Make Meals Easier

I don’t know about you guys, but when I go camping, I like to keep it fairly simple. Especially if I am just away for a few days and my time is limited. The last thing I want to do is spend a lot of time on meal preparation.

There are tons of campfire recipes out there. A lot of them are really worth the effort. But sometimes I just want to go lay by the pool or read a book or throw water balloons into the neighboring camp. So I thought I would share some pre-trip preps that I have made the last few adventures that have made it so much simpler to heat a meal in a pot, then continue terrorizing the campground.

Most of us are eating fairly simple at home due to busy schedules. First, think of some of the things you may eat on a weekly basis. I bet my family eats home made tacos at least once a week. So easy!
Cooking up a big batch of taco flavored burger is a huge help. Pack the fixings for tacos, and all you have to do is heat up the taco meat. No greasy mess, only one pot to wash.

One of our favorite things to make ahead of time is kabobs. If you take the time to cut everything up and skewer it before you leave, it will be marinating until grill time. Make sure the container you put it in seals well so the marinade doesn’t slosh all over the cooler. The other cool part about kabobs is that it can be a balanced meal, all on a stick.

I like to bake biscuits ahead of time and put them in plastic bags after they have cooled. Not only will the kids grab them and throw jelly on them, if you cook up a big batch of gravy it makes a good hot morning meal.

I snagged a recipe off of Camprecipes.com that has become a staple of our camping trips. My husband always requests that I make the stuffed French bread. It can be assembled and wrapped for up to 8 hours as long as it is refrigerated. You need one loaf of unsliced French bread, 1/3 cup of tomato pesto or basil pesto, and a cup or (more if you like as I do) of mozzarella cheese. Cut the bread in half diagonally. Spread the pesto on both sides, then sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Spray your foil with cooking spray and wrap the bread securely. Grill the bread uncovered 5 to 6 inches from medium heat for about 10 minutes, making sure you turn it once so it heats evenly.

As you can tell, we like to eat as much as we like to play. So cook some of that stuff ahead of time, pack and reheat. Give yourself more time to veg or make a nuisance of your self.