camping food ideas please

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ddiestler
ddiestler Posts: 353 Member
in Recipes
Hi Friends,
So, the camping season has begun. I'm in need of some healthy snacks or dinners for camping. I plan on bringing cut up veggies and dip along with various fruit. Any other ideas? I have a full camper with a fridge and freezer..Thanks in advance

Dawn
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Replies

  • digitalbill
    digitalbill Posts: 1,410 Member
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    If you can pre-make hamburger paddys and put them in wax paper, they should stay in the fridge.
    I am assuming you will have a way to BBQ?
    Also, Shish kebab is always an easy hit.
  • debbond58
    debbond58 Posts: 41 Member
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    almonds.Hobo meals (that's what our family calls them).We used to do them with ground beef...now ground turkey.Make a patty smother with veggies,wrap in foil and bake.have a great time camping!
  • Doreen_Murray
    Doreen_Murray Posts: 396 Member
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    Mmmm...camping food! It just tastes better for some reason:) If you have a fridge and freezer I would go with eggs, turkey bacon, chicken...anything for grilling. Kids? On the Food Network site there is an awesome recipe for homemade marshmallows. I know it's not healthy, but they were so GOOD! I'm going Memorial Day weekend and can't wait. Healthy snacks for you: how about Luna bars if you'll be hiking and almonds. Have fun! Love camping. :flowerforyou:
  • 2April
    2April Posts: 285 Member
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    You can make soup, stew, or chili ahead of time and freeze it.
  • kionig
    kionig Posts: 77 Member
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    We always keep on hand protein drinks and bars, granola bars, dried fruit. String cheese, greek yogurt, instant oatmeal and nuts, rice cakes, fruit cups. Bottled water, coconut water and organic milk (horizon) that doesnt have to be refrigerated. For breakfast we'll have instant oatmeal, fruit, bolied eggs and turkey sausage. Snacks - fruit & protein or granola bar. Lunch - sandwich & some crock pot soup, Dinner -grilled chicken, salad, veggies & rice. We take healthy shelf stable food to save all the room in the fridge for meat, eggs, and veggies. It does requires more prep work. But, nothing beats a fajita salad after a hard day of outside play. Precooked chicken strips (storebought or homemade), a bag of frozen fajita mix (storebought or homemade), on top of salad with a bit of cheese, salsa, & dollop of yougurt on top is super easy to make.
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 3,019 Member
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    this was a huge challenge for me last year.. i put on a good 6 lbs in 2 months of camping. we camp every other weekend during june- and aug. I realized i was eating so terrible.... ( hot dogs, burgers, sunflower seeds, chips, pop, booze) that when aug came and i realized how much weight i put on just from camping i made a change. I also have access to a fridge and freezer and i made sure i had scrambled eggs in the am, limit myself to no more then 2 slices of bacon... and i would only have hash browns once a month. Then for hot dogs i would limit myself to 1 and we started grilling chicken and steak instead of always having burgers. We would do corn on the cob and i would make salads. snack during the day i started bringing carrots, peas and celery. I even made popcorn for snacks so i wouldn't have chips. sunflower seed i restricted to once a month camping, that was it. I also stopped drinking pop and only water with the occasional beverage.... so i think for me it was more limiting certain foods and snacking on healthy items. I wasn't going to have pre prepped meals that were just for me b/c i have a very picky child and if he sees me not eating what they are it's a huge battle to get him to eat, so i would eat the same but in moderation. i found it helped atlot even though it was only for 1 month before we packed up the camper for the season. The season is almost going to start here soon ( 1 month) and i will follow the same habits as i created last year, and i hope it helps hugely!
  • SpankyBuns
    SpankyBuns Posts: 24 Member
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    Wow there are some great ideas here, even for those not camping ..Thank you:wink:
  • Molly182
    Molly182 Posts: 406
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    I have the itch to go camping so badly! Can't wait to check back on this thread
  • hosegirl
    hosegirl Posts: 157
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    We take fruit salad-strawberries, blueberries and grapes. No melons. Too much sugar. I make a dip of low salt cottage cheese and salsa. It is yummy. I use baked corn chips or Stacey’s sea salt Pita chips to dip. We also take fresh green beans; slices of red potato and chopped onion wrap in foil with a little butter and roast them either on the grill or fire. Sometimes we will put the meat in with it. Broccoli salad.

