1. Plan The Meals. Write out all the of the meals you are going to need for your camping trip and write a menu plan for it…however simple or elaborate you want it to be. Add in snacks that your family will be looking for and use this information to create your grocery/packing list. Don’t forget to include the condiments you will need like ketchup, BBQ sauce, etc.
2. Wash & Prep Healthy Snacks Ahead of Time. I always find it easier to have snacks such as fruit & vegetables washed & cut up before I leave home. I pack everything in ziploc bags or containers and into the cooler it goes. This way when the kids are looking for a snack…I can do my mom duty and say “Eat some fruit! Have some vegetables!”.
3. Containerize Condiments. Save yourself time & money by packing small containers of condiments made up from the bigger sizes you already have in your fridge. This saves you from having to buy small sizes of condiments…saving you money. The smaller sized containers from home also fit into a cooler better. I like these little Tupperware containers.
4. Label, Label, Label Your Food Ingredients. This makes it much easier when rooting around the cooler {or fridge if you have a trailer} looking for things! All you need for labelling is masking take and a marker. I love these containers from IKEA…they are so sturdy.
5. Have Side Dishes Ready to Go. I like having our little sides ready to go on the barbecue. These are mushrooms & onions washed & sliced for our steak night.
6. Have Lunch Ready For Set-Up Day. I like having this SPECIAL PICNIC SANDWICH ready for us on the first day of camping when we are busy setting up tents, inflating mattresses, making beds and setting up. It’s busy for the first few hours and it is so nice to not have to stop and make lunch. I make the sandwich the day before we leave for our trip and wrap it in plastic wrap, then tin foil and tuck it into the cooler. You just need to add drinks, veggies & fruit and presto….lunch is ready! You can find the recipe for this PICNIC SANDWICH here.
9. Pack A Salad That Is A Travel Trooper. It’s always handy to have a make -ahead salad ready to eat with hamburgers, hot dogs, steak or chicken. One salad that travels really well is this bean salad which is full of healthy ingredients and tastes better as it ages.It doesn’t get soggy like a lettuce salad would. For this bean salad recipe, click here.
11. Cook easy meals in tin foil packets! They are fun to make, delicious and require no dish washing.
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Angie,
I was going to leave a message on the cake pops and then this new wonderful post popped up 🙂 Thanks for all the inspiration and the incredible recipes!
Have a blessed and wonderful day!
karianne
We camp the same way, in a tent and sleeping bags. It sounds like you are way more organized than I am about food prep. We do like to involve the kids in some on the spot cooking, and if we're going for more than a few days we usually have to seek out a grocery store for new supplies. I will use some of your ideas though, like the potato boats!
I remember this post and it is still awesome!! You are ridiculously oganized!!! Please come over.
I'm not a camper, but your photos make me want to go camping…if for nothing else, the food! Maybe someday when I can have a camper and travel the states…. I still use your steak marinade. LOVE IT.
This is a great post! We haven't camped since our youngest was born 2 years ago, but we're going to try it again this year! We love camping!
Thanks for all the great tips!!
Jo-Anna
We are going on our first camping trip of the season today! We leave this afternoon and I have been loving your ideas this past week – thanks for sharing! I've got some great tricks up my sleeve now 🙂
Great tips! I am pinning it for reference when we head out to camp. Thanks for the ideas!
Awesome tips! I especially love the pre-made sandwich for the first day and the bean salad. We always pack frozen marinated chicken kebabs for camping, and even for cottage weekends when we go to visit friends.
Just found you through a link party! I'm a fellow Canadian blogger and also you're newest follower 🙂
yay camping season – your tips look awesome and ought to make the summer outings EVEN BETTER! thank you!
xo
http://www.NorthernCottage.net
Featuring this tonight & your summer mantel! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing at {wow me} wednesday!
Ginger @ gingersnapcrafts.com
http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2012/06/wow-me-wednesday-57.html
Thanks for these great recipes! I was excited to try some out this past weekend! My family & I love the cheesy melty dip – so tasty and easy! I have linked (many times) to your site on my recent post). Thanks again!
Wendy
http://threechicksoneegg.blogspot.ca/2012/07/camping-cuisine.html
Great recipes! Have you tried Smores in a Cone? http://wedratherbecamping.blogspot.com/2012/07/smores-in-cone.html
Great tips! I especially like the marinade idea.
We've just started camping and there are some great tips here. Camp cooking is my husband's domain though – I cook at home, he cooks when camping (although I still have to do the prep work).
This post is so great! I am new to camping and these meals look yummy! Thanks for the great ideas.
I could camp every day with this food! 😉 great tips
What is the best containers to pack food in for teh cooler? I'm afraid the water from melting ice will get in. I alwasy just use baggies, but stuff gets smushed.
What a wonderful idea – I absolutely LOVE it! Can't wait to give it a whirl. Thank you for sharing these tips here
This post is so great! I am new to camping and these meals look yummy. Thanks for sharing it here
Thanks so much for your post. I’ll make these foods next camping 🙂