What food to take?

[mick91]

A good point was raised when recently camping with Johnie, Wacker and Damien, about the meat heavy nature of our camping foods. Now I'm a big fan of meat, I eat way too much of it in all honesty, thus my portly stature! But after a couple of days I always end up sick to death of meat and carbs. Usually I take enough fresh veg and meat for a stew for everyone, along with a few packs of noodles, some smash, a few tins of whatever's in the cupboard, or if I have them some MREs.

When Wacker nipped back for something he brought some sweet things (peanut brittle was the best shout ever mate nice one!) and other bits and bobs back to camp and it really went down well.

So I'll get to the point (dam my tendency to go on tangents) what do you take food wise? It's the first time ive ever said this, and some younger version of me would be throwing stones at me for it but I fancied something green and fresh! More onto the sweet side too, bannock is a firm favourite but again it's stodgy and heavy. Am I the only one that gets sick of the carb and meat load?

 

[dewi]

You can't beat a bit of lamb... it's fatty, meaty and in a few bites it gives you a meal.

You can take veg to mix with it, some noodles or rice... or the real prize is a sweet potato shoved into the coals of the fire.... a meal fit for the kings.

Main thing is you can carry it into camp... if you carry it in, you get to eat it Hence the reason I'm bringing half a sheep to SC

 

[mick91]

You can't beat a bit of lamb... it's fatty, meaty and in a few bites it gives you a meal.

You can take veg to mix with it, some noodles or rice... or the real prize is a sweet potato shoved into the coals of the fire.... a meal fit for the kings.

Main thing is you can carry it into camp... if you carry it in, you get to eat it Hence the reason I'm bringing half a sheep to SC

Good idea that sweet potato thing, have to try that one.

As for the half sheep I've been known to take entire legs of venison, hoof, skin and all! Hoping I can do something similar for SC, depending on luck and my trigger finger

 

[British Red]

I like to cook (No S*** Sherlock?), so I take ingredients. Flour, sugar, salt, bicarb, hard cheese, oats, milk powder, jerky, tomato powder, dried onions, garlic.

Ever gone one better on the bannock with cheese and garlic butter? Or sweet cherry and molasses cake? Throw in an egg and have pancakes - sweet or savoury.

Try it all out at home, but with a couple of non stick pans and a tin box you can make pretty much anything.

 

[dewi]

I'll be happy with venison or bannock... either way it means I'm fed.

Unless its an extended trip outdoors, the food isn't the main concern. It makes life more comfortable to have nice foods... but honestly I could survive on packet mixes.

I still opt for the venison or the bannock though... makes for a tastier experience

 

[mick91]

I like to cook (No S*** Sherlock?), so I take ingredients. Flour, sugar, salt, bicarb, hard cheese, oats, milk powder, jerky, tomato powder, dried onions, garlic.

Ever gone one better on the bannock with cheese and garlic butter? Or sweet cherry and molasses cake? Throw in an egg and have pancakes - sweet or savoury.

Try it all out at home, but with a couple of non stick pans and a tin box you can make pretty much anything.

I'm usually designated as camp cook (by choice may I add) so tend to take ingredients if there's more than me going. Generally speaking I'll take stuff to make pastry and or dumplings. And regularly make pies and pasties (even once a birthday cake) on the campfire by wrapping mess tins or cooking pots in a bit of foil and careful ember control. So far never had a complaint or so much as gravy leftovers!

I usually premix the bannock at home red, good mature cheddar and spring or white onion with a spoonful of mixed herbs for the savoury. And a mix of dried fruit, nuts and sugar for the sweet one. Pancakes are a good idea though, might just do that one.

 

[dewi]

I'll do the transport... you do the food then Mick

 

[mick91]

I'll be happy with venison or bannock... either way it means I'm fed.

Unless its an extended trip outdoors, the food isn't the main concern. It makes life more comfortable to have nice foods... but honestly I could survive on packet mixes.

I still opt for the venison or the bannock though... makes for a tastier experience

See I always think the communal campfire meal even if cooked separately is the highlight of the trip. I suppose though in that respect it's the company and conversation I care about not the food itself. But it always helps if people enjoy it!

 

[mick91]

I'll do the transport... you do the food then Mick

Sounds good to me Dewi! Always enjoy being camp cook. If you want an independent review on my pigeon stew ask Wacker all had seconds and looked for thirds and kept us warm for the night

 

[dewi]

Still, I'm bringing my teddy bear!

