Camping Recipes...

LH2007

Hello All:
With spring finally deciding to somewhat show up in Cleveland, Ohio - my family and I have started our weekend camping trips. We love just being outside and relaxing - enjoying quality time together without TV, Video Games, work etc. The only problem is - eating healthy on these camping trips. Are any other members avid campers? If so, can you share some simple and easy recipes that can be done while camping that are still healthy and delicious? We have a permanent site with a travel trailer so it is by no means primitive camping - fridge, stove etc but we do cook over an open fire. Suggestions?

scd78

Bump

lkyeomans

I struggle with this as well and ended up eating hardly anything my last weekend camping. The next time we go I have a few ideas that will help hopefully. I have a crockpot for camping...I am going to make turkey chili, also foil dinners with chicken and veggies and a little fat free italian dressing in it. I also have a popcorn pot to make popcorn for a munchie snack and I only use a little oil to cook the popcorn in and no butter added. Good luck and look forward to seeing what others write.

KendraElmendorf

i know they have turkey-dogs, which are hotdogs made of turkey. you could go with sandwich stuff instead of the hotdog. Bring some granola bars, healthy trail mix, your fruits and veggies, etc. Wrap chicken breasts (or any other meat) with squash, zucchini, onions, tomato's, mushrooms, potatos etc... in heavy duty aluminum foil and put it in the coals or on a grill on top of the campfire. You can add whatever seasonings you want and can even make it ahead of time. You can also use the foil as a plate and just toss it afterwards.

UpEarly

We usually backpack and end up camping way out in the backcountry, so it's all dehydrated meals there. But, when we camp someplace with amenities, I love making 'grill packets'. You can put almost anything in them. I load them up with shrimp or chicken, veggies, some kind of sauce - toss it on the campfire and 15 minutes later, I have a GREAT dinner. You can even make some 'stir fry" type dishes using Minute rice.

If you go to the Reynold's foil website, they have a big recipe search. Use 'packets' as your keyword search, and you'll get a TON of results http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldskitchens/en/recipes/recipe_search.asp

jlewis2896

Ground turkey chili -- Ro-tel, low sodium beans and ground turkey. Cook in a dutch oven in the campfire.

Also, home-made trail mixes -- granola, nuts, dried cranberries, etc.

Fresh fruit salads

These three are staples for my family, but I'm hoping to see some new ideas on this post as well, I struggle with the same problem!!! Annnd... I am so weak when it comes to s'mores. I eat them until I'm ready to go into a sugar coma.

Jessaamine

Eggs, turkey bacon, veggies wrapped in foil, marinated chicken, shishkebobs, turkey smoked sausage, stew...

KendraElmendorf

For dessert (you have to splurge a little, no?) take a banana and load it up with whatever (Kids usually cover it with chocolate sauce, little marshmallows, caramel and whatever else, but I dont really add anything...ok, maybe a little chocolate;)....and wrap it all together in foil and throw it in the fire for a little bit. it really changes the flavor of the banana and is so good and nice for cold nights.

tacey21

I dont go camping much, but I always look forward to Cleveland summers in Ohio because produce is ABUNDANT! I read someone's amazing recipe for cucumber tomato feta salad (2 cucumbers, 4 tomatoes, 1/2 red onion, feta, red wine vinegar, and olive oil ... although i leave out the olive oil and it doesnt really make much of a taste difference o.o)

Most fresh produce wont need refrigeration...
Maybe take that as a starting point

Watermelon salsa.
Fruit Kabobs with yogurt dip
Veggie kabobs for BBQ
Hummus spread.

Even making your own trail mix with your favorite nuts and dried fruits.

You have me SO excited for picnic weather!!!

nmterp

Hooray for camping season!

You can always hard boil eggs, great protein, and a quick breakfast/easy to carry on hikes. I live in the SW, so burritos are big here. I use low fat tortillas, beans, (eggs or egg whites if I'm making breakfast burritos), salsa, etc .

Kebobs are another way to get lean protein and veggies in and everyone can make their own. I just cut up meat and put in a ziplock with maranaid. Then pre-cut my veggies and throw those in ziplocks too. If using wooden skewers, don't forget to soak them in water though, or else everything will stick to the skewer. I also make fruit kebobs for dessert!

Sometimes I'll prepare soup or a healthy turkey chili at home and then freeze it in the camping pot. Then all I have to do is put it over the fire and let it reheat.

Of course you can always grill up fresh caught fish...

