How to take eggs camping

If you’re reading this, then you really want to wake up in your tent and eat some delicious eggs. I’m 100% with you, which is why we put together this guide on how to take eggs camping. But first, here’s a brief story on how not to bring eggs camping.
Many years ago back when I was a bright-eyed and adventurous 15-year old kid I loved to go camping. I loved camping so much that I ended up getting an opportunity to be a junior counselor at a camp based in Northern Wisconsin.
Coming from the urban city setting and being placed the vastness of crisp nature air and the menagerie of wildlife and insects, the experience proved to be not only surreal and exciting but sometimes never-ending and tiresome. I loved the experience and especially looked forward to the meal planning portion of the trip preparation.
We were taught 3 very important things to always remember when packing for a camping trip that required us to transport anything while on foot:
1) To never put any snacks needed for nourishment or energy at the bottom of backpack.
2) To never overpack with perishable food items because of the possibility of spoiling and the added weight from the cold packs needed to prevent said spoiling and
3) Never bring eggs because they are too much trouble keeping fresh and protecting them from breakage. Needless to say, the hormones of puberty compelled us to do the exact opposite and secretly pack, not just 1 carton but 2 to satisfy our early morning culinary appetites. I don’t feel the need to explain what the outcome of that was, one should be able to surmise that there were two very upset head counselors and a lot of sticky camping gear.

Eggs and camping just go together

Eggs make a very tasty breakfast meal option, especially when camping, not only for the taste but everything is more fun to cook over the campfire! Right? So, before you start grabbing packing peanuts or going out to purchase some expensive egg protector that promises that you that your egg could withstand a 30-foot drop off of a roof without even a scratch, let’s explore some inexpensive and practical methods of making sure that you will be able to have scrambled eggs in a pan instead of scrambled eggs in the bottom or your backpack.

The goal is to keep the eggs from breaking while protecting you from salmonella

Before you begin the packing lets quickly go over a few things that will keep you from jeopardizing the integrity of the freshness of the egg and protecting you and the other campers from food and salmonella poisoning.
Store-bought eggs can last anywhere between 3-5 weeks in the fridge but once taken out and are at room temperature should be used within 1 to 2 days. Farm fresh eggs can be stored in a dry environment under relatively cool temperatures can last over a month.
The issue of food safety when eggs are not refrigerated arises when eggs start to develop sweat which is the perfect campground for bacteria to form and get inside the egg which has a porous shell.
This is the perfect way to end up in the emergency room with food poisoning and if you are camping far out in the woods miles away from a hospital it would be very difficult to get help quickly if someone were to fall ill due to the improper storage of perishable food. It is reported that 1 in 10,000 people will get food poisoning, most cases caused by improper food storage and handling.
Also, another thing to be aware of is that salmonella does not have an odor or make the egg smell foul, which can also give a false sense of security. In fact, it’s typically not salmonella that makes eggs smell bad.
So, to sum it up, please make sure that your eggs were stored properly before they are even being backed to be eaten on your camping trip and that will eliminate the most important issue that could arise from bringing eggs to your campsite.

How to pack eggs while camping

There were several methods to safely packing eggs to bring along while camping. After try them all, I chose 3 that I felt were simple and easy to do that would also keep you from getting sick or having to find a washer and dryer out in the wilderness.
Below are 3 surefire ways to bring eggs on your camping trip:

1.  All you would need to do is grab a couple of empty water bottles that you were going to set out for recycling and break the eggs inside the bottle. The whites of the egg will keep the yolks intact unless there is some heavy shaking or agitation to the bottle. If there is really no disturbance to the bottle while en route you would still be able to enjoy over medium eggs or if you so chose sunny side up. If agitation occurs and the yolks break then you can use them for scrambled eggs or French toast.
2. Very similar to the water bottle method but instead of storing in a water bottle you would scramble the eggs and pour them in a freezer storage bag and freeze the egg mixture. This is good preparation for pre-planned trips and because they are in freezer bags then frozen they will keep cool longer so not to run the risk of spoiling and because the flattened shape of the storage bag helps with maximizing space needed for other food items.
3. Visiting your local supermarket and purchasing pre-scrambled eggs in a carton or in a bottle. Already manufactured to maintain freshness and come in reusable and easy to store packaging.

Remember, you need to keep the eggs cold

The reason why I love method #2 above is that frozen eggs stay cold for longer. However, just transporting the eggs isn’t enough. You should always bring the eggs with you within a cooler. Under no circumstances should you transport the eggs without a cooler as it’s a risk to you and your fellow camper’s health.
However, since the eggs are already broken and within a water bottle, you shouldn’t have to worry about creating a mess if the eggs were to break while you are on your way to the campsite!
Hopefully all the information provided helps make your camping trip more relaxing while eating eggs with loved ones around a campfire. Eat well and have safe travels.
See you at the campsite!

Sean's an avid camper, kayaker, and RVer. He loves spending time finding new trails and campsites to take his family and friends.