Better Camping Meals.
Camping meals can be as good or bad as you want them to be. While some people like to eat pre-made food while camping, others prefer to make their own... Personally that's not the way I like to eat. Don't get me wrong, there are times I like to throw a peanut butter and jelly sandwich together and call it a camping meal. There are also times I like to eat at a good restaurant... but isn't camping about relaxing and enjoying life as much as it is about enjoying nature? Besides, if you do some planning and preparation before you leave there really isn't that much more work to making great camping food at your campsite. Great camping meals might take a little more effort to prepare than mediocre camping meals, but the nice thing is it's up to you. If canned chili with an added onion and some chili powder is fine by you, than by all means make that. If homemade organic chili with fresh ground beef, farmers market tomatoes, onions and green peppers, along with some extra herbs and spices sound good except for the hassles of preparing it campside, make it at home before the trip and freeze it solid. (On a sidenote, if you haven't tried organic meat or produce give them a try because the difference in flavor is usually a big one). By preparing it at home a day or so before your trip the flavors will mingle. Once they do, it's ready to freeze and will make for a much better tasting camping meal that only needs to be warmed... unless you like chili-cicles. ;-) The nice thing is you can relax and enjoy camping instead of focusing on what food you're going to prepare that night because it's ready to go. Just heat it up and let your significant other or your kids do the dishes... I mean, you made dinner right? ;-) Tips: 1. As I mentioned above, cook your camping meals at home and then freeze them solid. If you have a good quality camping cooler they can stay frozen for several days, this will save you from having to run to the store to buy ice as often. 2. Bringing along your favorite herbs and seasonings can make the difference between a dull bland camping meal and a good one. The nice thing is they won't add much weight to your backpacking or hiking equipment. 3. Plan out all your meals before and bring them with you. Avoid shopping at the last minute as it can save you money, otherwise you'll end up buying food at some remote grocery store that probably won't have exactly what you want anyway. Why pay more for something you didn't really want in the first place? 4. Use a checklist or make your own list to make sure you've packed everything. This camping list should be a good start. 5. Keep all of your cooking utensils in a big plastic bin container with a top. Keeping all of your camping gear together makes for a more relaxing "grab-and-go" approach to leaving for your trip. If you know where everything is you don't have to track it down to take with you. 6. Bring cookware that can serve several purposes. For example I like to bring my French Press for coffee and tea, but it also comes in handy to warm up soup for two which eliminates bringing a bulkier pot. 7. Plan for the unexpected. Oh boy, the ice in the cooler shifted and the eggs you packed so carefully away got crushed. What are you going to eat now? Bring along some extra food so that you've got it if you need it. It's a bummer getting to your destination which is 90 miles from the nearest store only to realize your plan isn't going like you thought it would. Don't ask how I know this... let's just say that a good baguette, cheese and wine can make for a nice meal in a pinch. ;-) The
camping food
page has a few more tips about camping meals too.
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