Seriously though, when it comes to food to take away, I'm a big promoter for each person taking an element of two meals.... a communal meal is a special thing... and if everyone can contribute, all the better.

Back to what to take away, other than what you can carry... I s'pose it also depends on what you're doing while away... physical activity, such as canoing is going to take more calories than sitting in the woods carving a spoon.

 

[mick91]

Still, I'm bringing my teddy bear!

Seriously though, when it comes to food to take away, I'm a big promoter for each person taking an element of two meals.... a communal meal is a special thing... and if everyone can contribute, all the better.

Back to what to take away, other than what you can carry... I s'pose it also depends on what you're doing while away... physical activity, such as canoing is going to take more calories than sitting in the woods carving a spoon.

Aye I think that's always a good idea, everyone chips in and everyone enjoys it. Communal meals encourage everyone to talk and get to know each other too imo. Wether it's your best mate or someone you're meeting for the first time it always ends up in conversation.

That's a point actually, for all I enjoy a fairly gentle kind of camping involving sitting on MY (hands and tushy off it Damien) boulder, poking the fire and drinking 600 cups of tea and coffee I suppose the area I camp in actually makes it fairly physical, collecting and cutting wood is almost constant and even the treck there isn't short or easy going and we draw water from the stream. As well as being expected to cut down marked trees. So it does take it out of you a bit like.

 

[Goatboy]

My mate and I like to cook and reckon anything we can do indoors we can do outdoors too. Folks have commented that they often eat better when camping with us than they do in their own homes.
Fresh fruit and veg and make a big difference when away and you can either forage for stuff or carry some in. Have also on longer trips in the past used clear Nalgene® bottles as mini "greenhouses" to sprout grains and seeds as they are quick and provide a lot of important vitamins and the likes.
There's a good book called "Moveable Feasts" that you may want to pick up. Costs around a tenner and is filled with good ideas and recipies.
Peesonally I'll eat about 20 - 30 % meat when away but it's nice to have veg only days too. One thing I found with eating dehydrated grub when on longer trips where weight was an issue was that you started to crave fat. So oils and fatty foods became highly prized. Cheese, butter and fatty meats being some of the highest.
So if you plan well you can eat well and as Red says, practice at home and with a little kit & forethought you can eat like kings.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[GGTBod]

One of our favourites is a sort of a kebab, we take lamb and a blend of morrocan spices in a zippy bag, wholemeal flat breads like tortillas/pitas/naan, chilli sauce in a small bottle and we make up a mixed bag of salad at home to take along, method is simple and quick, we cube the lamb and toss in a freezer style foodbag with the spices and a bit of oil and massage it in then put the seasoned lamb on wood skewers (we bushcraft these babies right up usually from willow lol), whilst these are cooking on the coals we prep the flat breads with a light grilling to warm them up, toss in the lamb and stuff with the salad and drizzle copiously with the chilli sauce, healthy and balance diet.

Another favourite of mine when solo is various stews all made from freeze dried and dehydrated ingredients and jerky, pulses and stock cubes and spices and wholemeal pasta or cous cous, again totally balanced diet and full of energy, i only really found out how far i can push myself physically on these meals on my recent kayaking trip.

I find it all too easy to slip into a pattern of steaks and grilled root veggies and a baked tattie all slavered in butter or oil when camping if i haven't got my healthy eating head on when prepping for a trip

 

[mick91]

All good ideas gentlemen! Even if it is making me a tad peckish . We made woodpigeon burritos with a similar method too Rob went down a treat

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

 

[GGTBod]

yip literally any meat you fancy can go in that one and i suppose if you wanted to go veggie you could even use tofu or some sort of bean curd for your protein

 

[dewi]

Makes me peckish as well... thankfully I've just finished cooking a joint of beef... you can guess what I'm eating right now lol

 

[mick91]

yip literally any meat you fancy can go in that one and i suppose if you wanted to go veggie you could even use tofu or some sort of bean curd for your protein

Tofu? Isn't that the Japanese word for inedible paste? it's something I'll definitely be doing again mind you, was a nice change. Tortillas are much easier to pack that a loaf too

 

[GGTBod]

i'm scoffing the last politically incorrect sweetie on UK shop shelves, Midget Gems

 

[mick91]

Makes me peckish as well... thankfully I've just finished cooking a joint of beef... you can guess what I'm eating right now lol

I've had to knock myself a sarnie up!

 

[mick91]

i'm scoffing the last politically incorrect sweetie on UK shop shelves, Midget Gems

I'm going on a sweetie hunt momentarily! Sure there's wine gums stashed somewhere!