Refrigerator and food the first night.

[The Quilting Lady]

Refrigerator and food the first night.
I know with our Casita to prepare for a new trip,we always turned the refrigerator on a day before we filled it with food so it could get cold enough. Just wondering if you need to do that with the escape refrigerators and what do people do when they are camping the first night. Do you have to go out to eat? Is it difficult or wise to bring a cooler full of food through customs?

Guess we could stick with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and canned foods and buy fresh fruit locally. Maybe I just answered my own question. Any other ideas?

[Ruthe]

Somewhere there are lists or food that are legal to bring into the country. We didn't do that and I wish we had. We were so tired from the long day and shopping for food that day was just one more chore. I think on this forum it's been discussed and the website that you need would be there but probably some googling will find the information that you need.

[fudge_brownie]

We had an early orientation and the first thing I did was to turn on the refrigerator. This made sure it worked and started the cooling. It was three hours later that we took delivery in Sumas. While in the Burger Barn parking lot we transferred from our vehicle our equipment and supplies, at the same time I waxed the front of the Escape. Then on to Lynden for groceries. We were going to cross the border again to Porteau Cove so avoided purchasing what we thought would be an issue. Required another grocery stop in Canada but we had planned ahead as to what to buy. It was probably close to 2:30 before perishables hit the refrigerator in Lynden, it worked.

After driving and eating out for three days it was pleasant to have a home cooked meal of our choosing.

[Bill and Earline]

Originally Posted by The Quilting Lady

Refrigerator and food the first night.
I know with our Casita to prepare for a new trip,we always turned the refrigerator on a day before we filled it with food so it could get cold enough. Just wondering if you need to do that with the escape refrigerators and what do people do when they are camping the first night. Do you have to go out to eat? Is it difficult or wise to bring a cooler full of food through customs?

Guess we could stick with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and canned foods and buy fresh fruit locally. Maybe I just answered my own question. Any other ideas?

Most owners opt to have ETI fill the propane tanks. I would think ETI might also turn on your fridge the day before, if requested. At the very least you could turn it on at the beginning of orientation, and then it might be almost ready in a few hours.
Be cautious about taking any food not commercially prepared either north or south. Stories of fines and getting on the "bad list" make most of us cautious.
Bill

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by The Quilting Lady

Is it difficult or wise to bring a cooler full of food through customs?

For peace of mind during an otherwise stressful day, I wouldn't even consider doing this given the complexities of transporting food over the border (either way). Whatcom County is replete with grocery stores and C-stores (even within a couple of blocks of pick-up at Bob's)...Sumas, Everson, Lynden--take your pick.

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by The Quilting Lady

Refrigerator and food the first night.
I know with our Casita to prepare for a new trip,we always turned the refrigerator on a day before we filled it with food so it could get cold enough. Just wondering if you need to do that with the escape refrigerators and what do people do when they are camping the first night. Do you have to go out to eat? Is it difficult or wise to bring a cooler full of food through customs?

Guess we could stick with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and canned foods and buy fresh fruit locally. Maybe I just answered my own question. Any other ideas?

(you) stick with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and canned foods and buy fresh fruit locally

yes. this. do this.

keep it simple.

[cpaharley2008]

Yes, we did something similar. Returning to US after the morning delivery we drove until that evening to a rest area and continued our eating out as we did on the trip out. Then the next evening I found a nice cg in Sheridan, Wyoming which had a restaurant attached. I asked and was told there was an IGA in town (my favorite kind of food store, lots of local produce) the refer had been on since pick up and was nice and cold, so we stocked up the next am with fruit and vegetables and continued our trip.

[Steve Clark]

Quilting Lady, We kept it simple too. We used restaurants for dinner and breakfast the next morning. Our first full day in Lyndon was spent grocery shopping and transferring our stuff from the vehicle into the trailer. It was a wonderful day!

[bsmoke]

Oh man you've just given me a bad case of heartburn. We are camping for 16 nights after our pick up on June 2nd and we had just completed our planning for prepared frozen meals packed in our 65 qt Rtec cooler. We are spending one night in Canada for orientation the following morning then back across. We're going to have issues? I wonder if I could store the cooler in Sumas somewhere if that's the case. Dam.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by bsmoke

I wonder if I could store the cooler in Sumas somewhere if that's the case...