    Snacks: Pop corn- do it at home if you do not have a microwave in your camper. Hard boiled eggs. 100 calorie snack-Fig Newton Fruit thins, Oreos (yes!), nuts etc.
  • jenlarz
    jenlarz Posts: 813 Member
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    Love to grill veggies! Whatever kind you like. Foil packets with some seasoning a bit of olive oil and water. Then whatever you normally eat for snacks anyway. Lots of protein if you are the type to do lots of hiking/biking things while camping.
  • crazytreelady
    crazytreelady Posts: 752 Member
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    You should go fishing!!! And go for a hike if it's bushy and pick some berries (if you have a wilderness book).
  • crazytreelady
    crazytreelady Posts: 752 Member
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    Snacks: Pop corn- do it at home if you do not have a microwave in your camper. Hard boiled eggs. 100 calorie snack-Fig Newton Fruit thins, Oreos (yes!), nuts etc.

    You can actually make popcorn on your fire.
    You need kernels, a pan, lid and a little oil!!! That's how a lot of people used to do.
  • vonnywaft
    vonnywaft Posts: 182
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    Take some frozen fish like salmon fillets and steam it with baby potatoes and veggies.
  • pittcurl
    pittcurl Posts: 82 Member
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    I think camping is a lot easier to be eating healthier. Utilize your grill and some non-stick tin foil. That and usually I'm able to exercise more while in the outdoors. Since the season is still new, some good turkey chili with enough heat to survive a cold night. Snacking is just like you do now, just prepackage it. When we go to bingo, we are always bringing popcorn or nuts. A big reminder, drink plenty of water while in the heat. Have fun camping!!!
  • mrskymberly
    mrskymberly Posts: 12 Member
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    I think the number one thing that will help me this year is to not bring a lot of junk food. If I bring it, I'll eat it. Fresh fruit and veggies always taste so good while camping. Maybe it is the fresh mountain air!
  • Newf77
    Newf77 Posts: 802 Member
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    BUMPER
  • secretgirl4611
    secretgirl4611 Posts: 474 Member
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    turkey burgers
    salmon or talipia you can grill with maybe some veggies
    low calorie smores or reg. if u limit no more than 1 or 2 theres not that many calories in them ne way
    macaroni salad
    seafood pasta salad
    take lean beef
    healthy chips
    um, thats just mainly low cal diet food.
    if u want to eat what everyone else is eating just use portion control and dont over do it..

    I cant wait to go camping!!:)
  • darciecoles
    darciecoles Posts: 7
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    BBQ pizza! If you have a fridge and freezer, no big! Premake the dough at home, wrap it up tight and toss it in the freezer. When you wanna eat it, do it up flatbread style.

    Chewy chocolate chip granola bars (probably not diet friendly, but at least you know what you're putting in your mouth!)
    Yield: 10 bars
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    1/3 cup light brown sugar
    ¼ cup honey
    4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
    2 cups quick-cooking oats
    1 cup crispy rice cereal
    ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
    1. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan; set aside.
    2. In a large bowl, stir the oats and rice cereal together; set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar, honey, and butter together over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
    3. Pour the melted mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour the oat mixture into the prepared pan and press down to ensure that the ingredients are tightly compacted in the pan. Sprinkle the top evenly with the miniature chocolate chips and press down on the top lightly with the back of a spoon.
    4. Cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Wrap in plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • MissJay75
    MissJay75 Posts: 768 Member
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    You can make soup, stew, or chili ahead of time and freeze it.

    Holy cow, totally flashing back to my mom's stew that she always made when we went camping. She made it a lot in the winter too, but it was always sooooo much better camping. Mmmmmmmmm stew.
  • macx2mommy
    macx2mommy Posts: 170 Member
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    I do a lot of frozen foods with marinades that I can grill. The ziploc bag is your friend.

    I take frozen salmon, or chicken, through it in to a ziploc bag,add the marinade, and back in the freezer.
    Veggies are really easy. Peppers, zucchini, onions, whatever you don't need a fridge for, bring it along, cut up in chunks, make tin foil pocket, as some seasonings, and grill, or even throw it right into the fire. Just make sure you find a way to get it out.


    I used to eat alot better camping, than at home.

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