When going camping, you need to think not only about the items to take with you but also about the meals you are going to cook during your getaway. Remember that you will be even more hungry in the woods. That’s why we are going to give you some important tips on what exactly to put into your bag when going camping.
1. Think About What Type of Camping You Choose
If you are going to have an active trip for one or two days with small stops and a long route, you don’t need much food to take with you. However, if you are planning to have a lazy-relaxed camping trip with your friends, colleagues, or relatives, that’s a totally different story.
In this case, you will need to bring more food with you and calculate its volume taking into account every participant’s appetite. The more people join you camping, the more meals you will need to cook.
Another important aspect is to pay attention to weather conditions. It is a good idea to take some meat or fish with you to grill it on the fire. However, if it is going to rain, you may have problems trying to make a fire in the woods.
Before you start buying everything you need, you can create your own plan where day-by-day, you will write down your meals and the ingredients for them. It may seem boring, but it will save you time when you start your preparations. Moreover, such lists will help you remember some important items or ingredients you need to pack before your departure. Additionally, if you need some useful pieces of equipment for camping, you can visit cleverwander.com. There are plenty of interesting goods there that you will definitely want to buy.
2. Meals may spoil quickly
When planning your trip’s diet, do not forget about the features of the products you put into your bag. Some of them may hold their quality even after a couple of weeks. However, some products may spoil without a fridge in several hours. Canned food is a great choice even for long time trips as they will not lose their taste and quality. Some vegetables can also hold up pretty well.
If you have some perishable products in your bag, plan to eat them first. Meat should be cooked within the first day of your camping trip if you have no portable cooler.
Additional tip: if you take a cooler with you, place perishable products right on the ice to keep them colder. This will allow you to use them later.
3. Diversify your trip diet
It is always a good idea to have a barbecue in the woods. Everyone loves meals made over the fire. However, the weather may adjust your plans. Sunny days may end, and the rain will start to fall. What to do in this case? The solution here is to diversify your meals so that you can eat something even if you have no fire. Canned products are the best choice for those cases.
Moreover, sometimes you don’t have enough time to make a fire and to cook if you don’t want to spend all the time cooking meals. There are many other interesting things to do in the woods, apart from eating. This is why we recommend grabbing some snacks with you.
There is also one secret for those who decide to do all their meals over the fire. Take only those proteins that cook quickly. For example, you can take thin-sliced steaks, shrimps, or meats that are already pre-cooked. Remember that it will take much more time if you decide to cook thick pork over the fire.
Another important thing to remember is that it is better to plan cooking only those meals that can be done quickly. It will take even more time if you are going to cook those meals in the woods. Even simple steps like slicing bread or buttering it may be a true challenge when you are doing it in the open-air when the rain is falling, or the wind is blowing.
What is the key idea here? You can slice some bread and butter it in advance. However, not all meals can be cooked at home. The best option here is to exclude those dishes that will take more time and effort.
You can also prepare as many ingredients as you can in advance. For example, it is a good idea to wash vegetables at home. You can also cut some vegetables like potatoes or carrots. However, cutting tomatoes and cucumbers may not be a good idea as they may spoil on your way to the woods.
Another great idea is to make and to take with you some traditional meals like hamburgers, hot dogs and others. You can prepare them in advance that will save you time when you are in the woods. They are also great when you are on the road – you will not think about where to stop to eat something before you place your tent.
4. Take your cooking equipment with you
It will be very disappointing if you arrive at the place and find out that you miss some of your cooking equipment. It doesn’t mean you need to take everything with you. Before you pack all your tools, look through your list of meals that you plan to cook and choose only those pieces of equipment that you will use.
There are some items that you will definitely need like knives, mixing bowls, forks, etc. Do not forget to take garbage bags, ziplock packages, dishes, dish soap, cups, and plates. Also, pack an aluminum foil with you! It will save your meals from spoiling.
While it is not a part of cooking equipment, charcoal is also important when you are planning to make a camping trip. You never know if there is enough firewood around your camp. The charcoal will help you if the firewood is wet.
Now What?
If you have already read all we have written above, you are half-ready for your first camping trip. Well, at least you won’t be hungry there! Now it is time to create your camping list of products and important items you are to take with you. We wish you good weather and a happy time in the woods!
