Camping Meal Ideas

[Wildhair]

I'm planning a upcoming trip and wondering if anyone has some good, quick and easy ideas for meals while I'm out camping.

Looking for minimalist ideas as I will be traveling lite.

[TrailRider]

Truly minimalist:  MRE's (Meals, Ready-to-Eat; US military rations)!

This fare healthfully nourishes fightng Service Members under the most stressful conditions, with minimum space and weight penalty for packing.

Otherwise, as a Search and Rescue team member, I was required to carry 24-hours worth of food and drink; I packed granola bars and water fulfilling that requirement.

You don't declare the environment or the duration of your camping trip; your load of provisions would depend upon your expected proximity to grocery and convenience stores, fast-food choke joints and restaurants, etc., I'd imagine.  Also, your own nutrition requirements remain key.

A woman wrote a ride report on ADV recently; guess she had some kind of health issue; regardless--she was an EATING MACHINE!  Somehow, she had to be wolfing down some sort of criteria-specific chow, every hour or so . . .  no, from the pictures, she appeared to be of trim size and in good condition; definitely not obese.

My only point; personal requirements and the specific environment dictate the menu to a large extent.  For a very broad-base common-denominator ration, MRE's appear a good choice. to me.

[Wildhair]

TrailRider, thank you for your timely response.   You raise several interesting questions.  I will be traveling with a top box and saddlebags along with a can of propane and burner.  My assumption is that there will be no available provisions within close proximity of my campsite, otherwise I would just hit the local eatery and head back to camp. 

It was my intention to start a thread where others could share some of their favorite camp recipes with others of same.   I agree that MRE's are probably the easiest, but for me lack the true sense of imagination and enjoyment of creativity.  Thinking of taking possibly tuna, cannned chicken, dehydrated meat and vegetables, noodles, pasta, rice, etc.  Not necessarily looking for the easy out.

 

[TrailRider]

"Minimalist," "quick and easy," from your initial post influenced my response.

The matter of degree, i.e., how minimalist and how quick and easy, rests upon a variable scale.  I'm sure you'll receive responses appropriate for your culinary and nutritional needs; best wishes!

With your initial equipment and planning, I think you're on the right path; enjoy your adventure.

[just jeff]

personally, i don't want to waste time putting together this type of meal on the road, so i use freeze dried from mountain house & others. if you want some really good recipes, though, go to backpacker magazine's website. i think you will find exactly what you are looking for. very creative stuff.

[mdrake]

Wildhair looking at back packing sites is a great idea. I've done tons more long distance backpacking and multi week canoeing than I've done motorcycle camping and they really are very similar. You want light weight, small package, quick cooking and for me low cost.
  MRE's are too bulky because they are not dry, Mountain house etc. are great except for the cost.
 That leaves the regular grocery store. The things is now there are a  million options at a decent grocery store. Tons of add water and simmer meals like Lipton noodle packages, Rice a Roni type meals, Cous cous, tabouli,  dry mash potatoes, soup packages etc. and  of course mac and cheese. All of these can be added to with foil pack tuna(not canned) summer sausage, cheddar cheese etc. The options are really unlimited.
  For lunch you can make do with crackers and cheese, peanut butter and bagles or pita, trail mix or just stop at Sub way.
  For breakfast instant grits, oatmeal, cereal, good coffee(get a french press) or stop at IHOP.

 It took me a while to go from multiweek wilderness trip "mode" to motorcycle trip "mode" the difference is that on a motorcycle you really do have the option of finding a town and good supplies or a restaurant. Now I usually take a few days food supplies and just mix and match with restaurants an grocery stores along the way
  hope this helps

[gunny]

tree rat stew is simple. add some wild onion, a leek or two, maybe some dandelion greens and you're set

[Wildhair]

tree rat stew is simple. add some wild onion, a leek or two, maybe some dandelion greens and you're set

I'll be sure to cook enough for the both of us.

[Wildhair]

Wildhair looking at back packing sites is a great idea. I've done tons more long distance backpacking and multi week canoeing than I've done motorcycle camping and they really are very similar. You want light weight, small package, quick cooking and for me low cost.
  MRE's are too bulky because they are not dry, Mountain house etc. are great except for the cost.
 That leaves the regular grocery store. The things is now there are a  million options at a decent grocery store. Tons of add water and simmer meals like Lipton noodle packages, Rice a Roni type meals, Cous cous, tabouli,  dry mash potatoes, soup packages etc. and  of course mac and cheese. All of these can be added to with foil pack tuna(not canned) summer sausage, cheddar cheese etc. The options are really unlimited.
  For lunch you can make do with crackers and cheese, peanut butter and bagles or pita, trail mix or just stop at Sub way.
  For breakfast instant grits, oatmeal, cereal, good coffee(get a french press) or stop at IHOP.

 It took me a while to go from multiweek wilderness trip "mode" to motorcycle trip "mode" the difference is that on a motorcycle you really do have the option of finding a town and good supplies or a restaurant. Now I usually take a few days food supplies and just mix and match with restaurants an grocery stores along the way
  hope this helps

Great suggestions Mdrake.

It might be obvious to others, but is there a reason to not use canned tuna?

