How to Keep Cold Foods From Getting Soggy During Camping

Instead of using bags of ice to keep your things cool, use plastic water bottles or milk jugs. Fill them with water and freeze them before placing them in the cooler. When they thaw, they won't leak all over the cooler causing a mess. Don't fill the jugs all the way to the top before freezing as this can cause the bottle to crack.

Purchase dry ice. Dry ice must be handled carefully, but will keep food cold for a longer period of time. The beauty of dry ice is that it doesn't melt, it sublimates, which means it changes from a solid block to a gas, leaving a dry cooler. One drawback is that it may be hard to find once out on the road, but will work great to start off with and for shorter trips.

Place food in Ziploc bags. If you must use bags of ice, place as many food items as you can in double- or triple-layered Ziploc bags. This will keep the water from getting into your cheese, salami, chocolate or vegetables. Tupperware or plastic containers also will work well for this purpose.