| How to Keep Food Fresh on a Road Trip Posted: 03 Sep 2020 05:00 PM PDT When you're going on a road trip, the last thing you want is to run out of food because it went bad. That's why it's important to know how to prepare food properly for your road trip. Then, you need to pack your cooler the right way to keep your food fresh as long as possible. Make sure to plan out your meals so that you bring the correct amount of food, use a high-quality cooler, and use a separate cooler for beverages to preserve your perishables for the duration of your trip. [Edit]Preparing the Day Before - Pick foods that are easy-to-prepare and will last for your road trip. Things like deli meats, cheeses, pre-cooked hot dogs or sausages, fruits and vegetables, potato salad or pasta salad, and other premade and precooked items are good choices. Plan out easy-to-make breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals for each day of your trip and bring the necessary ingredients.[1]
- Limit the amount of raw meats and other highly-perishable items to just what you plan on making in the first 1-2 days, since these foods will go bad the fastest.
- Things like sandwiches and wraps are easy to throw together on the road, and their ingredients will last a long time in your cooler.
- Prepare and portion out your food to get it ready to pack in your cooler. Chop things like fruits and vegetables so they are ready-to-eat and take up less space. Take things like raw meat out of its store packaging and separate it into portions to repackage in smaller containers or bags.[2] thick and made of molded plastic. It's also best to use 2 coolers, 1 for food and 1 for drinks.}}
- You can pre-make things like pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans, and other side dishes. You can also precook some chicken or other meat to use for sandwiches or wraps on the first day or two.
- If you are bringing condiments, put smaller amounts of them into smaller containers rather than bringing the whole bottle or other container.
- Put the prepared food into sealable containers and bags. Put food in plastic bags with a zip top or sealable tupperware containers. This will keep food from getting wet or leaking and contaminating other foods in the cooler.[3]
- Try to be as space-conscious as possible and pack things in bags and containers just big enough to hold them. This will save space and let you pack foods more tightly in your cooler to keep them colder.
- Don't put wet raw foods like fruits and vegetables in sealed packaging or they won't stay fresh. Either don't wash them before packing them, or let them air dry completely before you pack them up.
- Freeze all perishable food you won't eat on the first day to keep it fresh longer. Put foods that will go bad quickly, especially raw meat, in the freezer the day before your trip and let them freeze overnight. Leave just enough food unfrozen for the first day of meals of your road trip.[4]
- You can also freeze things like fruits and vegetables that you won't eat right away to keep them fresh longer.
- It's ok to leave things like sealed deli meats and dairy products in the fridge instead of the freezer, as these items won't go bad as quickly.
- Refrigerate all the perishable food items that you don't freeze. Put all the rest of your food that could go bad in the fridge the day before you travel to increase their shelf life. This includes items that you would normally put in the fridge, such as dairy products, and items you might typically leave out, life fruits and vegetables.[5]
- You don't need to do this for non-perishable food items, like nuts or other snack-type items that won't go bad.
- Freeze enough water bottles to line the bottom of your cooler. Check how many water bottles fit in the bottom of your cooler, then freeze at least this many. These will act as ice blocks to keep your food fresh in your cooler, and then you can drink them later on.[6]
- You can do this with several personal-sized water bottles or fill a couple of larger bottles with water and freeze them to make bigger ice blocks. For example, 2-liter soda bottles or gallon milk jugs work well as ice blocks for large coolers.
- If you don't have or don't want to use water bottles, you can also use commercial ice packs or freeze some water in ziploc bags to make ice blocks.
- Fill your cooler with tap water and 1-2 bags of ice the night before to pre-chill it. Bring your cooler inside from wherever you store it to a cool room and dump 1-2 bags of ice into it. Fill it up the rest of the way with tap water, close it, and let it sit overnight.[7]
- This will ensure your cooler is already chilled when you pack food into it so that the food stays colder longer.
- Make sure to dump out the ice and water before you pack your cooler for the road trip.
[Edit]Packing Your Cooler Correctly - Line the bottom of your cooler with frozen water bottles. Take the water bottles you pre-froze out from your freezer and put them directly into your cooler. This will form the base layer of ice that will keep your food cold and fresh.[8]
- You want to pack everything into your cooler directly from your fridge and freezer at the last moment before you leave and in the shortest amount of time possible. The less contact the food has with warm air, the longer it will last.
