Author Topic: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination  (Read 3167 times)

elaine amj

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Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« on: July 26, 2016, 12:17:21 PM »
We have been doing a lot of camping this summer and I'd like to introduce some more dishes to our repertoire. The trip I am struggling with is our visit to Colorado. We are flying in for 4 nights - just DH and I only. We'd like to eat more whole/vegan/vegetarian style (especially since we won't have to worry about feeding the kids!).

We arrive at night and will overnight at a hotel in Westminster before driving on to Boulder the next day. We plan to pick up groceries there. In the afternoon, we will drive to Ward, Co - to a little cabin in the woods where we will spend the next 3 nights. So, some limitations:
- no refrigeration (just a couple of collapsible cardboard coolers)
- cooking will be on a propane camp stove & a grill
- basic cooking supplies in the cabin (looks like some small pots and pans)

Ideas? I'm used to doing a lot of food prep at home (e.g. pre-cooked ribs in the Instant Pot yesterday to freeze for our camping trip this weekend. It should defrost in time to grill on the open campfire - YUM!) so this will be a bit more challenging.

I was thinking soup, veggie burgers, fruit, bagged salads, baked potato/sweet potato, mushroom omelettes, quesadillas....not sure what else? Trying to also keep this to Mustachian as well :)

No Name Guy

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Re: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2016, 01:03:59 PM »
So, I'd just finished off leading a volunteer project where we were cooking for a crew out in the woods, more or less as you describe.

One meal was this:

 - Jarred Indian Curry Sauce
 - Canned Chicken
 - Canned green beans.

Mix together and warm in pot.  Meanwhile, in another pot, boil water for instant rice.  Serve sauce mix over rice.  Dilute sauce w. water a bit so that it really flows over the rice, to give it flavor.

Other dish with this:  Potato and chickpea curry.  Saute onion in frying pan w. oil.  Add spices to onion once it's done.  Stir fry that for a couple of minutes.  Add canned chickpeas and potato cubes (peel and dice fresh spuds).  Add a splash of water, enough to get a thin layer over the bottom of the pan, and stir to coat everything.  Cover and bring to a good simmer.  The steam will cook the spuds.  Stir often as propane Coleman type stove doesn't spread the heat well on a frying pan, so it'll burn to the bottom if you're not careful - use just enough heat.  Once done, squeeze a lemon over and serve on the side with the curry and rice.

Serve the above two dishes with store bought Naan bread.

You can bring a bag with the pre-mixed spices for the curry from home - chilli powder, cumin, coriander, garlic, etc.

The down side - this takes 3 burners, minimum.

mm1970

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Re: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2016, 02:59:19 PM »
I like No Name Guy's ideas. 

When you start thinking about it, it depends on what you are willing to eat.  I never remember canned chicken, even though I eat canned salmon and canned tuna (or the pouches).

So I'd do boxed mac and cheese with tuna or chicken and a veg.  The advantage to boxed mac and cheese is that it's *just* the right amount for a meal without leftovers.  For me, at least, I prefer camping meals with no leftovers.

A big hit with the kids when camping is canned chili nachos (canned chili, shredded cheese, tortillas.  You can get fancy with salsa and guac too.)

If you branch out into "jarred sauces" then you are golden.
- Indian curry sauces (meat/ veg with naan)
- Thai curry sauces (over rice - I'd probably go for the instant rice)
- Teriyaki sauces (veggies and rice)

When we camp with the kids, it's usually at a place with no running water or refrigeration (desert).
Breakfast: eggs one day, then muffins, fruit, and nuts for the other days.  Used to make oatmeal - honestly takes to long to get the water to boil.  "Ready to eat" is better.
Lunches: sandwiches and veggies with hummus. Fruit, nuts.
Dinners: the aforesaid nachos, foil pouch meals (veg and meat), hot dogs, the little Indian curry foil packets.

When we first started camping, we stuck to "just add water" like oatmeal, rice or noodle side dishes (already flavored), ramen noodle bowls.

Uturn

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Re: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2016, 03:07:05 PM »
Do you have a dehydrator?  You can cook damn near any meal, dehydrate, store in favorite container.  Just add water and heat. 

There's also tons of recipes on hiking/backpacking sites.  If you don't want to dehydrate your own, find outdoor stores or survivalist supply websites and get prepackaged food. 

