Thursday, July 11, 2013

Simple And Inexpensive Camping Food

By Maureen Kellom


Grilling a gourmet meal on your next camping trip can be a lot of fun, plus it can be tasty. Nonetheless, sometimes we are restricted by time, money or space for transporting our gear. That is where cheap and simple camp meals come in handy.

You don't always have to give up a warm, cooked meal to low-cost food that is simple to prepare. With a portable gas burner, you can still have your hot coffee in the morning, cook warm morning meals, make fragrant stews and plenty more.

A mobile burner costs under twenty bucks plus a small propane tank will cost a couple of dollars. Besides being cheaper than a barbecue, camping stove or portable grill - this food preparation method takes up extremely minimal cargo area in your car. They are also perfect for backpacking journeys.

Assuming that you do not want to bring food that you have to store in an ice chest, below are some ideas for camping meals that are simple, economical and healthy.

Pasta

Get yourself a big stew pot, and you can heat water for all kinds of noodles. Pasta is inexpensive, takes up practically no space and does not have to be refrigerated. Include a container of pasta sauce, and you have a warm, filling meal. Leftovers also make a great, easy lunch.

Chili Beans

Get a couple of cans of chili and warm them up in your kettle. Many products already have spices added, so this means less work for you without having to forgo taste. Once again, no refrigeration required, and obviously canned food keeps for a very long time. You could even add your chili to your pasta meal above.

Oatmeal

There is nothing like a warm breakfast when you get out of bed in the morning when you are camping, and oatmeal is cheap and uses up very little space. You can utilize the exact same pot you utilized for the pasta and the chili and cook some oats for a few minutes with some cinnamon or maple syrup. For a more substantial meal, you might even add some trail mix or dried fruit, which are terrific snacks to pack for a camping trip anyhow.

Rice

Although it takes longer to cook than pasta, rice is a nice alternative, considering that it is compact, low-cost and it does not have to be cooled in its dry state. Rice goes well with any sort of meat, fish or vegetable, however, I even love it plain with some soy sauce.

Canned Tuna

Canned tuna is a cheap, easy and a quick source of healthy protein. Add it to rice, sandwiches, tortilla chips or eat it plain from the can. Small serving containers are also a nice perk.

Potatoes

This veggie might take up more space, but it is simple to carry, does not require refrigeration and is a cheap healthy carb. You might like baked potatoes or those prepared in a frying pan vs boiled potatoes, however, no matter what type of food preparation equipment you have, understand that you have meal choices.

Peanut Butter

Don't forget peanut butter. It is quick and easy and a great source of protein as well. If you are searching for an option to sandwich bread, why not try whole wheat crackers or rice cakes?

There are plenty more food options to create car camping meals, however, these staples are really versatile and help you develop a significant number of dishes just by switching over your flavorings or sauce.






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