Stop worrying about what you’ll eat when you’re camping and GO with this packet-style cooking method.
When you camp, you want to spend time in the outdoors, relaxing, connecting with nature, and connecting with fellow campers.
You don’t want to spend time fussing over food.
For some, camping food comes as naturally as a baby’s first steps. It’s easy, it’s simple, and it tastes good. Not everyone is so blessed.
If you find yourself time and again excited to camp but getting stumped at the prospect of a simple delicious meal, heed these tips. If you already make A+ camping meals with no issue, move on from this place, warlock.
1. Focus on the basics: Protein, Fat, Carbs
For protein, we recommend chicken breast. You don’t have to worry about getting a good cut of red meat, and it cooks well over a fire retaining moisture and absorbing flavor. Vegetarians: a can of beans or tofu works.
For carbs, think vegetables. These will cook with the chicken, so get something heavier like potato as well as a lighter side like carrot or broccoli.
Cooking with fats like oil or butter make the food rich and get you much-needed calories in the field. Our recommendation: bring butter.
2. Prep your food ahead of time
Cut the meat to bite size pieces, dice the potatoes, slice the broccoli — all at home.
This way you get to the campsite and know exactly what you’re to eat, when.
3. Cooking time: Foil is your friend
You have your meat and vegetables, cut and ready to rock. Now, cooking is simple: make a fire, place your food in tin foil, add butter, and wrap like all heck. You’re making packet for your food to cook under the fire’s coals, so you will want to use enough tin foil that it is protected from puncture.
Place the packet under your fire’s coals, and go do camp activities. Hike, swim, play cards — do what you came to the campground to do.
4. EAT
As you spend your day doing what you want to do, your food will cook. After an hour or two, pull it from the fire, and chow down. Add salt. Some people like to add mustard or other condiments.
5. Repeat
The more you get into this habit, the better you become.
Over time you might find you like to add some spice — maybe cayenne pepper and turmeric, or maybe cumin and ginger. You’ll figure out the details with a stable and consistent meal habit.
And that’s it! Stop worrying about what you’ll eat when you’re out there and GO with this packet-style cooking method.