Camping Food

The food that you choose for camping can very much make or break a trip for some people. If you are the type of camper that wants to spend most of the day out with your camera, hiking, birding or just taking in your surroundings then you may want to look at food that requires less time to prepare, with fewer and less complicated ingredients to remember. Just because it takes less preparation time doesn’t mean you have to resort to three days of two minute noodles! Quick meals can be tasty, filling and hearty too. If you are the type of camper that will not venture far from your campsite, taking in the sights and sounds nature from your chair, perhaps with a book on your lap and binoculars close at hand then you may choose food that requires you to keep an eye on the cooking process.  It all boils down to good planning.

The types of camping food you pack will depend on a few things:

• The nature of you camping trip (short, with family or guys week end away)
• Proximity to shops ( for fresh fruit and vegetables, ice or meat)
• Cooking facilities available at the campsite and your own equipment

Camping Food: Breakfast

Cereals can be measured out for each day, mixed with milk powder and sugar and stored in zip lock bags. All you have to do is add water. There are numerous warm instant oats and maize porridges on the market that just need hot water. Dried fruit such as peaches cranberries or raisins and nuts make good additions to this type of breakfast. Avoid things like yoghurt or fresh milk unless you have access to a fridge. Long life milk is a good alternative for families.As nice as a cooked breakfast is, the food preparation and clean up afterwards takes up so much time, so limit the cook-ups for breakfast.

Camping Food: Drinks and snacks

Powdered drinks work well and if you are hiking then packets of Game are essential. Teas and coffee can also be stored small plastic containers and Cremora can be used instead of milk. Nuts and fruit or dried fruit are great snacks to take camping as are rusks or biscuits or crunchies for tea time. If your snack include sugary sweets make sure they are well sealed to prevent ants from setting up camp in you tent.

Camping Food: Lunch

A few options here include:

• Biscuits ( Ryvita, Provita, Corn Thins) and cheese (wedges or spreads)
• Salami, pepperoni or pate or humus on rolls or bread of crisp bread with tomato. Avoid meat like ham that will spoil quickly out of the fridge.
• Tuna (look out for the ones that come in a dressing already)with salad if you are lucky enough to have a fridge to store your things in or plan it for your first lunch when all the vegetables are still crisp
• Cup of soup is handy to take as lunch or as a I’m-hungrier-than-I-thought’ addition to any meal.

Camping Food: Dinner

Rice and pasta-mate type dishes are easy to convert from a side dish into a main meal by adding any of these: biltong, sundried tomatoes, tuna, olives, canned salmon or tinned mushrooms and a bit of cheese (grated parmesan cheese keeps well). Of course there is the option of a braai or a potjie, especially if you have access to a fridge or if you have vacuum packed meat.

A braai is a good option for the first night when your meat is fresh.

Camping Food: Desert

Don’t forget dessert. Chocolate or toasted marshmallows will do the trick for most but everyone need to try some of the more traditional camping desserts, like a choc-banana boat or smores ( a toasted marshmallow sandwiched between two Marie biscuits)

How to make a choc-banana boat

Peal a small part of the banana skin half way and cut out a block of the flesh. Place a piece of chocolate in the cavity and close the skin. Wrap the banana in tin foil and put over the coals. Leave for a few minutes till the chocolate is melted.

Welcome to the great outdoors.

Enjoy the adventure!