Cooking food under a canopy of trees is one of the tastiest treats you can get from camping. However, packing just enough food isn’t always everybody’s expertise. As a guide, below is a hearty camping food list for your weekend get-away.
Camping Food List: Tips to Take-Away
Packing enough food is crucial for a complete camping experience. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that you should take all your cooking equipment with you. As the old adage goes, always pack light. Before packing, create a meal plan and make sure that you are including easy-to-cook meals that can provide you enough nutrients and energy.
Breakfast
Firstly, count the number of people in your group and multiply it by the number of days you are going camping. This way, you will have an idea on the number of breakfast servings you need to prepare. For instance, if you are 5 in the group and you are camping for 3 days, then you need to make 15 breakfast servings.
Oats are a no-cook meal perfect for breakfast. One of the best camping meals, a bowl of oatmeal is easy-to-prepare, and it also provides your body the energy boost it needs. If you want to thicken the oatmeal, just add chia seeds as you pour hot water in it.
Also, eggs, bacon, sausage, cereals and potatoes are a great addition to your camping food list. Unlike bread, potatoes won’t go stale and they won’t get squashed by your baggage. However, they are heavier and more time-consuming to prepare. Since both bread and potatoes are a good source of carbohydrates, you just have to follow your preferences.
Lunch
Mid-day meals need to be easier to prepare as this is the time of the day when you are always on the go. When creating a menu plan for lunch, make sure you are including food items that are high in carbohydrates and protein so you’d have enough energy throughout the day.
Among the best camping meals include simple fixes like bread, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and no-cook ham are ideal meals while you are out on your trails. If, on the other hand, you plan to go fishing on your trip, just cook fish over open fire and keep your energy bars within your reach. Also, don’t forget to accompany your meals with healthy food items like celery and carrot sticks.
Dinner
Forget the traditional marshmallows and hotdogs on a stick and prepare a hefty camping dinner for the rest of the group. To cut cooking times, pre-cook your chicken or beef and keep them in the cooler. This way, you just have to re-heat your dinner meals instead of cooking from scratch.
Also, prepare fish, burgers, sausages and other hearty meals that can help your body prepare for the activities the following day. Just make sure you are keeping it well-balanced by accompanying your meals with vegetable salads.
Snacks
Snacking shouldn’t be a luxury even when you are out on your camping grounds. To top off our camping food list, make sure that you stash high protein bars on your bag. Dried fruits, raisins and peanuts also contain healthy carbohydrates and vitamins.
Preparing the best camping meals doesn’t have to be time-consuming. By making a meal plan ahead of time, the tastiest camping trip is just on your horizon.