Fresh Fruit On Trips

[Odyssey]

What are Cuties? I googled it and wish I hadn't.

 

[yknpdlr]

I believe they are small tangerine-like oranges, among other things.

 

[yellowcanoe]

We had Tang on last September trip to the BWCA and will again this year.
Jim

All I could think of this last week was Tang and Bourbon heated up and guzzled in the rain.

 

[yellowcanoe]

What are Cuties? I googled it and wish I hadn't.

they are a brand of mandarin orange.. Snack size and quite sweet. I am sure, quite sure, Google misled you.

 

[Erica]

I used to have Tang every morning on canoe trips.

Cuties also peel easily.

I rarely bring fresh fruit. Dried mango and dried pineapple are my go-to fruit for tripping.

 

[scoutergriz]

I'm not a fruit cake foodie but the light version is fancy fine for teas with the in-laws. The dark goes with everything, tea, coffee, and stronger stuff. Where would New Year's be without that pairing!?
I forgot dried bb's. Yes they are good, and never seem to last in this house. They (fresh, frozen, or dried) find their way into my morning porridge. Hold on Scoutergriz, did you say...

Are you a hygrater!?

is it highgrading when you mix the gorp yourself?

 

[Odyssey]

is it highgrading when you mix the gorp yourself?

Ha ha. That's a good question. You know you've got a selective chooser when they spend way too long with a hand in the bag.
There's a variety of trail mix options in stores (Bulk Barn, GoodnessMe) but we tend to throw together our own. High prices have even hit the nuts, fruit, and gorp market.

 

[billconner]

I do like Tang but Trader Joe's orange slices are a real treat.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I do like Tang but Trader Joe's orange slices are a real treat.

O no
have to make an excursion to TJ as we are Labrador bound later in the summer and fresh citrus going over the border is a no no!
TJ s isnt close but in the same city as our doctors so we can make a happy aspect to the medical appointments

 

[lowangle al]

I’ve taken a watermelon on a river trip one time. It wasn’t planned, on the drive to the put in we passed a guy selling them out of his truck. That was the first and last time I saw that in Alaska. I’ve also taken a cantaloupe and apples on trips. I usually pack what I have available at home before shopping for something specific.

For the most part I avoid soft fruit like peaches or bananas. Especially bananas, I don’t know if it’s universal but here in Ak bananas are considered bad luck on a boat. You don’t want to bring one on a fishing charter for sure.

The best fruit I’ve brought was last week when I filled a quart size Nalgene bottle with fresh cherries. The held up perfectly and my guess is they have a lot of calories for their weight. I finished them when I got back to the car, and after not eating for about six hours they gave me the energy I Was lacking.

 

[recped]

Good morning everyone,

Many years ago Chick and I experimented with bringing different fresh fruits on our trips. She literally lives on fresh fruit and popsicles so the fruit thing was big.

We skipped strawberries and blueberries right away, but landed on grapes. She cleans them, pats each one dry and puts them in a Nalgene bottle and off we go. I have enjoyed nice firm crunchy grapes 4 days into a trip.

I read online a break down on how long you can keep fruit without being in the fridge and it stated 2 days. Many variables I know.

Anyone take grapes or any other fruit and have success keeping them fresh? If so, what is your method?

Thank you.

First thing, fruit needs to be carefully selected and stored intelligently.

Grapes are very good, they can be kept for a long time (up to 2+ weeks)
Oranges of course keep very well, a month is no problem.
The right kind of Apples (Red Prince, Pink Lady, Braeburn, old reliable Granny Smith might keep the best but they are not a personal favourite. some other varieties also keep well, look for southern hemisphere apples that are not already 9 months old when you buy them. I wrap mine in bubble wrap to avoid bruising, any of that damage and they deteriorate quickly.

Berries are only good for a couple of days at best, green bananas for 2 - 4 days

I've also taken pineapples, cantaloupe and watermelon, once cut they don't keep very well for more than 1 day.

All this fruit going in my dedicated cheese and fruit soft-sided cooler, I keep a jug of water in the cooler, sometimes just cold river water, open it at camp if the temps fall during the evening and of course keep it out of the sun where possible. On a soft cooler, evaporative cooling actual works fairly well during the day.

The longest I have kept fresh fruit was an apple I bought in Toronto, carried with me to Labrador, paddled for 51 days on the George river and made the 3 day trip back to Toronto. While it had lost a bit of crispyness it was still quite edible 58 days after purchase!

Weather makes a huge difference, on that 51 day trip temperatures were generally mild with only a few really hot days.

Not fruit, but my longest surviving (still edible) "fresh" egg record is 40+ days! I have a sealed brick of cheese from that 51 day trip that has been sitting in my frig since 2018, I plan to eat it in 2028, I might even take it back to the George River!