Discussions

What do you all eat while camping? Suppers especially I seem to struggle with, to have something relatively quick and easy to prepare.  
 
I tried googling, and I got things like "eggplant and tofu bundles" and blueberry cobbler. I'm sorry, but I don't even make things like that at home, never mind out in wilderness.  
 
What do you and your family love to eat while camping?

Corn on the cob  
Pork tenderloin wrapped in foil  
Hot dogs  
Basically anything you can wrap in foil or stick on a stick. Lay it in coals and turn every once in while if not putting it on stick.

i like to do during the summer - hamburgers, chicken breasts, steaks, (no one like hotdogs in our house), smokies, corn on the cob, potatoes sliced up with butter and onions, smokies (anything that can be cooked up on the portable propane BBQ or the charcoal BBQ). We do seasonal so I like to stock up on canned foods or packaged pasta or minute rice(anything that can be done in the microwave in the camper or stovetop that is quick) Also I bring fresh veggies for salads. I am not a fancy meal-maker when it comes to camping - the easier the better. Also we make sure we bring stuff for s'mores!

What do you do for starch? I have a daughter who needs to eat gluten-free, so things like packaged pasta is out, but potatoes take too long (we have 4 young kids).

My extended family and my family get together about 4 times a year to camp. We precook a lot of the meals that we eat so that we don't spend so much of our time together cooking. We precook ribs and then warm them on the BBQ. We partially cook bacon and sausages etc. and then finish them at the campground. We take crock pots and make chili, soup or stew. Leaves more time for fun.

Depending on how long you are going/tools you have access to I would either microwave the potatoes (poke some holes in them and throw them in the microwave for 5 minutes plus or minus time until they are soft when poked with a fork) if you have a microwave, or boil potatoes ahead of time and then cube and heat up in foil or a frying pan as you need them.  
 
As for other things, I always sort of planned before we went so that I knew one night was hotdogs, one taco salad (get all the veggies ready, have your cheese grated in a baggie and cook your beef at home and portion it and freeze), steak and potatoes etc. The key for me was to do as much prep before we got into the camper and everyone was happier, me that I didn't have to slave over a stove all day and the clean up was easier and my husband because I didn't fill the camper up "just in case" we might want something!

Dice the potatoes up like hash browns and wrap in tin foil with onions and seasonings and evoo...they cook super fast or precook at home and finish when needed  
 
Taco salad, macaroni salad, potato salad  
 
Breakfast burritos, nacho supreme, cheese/crackers/ham sausage, pulled pork  
 
Usual things like chicken, steak, hot dogs, burgers etc

I make a pasta salad every Thursday, so that's our starch at most meals while camping. Put some kind of meat on the bbq, maybe with some beans and we are good to go! I have about 20-25 different pasta salad variations so it's never boring!

Abbysmum said "What do you do for starch? I have a daughter who needs to eat gluten-free, so things like packaged pasta is out, but potatoes take too long (we have 4 young kids). "

what does your family do for starch at home?  
 
you can still cook all the same things over a fire as you can at home and thats what i do

I have not yet tried this recipe for "Foil pack" or Hobo Stew but my friend did and said it's delicious and easy. She used ground beef instead.  
http://chefmom.sheknows.com/articles/971323/foil-pack-hobo-stew-recipe

traveller said "    Abbysmum said "What do you do for starch? I have a daughter who needs to eat gluten-free, so things like packaged pasta is out, but potatoes take too long (we have 4 young kids). " what does your family do for starch at home?     you can still cook all the same things over a fire as you can at home and thats what i do "

Honestly, we eat a lot of potatoes at home!  
 
But I can put them in the oven or crockpot and ignore them most of the day, which isn't really feasible camping.  
 
Unless I took my crockpot camping...

The key to eating good food while camping is PREP!!!  
I prep just about anything i can!! We are HUGE eaters, and extremly active when we camp, lots of hiking so its important to eat well.  
 
