Cooking outside is part of the great fun of camping. Where you are camping and how you plan to get to there will help determine your menu. If you are driving or canoeing to your campsite, you can prepare more elaborate feasts. If you're carrying everything on your back, you will have to get creative with a limited number of lightweight staples. In either case, it's a good idea to plan a menu and make a checklist--so once you're at your campsite you can relax and enjoy the outdoors.
Kitchen Equipment
To make sure you have the items you need, it helps to prepare a detailed menu for your camping trip. Choose tools that can perform multiple functions, and remember that part of the joy in camping lies in improvising. A good knife or two is essential. Other items to pack include grilling tools, cutting board, utensils, plates, bowls, cups, can opener, cheese grater, skewer sticks, salad bowl, storage bags, aluminum foil, sponge, trash bags, biodegradable soap and wash bucket.
Seasonings and Condiments
Spices, condiments and toppings are the items you will most likely reach for only to find they are not there. Consider packing ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, oil, vinegar, spices or seasoning blends, pickles, sugar, salt and pepper. Use jars, plastic containers and small bottles to save space and reduce waste. Easy toppings to pack include avocado, grated cheese and hearty vegetables such as bell pepper, Romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, cauliflower, onion, garlic and zucchini.
Grilling
Most campsites will have a grill, but you may prefer to bring your own. If you're planning to eat meat, consider bringing frozen portions and pack it in enough ice to keep it cold. For hamburgers, consider preformed patties that you can just throw on the grill without touching the raw meat. To keep the cooler cold longer, cover with a blanket or tarp. You might also want to keep two separate coolers, one for meat and other perishables and the other for your snacks and drinks, which will be consumed more frequently. A basic USDA safety rule for picnicking and camping is to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
Sandwiches
If you have plenty of room, a carefully stored loaf of sandwich bread may work fine. To avoid squished bread, pack tortillas or pita bread instead. For sandwich filling, lunch meats and cheese kept cold will work fine. Peanut butter and jelly may make a more suitable packed lunch for long excursions in summer heat. Other sandwich ideas for the campsite include hummus with sprouts, avocado with tomato and grilled cheese. For breakfast, try egg sandwiches or eggs with finely chopped potatoes.
Boiling
Pack a camp stove and a pot or two to boil water for tea and coffee as well as for pasta or rice dishes. You can also use pots to heat up canned foods such as soup, chili or beans.
Snacks
While you can certainly pack a great number of snacks for a car-based camping trip, why not take the opportunity to leave the prepackaged snack foods at home? Instead, pack simple snacks such as fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, canned sardines and baby carrots or other bite-sized vegetables. These highly nutritious foods are perfect for active outings as well as peaceful retreats.
Backpacking Food
For backpacking, you should bring as few items as possible. Visit an outdoor store for the greatest variety of innovative backpacking equipment and dehydrated foods. Other foods you may want to bring include instant rice, mashed potato flakes, oatmeal and angel hair pasta.
Member Comments