Food Safety While Hiking, Camping & Boating

General Rules for Outdoor Food Safety 

Plan ahead: decide what you are going to eat and how you are going to cook it; then plan what equipment you will need.

• Pack Safely: use a cooler if car-camping or boating, or pack foods in the frozen state with a cold source if hiking or backpacking.
• Keep raw foods separate from other foods.
• Never bring meat or poultry products without a cold source to keep them safe. 
• Bring disposable wipes or biodegradable soap for hand and dish washing.
• Plan on carrying bottled water for drinking. Otherwise, boil water or use water purification tablets.
• Do not leave trash in the wild or throw it off your boat.
• If using a cooler, leftover food is safe only if the cooler still has ice in it. Otherwise, discard leftover food.
• Whether in the wild or on the high seas,  protect yourself and your family by washing your hands before and after handling food.

For more information, click here to learn more about food safety around hiking, camping & boating.