Whether you’re going camping for the first time or are a lifelong veteran at your local campgrounds, you can always learn about new tricks and treats to enjoy around the fire and nourish the troops. Here are some great ideas to try on your next camping trip, plus some items you should pack in case of an emergency.
Keep it Simple
Unless you’re a seasoned camper with a book full of recipes and a full kitchen of camping cooking supplies, keep your first time out simple. Pack hamburgers, hotdogs, and chicken. Add a few sides like corn on the cob, potato chips, and beans. If you’re up to it, make or purchase some pre-made salads, such as tossed greens, macaroni, or pasta. Also, make sure to pack healthy snacks that will keep everyone fueled throughout the day. For example, apples, bananas, oranges, carrot sticks, granola bars, and trail mix are all excellent items to add to your essentials list.
Don’t Skip the Eggs & Bacon
For breakfast, you can get a little more creative if you bring a frying pan and cook eggs and bacon over a flame. Nothing tastes better than a plate of scrambled eggs with bacon, in the woods, accompanied by the silence of nature. Of course, if you have a portable camping stove to bring with you, these tasks will be much easier. Additionally, if you’re up to the task, children and adults will both enjoy pancakes before a long day of hiking, swimming, and playing on the beach or in the woods.
Smores, Cornbread, and Brownies
Of course, you can’t forget the dessert. While it’s great to stay healthy, you can, and should still have some fun by adding some treats to the end of your day. And, who can go camping without s’mores? To avoid having issues with ants, pack these items up tightly and make sure that you put the chocolate and marshmallows in a cool area to prevent them from melting.
You can up the stakes with other goodies as well. Make cornbread to go with dinner. You can buy a package mix and cook it over a flame for a true camping experience. Plus, consider doing the same thing one evening with brownie mix if you’re feeling adventurous.
Cast Iron Cooking
Make cooking even easier by investing in cast iron pots and pans. Cast iron pans are sturdy and conduct heat evenly to help with cooking over a flame, making them ideal for camping and cookouts. In addition, these pans are multipurpose. When you’re out in the woods, you don’t want to spend a few hours cleaning multiple pots and pans following a meal. With cast iron cookware, you can fry, bake, sear, and saute food all in a single pan.
After you’re done cooking, these will keep your food warm much longer than traditional cookware and when properly cared for, cast iron kitchen items will last much longer than other materials. When you go to clean these, keep in mind that you can’t use soap or it will ruin them. Season them with quality olive oil to prevent sticking and if you do run into a burnt mess, fill it with water, heat it back up over the flame, and slowly scrap whatever doesn’t come out with a spatula. After washing these with warm water, gently dry them to prevent rust.
Must-Pack Essentials
If you’re not much of a chef or have no urge to spend your vacation cooking, don’t worry. You can get the essential nutrients with emergency food supplies. Many people only think the only use for survival food is after an earthquake or hurricane. However, these meals have come a long way since the days of military rations.
You only need hot water to make these and the options available are nearly unlimited. Even if you want to make some of your own creations while camping, consider adding one or two survival food items to your camping supplies. Some options include:
- Chili mac with beef
- Rice and chicken
- Spaghetti with meat sauce
- Beef stew
Camping is a great activity, whether you’re heading out deep into the woods with a group of friends or pitching a tent in the backyard with your kids. Skip a day or two of cooking to spend more time with friends and family by packing survival food supplies.