Camping is a popular way for families to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. But when it comes to eating in the great outdoors, making meals can sometimes add a lot of stress to what is supposed to be a peaceful holiday.
The following tips and hacks will make your camping meals a breeze so you can enjoy your outdoor retreat stress-free.
Plan ahead and keep things simple
When it comes to cooking, planning is essential. Before embarking on your camping trip, create a meal plan that includes easy-to-prepare dishes that need minimal ingredients.
Stick to tried-and-true crowd-pleasers, like hot dogs, hamburgers and foil-packet meals. Stick to simple recipes that involve only a few steps or ingredients. Think about how you will be cooking and plan accordingly.
Don’t forget to consider dietary restrictions and preferences. Additionally, assign meal responsibilities to different people to distribute the workload and make the process more enjoyable.
Check for fire restrictions
This is often an overlooked but important aspect to consider. For example, if you plan to cook Dutch oven meals over the campfire and don’t realise that there are fire restrictions until you get there, that is going to be a bit of a problem, right?
The fire restrictions, or lack of them, will help you choose how to cook.
Will you be using a camp stove or a campfire, or maybe both?
Double a recipe at home for an easy camping meal
When making dinner during the work week, pick one of the meals you want to eat while camping over a weekend. Prepare and cook a double portion of it, and either refrigerate or freeze the extra portion.
You will have dinner made for that weeknight and a premade meal ready to take with you when camping. When the weekend rolls around, load up the leftovers and reheat them at the campsite.
Use one-pot meals
One-pot meals are a camping crowd’s best friend. The dishes are not only filling but also minimise the number of pots and pans needed, making cleaning up a breeze.
Experiment with various recipes and flavours, and don’t hesitate to use your favourite premade spice mixes to elevate your one-pot creations
Freeze some camping meals ahead of time
Freeze anything freezable ahead of time to extend the life of everything in your cooler or camping fridge. This tip is especially helpful if using a cooler for the weekend.
It might not be wise to freeze your first evening’s meal though as it probably wouldn’t have defrosted by the time you want to eat.
Don’t skimp on snacks
Keep the hunger at bay between meals by providing plenty of snacks. Trail mix, muesli bars, fruit and veggie sticks are all excellent options that don’t require refrigeration.
Encourage your fellow campers to bring their favourite munchies as well to ensure there is something for everyone.