Qarol

I wish I could help. We love to go camping, but we don't really pay attention to dieting while we're there. We don't go every weekend, so it's kind of like our cheat. But I love camping, with no TV, no cell phone, no computer, no video games. Just peace and quiet, sitting around a fire. My husband and I have some of our best conversations while camping.

abyt42

Thank you, upearly, for the reynolds link! I've been looking at recipes for solar cooking, too, to add to my camping menu.

MommaKitonet

We camp a lot as well. This year will be the first that I will be dieting though so I did a lot of research and thought I would share with you. One thing that can be healthy are kabobs. All the fat drains off as the meat cooks and make sure to use lots of veggies. Taking fresh or canned/ frozen without sugar fruit can be just as good, too. Hope these help.

abyt42

Sometimes I'll prepare soup or a healthy turkey chili at home and then freeze it in the camping pot. Then all I have to do is put it over the fire and let it reheat.

Such a great idea!

000angie000

Bump! Love the banana idea too

RoadDog

I don't have any earth-shattering recipes, b ut.... I do all the cooking when we go rafting or camping. One thing I do is prepare all my meals in advance and place them in indivual large baggies. EVERYTHING! I even crack the eggs for the breakfast meals and place in baggie.

I always chop up onions, potatoes, peppers and garlic, mix them together with seasonings and place in bagggie. By the time we break them out for breakfast the flavors have melded together nicely. You can smell it all over the campground or river edge. Big Hit.

abyt42

Last summer I made foil packets of apple slices, cinnamon and a little sugar. My kids decided I was "the best cook ever."

abyt42

RoadDog...
Do your potatoes discolor when you prechop them? If not, what do you do that keeps them from discoloring?

Just1forMe

Grilled corn on the cob, fruit salad, Johnsonville Smoked Turkey Sausage, watermelon, chicken legs, turkey drumsticks...

On the Smores...save some calories by getting the chocolate graham crackers & skip the chocolate bar...you won't miss it!

ksharon22

Thanks for these ideas! Keep 'em coming!

RoadDog

RoadDog...
Do your potatoes discolor when you prechop them? If not, what do you do that keeps them from discoloring?

Not significantly. I keep them in a large baggie with as much of the air squeezed out as possible.

Graumagus

I do living history reenactments, so full disclosure: The amount of equipment we bring with is far beyond what most people would consider "camping"

That said, anything you can cook at home can also be cooked over a campfire if you invest in a few pieces of cast iron cookware (Lodge brand is nice, but a bit on the pricey side. I have had excellent results using TexSport if you can find it- it's about 1/2 to 2/3 the price of Lodge).

An eight quart cast iron dutch oven with legs and a rimmed lid is highly versatile. Way too heavy if you're hiking long distances to a campsite, but if you're traveling a short distance by foot or camping somewhere you can basically just drive up it's a great addition to your camp gear. A dutch oven lid tool, and a highly heat resistant glove are also very useful as cast iron stays hot for a long time (i use a leather welder's glove, available at any home improvement store).

Take a pie tin, flip it upside down inside the oven as a trivet (keeps the food lifted off the bottom of the oven), then use another rightside up on top of that one and you can bake anything you would at home by placing the oven on a bed of hot coals and scooping more coals on top on the lid (the lid is rimmed specifically for this purpose). Obviously you must observe all fire safety laws and general common sense when scooping hot coals around. And the leather glove mentioned above will NOT make your hand immune to the heat of the cast iron, but will protect your hand from momentary contact. So don't go grabbing hot iron, use a tool to lift the lid and move the oven by the bail handle!

Out fishing? Why cook your catch on a stick when you can make a baked dish that wouldn't shame your Sunday dinner table?

I've cooked roasts, made tortilla wraps, baked whole chickens, and even baked fresh bread with hot coals and a dutch oven.

tamheath

Great ideas - thanks for posting!

RoadDog

When I first started rafting almost 30 years ago, I would cook for myself and whoever rode with me. Later, it was me and the older girls. Then it was me and the older girls and their girlfriends.

Soon I was the one organizing the trip. One by one I would get the same request from the others, "Hey, since you are already cooking, can you add me to the list and I will chip in some money?" I was cooking Breakfast and Dinner for every one.

3 Years ago, when Holland started going, I started using a guide service. They provided lunch on the River; everyone started bringing breakfast bars and I was only doing dinner.

Last two years, I started staying at a resort and using a guide service. I don't bring anything but cigars, bourbon and my wallet.

I miss cooking for the group.

Anybody in the PNW need a camp cook?

kamk16

Some really good ideas here. I will have to keep this handy for our camping this summer probably every weekend we to are getting a "permanent" or "seasonal" sight for our camper.

LH2007

This is awesome! Thanks for all the great suggestions!!!! We camped all last year and we just ran out of ideas. This is great!