or similar are great for a lunch on the run.

flavoured packet rice

There's probably enough variety there for 5 days

good luck 
   

[WilSurf]

When we, 2 adults and 2 kids, went to Lake Eyre for 2 weeks, we had 17 prepared frozen meals in vacuum sealed bags.
We kept those in our 50 l Waeco set as freezer. In the morning we took out the meal on the top and let it thaw in a cooler which had the milk, cheese etc.
Worked perfectly.

[me217]

i do have a 50l 3-way fridge i was just considering only taking the one fridge. otherwise i would be taking both and using the 30l for drinks and stuff that will get opened alot and leave the 3-way for meals. but i was just trying to avoid the constant tamp checks of the 3-way. where as the 30l i can just plug in and let it do its own thing. also beer isnt an issue for me as i dont drink. and we already use long life milk at home so that part isnt an issue.

[Beachman]

Seeing you don’t need room for beer and you already use long life milk, then should be pretty easy.  (Before kids and 12v fridges my wife & myself use to do 7 days away with 2 x 50L eskies. One food and one drinks and over half the space in the esky was taken up by ice) and we survived.

[weeds]

I have two mates that only have a 40L for there families......the guys do remote travel, GEO Survey Hill, Maddigan etc

[Bird]

My thoughts are its a holiday, why do it on a possibility that it may work... if it doesn't it could **** your holiday totally.

[doc evil]

I've  done 2 weeks with 40lt Engel with no top ups.
Just have to be smart about what you put in the fridge. I prepared almost all my night time meals and cryovaced them. Curries, stews etc. Only had 1 proper roast night (leg of lamb) which was the bulkiest. Lunch usually was wraps with ham and salads (a variety from the deli at woolies, again cryovaced). Bacon was cryovaced but only limited myself to 3 or 4 "cooked" breakies. Usually cereal and long life milk. Drinks were put on top for each days use. Everything else was in the camp box.

Can be done but like all other things, plan and plan again.....oh and a cryovac machine is your best friend.

[tk421]

It's certainly doable but won't be easy if you try and eat like you do at home. We did 6 days on Fraser with a family of 5 with a 55L fridge. Youngest was on formula and purée. Just pack smart. Tinned veggies and long life milk help. Meal planning is also a good idea so you only pack what you need.

Wraps keep for ages and don't need refrigerating. We use them with the flavoured tins of tuna for lunch, or peanut butter. We don't cryovac  but do use ziplock bags. The little packs of sliced ham or chicken in zip lock bags can go down really small.
Keep beers out until you need them. I keep 6 in the fridge and replace as I take so they're cooling. Or drink red wine.

Think about what you really need to refrigerate. eg potatoes and pumpkins vs salad items. Or keep stuff out that can be left out until there's room in the fridge. Eg carrots

Eggs don't need to be refrigerated and can last up to two weeks at room temp  if they're clean and from a salmonella free source (we have free range chooks that are vaccinated - your choice on this one) Or you could just keep them out until there is room in the fridge. 
Hard cheeses eg Swiss & Aged cheddar you can get away with not refrigerating. Very hard cheese  eg , parmigiano and Gouda etc. don't need refrigeration, or any pasteurised processed cheeses either. Obviously depends how hot your location will be though - that will affect the eggs.
The pre made pasta packs at the supermarket are good too. You just add a bit of water.

[speewa158]

& if it all turns to Sh1t  find a Pub for a countrie                                             

[Redcherokee]

I found dried peas were more palatable than expected. But need to be boiled in water, which may also be in short supply.

Rice is also useful - you can get those packets that just need heating if you are worried about water use. Or do those risotto or paella type things where it all goes in one. The dried veggies rehydrate, the rice gets moist, only the meat needs to be refrigerated.