Typical breakfast: 2 chopped potatoes boil for 15 mins, fry pre portioned bacon in a large skillet, add 4 eggs, spinach, onion. add potatoes. shredded cheese on top.  
 
Typical lunch is left overs from the night before OR Crackers and hummas, veggies, fruit, cheese, PB and rice cakes.  
 
Supper: Pre-made meatballs with macaroni  
sliced chicken breast, veggies, rice.  
steaks on the fire, fire potato  
smokes and nachos  
taco salad (haburger, salad in a bag, and toppings)  
 
We find the more we plan and prep the easier it is to eat well. And if you all cook together its quick. Cut all your veggies ahead of time.. pre-portion all your meat and take frozen.  
only take what you need!

not sure what kind of camping you are doing but potatoes are the easiest to cook. take some foil cake pans, slice your potatoes, add seasonings & butter (lots of butter,lol) wrap well in tinfoil and cook over the fire. NO grill no problem, wrap potatoes well in tinfoil, and put around the edge of the campfire, turn occasionally. check one or two after 10 or 15 min for done. corn can be done this way too. Never forget to take a roll of heavy duty tin foil!

Pizza is great! For your family, you probably know all about gluten free crusts, but they take no time on a fire or a BBQ grill and you can load up the veggie and meat toppings.  
 
Kabobs are always nice too. Stainless steel skewers are a good investment (no soaking required) and the meat, poultry and veggies can all be pre-cut beforehand and/or marinated.  
 
Foil wrapped bakes are always great too (meat, sliced taters and veggies). If you're cautious about aluminum foil touching your food with high heat, wrap it all first in parchment paper, then foil around it.  
 
I agree that it's all about the make ahead stuff and prep. It's all worth it so you don't have to slave for hours.  
 
Pre-made pulled pork, chicken or beef can be packaged nicely in a cooler with some nice buns and pre-made coleslaw or salad.  
 
Do you cook over a fire or do you have a portable BBQ?  
 
I think you can do just about anything camping with a thought out menu. Ziplock bags in every size are your best friend.  
 
Have fun camping.

thirsty said "not sure what kind of camping you are doing but potatoes are the easiest to cook. take some foil cake pans, slice your potatoes, add seasonings & butter (lots of butter,lol) wrap well in tinfoil and cook over the fire. NO grill no problem, wrap potatoes well in tinfoil, and put around the edge of the campfire, turn occasionally. check one or two after 10 or 15 min for done. corn can be done this way too. Never forget to take a roll of heavy duty tin foil! "

We've tried doing potatoes in/on the fire a variety of ways, and it always seems to take forever! My kids are not patient enough to wait over an hour for potatoes while camping, LOL.

Some great ideas guys! Someone on Facebook just introduced me to the idea of "taco in the bag", which is also looking promising!  
 
I just really wanted to get away from potatoes because they take sooooo long (whoever says potatoes cook in only 15 minutes lies - I have to allow at least an hour for most types of potatoes), and anything bread-ish is kinda a no-go because of my daughter (although we're springing for the gluten-free hot dogs/buns for lunch one day as per my son's request).

Abbysmum said "    traveller said "    Abbysmum said "What do you do for starch? I have a daughter who needs to eat gluten-free, so things like packaged pasta is out, but potatoes take too long (we have 4 young kids). " what does your family do for starch at home?     you can still cook all the same things over a fire as you can at home and thats what i do " Honestly, we eat a lot of potatoes at home!     But I can put them in the oven or crockpot and ignore them most of the day, which isn't really feasible camping.     Unless I took my crockpot camping... "

i love potatoes and cook them on the campfire or in foil, if you are around you could put the potatoes in a dutch oven on the fire and forget about them too or maybe try precooking rice dishes or more wraps

Definitely take your slow cooker!! We have one that just stays in the Camprr and its primary use is baked potatoes!!

