Hi Guys any ideas re the vacum sealer machines thiking of getting one when we go on our trip any suggestions on brands or whatever, and are they worth it. Also can you help us re placing photos on the sight as i see most of you have on the left hand side of the forum. Last of all how do you reckon it is worth having your own toilet on board and shower we are thinking about this as we dont have these at the moment so it would mean upgrading.. Cheers all cant wait to take off hope to see some of you on the road.
Pejay said
04:12 PM May 1, 2011
Hi Tabby,
Can't help you with your first query, but have to say that at the very least have a porta potty, when we were up in Townsville during February (just after Yasi, and still pouring cats & dogs) there were a couple of occasions that hubby used our loo (just for a pee - have an en suite in our van) as it was just too wet for him to walk down to the amenities block. Pejay
Ma said
04:37 PM May 1, 2011
We have a small hand held vacy machine tabby. Got it in Big W and cost from memory about $49 and it came with half a dozen bags of different sizes.
You can pick them up in most department stores and Target, Kmart etc., and we find it to be great for packing our meat and freezing flat.
Also good for storing meat and veg and left overs in the fridge and they keep longer than just having them in some sort of container.
Extra bags are available too. \
Ours runs on 4 double A batteries.
We think it's great especially if you are on a tight budget, it cuts down on chucking out left overs after a day or two.
jules47 said
04:59 PM May 1, 2011
To get a photo where your name is - click on your screen name - takes you to your page - you will see "avatar" - you can upload a photo to this which will show up in that section. Just follow directions. Any more queries - just ask - someone will help you.
Yuglamron said
05:01 PM May 1, 2011
Hi Guys,
Personally I do prefer the hygiene aspects of your own toilet.With the modern cassette type they are very easy to use and with the ever growing number of dump ponts easy to empty as well.I know it's not charitble but sometimes others hygiene leaves a lot to be desired.
With regard to the vacuum/sealing machines I was reccomended to buy one by a long time Grey Nomad friend.I bought one from Big W on thursday this week,the smallest version of the Sunbeam range. There are about four in their range from $120 through to the deluxe stainless model at around $290.It came with a roll of bags and five ready made ones.Bought two kilos of best mince and put enough for a meal into half a ready made bag and sealed each one. made nine serves and froze them.After flattening each pouch first.
Obviously there are cheaper versions on the market and I don't know if there are 12 volt ones.
Would reccomend just for the small storage benefits.
I have an RV so I bought a 240Volt version.
So far so good,The storage figures look good for various products and I hopefully will be able to buy when things I like to eat are on special.ie.chicken breast,bacon etc.
ChiChi1 said
05:03 PM May 1, 2011
I have a sunbeam one. Excellent at home. Still tossing up as to whether I vacumm pack and freeze everything before I go or to take it with me. Great space savers. Shower & Toilet were a priority for me.
jules47 said
05:05 PM May 1, 2011
Hi - don't know about vacuum sealers or loos etc., but can help you get a photo up - it is actually called an "avatar" - so double click on your screen name on the left side of page, opens up your personalisation page, click on "avatar" it will ask you to upload a file - choose a photo from wherever on you computer you store photos, upload it - and voila!! it shows up as your "avatar" you can change it at any time the same way. Hope this is clear for you.
ken thomas said
05:08 PM May 1, 2011
Hello All
I have an ensuite van with separate toilet /shower and was the best thing we did. Some people dont use them but why buy a van with it in the first place. With the different enviromentally product to put in them, they are very easy to use .
you will find in some spots the drop toilets are not very clean and wish you had one
Ken
Ma said
05:55 PM May 1, 2011
I agree with Ken. We have a shower and separate loo. Wouldn't be without it now and so much easier for those early hours "walkies".
jimricho said
06:33 PM May 1, 2011
I have a Sunbeam vacuum machine and use it both at home and while travelling. Meat will keep for a few weeks without being frozen provided that it is kept well chilled, not quite cold enough to freeze it. In theory below 4 degrees but the colder the better.
Frozen food lasts longer, does not freezer burn and can be quickly thawed by placing (unopened) in cold water. It must not remain in the water once thawed but immediately cooked or chilled if using this method. (my info - a USDA website)
Helena said
07:14 PM May 1, 2011
Ma like the idea of the sealer that runs on batteries I have never heard of them before as I have one that is powered by 240 so will have a look around the stores see if I can get one of the battery operated one as that would really be a boon on the road. Helena.