Uturn

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Re: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2016, 08:47:32 AM »
Thank you for the link Julie.  That's a nice site you have there, it's a good thing I didn't have any client deliverables due this morning.  :) 

Choices

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Re: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2016, 08:21:39 PM »
Thank you for the link Julie.  That's a nice site you have there, it's a good thing I didn't have any client deliverables due this morning.  :)

Aww, shucks! You just made my day :)

elaine amj

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Re: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2016, 09:09:52 PM »
Unfortunately, we don't have a dehydrator. Also, we are crossing the border from Canada to the US so do not want to bring any food - will have to buy everything after we land. I have checked out army/survivalist food and they are very $$!

I am loving the ideas of jarred sauces/curries. We can buy some tofu and fresh veggies and easily whip up a curry. The potato/chickpea curry also sounds delish. Eggs are perfect - DH loves eggs. Hopefully he will be ok with "just add water" dishes (he's a bit picky about processed foods). I like the idea of Uncle Ben's rice type stuff.


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Aminul

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Re: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2016, 10:42:39 AM »
I've used "jarred" sauces while camping (backpacking) with good results.  I've able to get the sauces in sealed packets, which was much more convenient than moving the jars around, so you may want to look for that.

backyardfeast

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Re: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2016, 11:04:48 AM »
What a fun trip!  When DH and I go sailing for a few days with an icebox and our tiny PITA alcohol stove, sometimes I remind myself that we are on holiday, and a few days with a pretty basic diet, rather than our usual super-picky-fresh-organic-everything diet will do no harm. :)

After a long, busy day of hiking or whatever you have planned, it's often really nice to not have to do a lot of meal prep.  We do a good quality canned soup, or a jar of pasta sauce with dry pasta, or the above-mentioned jar of curry sauce with simple veggies that don't need refrigeration (carrots or other roots, potatoes, cauliflower) and a quick rice.  Breakfasts are eggs and toast, or yogurt, granola and fruit (nectarines, blueberries--fruit that is again shelf-stable and won't go mushy quickly).  Lunches can be dehydrated soups, prepared deli foods like potato salad, coleslaw, etc if you have room in your cooler.  Canned beans make easy salads.  We also always make sure to bring ourselves some treats! Chocolate, baked goods, tortilla chips and salsa...snacky things to round out the edges.  Shopping in new places makes that part fun and easy, usually. :)

I'm a fan of picking veggies and fruit that are easily mixed and matched between meals, but also easily snacked on raw: celery, cauliflower, carrots, snap peas.

Definitely bring a few containers for leftovers, too.  If you'll be in one place for the few days and can keep dinner leftovers to eat for lunch.  Sometimes it's hard to adjust for quantities when you're used to cooking for more people!

elaine amj

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Re: Camping food ideas - grocery shopping at destination
« Reply #9 on: July 28, 2016, 01:27:29 PM »
What a fun trip!  When DH and I go sailing for a few days with an icebox and our tiny PITA alcohol stove, sometimes I remind myself that we are on holiday, and a few days with a pretty basic diet, rather than our usual super-picky-fresh-organic-everything diet will do no harm. :)

After a long, busy day of hiking or whatever you have planned, it's often really nice to not have to do a lot of meal prep.  We do a good quality canned soup, or a jar of pasta sauce with dry pasta, or the above-mentioned jar of curry sauce with simple veggies that don't need refrigeration (carrots or other roots, potatoes, cauliflower) and a quick rice.  Breakfasts are eggs and toast, or yogurt, granola and fruit (nectarines, blueberries--fruit that is again shelf-stable and won't go mushy quickly).  Lunches can be dehydrated soups, prepared deli foods like potato salad, coleslaw, etc if you have room in your cooler.  Canned beans make easy salads.  We also always make sure to bring ourselves some treats! Chocolate, baked goods, tortilla chips and salsa...snacky things to round out the edges.  Shopping in new places makes that part fun and easy, usually. :)

I'm a fan of picking veggies and fruit that are easily mixed and matched between meals, but also easily snacked on raw: celery, cauliflower, carrots, snap peas.

Definitely bring a few containers for leftovers, too.  If you'll be in one place for the few days and can keep dinner leftovers to eat for lunch.  Sometimes it's hard to adjust for quantities when you're used to cooking for more people!

Love the ideas! Canned beans are a great idea. As well as salads in general. The weather is cool, so salads should survive pretty well even without being in a cooler. And YES to treats! And containers for leftovers. At the least, a whole bunch of ziploc bags!