Abbysmum said "What do you do for starch? I have a daughter who needs to eat gluten-free, so things like packaged pasta is out, but potatoes take too long (we have 4 young kids). "

Why not just but GF pasta?

I been thinking about this lately too as what kinda things to bring, as going camping soon, so thanks!! lol

on-second-thought said "    Abbysmum said "What do you do for starch? I have a daughter who needs to eat gluten-free, so things like packaged pasta is out, but potatoes take too long (we have 4 young kids). " Why not just but GF pasta? "

There's an art to cooking GF pasta that doesn't lend itself well to cooking at a campsite. It makes very gooey, starchy water that is hard to clean up. Plus, there's not the same variety of packaged things that are GF (like Sidekicks or mac and cheese, for example), so you're looking at having to make some sort of sauce or something too.

Most everything you do daily with your family in the City can be done on the campfire. Just pre-cook or plan the same stuff you make for your family each and every night. It's all about planning ahead.  
 
Potatoes are not hard to cook. Low and slow and sliced thin. Or small new baby potatoes. They take no time at all. Even baked potatoes wrapped in foil and thrown in the coals take an hour or less.

sometimes it is too hot for hot food. We always make a huge container of potato salad and just put the mayo on as we use it. Nice to come back from the beach or fishing and just have to do a meat. Or cook a ham and take that with you. Ham, potato salad, a bag of coleslaw.

Lets see, wieners and beans . the wieners cooked over the open fire, sliced and mixed in with the pork and beans and heated up, along with campfire toast, yummy.  
Baked potatoes goes with almost anything.  
Rice if we are fishing and happen to catch fresh walleye, another yummy supper, along with some barley sandwiches.  
KD of course os easy for the grandkids.  
Hamburgers and smokies, pork chops, pork tenderloin, the list is endless.  
Baked potatoe is easy.

Often do lasagne on Friday night. I pre- make them - freeze them - and cook them in the camper oven. Saturday we do crock pot meals such as a whole chicken with potatoes and veggies or roast or some other meat. Eat the left overs on Sunday. Hardly any work and get good meals. I like the fact that we can eat at 6 or 7 or even 8 as the crock pot is forgiving.

I think I'm going to have to make room in my next camper for my crockpot!  
 
We're going for soup & sammys for supper tomorrow, bacon and eggs Sat morning (bacon precooked), hot dogs for lunch, then chicken on a stick (kababs) with rice and corn Sat supper. Sunday oatmeal then pack up and come home!  
 
Thank-you so much for all your helpful ideas and suggestions!

I was going to suggest Hobo Packs - or Cowboy Hash - and you can always pre nuke those potatoes in the microwave - then pack them along - toss in fire for 1/2 an hour - and enjoy - I am gluten free as well - and lots of Pastas would work for Pasta salad from my kitchen.  
 
Good luck - but yeah - load up that crockpot with your potates and let er go all day - I always packed my cut up meat cubes in zip lock baggies marinaded - make 3 bean salad, marinated veggie salad, 7 layer salad, marinated carrot salad, and lots of fruit - pineapple coleslaw presented in cut up pineapple shell - lots of fun cooking with the kids too - maybe give that a try . . .  
 
Edited by whatthewhat, 2016-08-11 23:26:13

I like to cut up potatoes, carrots and onions, wrap in foil with butter and salt and pepper, dill if you have it, it takes less time than a solid potato and I think it's tasty  
 
Also, kielbasa is great over the fire, I cut it up into just round slices, maybe 1/3 inch thick or so, and on a stick over a fire they are yummy, I like them singed pretty good lol

Hi! I cook my meatballs ahead and freeze them. Same with the sauce. Take it out in the morning and throw everything in the crock pot for the day. Then make some rice and veggies right before we eat. Easy!

How long do you cook them for, do you wrap them in aluminum foil, etc. Please tell me all the instructions. Thanks.