heater help

T

tomsuper

Joined
Dec 31, 2006
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hey folks, not sure if this is the right place for this thread so if not please forward to the appropriate place.
heres what I need .... long time new Yorker wants to do his part and feed some people on the street but how can I keep the soup warm?
its gotta be cost effective, mri heaters (no experience with them)?? any help would be greatly appreciated!!
ps I'm a wanna be woodsman!!
 
Firstly—good on you! Secondly, a single or double burner propane stove, maybe? Not sure what may or may not be legal, though.
 
A start might be volunteering at a soup kitchen. They have the gear already and the customers. That would give you a good idea of what works and what's involved.

Working with an established soup kitchen has other benefits too. Like reducing the odds of getting assaulted or arrested. There are legitimate reasons for food permits etc.

To answer the question... For feeding a small group of people in the field, I'd use a high volume thermos. Like a 20 or 30 liter insulated pot.
 
Any chance there's an Army tech manual on the subject of field kitchens? Might have some helpful hints from folks who've been doing it for a very long time and starting with untrained help.
 
tomsuper said:
hey folks, not sure if this is the right place for this thread so if not please forward to the appropriate place.
heres what I need .... long time new Yorker wants to do his part and feed some people on the street but how can I keep the soup warm?
its gotta be cost effective, mri heaters (no experience with them)?? any help would be greatly appreciated!!
ps I'm a wanna be woodsman!!
Click to expand...

Best option would be a thermal insulated container, i.e. thermos.

For volunteering help, one that we used to work with when I was a cook there was City Harvest. Great people and a great idea. http://www.cityharvest.org/
 
https://www.google.com/search?q=tic...tf-8&oe=utf-8#q=ticketed+for+feeding+homeless

IMO, stick to handing out packaged foods that don't require a kitchen, health and code inspections, or possibly a street vendor license. Who needs the headache when you could alternatively hand out apples, bottled water and fruit drinks, granola bars, and snack-size packs? Those things might be more appreciated by people who have access to regular meals but nothing in-between, can't always get to the missions or soup kitchens at the strict meal times, or need food to squirrel away for later.
 
God-forbid something horrible happens and your soup gives a couple dozen homeless people the trots, or worse... :(
 
I'll second what's been said so far, practicality will play second fiddle to local regulations. I'd also look into what rules the food carts have to follow, open flame burners might need additional permits or equipment (fire fighting stuff) where electrical might not need quite as much.

Also from a practical standpoint, your efforts will be multiplied if you work with a group. Each to his talents as it were.

However if I was going to be looking at feeding a lot of people, I'd be looking at the commercial size high BTU propane burners like those used for deep frying turkeys, probably not a lot of heat control, but for making a big soup or stew, its less important.
 
Thanks for the help fellas!!
I figure insulated bowls for soup, sandwiches, fruit n water. Brown bag it n roll!
Definitely doing this under the radar.
 
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