Ma said
07:27 PM May 1, 2011
I would give you the name of it Helena but unfortunately it is in the van at the moment and the van is down the bottom of the village in the compound. Will have a look at the first opportunity and get back to you. Where are you headed when you hit the road?
jimricho said
07:30 PM May 1, 2011
ChiChi1 wrote:
I have a sunbeam one. Excellent at home. Still tossing up as to whether I vacumm pack and freeze everything before I go or to take it with me. Great space savers.
I do both, pack some stuff before I leave then buy along the way. As I'm travelling solo I need to store what I don't immediately use, especially if buying pre-packed meat etc from a super market. I also found getting the meat cryovaced by the butcher was sometimes not convenient as the packages were too large and once opened had to eaten within a few days.
Ma said
07:33 PM May 1, 2011
Yes Jim, it does give you the benefit of being able to package things to your individual requirements. The size of some of the packaging from the supermarkets is either too much or not enough. That's one of the reasons I like to buy my meat from the local butcher in the town I am in at the time for then I can buy WHAT I WANT, not what the supermarket thinks I want.
jimricho said
07:34 PM May 1, 2011
Ma wrote:
I would give you the name of it Helena but unfortunately it is in the van at the moment and the van is down the bottom of the village in the compound. Will have a look at the first opportunity and get back to you. Where are you headed when you hit the road?
Hi Elaine,
I'd be interested in that too. Does it fully vacuum and heat-seal the same as the 240v ones?
Jim
Ma said
07:38 PM May 1, 2011
You put the food into the bag Jim and then close the fastening strip along the top and then connect the machine bit to the valve in the side of the bag and suck all the air out, disconnect the machine and Bob's your Uncle (well husband actually...LOL).
The bags are already made up Jim and you buy them in boxes of either multi sized or individual size. They are a rather sturdy plastic not like the thin ones that you throw away and then make new ones. They are fully washable too. One bag last for ages, we have been using ours for over 12 months now and they don't even look like wearing out.
-- Edited by Ma on Sunday 1st of May 2011 07:39:31 PM
-- Edited by Ma on Sunday 1st of May 2011 07:40:36 PM
jimricho said
07:40 PM May 1, 2011
Ma wrote:
........WHAT I WANT, not what the supermarket thinks I want.
Especially rump steak! I think the supermarkets (and some butchers) cut it on the bloody bacon slicer!
Beth54 said
07:47 PM May 1, 2011
I wouldn't be without my porta loo now. Mostly I just put it on the floor in my trailer once I'm set up. It's handy there for me at night. I also have a shower/toilet tent which I used for the first time over Easter. I'll probably only erect that when I'm staying put for a few of days. I haven't actually used the shower, which was given to me, so that will be a novelty too.
Oh, yes, I did shower over Easter, but my brother had a gas hot water system on the back of his old van, so had plenty of hot water for us all to use it. We just had to BYO water!
Gerty Dancer said
07:54 PM May 1, 2011
Re shower in your van, consider the weight of the extra water tank and hot-water system, grey-water tank too. If your tug can handle it, then its entirely a personal decision. Do get a porta-potty though, going out to the amenities can be very unfriendly in cold and rain, also some "amenities" are just unusable.
Helena said
07:57 PM May 1, 2011
Thanks for that Ma we will be heading to Broken Hill then onto Queensland just hope the roads are O.K. also the camp sites Helena.
Ma said
08:00 PM May 1, 2011
If you haven't already got a Camps book Helena I would strongly recommend one and if you can extend the budget to the one with Pics it is worth the extra outlay as you can get a good idea of what the camps are like before you go off the beaten track to have a look. I loved Broken Hill. A walk up and down the main street is a must. The architecture there is amazing when you consider how far away from any major town it would have been back when they were building the town.
Helena said
08:00 PM May 1, 2011
While at home we buy our meat straight from the farm but when on the road we try to find the little country butchers their meat is so much nicer than the supermarkets Helena.
Ma said
08:02 PM May 1, 2011
I can thoroughly recommend the butcher in Gilgandra for exceptional meat. As you head down the main street he's on the right hand side. Grows and kills his own meat and cuts it EXACTLY how you want it and his prices are very reasonable too.
Travel Bug said
08:32 PM May 1, 2011
I am interested in the battery operated vacuum sealer too Ma.
Sounds just like my kind of gadget
The shops are closed here tomorrow for the Qld. Labour Day holiday but Tuesday, I'll be heading off to Big W to see if I can locate one.
Ma said
08:34 PM May 1, 2011
If you can find one Travel Bug could you please post some details re: brand name, where purchased, how much etc on here as it will be probably late Tuesday or even Wednesday before I can get down to the compound to get mine out of the van.
