Table of Contents
Introduction
Here at Lone Loon Song, food is a huge part of our camping experience. Easy, delicious camping foods are non-negotiable. Now, we hear your reasonable skepticism. “Easy and delicious?” Is that even possible?Fuhgeddaboudit. Yes – it – is.
We still haven’t completely figured out the math, but it’s probably 60 or 70% of the experience.
The other half is the beer, the campfire, and the singing. (We know what you’re thinking: <scuffs foot> “Shucks, anybody coulda done that in their head.”)
Sure, there’s the opportunity to listen to the birds and insects, relax, and just ditch everyday life for a few days. We’ve come to believe that we can all agree that’s a big part. (Never mind how big. We’re done with our math. This is all about not working that hard.)
On the other hand, It really doesn’t matter what your personal reckoning is, in our experience, everyone gets hungry.
We just want easy and delicious, is that too much to ask?
We know some campers who enjoy elaborate cooking setups and gourmet meals in the wilderness. (We’re looking at you, Gnarly Dave).
“And now, juuuu-uust a soupçon of Dijon…”
But uh, that ain’t us. No Sou-Chef of the Wild for us, thanks all the same. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that. We’re just partial to easy and delicious.)
So, instead, in this guide, we’ll talk about the easiest camping foods that will make your outdoor dining experience both stress-free and delicious.
One-Pot Wonders
One-pot meals are a lone loon song camper’s best friend. Got a pot? Campfire? That’s pretty much all the boxes that need ticking. Well, heck. Easy to prepare, easy to clean up – easy-peasy-lemon-squeasy- camping experience.
The Big Trick That makes Any One-Pot Dish super easy and delicious:
(Psssst. Hey, you. Yeah, you! The first rule of one-pot wonders is don’t talk about one-pot wonders. Seriously, though, this is great.)
Here it is:
Make ‘em at home, pop ‘em in a freezer bag, write a title on them, and freeze them. (You title them because in the twilight, and hungry, frozen chili looks just like frozen curry, which looks just like frozen Mama’s Magnifico Spaghetti Sauce. It’s not the end of the world, they’re probably all delicious, and they’ll certainly all hit the spot, but we don’t like surprises when we’re hungry. YMMV.)
Either way, once frozen they are ice for the cooler (So you don’t have to buy ice – another great camping on the cheap idea, if we do say so ourselves)until they are the most delicious boiled-in-the-bag dinner you’re ever likely to eat until the next one. If you have a fave one-pot, don’t hesitate to try the freezer thing. In any event, here are just a few one-pot meal ideas:
- Chili: Combine beans, corn, tomatoes, sliced onions, ground beef, pork, or chicken (or your vegetarian substitutes) and your favorite seasonings in a sturdy pot. Even easier:
Buy pre-mixed spices like Old El Paso. That’s easier than falling asleep. These days, at home – in any event.
Dead simple. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally for about thirty minutes.
- Pretty much any kind of Pasta: Boil your favorite pasta in a single pot – not too much – not even 4-5 minutes. (Remember, you’re going to warm this up at the campsite, so even less than al dente.) Drain and set aside. Brown ground beef (or whatever. But remember that most chicken need a little more time in the pot, and most seafood just need to be shown the pot) and then add onions, mushrooms, (or whatever) olive oil, spaghetti sauce and seasonings. Put the pasta back in, and stir well. Put it in a freezer bag. Title it, and pop it in the freezer. Easy and delicious? Oh, yes. Especially in the Fall, it’s great to have a hot meal in the great outdoors.
- Chicken Alfredo Tortellini: Get a large frying pan and cover the bottom of it with olive oil. Not too much. Put a chopped onion and one or two cloves of chopped garlic in there. Stir it around until it looks good to you. Slice about 500 grams of breasts into bite-sized pieces and throw them in the pan with two thyme leaves. Stir them around until they are cooked thoroughly. (You don’t want the “Botulism Blues”. Don’t ask. Long story short, wrote a song at Geoffree’s birthday camp.) Anyhoo, add about 300 ml of heavy cream and 150 ml of water. Boil it, and add your pasta. Be gentle, here, again – you’re gonna warm it up on the campfire. Add about 40 grams of grated parmesan. (We like to add a little gouda when serving, but you don’t have to.) Some people like parsley. Never got that, ourselves. Let it cool down, put it in the zip-lock bag, title it, and put it in the freezer.
- Chicken Stroganoff: Do the same thing you did for the tortellini down to Botulism blues. Add a little tomato paste and about 200 grams of sliced mushrooms. You can add broccoli or spinach if you like. We like to add one of those chicken bouillon cubes. Add the cream and a tsp of paprika. Simmer it and stir until it looks right. Stir it a little more. Let it cool down. Put it in a freezer bag and title it. Put it in the freezer.
- Curry and Rice: Here in Japan, a lot of campers don’t mind cooking rice at the campsite. It’s delicious, but it ain’t easy. What we do is cook it, and add it to the curry, and freeze the whole damn thing. It ain’t pretty, but it’s easy and delicious, and that’s why we’re here. So the curry is dead easy.
We just buy some curry mix, get some beef, chicken, pork, or your vegetarian preference. Add onions, garlic, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots – really whatever you like. Throw them all in a pot and add as much water as you think you need. Simmer while stirring. Add the rice. Let it cool down. Put it in the freezer bag, title it, and put it in the freezer.
You get the idea.
