You need to keep food below 40°F for it to stay safe. A quality cooler filled with ice and opened minimally could work for 4-5 days. Beyond that, you’d need a resupply or shelf-stable food options. Check trail meal forums for ideas!
Most car freezers aren’t strong enough to keep food frozen for long periods after unplugging.
You’re on the right track though—using frozen items as “ice” in a cooler does work, but only if done in a commercial freezer. We do this for river trips using hard frozen meats, dry ice, and separate sections to thaw items gradually.
@Kai
Makes sense. I didn’t realize car freezers weren’t insulated well enough. Tesla turns off the 12v port when off, though, so I might have to keep looking into options for long trips.
Depends on the sandwich:
PB&J—sure. But if it’s a burger or something with lots of moisture, forget it.
Keep bread separate and toast it if possible. Frozen deli meats work okay but veggies will lose their crunch. It’s better to assemble on-site if you can.
As for mold in your freezer, that’s from trapped moisture. Same thing as when you need to air out a front-load washer to prevent smells.