Thanks
Travel Bug said
08:36 PM May 1, 2011
Yes Ma...I intended to do that anyway...
Just stupidly forgot to say that in my post.
It really has been a very looong day!!
Helena said
08:56 PM May 1, 2011
HI Ma, Thanks for the info on Broken Hill also the butcher yes we have camps 5 book had that when it first came out and I always update before we leave thought we would stick with the camps 5 this year though. Would be great if you can post that info on the site Travel Bug as I think it would help a lot of us I will have a look when I go round the stores next time to see if I can find one if I do will also post if you haven't Helena.
sandsmere said
06:01 AM May 2, 2011
We have a Sunbeam vac. sealer . Use it often . Wouldn't be without it now . Food lasts a whole lot longer .
Ma said
08:14 AM May 2, 2011
The vac sealer that I have is an ECO Vacuum Sealer it uses environmentally friendly reusable bags. They can be put in the dishwasher inside out on the upper rack or washed in warm soapy water.
As previously stated we got ours at Big W.
It comes with 9 reusable bags as well.
It's really simple to use and takes 6 AA batteries
BobnBev said
08:54 AM May 2, 2011
jimricho wrote:
I have a Sunbeam vacuum machine and use it both at home and while travelling. Meat will keep for a few weeks without being frozen provided that it is kept well chilled, not quite cold enough to freeze it. In theory below 4 degrees but the colder the better.
Frozen food lasts longer, does not freezer burn and can be quickly thawed by placing (unopened) in cold water. It must not remain in the water once thawed but immediately cooked or chilled if using this method. (my info - a USDA website)
Spot on Jim, cryvact meat will last for months @ 1deg... and will be better eating as well. It MUST be fresh meat. ask your butcher if it was cryvacted before as it is not good to do it a second time. unless you freeze it. its cleaner to vac things to put in the freezer anyhow.. we have a sunbeam 240 volt job works fine..
Hi Guys any ideas re the vacum sealer machines thiking of getting one when we go on our trip any suggestions on brands or whatever, and are they worth it. Also can you help us re placing photos on the sight as i see most of you have on the left hand side of the forum. Last of all how do you reckon it is worth having your own toilet on board and shower we are thinking about this as we dont have these at the moment so it would mean upgrading.. Cheers all cant wait to take off hope to see some of you on the road.
Can't help you with your first query, but have to say that at the very least have a porta potty, when we were up in Townsville during February (just after Yasi, and still pouring cats & dogs) there were a couple of occasions that hubby used our loo (just for a pee - have an en suite in our van) as it was just too wet for him to walk down to the amenities block. Pejay
We have a small hand held vacy machine tabby. Got it in Big W and cost from memory about $49 and it came with half a dozen bags of different sizes.
You can pick them up in most department stores and Target, Kmart etc., and we find it to be great for packing our meat and freezing flat.
Also good for storing meat and veg and left overs in the fridge and they keep longer than just having them in some sort of container.
Extra bags are available too. \
Ours runs on 4 double A batteries.
We think it's great especially if you are on a tight budget, it cuts down on chucking out left overs after a day or two.
Hi Guys,
Personally I do prefer the hygiene aspects of your own toilet.With the modern cassette type they are very easy to use and with the ever growing number of dump ponts easy to empty as well.I know it's not charitble but sometimes others hygiene leaves a lot to be desired.
With regard to the vacuum/sealing machines I was reccomended to buy one by a long time Grey Nomad friend.I bought one from Big W on thursday this week,the smallest version of the Sunbeam range. There are about four in their range from $120 through to the deluxe stainless model at around $290.It came with a roll of bags and five ready made ones.Bought two kilos of best mince and put enough for a meal into half a ready made bag and sealed each one. made nine serves and froze them.After flattening each pouch first.
Obviously there are cheaper versions on the market and I don't know if there are 12 volt ones.
Would reccomend just for the small storage benefits.
I have an RV so I bought a 240Volt version.
So far so good,The storage figures look good for various products and I hopefully will be able to buy when things I like to eat are on special.ie.chicken breast,bacon etc.
Hello All
I have an ensuite van with separate toilet /shower and was the best thing we did. Some people dont use them but why buy a van with it in the first place. With the different enviromentally product to put in them, they are very easy to use .
you will find in some spots the drop toilets are not very clean and wish you had one
Ken
I agree with Ken. We have a shower and separate loo. Wouldn't be without it now and so much easier for those early hours "walkies".
I have a Sunbeam vacuum machine and use it both at home and while travelling. Meat will keep for a few weeks without being frozen provided that it is kept well chilled, not quite cold enough to freeze it. In theory below 4 degrees but the colder the better.