- Put frozen food items on top of the frozen water bottles. These are the items that you will eat last and are the least delicate, so put them at the very bottom. They will also stay frozen longer if they are in direct contact with the ice blocks.[9]
- Double check to make sure that all meat and other frozen items are well-sealed as you pack them into the cooler. You don't want any raw meat juices leaking into your cooler as they thaw out.
- Make sure to place everything right-side-up as you pack to be extra-sure that nothing accidentally opens or leaks in the cooler.
- Add a layer of ice cubes between each layer of food items. Dump a layer of ice cubes from a bag of ice on top of the frozen food items before you pack the next layer. Do this between each layer that you pack to keep your food colder for longer.[10]
- During your road trip, don't dump out any melted ice unless you are going to replace it with fresh ice. Even the melted ice water will help keep your food cold and fresh for longer.
- Put non-delicate refrigerated items in the middle of the cooler. Add all the items that you refrigerated that aren't in danger of being crushed for the next layer. This includes things like condiments, fruit in tupperware, deli meats, cheese, and thawed meat that you plan to eat that day.[11]
- Remember to top this layer off with another layer of ice cubes before you add the top layer of food.
- Place delicate items at the very top so they don't get crushed. Put items that might get crushed, such as eggs and bagged vegetables, at the very top so nothing heavy will be on them. Cover them with a final light layer of ice cubes.[12]
- The fuller your cooler is, the longer things will stay cold and fresh. If you have lots of empty spaces, then fill them up with ice cubes or use frozen or chilled beverages to fill in the gaps.
- You can also pack things that you want to be able to access easily, such as the first day's lunch, at the top.
- Use a separate cooler for beverages to keep your food cooler closed more. Pack beverages in a separate cooler so you don't have to open and close your food cooler to access them. The more your cooler's lid is open, the faster the ice will melt and your food will start to warm up.[13]
- If you absolutely can't use a second cooler, then pack a layer of beverages between the frozen food items and the next layer of food items, and leave a few beverages packed around the top of the cooler so you can pull them out quickly.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Do HIIT Training at Home Posted: 03 Sep 2020 09:00 AM PDT High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a popular workout style where you alternate periods of vigorous exercise with short breaks. Unlike more specific workouts, like Tabata, HIIT offers a lot of freedom and versatility, depending on fitness level.[1] Thankfully, HIIT doesn't require any special equipment or instruction, and is easy to do from the comfort of your own home. After warming up, experiment with different workouts and see what works best for you! [Edit]Adding HIIT to Your Routine - Warm up before you start exercising. Don't jump straight into your HIIT workout—even if you're exercising at home, give yourself some time to adjust before jumping into the circuit. Start by doing 10-15 reps of leg swings, then work your way to side leg swings as well. To get your blood pumping, jump rope for a minute, then perform 10 reps of squats and 2 inchworms.[2]
- You can tweak this warm-up as needed. Remember, the goal is to help you transition to your HIIT workout, but you don't want to feel winded before you even begin!
- If you don't have a jump rope, do several reps of jumping jacks instead.
- Choose your favorite exercises for your HIIT routine. You can follow a pre-designed workout, or you can customize your workout. Pick out some exercises that you're pretty skilled with, so you can push yourself to the limit as you exercise. There's no right or wrong exercise—just pick activities where you can really push yourself, so you can get the most out of your HIIT workout.[3]
- For instance, jumping jacks, squats, push ups, and planks are all fair game for your workout.
- If you haven't worked out in a while, focus on exercises that will improve your flexibility, as well as less strenuous exercises like walking, riding a bike, or using a treadmill.[4]
- Pick a workout format that balances vigorous exercise and rest. HIIT involves raising your heart rate quickly with short, intense bursts of exercise split up break periods. Keep in mind that there's no set time limit or requirement for these intervals, so you can choose a format that works best for you. Think about your current fitness levels and what your body can handle—there's nothing wrong with building up to shorter rest periods as you develop more endurance.[5]
- For instance, if you're a beginner, you may want to exercise vigorously for 20 seconds, then rest with lighter exercise, like walking, for 2 minutes.[6]
- If you're a more seasoned athlete, you can try Tabata, a more intense form of HIIT. This involves 20 seconds of heavy exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest.
