Camping Cooking Ideas

Mention the word camping, and it will undoubtedly conjure up an image of burnt sausages and endless cans of baked beans. Food, when you are huddled up in a sleeping bag or singing around a campfire, can defy all assumptions. Continue reading for our five top tips, and you will be sure to impress with your camping cuisine. We hope that this Camping Cooking Ideas post inspires you.

Camping Cooking Ideas

Plan ahead

If you are a novice camp cook, it is best to do some research in advance. Confident chefs can always work with the equipment (or lack thereof) at their disposal, but sometimes the casual cooks amongst us need a bit more help.  Looking at one-pot recipes is a great place to start. Although some adaptations may be necessary, they generally work quite well. Remember to focus on recipes that need only a few ingredients, preferably tinned ones rather than fresh ones. 

Take the right equipment

First of all, do not forget the utensils – stirring a pot with a stick hardly conjures up the idea of first-class food. Secondly, a decent-sized pan or pot will be necessary as well as a can opener! However, the most important bit of equipment that you need is a decent stove. A propane camp stove could be just what you are looking for as you can use it outside when the weather is fine and bring it indoors (if you have sufficient ventilation in your campervan or caravan, for example).

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Camping Cooking Ideas

Don’t forget the seasoning

Bland food can put anyone off. Remembering to take along simple things like salt, pepper, and maybe even some chili flakes can add a boost to any dish.  Likewise, a splash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce could be enough to lift a meal from mediocre to marvelous. Don’t forget to pack a few stock cubes too.

Shop when you arrive

Rather than attempting to take heaps of fresh food with you, go shopping once you arrive. This will ensure that you do not end up with produce past its best if your journey goes on longer than expected or you take an unexpected detour.

It's a good idea to purchase canned food in advance to ensure you have everything you need and to avoid paying a premium later. Planning ahead also makes it easier to decide which meals you'll prepare. After spending several hours on the road, you might prefer the convenience of ordering takeout (some places deliver to local campgrounds) or trying a meal at a nearby restaurant.

Get creative

Think out of the box when it comes to cooking. For example, rather than using two stoves to cook a pasta dish, boil some water in the pan, tip the hot water over the pasta, and cover to cook it.  A hot flask can be useful for this. While it is reacting to the water, you then have time to prepare the perfect pasta sauce to accompany it. Using canned soups as sauces is a great way of knocking up something tasty for everyone, but with minimal effort.  

Camping Cooking Ideas

We hope that this Camping Cooking Ideas post inspires you. Happy cooking!