What food?

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shanec

Member
May 11, 2005
31
0
37
Didcot, Oxford
When you guys go out camping and stuff what food do you take? and what would you recomend?

I'm going to this meetup on the 27th And am planning on going camping this weekend, but have no idea what food to take ive never really camped out proplery before, so could anyone give me some ideas and tell me what you would take please? Thanks alot :)
 

Ogri the trog

Mod
Mod
Apr 29, 2005
7,182
71
60
Mid Wales UK
shanec,
You can give in to temptation and take many things, or give it some consideration and make life easy. Its great to smell a good curry bubbling away but if its going to be difficult to clean the pots afterwards then its defeating the object.
Curries & stews can be cooked & eaten with a spoon - which is a good thing, but the effect on the other end of the digestive system might cause other problems!
Personnally, I'd go for simple but filling, for the majority of meals, with a protein rich meal once in a while.
If you are carrying your provisions for any distance, consider the weight, (ie. dehydrated) but if you can't get fresh water at your destination then you have to compromise.

All the best

Ogri the trog
 

greg2935

Nomad
Oct 27, 2004
257
1
55
Exeter
It depends what you intend to do, if you are hiking all day, you will need high carbohydrate foods to replace the energy used during the day (potatos, chocolate etc), if fishing all day then a less carbs (and hopefully a fish).

The art of camp cooking is to minimise the amount of fuel you use. If you have access to a fire, you can cook food for a king, however, if you have just a trangia, you will want to cook the food quickly to preserve your fuel. Have a look here: http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/Recipes.htm for some recipie ideas, I would go with the simplest ones if I were you.

Bare in mind it also depends on who you are with, (if everyone else has these evil ready to eat self cooking meals, you will feel left out if you are cooking).

Personally, I use tinned meat as there is nowhere in the UK where I can hunt now for lack of permission, and carry fresh veg and fruit, as time has gone by, I have started to add wild foods to suppliment my diet. If you are like me and do not like powdered milk (the powdered milk that comes in an old fashioned milk bottle looking bottle tastes the less disagreeable to me), you can keep skimmed milk for a few days.

If you have a base camp (and are NOT in bear country), you can even make a fridge by putting the stuff you want kept cool in layers of muslin cloth, hanging it from a branch and wetting the cloth.

Do not take beans etc that require long cooking times, or 12/24 hour soaking. You will get dirt in it before you get to cook it. (and will keep your pot occupied for 12 hrs!).
 

AJB

Native
Oct 2, 2004
1,821
9
56
Lancashire
Hi, not that I’m an expert in this but I’ve had to solve the problem whilst car camping for fussy companions and without much time to organise it. The few things I’ve stumbled upon are all Tesco’s based. I think it is Bachelors who make it but you can get dehydrated pasta in sauce (in a blue packet) in various flavours. They only need boiling water (and milk, but I just add some Marvel to the mix and I can’t tell the difference) and then simmer for about 5 mins. And Uncle Bens do precooked rice that you just need to heat through if you’re that lazy. Also in the chilled meets section they do smoked sausages (pretty sure they’re Matersons) there about a foot long in a tinfoil packet. Although they are in the fridge, if you read the back they don’t need to be as they are vacuum packed inside so they can sit in a tent forever. Chopped into the past they’re ok. Believe it or not if you add the right amount of Marvel to Alpen, you can just add water and I can’t tell the difference!

On thing I thought of (if you’re a car camper) is to add a griddle pan to your cook set. I know it sounds poncy, but it allows you to cook virtually anything easily. Steak, chops, chicken, sausages, bacon, toast. And if you’re really smart wrap it in tinfoil and preheat it in the engine bay!

But for more serious camping, as everyone else said, light and quick and filling, but don’t forget good to eat. And remember, pre-soaking dehydrated foods will reduce the cooking time.
 

shanec

Member
May 11, 2005
31
0
37
Didcot, Oxford
Thanks guys :) a couple of people have recomended dehydrated pasta so i think ill see how i get on with that. I'll also take aload of chocolate and saussage rolls just as a backup plan haha but it shouldnt be too bad! Well thanks for those who posted :) and if anyone has anymore ideas please post, thanks! :)
 

shanec

Member
May 11, 2005
31
0
37
Didcot, Oxford
Andy Brierley said:
Perfect, you always know where you are with a sausage roll.

haha :) ill try not to eat it and just to cook and stuff but i guess as most things cooking in the wild and finding what suits you best and you enjoy the most is trial and error so the saussage roll will just be there as a backup plan :D
 

bothyman

Settler
Nov 19, 2003
811
3
Sutherland. Scotland.
Andy Brierley said:
Perfect, you always know where you are with a sausage roll.

You could always camp near a Pub even better.

Surely you won't be too far from a Shop ??

You seem to be winding yourself up about it, just go with the flow.

Coop instant Porridge Oats (in the Orange box) Dried Milk, and some sugar thats what I have first thing in the Morning it helps to get my brain into gear, boil the kettle make a brew and a bowl of porridge at the same time.

Assorted CupaSoups ?? when I stop I am usually starving so use stuff that is easy to make, its strange how stuff that tastes really bad when tried at home is the best thing since Fried Bread when tried Outside.

Think positive you WILL enjoy it even if it is raining all weekend like it was for me a couple of Weekends back.

Its a wonder I haven't got webbed feet.
 

Spacemonkey

Native
May 8, 2005
1,354
9
52
Llamaville.
www.jasperfforde.com
I like the 3 minute stuffed pasta from Tescos, Asda etc. just boil for 3 mins and done. Chuck a cupa soup in the water for the last minute and you have the sauce, and have not wasted the water and the carbs floating around in it. Pefect for Crusader Mug Cooking! If you really want, the plastic trays they come in double up as plates, but it's best to bag them before you go to save rubbish bulk. The Morrison's own brand veggie sasauges taste much better than the real thing, and don't contain snouts and entrails, and also keep longer. They cook real quick too. Those boil in bag Wayfarer meals are edible too, though a little pricey if you ask me.. Another old trick of mine was to buy the tinned meals like Breakfast in a Tin etc. Open tin, shove on stove, et voila! Just don't use a petrol stove as they will then taste like shite. No washing up, no billy tin, just a can to crush and take home. Bit heavy though. Pot Vomits will keep you alive. Just. I used them on various hikes as it's a quick hot meal on the hoof. The best ones are Japanese and Chinese ones form your local Oriental Supermarket. The boil up noodles are worth a punt too.
 

ssj

Forager
Jan 7, 2004
100
0
Colorado, USA
If you want to go down and dirty, with extreme simplicity, take tea, powdered milk, sugar, rolled oats, and corn meal. They're light, require only warm or hot water to prepare, and are inexpensive. A bit on the Spartan side but they'll do the trick for a while.
Steve
 

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