Packing up for a car camping trip this summer I realized I wasn’t going to have room in the cooler for all the food I’d planned to bring. This was weird, because it was just my wife and me out for two, maybe three nights, and the cooler has 45-quart capacity. Should have been more than enough room. But, no. Bacon. Eggs. Steaks. Hummus. Veggies. Cheese. Half and half for coffee. Guac. Homemade salsa. These incredible fresh masa tortillas from my neighborhood. Sandwich fixings. Fancy condiments. Expensive beer. That’s just the stuff I remember, too.
In addition to that cooler, there was a second cooler without ice, also 45 quarts, storing the dry goods. Chips, different kinds of bread, mountains of cookies. Several different pans.
See, I’ve always made camp meals a priority when planning. I’ll spend more at the grocery store for two days of camping than a week of meals at home. There’s something so satisfying about eating better under the stars than I do under a roof. Which is strange, because, really, I could survive on a diet of string cheese and Sunny D while eating under the stars and be just fine, really.
Often, I camp with people like that. They’ll show up with a bag of gorp, couple packets of oatmeal, and a bag of chips. Or while backpacking, I’ll unveil my first night’s meal of a decadent sub I picked up on the road to the trailhead, and they’re busting out the ramen.
Ever garnished a boil-in-a-bag meal at 10,000 feet? I have.
We’re planning to post more fun camp recipes here in the coming months which has us wondering—are you a camp gourmand? Or an as long as it’s edible, I’m fine kinda camper?
As an incentive for conversation, we’re giving away a copy of Adventure Journal to one commenter chosen at random. You can choose any issue we have in stock, and if you’re already a subscriber we can extend your sub by an issue, send you an issue you don’t have, or give one to a friend. Just include your email when you post your comment so we can get in touch.
Photo: Myles Tan
a few meals is possible, but on longer stays/trips, I run out of ideas that’ll keep.
I agree, eating well outside just makes good food better. I love bringing Coq Au Vin or some Short Ribs with mashed potatoes out with me and a nice hobo pack is a game changer. Easy cleanup is key.
If travelling light, we like to prepare food that are just add water. These can be gourmet though. Moroccan cous cous and DIY pot noodles with water chestnuts and fresh veg. If stuffing the van full then, we eat like kings and take all of the cooking over fire kit.
I finally broke down and bought a dehydrator this year. So you better believe that I’m in the back country eating re-hydrated curry, topped with spicy cashews and fresh kale with a side of homemade flatbread. Don’t forget the bag of wine either.
I dunno, any time spent preparing meals is time I could have been doing something fun or just enjoying the limited time I have in the outdoors. Just give me a cliff bar or oatmeal and I’m good.
Packing list as follows
Ramen
couscous and parm Cheese
Oatmeal Packets
Pepperoni sticks
Trail Mix
EFS powder
Instant Coffee
Powdered Creamer
If I’m carrying climbing gear and there are big objectives then I’m going to have to get pragmatic. But if we have horses and there’s going to be fishing then there better be whiskey!
I love all the car camping meal ideas that AJ posts… How about some “non freeze-dried” backpacking meals that are delicious, fresh & don’t require a cast iron pan!?!?
Stay tuned — we have a couple different recipe providers building out just that very thing.
Weight/volume trumps flavor on any trip longer than an overnighter. Better to hike longer than eat better!
Yes, meals are the highlight of the trip after a full day of outdoor activities, I always carry fresh chillies, garlic and ginger, makes anything delicious and my favourite thing to do is a whole chicken in the ground, dig a hole, foil the chicken, some coals on the bottom and keep feeding coals from a fire on top, nice slow process where drinks are in order, takes a bit longer but the juiciest chicken you’ll ever eat.
car camping, eat like a king. backpacking, just some squirrel
Depends on the trip and if supplies are readily available every few days.
NOLS “ruined me from being able to eat simple while camping, especially in the backcountry! Just something great about waking up to fresh cinnamon rolls, or topping the day off with some Gado Gado.
Solo, I’m a “dump some water in a packet of Mountain House and call it lunch” camper. I can’t even make an halfway reasonable meatbar stew without screwing it up somehow. Mr Fletcher would have hated me.