- Time your workouts so they're 20 minutes or less. Keep in mind that HIIT workouts are very intense, and are focused on getting your heart rate up. With this in mind, you shouldn't be doing this kind of workout for longer than 20 minutes. If you're a beginner, start out with a 4-5 minute circuit, then slowly work your way up in future workouts.[7]
- HIIT acts as a trade-off—while you don't have to exercise as long, your workout will be much more strenuous than a normal, 30-60 minute workout.
- Since these workouts are short, you can fit them in almost any time. You can try doing them in the morning or evening, or fit a quick workout into your lunch break.[8]
- Push yourself to the limit during your exercise circuits. Try not to scale down the intensity of your exercises, even if you're starting to get tired out. Do your best to put the max amount of effort into every portion of your workout. If you start to relax, you won't reap benefits of a usual HIIT workout.[9]
- If you find yourself getting winded easily, limit yourself to a shorter circuit.
- Limit yourself to 3-4 HIIT workouts each week. While HIIT exercise is a great way to burn fat, don't fit these workouts into your daily schedule. You don't want to risk injuring or overworking yourself, which will cancel out all the positive effects of your workout. Alternate your HIIT sessions by at least 1 day so your body has time to heal and recover.[10]
- Even master athletes don't do HIIT exercise every day!
- Cool down after you've finished your workout. Set aside a few minutes to stretch out your muscles before you call it quits. Start with a runner's lunge, where 1 leg is bent forward, and the other leg is extended straight behind. Additionally take some time to "release" certain parts of your body by rolling a tennis ball beneath your feet, hips, and glutes. To really stretch out your body, try the sleeping pigeon position, where you tuck 1 leg in front of your chest and extend the other straight behind. Lean forward over your tucked foot with your arms outstretched for several minutes to get a good cool down.[11]
- You can also try a dynamic lunge, where you pull and hold your back leg close to your glutes while your front leg is still bent forward.
[Edit]Trying Simple Workouts - Try out the P.A.U.L. method for a well-rounded workout. Note that the P.A.U.L. method stands for plyometric cardio, like jumping jacks; ab workouts, like crunches or blanks, upper body workouts, like push-ups, and lower body workouts, like lunges and squats. Draft a list of different exercises that fit into these 4 categories, then string them together into a HIIT circuit. Do each workout for 30 seconds, and then give yourself 30 seconds to catch your breath. Continue this workout until you've exercised for 10 minutes.[12]
- For instance, you can do jumping jacks for 30 seconds, crunches for 30 seconds, push-ups for 30 seconds, and then lunges for another 30 seconds. Once you finish this circuit, give yourself 30 seconds to rest.
- Monitor yourself with an interval timer so you remember when to switch activities and when to rest.
- You can mix and match with whatever exercises you prefer! You don't have to do a sequence of specific drills—what matters most is that you're pushing yourself as you work out.
- When you're doing a lunge, always be careful that your knee doesn't go past your toes. That will strain your knee, potentially leading to an injury, and it will make the exercise less effective in your quads and hips.[13]
- Focus on strength training with a series of tough exercises. Perform several exercises in a row, doing at least 10 reps for each activity. Alternate between jumping jacks, squats, incline push-ups, planks, and a single-leg glute bridge, then give yourself 30 seconds to catch your breath. Repeat this circuit several times to complete your HIIT workout![14]
- For instance, you can do 20 jumping jacks, 10 squats, 10 seconds of inclined push-ups, a 30-second plank, and 5 reps for each leg with the glute bridge.
- Opt for a running-based HIIT workout if you prefer cardio. Run for as fast as you can, timing yourself as you go. Allot yourself that same amount of time to walk, so you can catch your breath. Do 4 sets of this circuit, then settle down with easy, 10-minute job.[15]
- You can warm-up your body by running for 10 minutes before you start.
[Edit]Experimenting with Exercise Equipment - Perform some kettlebell exercises to help you burn fat. Start by swinging the kettlebell for 30 seconds with 1 arm, switching arms after each swing. After this, hold the kettlebell securely in 1 hand and "jerk" it above your head before bringing it back below your shoulder. Once the 15 seconds are up, grab the kettlebell and repeat the exercise with your opposite hand. To complete the circuit, clutch the kettlebell against your chest with both hands and squat for 30 seconds, keeping your back upright.[16]
- Perform this workout multiple times, if you feel up to it!
