Admit it: food is the center of your universe. Technically, everyone does. Meals provide structure to our days while also providing a great deal of enjoyment. The importance of food in the camping experience is amplified. Even if you’re not burning calories camping, your appetite grows in the woods. Perhaps it’s partially because, as everyone knows, food tastes better outside.
If all you have time for is a brief weekend camping trip, you may be tempted to skip food preparation and make something up at the last minute. But, that’s not the most rewarding way to go about things in the end. According to the recommendation of Christian Camp Pennsylvania, making a meal plan ahead of time helps you organize your preparation and easily make the trip go.
When you have two or three days to play with, the last thing you want to do is waste time racing for last-minute supplies or spend time at your camping spot trying to come up with meal ideas. Depending on where you’re camping, your choices for obtaining supplies may be restricted or nonexistent.
Let’s go through some fundamental guidelines provided by Christian Camps in Pennsylvania for creating a camping food meal plan.
Prepare Ahead of Time
Prepare as many meals as you can ahead of time to make your vacation run as smoothly as possible. Many of the most excellent camping meals may be prepared ahead of time, saving you time and money. For instance, if you want to have pancakes for breakfast one morning, you may prepare the batter ahead of time. Pa Christian Conference Center advises bringing the batter to the campground in a cooler; all you have to do now is heat a pan and spoon out the batter, and your guests will swarm to the campfire.
Make Daily Menu Plans
When you’re camping, the last thing you want to worry about is having to make supper on the spur of the moment. Camping in a group may be a rejuvenating and relaxing experience, but juggling many viewpoints and contributions can also entail.
Plan your daily meals ahead of time to make the trip easier – know what cuisine you’ll be eating on which days. This will make meal prep and cooking go more smoothly, and you’ll have an answer ready for when multiple people inquire about what’s for dinner.
Discuss who Bringing is what and when
Try assigning chores to various party members while organizing the food for your vacation. Request that others in the group bring certain foods or make meals. This will help establish a collaborative atmosphere for the trip while reducing your burden. Check-in with colleagues who contribute a day or two before you depart to ensure they are on track – good communication is essential to prevent any misunderstandings.
Large Groups Camping Breakfast Ideas
Breakfast is one of the essential meals of the day while camping; most people need a healthy meal to provide enough energy to spend a day in the great outdoors. On the other hand, breakfast might be a pain for chefs who aren’t morning people. Here are some quick and straightforward breakfast recipes from Christian Conference Center Pennsylvania that won’t take hours over the campfire to prepare:
- Pancakes are best for Camping Meals
Pancakes are an excellent choice for a breakfast that everyone will appreciate. Pancakes are a delightful way to start the morning, and you can make the batter ahead of time for optimum convenience – mix up a batch of pancake mix before you leave for the trip. You won’t have to carry any additional ingredients with you. Try No Mess, No Fuss pancakes if you like fresh batter – all you need is pancake mix, milk or water, eggs, a big zip-lock baggie, and a hot pan.
- Eggs Scrambled
Scrambled eggs are a substantial and quick breakfast option. They’re also quite adaptable, making them an excellent opportunity for a group camping trip. Please bring items to add to the breakfast, such as salsa, ketchup, or cheese, so that everyone may create a meal that fits them.
Bringing eggs on a camping trip, on the other hand, might be problematic; if you break the carton, you’ve made a mess and thrown away a meal. To keep your eggs safe while camping, break them ahead of time and put them in a water bottle. You might add cheese, milk, or spices for a special touch.
- Baked Bacon
Crispy bacon is a popular favorite, and a breakfast of freshly cooked bacon will be an immediate hit with everyone. You can also re-use the bacon grease in several different breakfast meals, and the scent of cooked bacon will assist your friends and family wake up in a pleasant mood. Use the same pan and oil to fry a skillet of hefty eggs, or put some hash browns into the pan to give them a different delicious taste after you’ve cooked some bacon.
- Sausages for Breakfast
If your party isn’t a bacon fan, consider making breakfast sausages first thing in the morning. Sausage is a filling complement to a camping breakfast menu since it is flavorful and tasty. You may use sausage links or prepare your patties, and any leftover sausage should be used in another meal, such as a morning casserole or chili pot.
Sausage goes well with other morning favorites like pancakes, waffles, and eggs. If you don’t have a pan, smokiness may be imparted by roasting sausage links on sticks over a campfire. Prepare all of your meals ahead of time. Please make a list and cross items off as you pack them. If you have the space in your car, buy all your groceries before you depart.
Before you depart, Christian Retreat Center Pennsylvania suggests boiling your chicken and placing it in a Zip-Lock bag with your preferred marinade. Chicken is difficult to cook on a barbecue because it either burns or doesn’t cook through in the middle; boiling it before grilling helps the process go quicker and safer.