What Kind of Food Do You Take Camping feature image

What Kind of Food Do You Take Camping?

S’mores? Hot dogs? These are traditional foods that people have always associated with camping. And although they are great for one or two-day camping trips, they will require you to carry lots of things that could add a substantial amount of weight to your gear.

Here, I will talk about some of the various foods that I and my friends have found work great on our camping trips. They are lightweight, and they can be put up without having to worry the food spoiling.

Let’s get started!

Protein Foods

If you are going on a short camping trip, hot dogs are an excellent source of protein that can be cooked easily. However, what type of protein would you take on a longer camping trip?

One of the richest sources of protein you can take on a long-term camping trip is beef jerky. It is quick to satisfy your hunger, and it can be taken with you on hikes throughout the camping trip when you don’t want to go back to the camp to cook.

Plus, beef jerky will not spoil like most sources of protein might. Not to mention, you will not have to worry about preparing food or the messy cleaning up of traditional protein.

There are some canned protein foods, like spam or ham, that you can take and not have to worry about them going bad. However, you don’t want to bring along a lot of canned food, unless you are car camping or don’t have to travel far to your campsite.

Canned meats weigh quite a bit, which means you will have to figure out how to carry all of the weight along with the rest of your camping gear.

Breads

Everyone enjoys a quick sandwich for lunch. However, if you are going to be camping for more than one or two days, carrying a loaf of regular sandwich bread could result in molded bread. Especially if you are camping in hot weather.

You don’t have to worry though. Two types of bread will last longer in more weather conditions.

Flatbreads – These bread are excellent for making wrap sandwiches, and you can even make foods like pizza over a fire.

There are all kinds of foods you can make with flatbreads. Including some Mexican dishes that don’t require a lot of perishable ingredients.

Plus, flatbreads, like tortillas, can even be eaten on their own or in different meals without having to put up with a lot of fuss.

Bagels – Breakfast? Lunch? Dinner?

Bagels are an excellent bread for camping trips because they are versatile and delicious.

They make excellent hiking food because they are rich in carbohydrates, and they can be eaten plain or with cream cheese or butter.

Finally, unlike regular sandwich bread, bagels are easy to carry because they are more durable and less likely to get squished in the mix of all your camping gear.

Pastas

Just because you are camping doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy regular carbohydrates, like pasta, noodles, and mac-&-cheese.

With these types of pasta, all you will have to do is warm up some water, and voila! You can have a delicious meal to keep you going throughout the entire day.

They are very tasty, and all you have to do is add your favorite seasonings to make them perfect in your home away from home.

Nuts and Dried Fruits

The most common form of this type of food is trail mix. It makes an excellent snack, while you are enjoying the outdoors. Plus, this type of food is lightweight.

You can use these foods as breakfast, and although they are simple, they are yummy and come in various types. This will give you the freedom of choosing tastes that fit your tastebuds.

Best Camping Beverages

Coffee and instant tea bags are two of the most popular camping beverages. Coffee is a good pick-me-up drink for early in the morning, and who doesn’t enjoy a nice hot cup of tea after a long day.

Plus, these two types of beverages only require a cup of hot water, and there is very little trash that you have to worry about. Not to mention, they are lightweight compared to other types of beverages you could take with you.

Now, there are also flavor squirt bottles that will allow you to enjoy various types of flavors if that is something that you prefer.

Insights and Takeaways

Despite what some people believe, you can eat delicious meals while camping. It isn’t all just nuts and hot dogs!

I have been an avid camper for many years, and I’ve had good and bad camping trips when it comes to food. The best advice that I can give you is to consider the types of food you and your group enjoy eating. Then, you should make your grocery list from there.

There isn’t a right or wrong answer to the type of food you can go camping with. However, you do want to ensure that you consider the weight of your food. After all, you want to make sure that you will be able to carry it along with all of your camping gear, as well.

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