Keeping your food safe from animals can be a difficult task.
Whether you’re camping or simply looking for ways to keep your food protected, we have the perfect tips for you! Here are some helpful tricks:
How to Keep Your Foods Safe from Animals
- Eliminate all traces of scent by covering foods in water and ice before cooking them. -Keep your campfire away from where you plan on eating so that no animals are tempted to visit. -Store any leftovers deep inside large coolers with tight lids. -If necessary, use predator scents like coyote urine (available online) to deter pesky critters such as raccoons and bears. These natural deterrents will help keep unwanted visitors at bay while also protecting our environment!
- On camping, bears are some of the common animals who have their eyes on people’s food. Food scraps and other garbage should be safely thrown away by being placed inside a bear-resistant trash can or recycling bin.
- Store food in airtight containers and make sure they’re sealed well. You can also store them inside the fridge if it’s just for a short period.
- If possible, avoid leaving any edible residue on surfaces like countertops or tables where animals might be able to get at them. Cover all leftovers with plastic wrap before putting them away in the refrigerator (or outside until garbage day).
- Keep pet bowls clean so that pets don’t eat something that could give them an upset stomach and won’t attract pesky critters who want some too!
Pet Food Safety
A healthy diet is important for anyone, but especially so for pets. So do you know what to look out for when feeding your pet? Here are a few pointers:
- Make sure the food isn’t left uncovered or in an area where animals can get to it. This is important because they could be attracted by the smell and taste of human food too!
- Storing anything that might attract wild animals (like garbage) inside until morning also helps keep them away from any tasty treats around your house.
- If you’re going on vacation, make arrangements with friends or family members who live nearby before leaving to feed your animal companions while you’re gone. Otherwise, take all uneaten food home with you after each mealtime and store it securely.
Tips to stay healthy while feeding your pet
- Always wash your hands before and after touching food.
- If you’re cooking for your pet, make sure not to cook anything with onions or garlic in it, as they can be dangerous if eaten raw.
- Never allow anyone who has bird flu symptoms – including a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, difficulty breathing – to feed vegetables or fruit (especially citrus fruits) that haven’t been cooked into the animal’s food bowl.
Dry and canned pet food
Dry and canned pet food typically has a shelf life of six months to two years, according to the petfood.com website, so it’s wise to be mindful of its expiration date. The store opened cans or bags in an airtight container within your pantry and out of direct sunlight; store unopened packages away from any light source that may cause them to heat up (a garage is not recommended).
Tips for storing raw meats
Raw meats come with their own set of risks when it comes to contamination – cutting boards can harbor bacteria if they aren’t washed properly after each use. In addition, refrigerators should have separate compartments for meat products and dairy items since those types are more likely than others to spoil quickly at room temperature.
Children and Pets
Young children’s immune systems are not as well developed, so it’s important to be sure they don’t come into contact with uncooked meats or eggs that may contain salmonella.
Pets can also pose a threat if you’re preparing raw foods for your family – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn against feeding squirrels, rodents, rabbits, or other pets in your backyard because they could carry bacteria like toxoplasmosis.
Tips on storing produce
Produce is another food category where there are potential risks of contamination. It should never be washed before storage – wet leaves from one type of vegetable will readily spread onto others during transport to the fridge. Now, store them separately in airtight containers with paper towels inside (the towel absorbs moisture) and set out properly for the best shelf life.
- If you’re unsure what to do with your produce, check out the second section of our post on how to store produce for a guide tailored to storing fruits and vegetables separately or together in three different ways!
How long does food last?
Sometimes it can be hard to know how long certain foods will last before they spoil – especially if we haven’t eaten them before. Our article covers everything from meat products like ground beef (which lasts about four days) up to eggs which should stay fresh for at least two weeks after purchase.
What’s safe when refrigerating food?
Foods that need chill time are more likely than others to contaminate other items while inside the fridge because they keep the cold air circulating. For this reason, it’s best to store foods like raw meat and eggs in containers (like Tupperware) or plastic bags inside of a larger container that will help keep them separated.
Conclusion
Keeping your utensils, plates, and other items clean will also help keep bears and other wild animals away from your campsite.
Since bears can be attracted by the food residue on your utensils and grill, properly cleaning these items will help to prevent unexpected visitors. Similarly, all leftover food scraps and other garbage should be safely thrown away by being placed inside a bear-resistant trash can or recycling bin. There are many best bear-proof coolers you can use to save your food from the bear.