- Keep your knees bent and extended forward as you "jerk" the kettlebell upwards. Additionally, try to keep your heels planted on the ground to give yourself more support.[17]
- Alternate strength exercises with mountain climbers to get your blood pumping. Start with 1 minute of kettlebell swings, guiding the kettlebell from between your legs to the same level of your shoulders. Rest for 15 seconds, then do 30 seconds of mountain climbers before resting again. After this, do some decline push-ups for 1 minute before resting again. Do another set of 30-second mountain climbers and give yourself a moment to rest. Finish off the circuit with 1 minute of fire hydrants, followed by another set of mountain climbers.[18]
- Fire hydrants are a strength-building exercise where you lay on your hands and knees. Lift your bent leg and extend it to the side, holding it in place for several seconds. Go back to your original position and do the same with your opposite leg.
- You can opt for shorter circuits, if that's easier.
- Focus on cardio with a treadmill workout. Adjust your treadmill so you're at a 5% incline, then raise the speed to . Run for 1 minute to get heart rate up, and then turn your treadmill speed down to . Walk at this speed for 2 minutes before resetting back to the faster speed. Aim to do at least 6 repetitions of this exercise so you can get a full workout.[19]
- It may help to go for an easy, 5-minute jog as a way to both warm up and cool down.
- Time your workout and rest periods with an interval timer.[20]
- Customize premade workouts to better suit your fitness needs and goals. For instance, if you're focused on strength training, you can switch out jumping jacks for push-ups.
- Look online for equipment-based workouts, like battle ropes or biking.[21]
- To increase your stamina, eat a diet rich in protein and complex carbs.[22]
[Edit]Warnings - Don't overwork yourself! If you're new to HIIT, start with smaller workouts so you can build your endurance. You can always lengthen your workouts as you get more experienced!
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]References |
| How to Make a Camping Toilet Posted: 03 Sep 2020 01:00 AM PDT For many people, one of the roughest aspects of camping is going without the comfort and familiarity of a modern toilet. However, if you're out in the boonies without a toilet in sight, don't fret; you can easily make your own! All you need to make a portable camping toilet is a large bucket, a garbage bag, and either a pool noodle or some plywood and a toilet seat. [Edit]Using a Pool Noodle - Cut your pool noodle to be just shorter than the bucket's circumference. Use measuring tape to measure the circumference of the rim of the bucket. Then, use a utility knife to cut your noodle to be about shorter than this measurement.[1]
- The noodle needs to be slightly shorter than the bucket's circumference so that you're able to fit it entirely around the rim of the bucket without the edges of the noodle's ends bumping up against each other.
- Use a utility knife to slice open 1 side of the pool noodle. Draw a line down the length of the noodle from top to bottom to guide your knife when you go to slice it. Opening the noodle this way will allow you to set it snugly along the rim of the bucket.[2]
- After you cut open the side of the noodle, use your hands to gently pull the 2 sides of the cut you just made apart. Make sure the noodle has been completely cut open before you move on to the next step.
- Secure the noodle to the rim of the bucket with epoxy adhesive. Place epoxy adhesive along the inside of the pool noodle, making sure to closely follow the manufacturer's instructions for usage. Then, place the noodle onto the rim of the bucket and push it downward so that it "snaps" into place.[3]
- You can also opt to skip the epoxy adhesive entirely and just make your toilet out of a bucket and pool noodle. However, without the epoxy, the noodle seat will be less secure when you go to sit on it.
- You can buy epoxy adhesive at any home improvement store.
- For best results, allow your epoxy to cure for at least 24 hours before using your camping toilet.
[Edit]Attaching a Toilet Seat to a Bucket or Chair - Trace the outer and inner circumferences of the toilet seat on plywood. Lay the toilet seat on top of a piece of plywood and use a pencil or marker to trace around the interior hole and the outside of the seat. Be sure to mark the holes in the back where the seat will be screwed into the plywood, as well.[4]
- If possible, add a second, slightly larger circle around the tracing of the interior hole and plan to cut along this second line so that your piece of plywood is smaller than the actual toilet seat. This will make it less likely for waste to accidentally get onto the plywood.
