A Dietitian's Guide to Camping

 
Camping with friends

Planning food for a camping trip can at times be quite tricky. Depending on your setup, you may not always have access to a cooler, a stove, or even a nearby grocery store ─ making it all the more difficult to pack and to prepare for a solid camping trip!

Here’s my list of camping meal essentials to make sure you have the energy you need to fuel each and every one of your wilderness adventures.

1. Meal prep

One of the best tricks I’ve learned in my experience camping is to always prepare some meals ahead of time! Just like when you’re meal prepping your lunches for school or for work, you won’t have to fuss over what to eat for the next few days. 

a) Meals to prepare:

  • Cooked rice with pre-made curry or stew to reheat

  • Cooked quinoa with pre-cut veggies for campfire kebabs

b) Meals to pack & eat right away:

  • An orzo salad

  • Pesto pasta

  • Muffins

→ Tip: Think about the meals that you love, and that only require roasting or boiling, as well as the meals that don’t require any cooking at all.

2. Pack snacks!

We usually tend to get more hungry than usual on camping trips, especially since we’re doing so many fun outdoor activities! It’s important to remember to pack nutritious & delicious snacks to help keep you well-fuelled throughout the day. 

Here’s a few ideas for some simple homemade snacks...

  • Trail mix

  • Granola bars

  • Energy bites

  • Dried fruit and nuts

  • Veggies and hummus

→ Tip: Try making your own snacks and using high-fibre ingredients that you know & love.

3. Make use of non-perishables

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If you don’t have access to a cooler to properly store you prepared meals, or if you’re camping longer than a few days, you’ll want to pack some non-perishable items. These include jarred and canned goods, nut butters, uncooked rice, pasta and oatmeal, etc

It is also be helpful to pack some semi-perishable foods such as potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic and salamis along with it as they don’t require much refrigeration and are normally pretty safe to eat for weeks on end.

Things you could easily cook up:

  • Roasted potatoes with canned chicken soup

  • Spaghetti with jarred tomato sauce and lentils

  • Stuffed roasted squash

  • Oatmeal

→ Tip: Make sure to pack some salt, pepper and spices to avoid making bland meals.

4. Have fun with foods!

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There is no better way to end a camping trip than a great campfire meal! Here’s a list of some of my camping meal favourites!

  • Banana boats

  • Corn on the cob

  • Hot dogs

  • Kebabs

  • Breakfast egg sandwiches

  • Mac and cheese

Some of my favourite recipes

1. Cereal Breakfast Bars (@colourmypalate)

Who said you can only eat cereal for breakfast?!

PREP TIME: 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes YIELDS: 1 tray SERVING SIZE: 1.5 bars

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups (500 mL) of Multigrain Cheerios

  • 2 tbsp butter

  • 1 1/2 (375 mL) cup of marshmallows

  • (Optional) Chocolate chips, nuts, flax seed, chia seed

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a large pot, MELT the butter and marshmallows over medium-heat.

  2. ADD in the Cheerios, then STIR until well combined.

  3. SPREAD the mixture in a baking pan coated with non-stick spray coated in a baking tray.

  4. SPRINKLE over toppings of choice.

  5. Let it cool. SERVE with your choice of fruits and choice of yogurt/milk.

2. Homemade vegan pesto (@lemon.peasy)

Use it in pasta, in a sandwich, in a salad … Or try it on a pizza, like this campfire skillet pizza!

PREP TIME: 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes YIELDS: 2 SERVING SIZE: 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 cups loosely packed fresh basil, washed and dried

  • ¼ cup pine nuts

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • ½ fresh lemon, juiced

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • (optional) Cayenne pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a pan, TOAST the pine nuts on medium-low heat until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

  2. Using a mortar and pestle, GRIND the basil with a pinch of salt. Once a paste forms, ADD the cooled pine nuts and MASH.

  3. Gently add the remaining ingredients and continue to GRIND until you reach your desired consistency.

  4. STORE up to 3 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Be prepared to camp in style!

Finally, here are a few things you should remember for your next big camping trip:

  • Drink lots of water — doing activities in the sun all day can lead to dehydration.

  • Pack spices & sweeteners — that way you’ll never eat a bland meal!

  • Have fun! — we don’t always eat the most balanced meals while camping, and that’s okay once in a while. Be sure to enjoy those s’mores!

What are your camping food essentials? Let me know in the comments!

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