See the link below and scroll down for info:

"Items stored and the paperwork for Customs and copies are a $10.00 charge at this time. Bromley's will store items for this charge for up to one year. You will be given information and charges for storage beyond this time period."

Bromley's Market IGA - Border and Customs

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by bsmoke

Oh man you've just given me a bad case of heartburn. We are camping for 16 nights after our pick up on June 2nd and we had just completed our planning for prepared frozen meals packed in our 65 qt Rtec cooler. We are spending one night in Canada for orientation the following morning then back across. We're going to have issues? I wonder if I could store the cooler in Sumas somewhere if that's the case. Dam.

While I could just be lucky, I don't believe either border is concerned about frozen food. I've crossed many times with the trailer, and I've been asked about fresh stuff, both in & out of the refrigerator, even had the Canadians take my fresh Canadian blueberries when crossing into Canada on US 97 heading for Osoyoos, but no one seems to care what was in the freezer.

The "Official" Canadian website does list limits on some frozen food, but again even when asked and I answered that I had some, they didn't care.

[bsmoke]

Thanks so much Karen for that info.

[fudge_brownie]

I have found the US Department of Agriculture border agents a bit more aggressive in searches. One issue is you may have purchased the item in the US, entered Canada, and are now returning with that item. Unless it has a sticker on it stating its origin they will take it. They do not know its origin.

I had a funny experience with the agent in Port Angeles WA. We had an apartment size water melon. He picked it up and said, "no sticker, it must have fallen off. I know that at this time of year the only place these water melons are grown is California. You can keep it." He did take our lemon however.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

We had an apartment size water melon.

What the heck is this? Does that mean it's as big as an apartment?

[bsmoke]

Thought the apartment size watermelon was the Escape

[Dave&Kathie]

Like this?

[BCnomad]

The USA website for future reference::
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...s.-from-canada

The Canadian website:: same as Jon's link
What Can I Bring Into Canada in Terms Of Food, Plant, Animal and Related Products? - Food - Canadian Food Inspection Agency


No hidden places for "bugs" is the rule of thumb but always open to last minute exclusions. My agents at crossings seem to appreciate a hand written list of fridge contents, and trailer license plate. YMMV

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by bsmoke

Thought the apartment size watermelon was the Escape

Originally Posted by Dave&Kathie

Like this?

Okay, that was way too funny.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

While I could just be lucky, I don't believe either border is concerned about frozen food. I've crossed many times with the trailer, and I've been asked about fresh stuff, both in & out of the refrigerator, even had the Canadians take my fresh Canadian blueberries when crossing into Canada on US 97 heading for Osoyoos, but no one seems to care what was in the freezer.

The "Official" Canadian website does list limits on some frozen food, but again even when asked and I answered that I had some, they didn't care.

I have to agree with Jon . We have probably crossed over into Canada over 100 times on fishing trips and vacations .
Canadian customs have never asked about or inspected our frozen , canned , or dried foods. We have been asked about fresh produce and meat products .
We go fishing in Canada every June and bring along enough food for 4 to 8 people for 5 days and never had an issue crossing into Canada .
We are always questioned about tobacco , alcohol , firearms , weapons , destination , length of stay , DWI's and the purpose of our trip.
Coming back into the US they have inspected our coolers and counted our fish and do ask what we purchased in Canada for import into the US.

[SpokanEscape]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I have to agree with Jon . We have probably crossed over into Canada over 100 times on fishing trips and vacations .
Canadian customs have never asked about or inspected our frozen , canned , or dried foods. We have been asked about fresh produce and meat products .
We go fishing in Canada every June and bring along enough food for 4 to 8 people for 5 days and never had an issue crossing into Canada .
We are always questioned about tobacco , alcohol , firearms , weapons , destination , length of stay , DWI's and the purpose of our trip.
Coming back into the US they have inspected our coolers and counted our fish and do ask what we purchased in Canada for import into the US.

We did have to surrender some frozen chicken when we were crossing into Canada and the US had an avian flu outbreak.