Foil Packets
Foil packets are a campfire cooking classic. They are incredibly easy to prepare, and the best part is that they result in minimal mess. (We like to make these at home and freeze them, too.) Here are a couple of foil packet meal ideas:
- Campfire Fajitas: Slice up some bell peppers, onions, and your choice of protein (chicken, beef, or tofu). Season with fajita seasoning, roll it up in a tortilla shell, wrap everything in aluminum foil, put it in a freezer bag, and put it in the freezer. Then, at the campsite, thaw them out and place them on the campfire grate for a delicious and hassle-free meal.
b. Lemon Herb Fish: Place a fish fillet (like salmon or tilapia) on a piece of foil. Add a drizzle of olive oil, lemon slices, herbs, and seasonings. (If you have some Japanese mayonnaise, put a little of that in there, too. )
Seal the foil packet and cook it over the campfire for a healthy and flavorful dish.
- Burritos (Beef, chicken, or pork.) The mix is pretty easy to make: In a small bowl, add ground cumin, garlic powder (you can substitute with onion powder), paprika, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper, and stir to combine. But it’s way easier to buy a mix. Brown your meat with onions and 3 or so cloves of garlic. (You may not like garlic like we do – so YMMV) Roll up the beef mixture and cheese in the tortillas. We like to use a strong cheese – Cheddar or Colby – but whatever you like. Wrap those in aluminum foil. You’re gonna open them up at the campsite so you don’t have to title them. Put them in the freezer. At the campsite you can just put the foil on the grate, or even near the fire on the rocks, moving them from time to time. Open them up and add the lettuce and tomatoes. (They don’t freeze too well, so prepare those on the day of the trip. It only takes a second.)
Sandwiches and Wraps
Sandwiches and wraps are the ultimate grab-and-go camping food. No need for utensils or plates – just pick them up and take a bite. Here are some ideas for easy campfire sandwiches:
We’ve already talked about sandwiches in foil wraps. We’re just going to quickly mention the “hot sandwich makers”, or “pannini makers” which have some subtle differences that really don’t bear a whole lot of discussion.
The same goes for prices. We’ve seen them for as low as ¥1000 (more or less $10.00 CDN, about $8.00 USD) all the way up to ¥6500(you can do the math).
The important thing for us is “Easy and Delicious”. And even though some assembly is required, we can’t really complain about the level of easy. Forget about the delicious. If you have good ingredients, (Bread, for instance, makes a huge difference. This is especially true in Japan – where we sometimes go the extra mile to get great ingredients) you’re gonna be happy as a clam. (Or for our Aussie friends, “happy as Larry.”)
So, to be clear: whether you use a sandwich maker or foil, hot sandwiches are winners.
Classic Campfire Grilled Cheese
We like onions, mustard and ham. (You can add green, yellow or red peppers. You can also substitute pastrami, roast chicken, salami or really whatever you like.)
In any event: Assemble your ingredients between slices of buttered bread, (the butter goes next to the foil – top and bottom) wrap it in foil, mark it and throw it in the freezer.
At camp, pull them out and heat them over the fire for a warm, (but full disclosure) if sloppy – comforting meal. Warning – if you get this right, it’s messy. Bring napkins, or a hose.
Pizza
We were under the impression that this would be too difficult to make it into this article, but we changed our minds. It’s the most difficult food here.
But it’s Pizza! So, delicious and only a little not that easy.
Basically, there are two ways:
- Just buy a frozen pizza and unpack it at the campsite. Wait for it to thaw. Put it in a skillet (or whatever you have – We have seen Woks used for this, so as long as you can cover it with something, you’re good to go.) Pick a place on the campfire that is not too hot. Arrange the coals so the heat is even. Cover the pot. Cook the pizza for about 10 minutes. Check the bottom frequently. As soon as it starts to look a little golden, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover it again. This steam is going to prevent burning and melt the cheese. You have to watch this. It’s not that easy. It is delicious, though.
- Use store-bought or homemade pizza shells and make your own from scratch, or use store-bought sauce. Prep your toppings and bag them. This one uses a little oil on the bottom of the pan. You have to cook one side of the pizza shell until it’s golden brown. Take the skillet (or whatever) off the heat, and add a little water. Flip the shell, add the sauce and toppings, cover the pot, and put it back on the fire. The water will steam the pie. When the water is gone and the cheese is melted or the underside looks ready, it’s time to eat. If either of these
No Cook Camping Foods
For those who prefer to minimize cooking while camping, there are plenty of no-cook options available:
a. Granola and yogurt.
b. Pre-Packaged Meals: Can’t recommend these. We had a bad experience. Don’t ask.
c. An apple with a nice hunk of good, stout cheese. Seriously. It’s soooooo good. Pears work, too.
Campfire Desserts
We’re not all that fussy about dessert, but we remember a couple of great ones from when we were children. Camping was then, and is now a great opportunity to indulge in some sweet treats. Here are a few dessert ideas that are as easy as they are delicious:
a. S’mores: No camping trip is complete without these classic treats. Roast marshmallows over the campfire, sandwich them between graham crackers and a piece of chocolate for a gooey delight.
b. Banana Boats: Slice a banana down the middle (leaving the peel on), stuff it with chocolate chips and marshmallows, wrap it in foil, and heat it over the campfire for a warm and gooey dessert. These, too, can be prepared at home, frozen, and reconstituted on the fire.
Conclusion
We sure hope this has been useful for you. I think the most useful tip is the make-it-at-home-as-much-as-possible. We are often surprised at just how delicious some of our meals are. More so than when we made them in our kitchen. Have you ever noticed that soups or stews are often more delicious after sitting in the ‘fridge for a few days? Curry? Stuff like that?
Well, it’s the same principle. Finally, there you have it: Easy and delicious while you chill around the campfire and wait for tonight’s feast to warm up.
Did we mention that the clean-up is super-easy, too? We mean, how lucky can you get? Drop us a line and let us know if this has been useful. Or if we’ve not mentioned your fave and you want to share, please do so.
Thanks for reading and Get Out There!
All the best,
YELP Colinloon2