HELP!camping for 4 days and need healthy guidance

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katcunock
katcunock Posts: 664 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So here's the skinny: I'm going camping for four days, and need some advice on how to eat healthy while away. We have no way of storing food to keep it cool, such as meat or dairy, and I don't want to end up skipping meals while away.

Any advice would be greatfully recieved :)

Replies

  • fairyT83
    fairyT83 Posts: 34 Member
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    Eat what you find in the wild, this may include: grass, dandilions, worms and slugs and the like, empty crisp packets and maybe if your really lucky a used jonny or two :)

    Any help!?
  • LittleMissDover
    LittleMissDover Posts: 820 Member
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    Canned ratatouille, dried flavoured couscous, fresh fruit and veg. Erm.....

    Buy stuff on a meal to meal basis I guess.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Beef jerky, apples, baby carrots, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit, canned beans, string cheese....?
  • katcunock
    katcunock Posts: 664 Member
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    Eat what you find in the wild, this may include: grass, dandilions, worms and slugs and the like, empty crisp packets and maybe if your really lucky a used jonny or two :)

    Any help!?

    oh my gosh i hear those used johnnys are really low in calories :D
  • trimom10
    trimom10 Posts: 388 Member
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    Fruit and veggies (they don't really need to be refrigerated), protein bars, nuts
  • Doberdawn
    Doberdawn Posts: 732 Member
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    Dried fruits and nuts, dry roasted edamame. It will take you a long way.

    For example, 1/4 cup of Seapoint's Lightly Salted Dry Roasted Edamame (green soy beans or young soy beans) has 130 calories, 4g fat, 0 cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, only 1 g of sugar, a WHOPPING 8g fiber and 14g protein. and because of all the fiber, it is only a net of 2g carbs (10g - 8g).

    So, they are light, compact and highly nutritious. There is a reason all those fruit and nut mixes came to be called "trail mixes". <g>
  • bananapopsicle1
    bananapopsicle1 Posts: 21 Member
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    Hi,

    I assume you will have access to fire or a small camping stove, even 1 burner small travel one works for boiling a kettle...
    Package and freeze everything ahead of time to keep longer; don't know if you will be starting off with ice and ice packs, or if you will be able to buy more (or off deep in the wilderness)

    For portaging we normally bring packages of instant oatmeal, cup a soup (not great, sodium wise...but what can ya do!).

    Make a batch of vegetable chilli ahead of time and freeze in ziplock baggies to heat up in a pot.

    1st night we normally have chicken breast sliced (which we pack frozen as well), fresh veggies already chopped, some cous cous for a nice stirfry.

    We also pack whole wheat wraps as they travel well, can bring a can of tuna or other canned meat, or a small tub of peanut butter. Bring a bag of salad to eat early in the trip; apples keep well....trail mix....

    I guess also you can freeze a container of egg whites and bring, I've never tried but just thought of it...

    I love camping! Haven't been this year tho:frown:

    have fun!
  • Whart0603
    Whart0603 Posts: 92 Member
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    Hi,

    I assume you will have access to fire or a small camping stove, even 1 burner small travel one works for boiling a kettle...
    Package and freeze everything ahead of time to keep longer; don't know if you will be starting off with ice and ice packs, or if you will be able to buy more (or off deep in the wilderness)

    For portaging we normally bring packages of instant oatmeal, cup a soup (not great, sodium wise...but what can ya do!).

    Make a batch of vegetable chilli ahead of time and freeze in ziplock baggies to heat up in a pot.

    1st night we normally have chicken breast sliced (which we pack frozen as well), fresh veggies already chopped, some cous cous for a nice stirfry.

    We also pack whole wheat wraps as they travel well, can bring a can of tuna or other canned meat, or a small tub of peanut butter. Bring a bag of salad to eat early in the trip; apples keep well....trail mix....

    I guess also you can freeze a container of egg whites and bring, I've never tried but just thought of it...

    I love camping! Haven't been this year tho:frown:

    have fun!

