what do you eat when camping?

[SnuggleBuggles]

We are pseudo-camping this weekend (we have a pop up camper thing that we are borrowing). I have never done that before; I prefer renting cabins with kitchens, baths and heating. :) Anyway, I have no idea what to pack food wise for 2 nights. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!! Our friends have a small RV that we may be able to use for a fridge or stove but I'm not counting on it.

Beth

[maestramommy]

We have small gas stoves. A whisper light, and a liquid propane stove. A favorite meal is ramen with canned chicken and sun dried tomatoes. We also get those Indian food packets you drop into boiling water. On our first camping trip Dh brought along marinated drumsticks and we grilled them. Sometimes we did it with steaks too. We had one of those cheapie grills that are close to the ground, and it was easy to toss in the back of the car.

We also bring along beef jerky, trail mix, and power bars. and dried fruit. Oh yes, and beer and chips.

[hannah]

We have a two burner camp stove that we take with but we also use the camp fire for cooking too.
Here are our standard camp meals:
Meat sauce (made before at home and reheated at camping) and spaghetti, salad & bread
Tacos - you could make the meat mixture before hand or onsite; prep all toppings before hand at home
Chicken dijon - chicken tenders with a dijon mustard sauce over rice
Chicken fajitas - cook chicken over camp fire and cook peppers/onions on the stove in a skillet
Hamburgers & hotdogs over the camp fire

Have fun!

[weech]

Hot dogs (and other typical grill foods) and hobo dinners are my favorite. Hobo dinners are foil packets with ground meat, vegetables and seasonings put on a grate over the fire.

Whatever we cook, I try to prep at home. So I'll make ziploc bags of hobo dinner ingredients at home, and then I just throw them in foil packets at the camp site. Chop any necessary veggies, marinate meats, etc. Also bring snacks - chips, granola/cereal bars, etc.

Sliced apples with cinnamon over the campfire is delicious also :)

[KpbS]

We make a batch of chili at home and reheat over the campfire/stove for the first night usually. Add toppings of cheese, crackers/fritos, onions, etc. Hot dogs and s'mores are easy and crowd pleasing options. We have done a dutch oven chicken pot pie but this is not what I'd describe as an "easy" option ;) I've also made spaghetti and meat sauce to reheat, cold pasta salad (easy and yummy), and breakfast is easy to cook if you have access to a camp stove--bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes with onions and peppers, etc.

Have a great trip!

[almostmom]

One of my favorite camping/backpacking meals is Annie's mac and cheese mixed with sundried tomatoes and onions. I would sautee the onions and tomatoes first, then put them in a bowl and make the mac and cheese. Then I'd dump the veggies in the pot and mix it all up. Yum! You could also add brocolli or peas.

[Tondi G]

marinate chicken before you go ... we did simple olive oil with seasoned salt and garlic and brought a lemon with us ... cut and squeezed the lemon over the chicken as we cooked it. It was yummy ... ate it in tortillas warmed up on the grill (could have easily topped with onion and cilantro but we forgot).

Hotdogs/sausages (precooked, we like chicken apple) are always easy on a grill/fire ... if you want to get more into it you can saute peppers and onions in a skillet if you bring a camping stove. you could also bring some canned chili no beans to warm up and put over the hotdogs. don't forget your ketchup and mustard!

cut up fruit (melon, berries, grapes)

whole fruit apples, oranges, bananas

chips, crackers, granola bars, fruit snacks, dry cereal, beef/turkey jerky

sliced cucumber and baby carrots

peanut butter and jelly if your kiddos eat it ... makes for easy snacks/lunch. sliced dry salami works good for quick sandwiches too.

for breakfast ... bagels and cream cheese maybe? If you have a stove.. eggs and bacon or sausage (can always put it in a tortilla for a breakfast burrito or make breakfast sandwiches on bread or english muffins). you could bring the "just add water" pancake mix too. make cinnamon rolls ahead of time and warm up or eat cold. muffins.

juice boxes (apple or lemonade or fruit punch), bottled water, soda, beer, iced tea.

[kboyle]

anything you can grill

marinated chicken
bbq ribs
burgers
hot dogs

can use marinated chicken to make quesadillas

pre-make sloppy joes or manwich and bring in a crockpot if you can plug in somewhere

[ThreeofUs]

Precook whatever you're going to take. Use the grill to warm it up.

Steak. Chicken. Hamburgers. Vegetables. Whatever.

DH and I've always found the kids to be too much to handle for long cooking sequences.

Just make sure you have enough as left overs for the second night. ;)

[SnuggleBuggles]

You all rock!! I wouldn't have thought of doing so much prep at home but it makes a lot of sense. I love the idea of precooking too. Thanks!!

Beth

[ssjarrett]

Don't forget about breakfast! We have a campstove with a griddle pan and make bacon, eggs, and pancakes. For pancakes, we buy the Batter Blaster organic pancake batter. It's in the refrigerated section at the grocery and in a container liked whipped cream. Very tasty and fun too!

[SASM]

Grilled veggies!! Easy to transport...doesn't require refrigeration/cooler. Some EVOO and S/P and you're golden. ;) I also made mayonnaise-less salads ahead of time and just packed along. Brought mayo and made tuna salad. I don't like to bring raw meat, unless it's in its own cooler. When it's hot out, the ice melts and I just don't like risking it. Plus, contamination of veggies, if the cooler is shared, eeks me out. Have fun!!!

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

I think camp food is the best part of camping.

Last time we went, we did:
foil packets with sausage, zuchinni, mushrooms, and cheese
Pudgie pie (or hobo pie) pizzas, i.e. bread, pizza sauce, cheese, mushroom and bell pepper
s'mores
bacon & eggs in cast iron skillet
followed by invention of campfire fried bananas


All very yummy!

I also like to make pies in the pudgie pie maker.

pie iron (http://www.amazon.com/Romes-1705-Square-Steel-Handles/dp/B000FNLXWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316559801&sr=8-1)