Top 8 Meal Planning Tips for Holiday Camping Trips

Camping is a great way to get outside with your loved ones – or even by yourself. But does the thought of preparing meals while camping stop you from taking the next step? Organizing your camping food doesn’t need to be overwhelming, stressful or boring. With the right planning and camping equipment, you will have the ideal meal experience while camping.

Here, we take a look at 8 simple meal planning tips for the best camping experience.

Plan the perfect camping meals

Plan for the trip you want

If your camping goal is to sit around a warm campfire with your loved ones, you are able to plan more technical and involved meals. However, if your goal is to have a camping trip that involves hiking, fishing or a variety of outdoor activities, you should plan for simpler meals.

Keep the weather in mind

Make sure to check the weather forecast before your trip. If it’s going to be a hot day, plan for cold meals such as salads and sandwiches. If you see a chilly evening ahead, hot meals are vital. And with the right camping stove and camping cooking set, preparing hot meals is easier than ever.

Plan meals for longevity

Unless you have a working refrigerator, make sure to plan meals that won’t spoil in your cooler. Pasta with canned sauce, guacamole and soups are known to keep very well in the outdoors. Healthy veggies such as celery and carrots also work well in the outdoor space. When preparing salads, pack ingredients that don’t wilt.

Also plan when you will eat your meals and on what days you will eat them. Always make sure to eat the more perishable foods first. For example, if you are planning on cooking a marinated chicken – put this first on your list to eat for the day. Pre-cooked pasta and canned sauce can be kept for a bit later in your trip. Also make sure to pack your camping cooler with more perishable foods on ice as this will keep them cooler for longer, ensuring greater longevity and less chance of spoiling quickly.

Use a camping stove

Bringing a camping stove on your trip is always a good idea, especially when the weather is unpredictable.There are a variety of benefits that come with using a camping stove. This kind of camping equipment is easy to ignite, waterproof, and will cook your food evenly and easily. Transporting your camping stove is also not a hassle, as these small stoves fit easily into your camping bags and you are able to select a stove that suits your needs. With a variety of camping stoves available on the market you are sure to find the best fit for you and your camping requirements.

Pack protein that cooks well

Pack meat that is easy to cook such as thin-sliced steaks, pre-cooked meat and shrimp. This will cut down your cooking time as cooking thick pork chop takes time. Also remember to pack other forms of proteins such as seeds and nuts, protein bars, dry oatmeal cups and peanut butter sandwiches.

Plan cooking time – ahead of time

Remember it takes longer and is more difficult when cooking outdoors and with this in mind, something that would be simple to cook at home would be a bigger ordeal when you’re cooking outdoors and in the elements. If a meal is harder and requires all of the work to be done at the last minute, consider going with an easier option.

Prepare your ingredients beforehand

Take a look at your recipes and what can be prepared ahead of time. Make sure to cut your vegetables and cook any rice or pasta ahead of the camping trip. This may feel like a lot but you will feel relieved when you are sitting around your campfire and eating a meal with your loved ones in no time.

Bring all the best cooking equipment

It’s easy to forget all the equipment you need to cook for each of your meals. Take a look at your recipes and write down all the things you need to make your meals from mixing bowls, knives and whisks to cooking stoves and more. Also don’t forget the basics such as garbage bags, ziplock bags, dish towels, and dish soap.