All packed-up and ready to go

You don’t have to go overboard when it comes to preparing meals on camping trips. Many of the foods that you already prepare at home make great camping meals, too. Camping is about relaxing in the great outdoors, though, so focus on meals that are easy to prepare and don’t require a great amount of cleanup, afterwards.

Although it may sound boring, we tend to cook the same meals on all of our camping trips. This routine helps ensure that we don’t forget anything and the meals are basic enough that they can be jazzed-up to make them a little different, if we’re in the mood.

1. Pancake mix, butter and syrup have been the quintessential camping breakfast for many years, since it is easy to prepare and cook over a fire.

2. Hamburger, buns and fries, or skirt steak and tortillas, are two traditional meals that are perfect for cooking over a fire.

3. Eggs and sausage or bacon just seems better when they’re cooked over a fire, or on a camp stove. There’s no easier way to get the kids up and out of the tent in the morning, than the smell of sausage or bacon.

4. Pasta and marinara is great for lunches and a quick dinner on Friday night, after arriving at the campground. It is quick and easy to prepare but, particularly in cold weather, is a lot more satisfying than a cold meal.

5. Peanut butter bars are a great snack food to quench the mid-day munchies and they travel well, so they make great trail snacks.

When sizing an ice chest for camping do not forget about ice, which takes a significant amount of space (three 1-gallon milk jugs above)

6. Marshmallows don’t have any redeeming nutritional value, but combined with graham crackers and chocolate bars they become a magical campfire treat that your kids are guaranteed to talk about at school on Monday morning.

7. Milk is great for hot cocoa on those cool camping nights, but milk and cereal are also the perfect Sunday morning breakfast when you are getting ready to pack-up and head for home.

8. Juice is essential when camping with kids and it helps keep them hydrated if they are not big water drinkers.

9. If beer is not essential for camping, then it is very close.

10. Cheese, onion and peppers are what separate a bland camping meal from something everyone will remember. Mix them with eggs in a skillet for a great breakfast, or grill onions and peppers over the fire for tasty fajitas.

See also…

• Trail Mix
• Campfire Popcorn
• Camp Cooking Strategy