The key is timing and insulation. Packed frozen-solid in a quality chilly bin with plenty of ice, they'll hold for the first day or two of a trip. Once a meal has thawed, keep it below 5°C and eat it within 48 hours — don't let thawed meals sit warm.

Tips for packing frozen meals on a camping trip

• Freeze your meals solid before packing — take them straight from freezer to cooler
• Use a hard-sided cooler with good insulation and plenty of ice blocks
• Duo trays (600–750g) suit couples; family trays (1.1–1.5kg) feed four hungry campers
• Reheat in the tray on a camp stove, on a BBQ grill, or in an oven at a powered site
• Always heat until piping hot — 75°C in the centre