As in most camping situations, preparation is key! The more organised and planned you are for the food on your camping trip, the better and less stressful your trip will be. This is especially true when it comes to food, because being hungry isn’t fun and the closest town could be quite a drive away!
Before to start thinking about meals, you need to know your cooking method. Will you have access to a camp stove, be relying on a campfire, have a BBQ, or access to a camp kitchen? This will heavily dictate the type of food you can bring and how it is prepared!
Other things you need to think about when planning your meals might be:
- Whether ingredients for one meal can also be used in another
- How long each meal will take to prepare
- What, if anything, can be done to prepare the food beforehand
- Any refrigeration requirements for the meal
Meals
Breakfast should always be a simple affair. First thing in the morning the last thing you need is to be trying to recreate some gourmet creation. So, whether it’s bacon and eggs, muesli, or porridge, keep it simple and save the bigger meals for lunch and dinner!
We love the idea of baking breakfast muffins to take with you, which can be a breakfast, or mid-morning snack to get you through. This is especially good for kids when camping; they are tasty, are ready to go and there’s no clean up! If you need something a bit heartier, pancakes are a great choice (add some fresh fruit for a treat), or go all out and cook up some bacon and egg rolls!
Lunch is best kept easy and fuss-free because you are likely running around fishing, exploring or having mid-day naps, and don’t want to cook. Lunch could be as easy as ready-made sandwiches, an assortment of dips, crackers and cheese or the classic camp-side hot dogs!
When it comes to dinner, we always opt for the classic foil-ready meals! You can be as tame or as adventurous as you want here; there’s literally thousands of recipes you can cook with this method, and with such minimal clean up, you’d be mad not to try. Here is a great resource for foil-pack recipes, from Fajitas and hamburgers to pull-apart Ham and Cheese grilled sandwiches.
Once you have planned your meals and all the bought the ingredients you need (as well as the necessary camping snacks!), it’s time to get organised and pack your food and cooking utensils the right way. Having the items you plan on using last at the bottom of your storage tubs (these are a lifesaver) means you won’t have to go digging to find the chilli flakes you need for the final night’s dinner!
If you are ready to take your camping trip to the next level, make sure you check our blog on the top 10 camping destinations in Australia and start planning your next adventure! Need a 4WD, campervan, camper trailer or caravan for that trip of a lifetime? National Finance Solutions can help! With low interest rates and no-deposit finance, we can help finance new, used and private sales. Whatever kind of camping you are into, get in touch today or apply for a quick quote online and we help make it a reality.
