Different Food Ideas – What to Take on a Camping?

The time has come, everything is packed and you are ready to go camping but wait…You have just remembered you need to feed a family of five and you don’t know what food to take. You unpack and pack the coolers, you look in the fridge and you think about all the snacks and meals but you can’t quite get yourself organised. There is so much to think about and you need utensils, plates, cups, cooking essentials and of course, the food but you are lost on where to begin. We are here to help and we have come up with some ideas for food to take when camping and food items that are included in our list of healthy snacks to take camping and in our article of healthy recipes for camping. Food is essential and will make or break a camping trip so make sure you organized and begin by making a checklist before packing.

Making Lists to Organise Your Meals and Snacks When Camping

The first step to making everything run smoothly is a checklist and a list of meals. If you have a bigger family and you are cooking for more that just one person it pays to be prepared. Make a list bags of nutsto begin with of how many days you are going to be camping and what each days rations and meals will be. For example write down the three meals you want to have on Monday and Tuesday and include any extra drinks and snacks. On a separate checklist write down a shopping list of what you need to get to make those meals happen. How many kilos of cooked meat, how many packets of pasta, how many bags of nuts and so on. Add the things you need to cook and prepare it with too, if you are making food packets to take camping then you will need to take tin foil for example. Being prepared is really important when camping because you might not have easy access to a supermarket when stuck in the woods with just a tent and a campfire.

If you want some cooking inspiration and want to try something different when camping then check out this neat cookbook for campers. It includes twenty-five unique recipes that will have you looking like a professional in no time.

A List Of Quick Snack and Food Ideas

Food Ideas for camping

• Beans – With a ring pull style tin or can opener are easy to prepare and eat and won’t go off.
• Spaghetti- With a ring pull style tin or a can opener are again easy to cook and eat straight out of the can.
• Packet soups to be mixed with water are warm and filling when you need a quick meal.
• Packet noodles can be mixed with other various foods for a snack or meal.
• Meat should be consumer on the first day you are camping and cooked meats should be kept for no more than two days in a cooler. The same goes for smoked and dried meats.
• Cous Cous packets.
• Cereal bars are great for when on the go.
• Milk for cereal – Can be kept in a cool box for day one. This is a perishable but you could always use an alternative like soya milk.
• Crisps although aren’t healthy are easy especially for kids.
• Chocolate bars are great but only when kept in the cooler otherwise they will make a mess.
• Sausage rolls/Mini pies – Any carbs which can be kept chilled and eaten without cooking, you can heat over the campfire if you want them warm.
• Cereal packs – Try mini packs which can be eaten direct from the packet as these are the most practical.
• Home made cakes, flapjacks or granola bars packed in foil or tupperware are healthy and make great snacks.
• Rice cakes with high booster energy toppings such as peanut butter and jam and other spreads that won’t go off easy.
• Crackers with a variety of toppings are tasty.
• Biscuits in handy bags are easy and practical to carry and store.
• Bagels for the morning make for a change.
• Travel size spreads such as mini jams and peanut butters can be bought all over and are useful to keep handy.
  
• Apples and other non bruising fruit, or fruit kept in tupperware is a healthy option but not as practical.
• Dried fruit and nuts are great to munch on if you are in a rush.
• Precooked or pre-packed  food – eg Pizza, sausage rolls, sandwiches that are ready to eat but make sure they are always stored in the cooler.
• Bread ( A small loaf as it may not keep well) or tortilla wraps as these are easy to store and won’t go mouldy.
• Buns for hot dogs/burgers
• Dried meats such as salami keep better than fresh meat.
• Sauces such as Ketchup or brown sauce or even dressings for meals.

Some Simple Inspiration

Halloumi – This sheeps milk cheese is great to take camping because it is firm, travels well when in a cool bag and can be cooked to a meat-like texture. It is easy to slice or to cut into chunks and it is super tasty. Try frying it and throw on some salad leaves and then roll it all up into a warmed tortilla wrap.

Sardines – All kinds of tinned fish are great for camping and who doesn’t love fish? Sardines usually come in chunkier, bigger sized fillets which make them feel more like a meal though so why not try with some canned chickpeas on toast with a drizzling of lemon juice for lunch to make for a tasty treat. If you want sardines for supper then throw them in with some spaghetti, fennel and even broccoli which will make for a super healthy and nutritious dinner.

Rice – Rice is a really good foundation for all meals and is great as a cold salad type dish or a full meal warmed up on the campfire. You can either make it ready cooked or get boil-in-the-bag pouches which are super easy to cook. Rice is easy to transport and lug about and can fill up your empty stomach quickly. Make a chinese style rice with some fresh vegetables on your first day of camping and mix in some sweet and sour sauce for a snazzy dinner.

Eggs – Although eggs are a little difficult to transport they make a brilliant meal for breakfast, lunch and even dinner. Make a large family omelette with leftovers or even make egg fried bread which is tasty and great for those chilly evenings. If you don’t want to chance taking fresh eggs then think about cooking with powdered eggs as an easy alternative. Why not boil a few eggs and mix in with some instant mash for an instant meal?

Tinned Fruit – If you want something sweet after your meal then tinned fruit is the way to go. Tinned peaches are great with whipped cream and if you feel like going over the top then drizzle some honey on them and add a few almond and pecan nuts on the top. Tinned fruit is great for when camping because they are healthy, easy and can really grab your thirst and your sweet tooth at the same time. Try mixed ones like pineapple and strawberries with sugar which will give you an instant energy boost.

Camping Should Be Fun

Don’t forget that camping should be fun and so should mealtimes. Make everyone a list of who is to cook what and when so all the pressure doesn’t fall on your shoulders, after all it should be a holiday for everyone. If you are going on a solo backpacking trip then make things as easy as possible while thinking about nutrition as well because when backpacking and hiking that is one thing you need.