Group/with buddies, I usually let them do the cooking. They usually agree it’s for the greater good.
I had camping friends and we would all compete on a few things, my two favorites being best meal and most comfortable camp site. We would have so many food items, elaborate camp kitchens, inflatable couches, etc… It all kind of ended when one of us spent way too much money on an outdoor entertainment center. But hey, at least the food was good
Reminds me of a time when when my mates asked me what was for breakfast (I was the designated camp cook). When I told them I’d planned French toast, bacon and syrup cooked on the campfire, they quickly abandoned their instant pots of porridge, and grabbed their cuttlery. 😛
There’s nothing better than a hearty gourmet breakfast when you’re out in the wilderness.
All the way! When I’m backpacking, can’t do without my avocados and sustainable tuna. When I’m glamping, now that retirement should have happened years ago, it’s full tilt gourmet planning and great wine!
there is nothing tastier than a meal enjoyed outdoors! When I backpack I’m usually out for 7-9 days and am super concerned about how much weight I’m carrying so have only packed in freeze-dried meals. I would be really excited to hear about lightweight alternatives.
Hunger is the best spice!
On the river it better be impressive. Backpacking, I like to bring 1 or 2 special items, usually to snack on, otherwise I don’t want anything that requires much cleanup but I like it to feel good in the belly.
So, when and where is your next trip, Justin? Need a pack mule??
Getting a good night sleep and eating well are the keys to enjoying your outdoor experience…well, at least for me.
if my wife is coming, it’s gourmet. if it’s me and a buddy surfing on the coast, it’s a lot of jalapeno cheddar brats, tortilla chips and rainiers
Whatever makes for the least/easiest to wash dishes.
I’m not sure when it started but when my kids and I are camping (like State Park camping, not backpacking) our first meal is always either grilled pork chops or lamb chops…because yes, you can just pick them up w/your hands ‘caveman style’ and eat them.
Also, if we are at the beach (like we will be New Years) we will either find a fish shop or catch dinner and wrap it up whole/gutted and grill it in aluminum foil. Nothing better w/that little tinge of wood smoke added in !
Random commenter issue winner? Did it happen?
Haven’t selected one yet – we’ll let you know if it was you.
Overnight canoe trip:
small cooler, small cast iron pan, 3-4 eggs (broken into small sealed container), pound of bacon, 3 ciabatta rolls, lettuce and sliced tomato in another sealed container, grab a couple mayo packets when I get gas on the way, butter, salt, pepper, whatever seasonings I happen to see when packing, baggie of fry magic, bag of chips.
breakfast: scrambled eggs and bacon and toasted roll
Lunch: BLT’s and chips
Dinner: better catch a fish to have with the remaining bacon.
All prepared over an open fire.
Gourmet ??? I don’t know, but I can’t think of anything better.
(might need 2 pounds of bacon???)
I actually got a bit daring last summer and brought a box of Kraft Dinner backpacking! Not the regular kind, I cheated and bought the “deluxe” stuff that has the goopy cheese compound that you squeeze from a foil packet. Well, it was really more to stress-test a new Windstar II at ~3000′ on straight propane, but there you go. Of course the noodles were mush. Had I let it boil maybe another minute they’d have disintegrated into starchy glop. See, I can’t even make Kraft Dinner without bollocksing it somehow but what can you do.
I’m contemplating if I dare try bringing a packet of dry soup mix on one my next rucks this summer. Update later if everybody manages to survive that potentially sadistic cooking experiment…
Windpro II (MSR), not Windstar. Running on a Coleman 16 ounce propane canister connected through a G-Works Lindahl-16 ounce interface adaptor. It works great as long as you keep the valve under control, and a little bit goes a long way since propane runs at higher pressure than butane/iso canisters. About 1/3-1/2 turn is sufficient and will get you to a nice rolling boil in a few minutes.
I understand there’s now a company selling proper refillable (!), DOT-compatible 16-ounce tanks. I’ve not tried them yet but it seems like they would definitely be worth looking into as a replacement for the Coleman throwaways.