Cooking on your camping trip is best approached with EASY at the top of each list. There is enough to do without the hassle and inconvenience of food prep, complicated ingredients multiple dishes, and lots of clean up. Here are my favorite meals and food I bring for easy cooking and meal preparation:
Dinner: mac ‘n’ cheese, bean and cheese burritos (canned beans, pre-grated cheese), hot dogs & burgers, canned soup, quesadillas (pre-grated cheese). I serve these with pre-cut veggies–washed and pre-cut, served raw (ranch dip is optional) or steamed/sauteed with a bit of salt. We have s’mores or just marshmallows for desert.
Lunch: peanut butter and jelly, cheese sticks and crackers, hummous and cream cheese with tortillas, sandwiches using pre-cup cheese slices and deli meats. I serve these with (pre-washed) fruit, and/or (pre-cut) veggies.
Breakfast: instant oatmeal (those little bags), cereal with milk (my kids love those little boxes of cereal, which I only buy when we are camping), pancakes with syrup (be sure to pack your syrup bottle carefully–I’ve never had one that didn’t leak!). Coffee and hot chocolate.
Snacks & drinks: trail mix (the nuts provide a lot of protein, dried fruit provide energy, m&m’s provide fun), fruit, cookies, dried fruit. For drinks, water is King. Even so, I usually have one water bottle filled with lemonade (or your flavor of choice) made from Crystal Light. This is a throw back from my backpacking days–it is very compact (tiny little cannister) and you just add water. I don’t bring soda, so that saves on space in the ice chest. Of course, any adult beverages.
Note: I tend to allow more sweet treats while camping than I normally do. This serves two purposes: 1) it’s yummy, 2) the kids get another positive association with camping so they are excited to go next time.
Camping recipes, in my book, start and end with S’mores. Many people go camping just to have a valid excuse to eat them. Gooey, sticky, messy, and downright delicious. Here’s my twist on this time honored classic.
The Best S’mores (one serving)
1-2 marshmallows
1/2 graham cracker, broken into halves
two squares of thin milk chocolate
Have all ingredients at the ready before you take flame to marshmallow. Find a long (~3 feet), thin stick while on an adventure hike near your campsite (see “about the stick”, below). Gently stab 1-2 marshmallows onto the stick. (more marshmallows means stickier, gooier, etc.–it’s your call). Roast the marshmallows to your version of perfection (see below for roasting tips). Immediately put the marshmallows (still on the stick) on top of one piece of graham cracker. Quickly follow that with the chocolate. Then, use the second graham cracker piece to gently compress and hold the s’more in place as you slowly slide the stick out. Viola! Eat with gusto and a clear conscious.
Variations: Use dark chocolate or another variety. Add two raspberries on top of the chocolate. Or, use dark chocolate and add two raspberries. (this version is my current favorite version.)
Marshmallow roasting tips: How’d ya like that cooked? If you want charred, well, get it in the fire, light it up and then blow it out when you have enough burned coverage for your taste. However, if your tastes are a bit more refined, with patience you can achieve a gooey, molten center with a golden toasted crust. The trick is to wave the marshmallow gently, rhythmically and slowly over the fire. Keep it at a height where the flames are licking the marshmallow, but there is no risk of the puff actually combusting. You will need to rotate it occasionally. Be patient. It’s done when one of these things happens: a) it’s the perfect color or toastedness that you want, or b) it starts to droop on the stick. Careful! It’s hotter than it looks! Don’t burn your kisser!
About the Stick: Many people (and I have done this myself) bring metal roasting sticks or clothes hangers for marshmallows. Fine, they work great and are very convenient. I would just like to encourage you to hunt for your perfect stick instead of bringing one. (don’t use any part of an oleander for this) It can be very fun and part of the adventure of camping. Length and diameter are the keys. Length: long enough so you don’t burn yourself (ok, that’s a “duh”). Diameter: thin enough at the business end so your puff doesn’t get all squished when you spear it.
Camping Mama Trail Mix
This trail mix has motivated many a small hiking feet to keep going just to the next tree or just around the next corner more times than I can remember. It’s the bomb.
I use Trader Joe’s 50% less salt nuts. They are the most economical and taste great.
one package each of the following: peanuts, roasted almonds, whole cashews
1 cup m&m’s (I prefer regular, not peanut) 1 cup raisins and/or dried cranberries
Mix it all up in a big bowl. Carry it with you everywhere.