    Sounds like you've been camping a time or two. :wink: Great suggestions! I haven't been this year either but hope to break out the tent in September!
  • bananapopsicle1
    bananapopsicle1 Posts: 21 Member
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    btw, aren't you guys bringing a cooler bag or something? Even if you guys are hiking in it's worth the hassle of carrying it.:smile:
  • bananapopsicle1
    bananapopsicle1 Posts: 21 Member
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    yes....I have come a long way from car camping when I was 16, and lived off kraft dinner, hotdogs and booze (lots of booze, lol!)
  • my_bleu
    my_bleu Posts: 12
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    My advice: say no to s'mores :)

    It's ok to splurge a little if you are hiking a journey. For big hikes I live on tuna or salmon- not the canned but the packed kind b/c it is lighter to carry. Too many cans can really weigh your bag down. Also protein bars, trail mix, and LEMONS for the camel-back. Plastic flavored water is just gross.
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
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    Get some veggies that don't necessarily have to be refrigerated - squash, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant - chop it up and put it in some foil and roast it over the campfire. Maybe add a little water to help steam it.

    That's my only suggestion since that's how I grill my veggies. I don't camp lol.
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
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    I'm interested to see the replies here. I have no idea what I would bring if we had no cooler, other than protein bars. We make and freeze almost everything before going camping, so that it doubles as "ice" and stays fresh till we need to eat it.
    We're leaving on a week long camping road trip on Sunday, so excited!!!
  • katcunock
    katcunock Posts: 664 Member
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    we aren't hiking, it's a reunion camp of sorts were people from all over the country who are involved in scouting meet up for a weekend. Iwil be going on walks though to burn some cals.

    There will be a cool box withfreezer bags for the first day.....which i can guarntee, 100%, that my boyfriend and his friends will suff full withbeer. Yay :/

    I like the idea of taking instant oatmeal, and also dried fruit and nuts :) will also take some ryvita and peanut butter, and a load of carrots as i can be seen from time totime just chewing on a whole carrot
  • lizk710
    lizk710 Posts: 36 Member
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    Have not been camping for a few years, but here are some ideas. Some need a cooler to keep stuff.

    1. corn on the cob, sweet or red potatoes: wrap in 3-4 layers of aluminum foil and throw directly in the fire..

    2. Marinated chicken recipe to (freeze, thaw and cook on camp fire, or grill ahead of time)
    marinade: 3 equal parts of olive oil, low sodium soy sauce, lime juice
    skinless boneless chicken breast, fat cut off, cut in half, or cut into cubes for skewers
    Marinate for 36-48 hours (depending on size of pieces).

    3. Vegetable Pasta salad (2 pkgs gluten free or vegetable rotini, 2 green pepper, 2 red pepper, 1 can black olives, 1/2 red onion, mushrooms, and anything else you can think of. Make ahead of time. Makes enough for 20 servings. It tastes better if you add 1 bottle of wishbone robusto italian dressing ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge for a day, but is more fattening this way, so I like to leave it out and then have everyone add it if they want it, or just make two separate dishes. (store in freezer bags in the cooler)

    4. Steaks on the fire, (YUMMM)

    5. Beans and whole grain brown rice (make a head of time and heat up).

    1 large can kidney beans,
    1 1/2 cups dry whole grain natural brown rice
    3 cups of water
    1 onion,
    2 green peppers,
    8 cloves of garlic
    2 tbsp olive oil.
    Season to taste (I use about 2 tbsp Mrs dash table blend)

    Saute vegetables in oil. Add dry uncooked rice, add beans, add water stir and let simmer until rice is cooked. About 45 minutes. Store in cooler, when ready to use, add a little more water and heat on the fire.

    6. Dole tropical fruit salad canned in juices individual serving sizes

    8. Fish - catch some, clean it (someone else usually does this part ;) ) and cook it up on the fire! Add lemon juice and seasoning.

    9. DRINKS: Low sodium V8, water bottles

    10. 90/93% lean ground beef for hamburgers. eat on 100% whole wheat sandwich thins (Arnold).
  • Doberdawn
    Doberdawn Posts: 732 Member
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    Backpackers also tend to get MREs and powdered eggs and such. MREs are meal replacements... it's like powdered food the army uses. It is light, easy to pack, mix with water, and highly nutritious. But, IMHO, it also doesn't taste so hot. But, you can LIVE on it. <g>
  • Doberdawn
    Doberdawn Posts: 732 Member
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    Here is some more info on backpacking and MRE meals to help you choose:

    http://survivalcache.com/7-reasons-mres-are-better-than-backpacking-meals/

    In short... the MREs are WAAAAY more nutritious. 1200 calories vs 400-600, etc.

    p.s., you also don't need a camp stove to heat them. They have their own heating pouch. Read and learn.

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