Camping and Food: Ready to Lose it!

We are coming to YNP June 25-July 2. I have done extensive research, reservations, and read this entire forum (not really but lots). All that%26#39;s left is to pack and go. My only problem is the food. We are staying in the park in a pop-up tent camper. I have heard everything from no food in camper or vehicle-only in bear boxes, to you can store food in both as long as its properly packed. Now, I do not want to wake up to a bear in my camper or my vehicle. But we want to eat our bkfst %26amp; lunch on ';tour'; and our dinners out or over a campfire. I want to pack things like sandwich meat, cheese, hot dogs, snacks, bread/buns, juice boxes, etc. Can I safely keep these foods double bagged in my Lincoln Navigator in a cooler overnight? Are the rules for camping in the park campgrounds the same as the rules for backcountry camping? We will be staying at Mammoth campground first half, then Bridge Bay second. I wanted to bring enough unperishable foods to last the whole time so we are not wasting time shopping for those - but can I store them? Thanks for all help to clear my mind on this. Sue

Camping and Food: Ready to Lose it!

Yes, you can store them.....Any food can be left in a vehicle with hard sides. So your Navigator would be fine to store your food whether in the campground or while you are out on a hike.

They do not want you to leave food outside at any time anywhere if you are not there. In the campgrounds they provide a metal storage box where you can put food if you do not have a hard side vehicle to use.

Camping and Food: Ready to Lose it!

Oh, PS... you cannot store any food or food preparation items in your pop up tent trailer.

Also keep anything with a scent, deodorant, toothpaste, lotions etc locked up in a bear box or inside the car.

We will be a week behind you. My question is along similar lines. We will be staying in the Canyon Lodge but do not want to spend the travel budget on eatoing out all the time. What types of food work best in a cooler for several days when traveling. Two adults, one eleven year old, no specific food requirements, just filling and halfway healthy. Do not want to live off trail mix for 4 days.

Thanks

THANK YOU all so much for clarifying these issues for me. This helps so much and I really appreciate it. I won%26#39;t have to worry now. Sue

One of our regulars prepared this wonderful Inside Page:

Packing for your trip:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g28973-c100586/Wyomin…

Also, to enhance your experience, for wildlife viewing and photography:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60999-c96653/Yellows…

Since Sue got good answers, I%26#39;m going to reply to kcafamily (although you may want to make a new post). We also try not to spend all our budget on eating out. I recommend bringing a decent cooler-we have a ';5 day'; cooler-stainless is nice, but there are some plastic ones that work well if you keep them well packed with ice. We always bring drinks and snacks. Fruit, especially apples and oranges, should hold out well without being in a cooler. Salami will fare better than other lunch meats and cheeses should be ok if you keep them in the cooler. PB%26amp;J always works too. We always bring our propane grill and griddle and a frying pan and small pot and have enjoyed many a grilled cheese and soup lunch in the park. The individual boxes of cereal and some muffins or even just granola or power bars make a decent breakfast-we usually keep a very small carton/bottle of milk in the cooler which I%26#39;m pretty sure I picked up at one of the general stores last time we were in the park.

If you have a propane grill or griddle, or even bring along some charcoal, lighter fluid and matches, you can cook out hotdogs or burgers-I also recall buying meat and buns within the park last time-just keep in mind that you need to cook in a designated picnic area.

Remember to bring condiments, paper goods, and good plastic baggies to protect your food from ice melting in the cooler. Even if you can bring in drinks, snacks, and a few meals you%26#39;ll save a lot of money.

librarychick, thanks for your post, like a lot of others we aren%26#39;t camping, but want to spend time out and about, not looking for a place to eat. Lots of stuff on your list I would have forgotten.

I appreciate all the good advice. I do have a two burner stove and a smaller single burner that just screws on the top of the 16 oz propane bottles. I can do a lot of grilled cheese, soup and crackers.

Again, thank you very much.