Frozen food lasts longer, does not freezer burn and can be quickly thawed by placing (unopened) in cold water. It must not remain in the water once thawed but immediately cooked or chilled if using this method. (my info - a USDA website)
I would give you the name of it Helena but unfortunately it is in the van at the moment and the van is down the bottom of the village in the compound. Will have a look at the first opportunity and get back to you. Where are you headed when you hit the road?
I do both, pack some stuff before I leave then buy along the way. As I'm travelling solo I need to store what I don't immediately use, especially if buying pre-packed meat etc from a super market. I also found getting the meat cryovaced by the butcher was sometimes not convenient as the packages were too large and once opened had to eaten within a few days.
Yes Jim, it does give you the benefit of being able to package things to your individual requirements. The size of some of the packaging from the supermarkets is either too much or not enough. That's one of the reasons I like to buy my meat from the local butcher in the town I am in at the time for then I can buy WHAT I WANT, not what the supermarket thinks I want.
Hi Elaine,
I'd be interested in that too. Does it fully vacuum and heat-seal the same as the 240v ones?
Jim
You put the food into the bag Jim and then close the fastening strip along the top and then connect the machine bit to the valve in the side of the bag and suck all the air out, disconnect the machine and Bob's your Uncle (well husband actually...LOL).
The bags are already made up Jim and you buy them in boxes of either multi sized or individual size. They are a rather sturdy plastic not like the thin ones that you throw away and then make new ones. They are fully washable too. One bag last for ages, we have been using ours for over 12 months now and they don't even look like wearing out.
-- Edited by Ma on Sunday 1st of May 2011 07:39:31 PM
-- Edited by Ma on Sunday 1st of May 2011 07:40:36 PM
Especially rump steak! I think the supermarkets (and some butchers) cut it on the bloody bacon slicer!
I wouldn't be without my porta loo now. Mostly I just put it on the floor in my trailer once I'm set up. It's handy there for me at night. I also have a shower/toilet tent which I used for the first time over Easter. I'll probably only erect that when I'm staying put for a few of days. I haven't actually used the shower, which was given to me, so that will be a novelty too.
Oh, yes, I did shower over Easter,
but my brother had a gas hot water system on the back of his old van, so had plenty of hot water for us all to use it. We just had to BYO water! 
Thanks for that Ma we will be heading to Broken Hill then onto Queensland just hope the roads are O.K. also the camp sites Helena.
If you haven't already got a Camps book Helena I would strongly recommend one and if you can extend the budget to the one with Pics it is worth the extra outlay as you can get a good idea of what the camps are like before you go off the beaten track to have a look. I loved Broken Hill. A walk up and down the main street is a must. The architecture there is amazing when you consider how far away from any major town it would have been back when they were building the town.
I can thoroughly recommend the butcher in Gilgandra for exceptional meat. As you head down the main street he's on the right hand side. Grows and kills his own meat and cuts it EXACTLY how you want it and his prices are very reasonable too.
I am interested in the battery operated vacuum sealer too Ma.
Sounds just like my kind of gadget
The shops are closed here tomorrow for the Qld. Labour Day holiday
but Tuesday, I'll be heading off to Big W to see if I can locate one.
If you can find one Travel Bug could you please post some details re: brand name, where purchased, how much etc on here as it will be probably late Tuesday or even Wednesday before I can get down to the compound to get mine out of the van.
Thanks
Yes Ma...I intended to do that anyway...
Just stupidly forgot to say that in my post.
It really has been a very looong day!!
Thanks for the info on Broken Hill also the butcher yes we have camps 5 book had that when it first came out and I always update before we leave thought we would stick with the camps 5 this year though. Would be great if you can post that info on the site Travel Bug as I think it would help a lot of us I will have a look when I go round the stores next time to see if I can find one if I do will also post if you haven't Helena.
We have a Sunbeam vac. sealer . Use it often . Wouldn't be without it now . Food lasts a whole lot longer .
The vac sealer that I have is an ECO Vacuum Sealer it uses environmentally friendly reusable bags. They can be put in the dishwasher inside out on the upper rack or washed in warm soapy water.
As previously stated we got ours at Big W.
It comes with 9 reusable bags as well.
It's really simple to use and takes 6 AA batteries
Spot on Jim, cryvact meat will last for months @ 1deg... and will be better eating as well. It MUST be fresh meat. ask your butcher if it was cryvacted before as it is not good to do it a second time. unless you freeze it. its cleaner to vac things to put in the freezer anyhow.. we have a sunbeam 240 volt job works fine..
shower and loo ...a must is all I can say....