[swjohnsey]

Cowboy coffee - in snack size ziploc bag 1/4 cup ground coffee, 1/4 cup sugar. Bring about a little over 2 cups water to boil, dump in coffee/sugar, let step about 5 minutes, strain through old sock or piece of screening.

Ramen stew - 1 pkg Ramen noodles w/seasoning packet, 1 can meat, 1 small can mixed veggies, Tobasco, salt pepper. Open it all and dump in pot, add enough water to get it to the consistancy you want. Bring to boil and simmer about three minutes. Use canned chicken, turkey, pork or beef with appropriately flavored Ramen.

Mac and cheese - In a quart ziploc dump macaroni from boxed mac and cheese. in a pint ziplock dump 1/2 stick cheap margarine, 1 tbs dried whole mile, cheese packet. Put the pint bag in the quart bag. To prepare boil 6 cups water and add macaroni, cook 'til tender, about 6 minutes or so, drain, add margine/milk/cheese and mix.

Oatmeal/Oatbran and raisins - In pint ziplock bag add 1/4 c oatmeal or oatbran, 1/4 c sugar, 1/4 c raisins, 1 tbs powdered whole milk, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg. To prepared dump contents of ziplock into a little over a cup of water bring to boil and cook for about 5 minutes.

[SC_shooter]

Cowboy coffee - in snack size ziploc bag 1/4 cup ground coffee, 1/4 cup sugar. Bring about a little over 2 cups water to boil, dump in coffee/sugar, let step about 5 minutes, strain through old sock or piece of screening.

If you're straining it, it ain't cowboy coffee.

[Wildhair]

Thanks guys.

Keep um comin.

[Guido]

Except for that they come in cans (disposing of which is messy) sardines are pretty satisfying. Same with smoked oysters. Dried mangos are killer - like candy. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, pecans, and almonds all mixed together will keep you going for some time. Maybe add some chopped up sun dried tomatoes and your favorite jerky for a savory trail mix. A sweet potato roasted over a fire (or maybe wrapped in aluminum foil and tossed on some coals) is very tasty. They are pretty tough and pack well.

[mdrake]

canned tuna vs. foil pack tuna..yes this is picky and it comes from my backpacking days. When the foil packs came out it was revolutionary..YES revolutionary. They were lighter, flatter, less packaging  and didn't need a can opener. But remember I was often carrying supplies for over a week at a time.

If you think this is nuts some people cut off the handle to thier toothbrush to save weight.

[Bigdog57]

I use the same methods as MDrakeand SWJohnsey.  Mountain House is good, as are the various "Ready-To-Eat Rice" meals.  Just add a packet of meat for more protein!
MREs can work, but are very dense - causes intestinal problems for some who aren't used to them.  But I do store the individual entrees and use them every so often.  Drink a lot of water!

[Johnny Crash]

If you plan to share your coffee you could invest in one of these instead using your dirty socks.

[46moo]

Cowboy coffee - in snack size ziploc bag 1/4 cup ground coffee, 1/4 cup sugar. Bring about a little over 2 cups water to boil, dump in coffee/sugar, let step about 5 minutes, strain through old sock or piece of screening.

If you're straining it, it ain't cowboy coffee.

Wouldn't that depend on the sock?

MREs can work, but are very dense - causes intestinal problems for some who aren't used to them.  But I do store the individual entrees and use them every so often.  Drink a lot of water!

I'd second what Bigdog said.  They are pretty dense.  But they are quick and easy.  New ones even have their own heating packets.  The thing I hate about them is even when you've eaten everything, the trash you have left to deal with is still about as much as you started with, it just doesn't pack as well now.  Everything is individually packed and vacuum sealed when you start but not when you're done.

Oh, and I can tell you from experience (not mine thankfully, but a crew members') if you eat enough MRE's it will....um.... reduce the number of times you need to go make a statue in the woods....

[swjohnsey]

MREs are also very expensive.

[Wlfman]

Ramen Noodles with the foil packed tuna or chicken along with your favorite spices: works for lunch and/dinner.  Oatmeal or granola bars for breakfast

[JaySoy]

My brother and I cook chili a lot using canned chicken.  It is fun to do. 

For great coffee on the road, check out the Aeropress.

[ElectroJoe]

That's easy!

[SPANKY]

Yeah Moo!  But then... you have something to throw in the fire!!  
I still have about 20 full cases of "C" rats...talk about building something you can salute!! 

[steve]

damn joe.  i am now glad you like to ride in the back of the formation.

sre

That's easy!

[ElectroJoe]

damn joe.  i am now glad you like to ride in the back of the formation.

sre

That's easy!

Oh, I'm all talk.  I have Oatmeal, dried fruit instant coffee for breakfast.  Small pull top cans of pork-n-beans, tuna salad mix, instant soup, crackers, and instant kool-aid powder for lunch/dinner.

And usually a few little bottles of JD to help relieve the days pains away.

This would be a good time for Hurricane to tell the Banana and tarp story!   

[46moo]

Yeah Moo!  But then... you have something to throw in the fire!! 
I still have about 20 full cases of "C" rats...talk about building something you can salute!!