Healthy Camping Foods???

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christy_frank
christy_frank Posts: 680 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My family & I enjoy camping & even though we will be more flexible in our eating habits, we still want to make healthier choices. What is your favorite 'healthy' camping meals? We will not have electricity on our site but will be cooking over the campfire and possibly a dutch oven.... I am interested in make ahead foods that can be eaten cold (that kids will eat)

High protein...

Thank you!

Replies

  • melissa0001
    melissa0001 Posts: 313 Member
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    we do foil dinners alot

    chicken
    peppers (red yellow green)
    onions
    pinnapple
    zuccini
    canned potatoes (don't cook as lond)


    cut chicken into cubes select vegtables add butter, double wrap in tin foil and place onto hot coals in fire. flip every so often.

    Its like kabobs without the sticks! LOL
  • AFitasticYou
    AFitasticYou Posts: 170
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    Turkey hotdogs, turkey lunch meat, turkey burgers, black bean burgers?
  • SailorMoon007
    SailorMoon007 Posts: 93 Member
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    Bump!
  • Dnsnyder
    Dnsnyder Posts: 263 Member
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    Foil dinners are a great option. And of course, there's your typical camping standby: hotdogs! I just buy the fat free hot dogs and light hot dog buns. =)
  • smrtcar
    smrtcar Posts: 104 Member
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    I like canned or dried lentils as well as quinoa. Canned lentils heat quickly. Dried lentils as well as quinoa can take a little while to cook. Lentils are best with savoury seasoning and quinoa can be sweetened just like oatmeal or mixed with cucumber and tomato slices into a great salad with italian dressing.
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
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    Go with lean meats like chicken, fish and beef. Stay away from the burgers and hot dogs if trying to stay healthly.

    Pre cut some fruit salad to go with the meals that can keep in a water tight container in the cooler.

    You can also do any of your favorite crock pot receipes ahead of time and freeze them in a water tight container to put in the cooler. Will act like ice and defrost in a few days and can be warmed up in a pot over the fire, super easy. I have done this with spagetti too, works like a charm!

    Have a great time and don't worry, take extra walks/hikes to work off any extras like smores......don't forget to log it all in!!!

    Have Fun!
  • astovey
    astovey Posts: 578 Member
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    I'm going camping this weekend! I'm bringing Trader Joe's Chicken Sausages (100 cals a link and like 6g of fat) and some individually wrapped Salmon that I will cook in heavy duty foil with lemon juice with some potato (bc we have some we need to eat). For lunch (we are floating a river) I'm brining Starkist Sandwich Ready Albicore Tuna packs with Sara Lee 45 cal bread. I'm also packing some Clif Bars (I usually don't eat bc of the sugar, but I'll be burning a lot of cals) and some apples. Of course Ill still be eating my smore and BEER lol...it's like vacation for us :)

    I would like som easy sugestions for breakfast though
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    I'm actually just putting together my menu for camping this weekend.

    Tonight - Tinfoil Salmon, grilled asparagus, zuchini, eggplant, onions, mushrooms
    Friday Breakfast - Oatmeal & fresh fruit
    Lunch - chicken or tuna sandwich
    Dinner - Grilled chicken ceasar salad
    Saturday Breakfast - Turkey bacon & eggs
    lunch - chicken or tuna sandwich
    Dinner - Steak, mushrooms, onions, 1/2 baked potato with greek yogurt
    Sunday Breakfast - Oatmeal & fresh fruit

    Snacks:

    baby carrots, celery sticks, cucumber, grape tomatos & hummus.
    Fresh pineapple, honeydew, canteloupe, grapes, cottage cheese

    Lots of water

    And Beer (but not for the kids ) :)
  • astovey
    astovey Posts: 578 Member
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    I'm actually just putting together my menu for camping this weekend.

    Tonight - Tinfoil Salmon, grilled asparagus, zuchini, eggplant, onions, mushrooms
    Friday Breakfast - Oatmeal & fresh fruit
    Lunch - chicken or tuna sandwich
    Dinner - Grilled chicken ceasar salad
    Saturday Breakfast - Turkey bacon & eggs
    lunch - chicken or tuna sandwich
    Dinner - Steak, mushrooms, onions, 1/2 baked potato with greek yogurt
    Sunday Breakfast - Oatmeal & fresh fruit

    Snacks:

    baby carrots, celery sticks, cucumber, grape tomatos & hummus.
    Fresh pineapple, honeydew, canteloupe, grapes, cottage cheese

    Lots of water

    And Beer (but not for the kids ) :)

    Sounds healthy!
  • cmisty2001
    cmisty2001 Posts: 59
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    all great ideas!

    we portage in the boundary waters with pre-teens/teens (scouts). I had to lighten up the menu from what the men were used to taking (think smoked sausage & cheese almost daily:-) and there's no such thing as fruit)

    check out the freeze dried items at www.beprepared.com. We package up chicken, rice, etc. in vacuum seal bags and reconstitute with hot water fix up a low-fat gravy for a nice warming dish. These freeze dried items are very light and travel very well - we buy the #10 cans, then portion it out for the meals. Very easy for the kids to handle and they all taste good - tho' I would be cautious with the TVP meats - they're ok, but not my favorite.

    I added quesadillas, pizzas using ragu sauce, low fat cheese, pepperoni (for the guys) and tortillas, lots of apples/oranges/bananas of which the apples/bananas can do double duty in a cooked dessert with tortillas, bagged tuna, hummus, cabbage travels well, the cake mix/diet soda cake works well in the Dutch oven for a low calorie splurge, nut butters just watch portions, oatmeal, eggs, turkey bacon, veggie soup if you get a cool night and lots of fish if you catch any. Applesauce is also very versatile with the tortillas, oatmeal, etc.

    If it's a dump camp, then I've been known to make up some items ahead of time - vacuum seal/freeze - use those items to keep the coolers cold and then drop in hot water to reheat. Be sure the bag has some space in - this is nice in that we open the bag, serve out of the bag, toss the water dry the pot (no dishes) Pot roast/veggies done this way is nice.
  • elizabethblake
    elizabethblake Posts: 384 Member
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    Don't know if your kids will eat it, but we make falafel sandwiches for camping. You can bake the falafel patties and we eat them in whole wheat pitas with cherry tomatoes, cucumber and tahini sauce.
  • traceykrtomlin
    traceykrtomlin Posts: 4
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    Protein bars and powder drinks to mix with water or milk and fresh fruits and veggies work great for my family. My daughter is a college athelete and so has to stay with the same diet no matter where she is. Medium rare cooked beef served cold in a tortilla (healthy homemade type) with fresh veggies and a low fat dressing (cucumber/dill type is her favorite) is a wonderful lunch for us. I had bariatric surgery April 1,2010 and have chosen to eat what she does. It's nice!
  • anzura
    anzura Posts: 171
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    We usually only get to camp once or twice a year. It's a time for chips, beer, hot dogs, etc!! It's the only time of year my kids get Poptarts. LOL! It's one of those weekends I write off. We also do a ton of exercise though. I always get in my morning run and usually a great hike in the afternoon. Forget the diet and enjoy the weekend!
  • paavy
    paavy Posts: 16 Member
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    bump

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