Who doesn’t like spending time with their friends and family? And camping in a beautiful location is surely one of the best ways to do so. A camping tour with our loved ones can do miracles in our minds. It reduces our stress and recharges our energy. While talking about camping, the most important thing that comes to my mind is a camping food list. Camping cannot be fun without good food. Isn’t it?
The right camping food list is a must for an amazing camping experience. By right, I meant, food which
- has a limited cooking time
- is light weighted
- is shelf-stable
- has the right nutritional content, etc.
Now, this information generally creates confusion on what food to be picked and what not. So today, in this article, we are going to lessen your worries by creating the best camping food list, which you should check out before heading out for your next camping.
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Camping Food List
1. Instant food
Cooking instant food doesn’t need any prior knowledge in cooking. It is easy, filling, tasty and ready in an instant. We need hot water, and our meal is ready. They can be instant mac and cheese, soup, cup noodles, instant rice, or anything that can be cooked with only hot water.
2. Spices
Spices can do wonders to a dish. The right spices can flavor up your food, and good food is what makes camping more fun. So don’t forget to bring your favorite spices and seasonings on the trip. Do remember to pack some salt as well!
3. Instant Beverages
Instant coffee, tea bags, and powdered juice are a must for camping. You have to mix them in water, and you will have the drink of your choice. These instant packets also save up space and are light-weighted.
4. Trail Mix, Nuts, and Bars
These are simple snacks that are healthy and tasty. They are rich in protein and fat. The biggest advantage is that they don’t need to be cooked and enjoyed with much less effort than other food items.
5. Bread
Bread is an essential food item that can be used for any meal at any time. It can be used to make toast and sandwiches, which can be customized as per choice. Bread is a versatile food that is worth adding up to your camping food list.
6. Water Bottles
The most important item we need during camping is water. It is very important to be hydrated during an outdoor trip. It is needed for cooking as well. So don’t forget to carry a good amount of water with yourself.
7. Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits can be used for snacking and are a great source of energy too. Some fresh fruits can perish quickly, so tinned fruit can be picked as an alternative. It can be used as a breakfast or a dessert. Likewise, tinned vegetables are a great accompaniment for any main meal. Carrots, runner beans, sweetcorn, peas, mushrooms, and more are worth adding to your camping food list.
8. Muffins and other Baked items
Muffins, Brownies, Cookies, Cakes, and Doughnuts are just perfect for satisfying the ones with a sweet tooth. They are the perfect food items for camping breakfast.
9. Dehydrated Refried Beans and Chillies
This dehydrated food rehydrates like freshly cooked food and can be mixed in various meals for a better taste. They are quick, tasty, and healthy.
10. Tortillas
Tortillas are a popular camping food as they last longer and are perfect for camping. They can be customized as per choice by adding your favorite toppings and sauces. Also, they take much less space, are filling, and can be used in many ways.
11. Honey
Honey is one of the most long-lasting food items we have on this camping food list and can be used in various dishes to add some flavor to them.
12. Coconut Oil
For camping, instead of normal olive oil, coconut oil should be preferred. Olive oil can get spilled, and the spillage can attract insects. So coconut oil is a much safer option as it solidifies and easily melts when used for cooking. It also adds a creamy flavor to the dishes.
13. Sauce
To add a little zing to our meal, sauces are a must. Sauces like tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, soya sauce, hot sauce, and mustard will make your camping meals more tasty and flavored.
14. Powdered Milk
A good breakfast is hard without milk. So don’t forget to bring it on the trip. Powdered milk lasts longer and is perfect for camping. It can also be used to add to your tea, coffee, and hot chocolate.
15. Cereal
Cereal in milk makes up for a full breakfast itself. They are healthy, light, quick, and taste great.
16. Sugar
To sweeten up your cereal, hot chocolate, coffee, or tea, a little sugar is what we need on the trip. It can be used in multiple dishes and desserts. So don’t forget!
17. Eggs
Eggs are shelf-stable .i.e., they don’t need any refrigeration. They can be eaten as a supplement or the main meal. They can be eaten boiled, mashed, or fried. They can also be added to other dishes and are a rich source of protein as well.
18. Jam
Jam can be used as a topping for a toast or for making sandwiches. It has multiple uses for adding flavor to your food.
19. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a good source of protein and can be used as a topping on toast and crackers, sandwich filler, and more. It is cheap and is one of the most preferred camping food.
20. Cheese
The right amount of cheese is what we need on our sandwiches, or in our pasta during the camping. It can make a boring dish instantly into a mouthwatering one. Agree?
21. Chicken Meat
This powerful source of protein is what you need on your adventurous trip. It can be used in a soup or a tortilla. You can also marinate it and then grill it!
22. Marshmallows
Marshmallows are a mandatory food item for a camping food list. It can be eaten plain, or you can roast them or can be enjoyed in your cocoa.
23. Pasta
These are non-perishable and quick. With pasta, you can make a carb-filled meal that can satisfy your hunger instantly. It can be used to make a filling camping meal.
24. Dry Fruits
Explore the woods while munching on these treats. Dry fruits can act as snacks as they are healthy, tasty, and hardly takes any space. They are not messy, so you don’t have to worry about washing your hands after eating them.
25. Pancake Mix
Pancake mix can be made by using just water. You can add your favorite syrup and fruits to it, and a tasty camping meal is ready to be devoured!
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Click here for more camping food ingredients.
Camping Food Ideas
Here is a bonus! Some cool camping food ideas for you to try out on your next camping.
Watch Video: 23 Best Camping Recipes
- Nutella Tortilla – With some Nutella and nuts spread on your tortilla, you are good to go!
- Ommellete- Eggs, butter, cheese, and green pepper are what it takes to make an omelet. You can also add the meat of your choice. It hardly takes 10 minutes to make an omelet.
- Campfire Pizza- With pizza dough, mozzarella balls, chopped onions, and mushrooms, it hardly takes 20 minutes to make a pizza with your favorite toppings.
- Campfire Nachos- Campfire Nachos can be made in 10-12 minutes with nachos chips, cheddar cheese, tomato, avocado, and olive oil.
- Grilled Sandwiches- Bread, chicken, cheddar cheese, mustard, and salted butter are used to make grilled sandwiches in around 10-15 minutes.
- Chocolate Banana Melt- We need bananas, marshmallows, cinnamon toast crunch cereal, and chocolate chips to make this mouthwatering dessert in around 10 minutes.
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Watch Video: Brilliant Camping Food Hacks
Some Essential Supplies
With food items, some kitchen supplies are essential for camping. They are :
- Tinfoil
- Cutting board
- Sealable bags
- Can opener
- Utensils
- Fuel (Matches and Newspapers)
- Camping Stove
- Cleaning Material (Dish Cloth and Soap)
- Recycling or Garbage Bags
- Cooler/Thermos
Watch Video: What Kitchen Gear To Pack For Camping
Some Tips for Preparing Camping Food
- Try to plan a menu
- Freeze water to keep it cold for a longer time
- Pre-make as much as possible
- Make sure that the containers are spillproof
- Label the boxes of food for convenience
Watch Video: Unusual Ways To Cook Outdoors
And our list is ready! Keep one thing in mind that no camping list is universal, and you have to choose the right food items as per your needs and choices. This list can be used as a reference for what should be packed as camping food. I hope this article will be able to help you out in planning your next camping food list.
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Last Updated on by Arsh Das