- Cut out the tracing with a jigsaw and drill out the attachment holes. Cut along the exterior tracing first, then cut out the tracing of the interior hole. Use a drill bit that is equal in size to the bolts you're using to attach the seat to the plywood.[5]
- Your toilet seat most likely came with bolts and nuts that you're meant to use to install it. If for some reason you're missing these materials, bolts that are in diameter will probably work for your toilet.
- If you plan on using a chair for your camping toilet, be sure to drill a hole in the chair that is the same size as the interior hole of your plywood piece.
- Attach 4 small blocks of wood to the bottom of the plywood piece. These will act as stoppers to prevent the toilet seat from sliding off of the bucket or out of the chair when you go to use it. Use nails or screws to attach the wood pieces to the bottom of the plywood on all 4 sides.[6]
- Drive a nail or a screw down through the plywood piece and into each piece of wood in order to attach them.
- These wood pieces can be any size or shape, as long as they fit inside of the bucket. For best results, use pieces that are at least long and that aren't wider than the toilet seat itself.
- Secure the toilet seat to the plywood with bolts and nuts. Screw the bolts through the hinge on the back of the toilet seat and through the drill holes on the back of the plywood piece. Attach the nuts to the ends of the bolts on the underside of the plywood to secure the plywood to the toilet seat.[7]
- The hinge is the plastic piece on the back of the toilet seat that connects it to the lid.
- Place the toilet seat over your bucket or chair to finish your toilet. Push the seat through the hole in the chair if you're using one, or simply place it over the top of your bucket. Make sure all 4 bottom pieces of wood fit snugly and securely in the bucket or in the hole in the chair.[8]
- Be sure to place a bucket underneath your chair before you use your new camping toilet.
[Edit]Using Your Camping Toilet - Place a bag inside the bucket. Make sure the bag goes all the way down to the bottom of the bucket and that the top of the bag completely covers your noodle seat. For best results, use a heavy-duty garbage bag that doesn't easily rip.[9]
- If you're worried about odor, you can also use special odor-blocking garbage bags instead of ordinary bags. You can buy these at any grocery store.
- Pour of absorption medium in the bottom of the bag. Use sawdust, cat litter, dirt, or some other absorption medium to soak up any liquids in the bag and suppress the odor. You'll also use this medium to cover your waste every time you finish using the toilet.[10]
- After you use the toilet, pour enough sawdust or cat litter into the bag so that your waste is completely covered.
- For convenience, keep your absorption medium in a separate garbage bag and use a plastic cup to scoop the medium into your toilet.
- You can get sawdust from a sawmill or lumberyard or buy sawdust at a feed store.
- Take the bag out of the toilet and tie it closed once you're done with it. Again, make sure you've covered your waste before you take out the bag. Use a double knot when tying the bag to make sure it's securely closed and that none of the contents will fall out.[11]
- Dispose of the bag and sanitize the inside of the bucket after every use. Tie the bag containing the waste closed, then place it inside another bag and tie this second bag closed as well. Take the bags to a drop-off facility for hazardous waste in order to dispose of them properly.[12]
- You can sanitize the inside of the bucket by washing it with dish soap and warm water.
- Do not simply leave your bag at the campsite when you head home; this is considered littering.
- If you want to ensure you can use your camping toilet in privacy, place it inside a cheap pop-up tent to create a makeshift outhouse near your camping site.
- Keep some toilet paper in a sealable plastic bag or old coffee can inside your bucket when you're not using your toilet. Then, simply take the toilet paper out of the bucket before you insert your garbage bag. This way, you'll never forget to bring toilet paper with you when you use the toilet!
- You can also attach the toilet paper to the handle of the bucket, if you don't plan on moving the bucket very much.
- Take along heavy-duty garbage bags for your waste. You'll likely need more than 1 bag if you plan on camping for an extended period. Take enough bags to change bags every 2 or 3 days, depending on the number in your camping party.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Pool noodle
- plywood
- 4 small pieces of wood
- Jigsaw
- Utility knife
- bucket
- trash bags
- Epoxy adhesive
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