There are plenty of things to love about camping. The smell of the campfire, the feeling of getting back to nature, and for many people, the delight of eating camping foods. Camping foods can include a variety of different items that are easy to travel with, easy to store, and easy to prepare. And in some cases, these foods don’t even need to be cooked.
Before we get into the best camping food ideas that don’t involve cooking, let’s look at a few things you’ll want to think about before creating your camping menu and packing your foods.
Plan for the Unexpected
Planning is the basis of all great camping trips. You need to know where you’re going, what you’ll do, and what you’ll bring. Food is part of this. You should design a camping menu in advance that makes it easy to shop for camping groceries and easy to pack up what you need for the trip. Part of planning is thinking of any emergencies that are unlikely to happen but could happen while you’re camping.
For instance, maybe the weather forecast for the days of your trip is outstanding, but you never know if a shower might pass through or the wind will shift, and you’ll be battling gusts. Make sure you have a backup food plan if you aren’t able to get a campfire going to cook anything. Also, bring along some extra meals and snacks and keep them separate from your primary food supply, just in case your campsite gets raided by an unexpected visitor searching for food. Lastly, make sure you have items that are non-spoilable in case something happens with your cooler or refrigeration device, and you aren’t able to preserve the spoilable foods you’ve brought along.
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Equipment
Next, you’ll want to think about the stuff you’ll need to manage your food supply. The key here is to take a “less is more” approach. For instance, if you choose camping foods that require no cooking, you don’t need to bring a separate stove or another heating device with you. You can use a campfire, but not all foods can be cooked efficiently in this manner, so at the very least, limit your food choices to those that can be cooked over an open flame.
It’s also vital to minimize how much equipment you’ll need to prepare your foods. Even if you aren’t cooking or heating food, you still might need specific tools to create meals. Maybe you’re planning to make a fresh salad, but you don’t want to bring along all the chopping and serving tools needed. You can prep some meals at home and bring them ready-made to your campsite to save on the tools you’ll need while camping.
Next, think about how much foods weigh. This is especially important if you’re hiking to your campsite. The last thing you want is to haul along a vast supply of dense foods when it isn’t necessary.
Finally, make sure you’re considering both food and drink and ensuring that you’re able to get access to plenty of freshwaters. Too many people carefully think about the cooking equipment they’ll need for a camping trip but fail to remember to manage their water situation. If you aren’t close to a freshwater source (and even if you are!) and you don’t want to bring bottles of water, invest in a water filtration system that allows you to create fresh, drinkable water from any source you find. It’s one of the essential pieces of camping equipment you’ll ever purchase.
Your Environment
Another consideration that’s important when you’re making a camping menu is your environment. This includes your physical surroundings, but also things like the weather and the temperature. There are certain foods you’ll want to avoid if you’re camping during the hot summer months. You might also want to bring along a few extra things if you’re camping during a season with chilly mornings and evenings. Make sure you even think about things like how damp it will be, how windy it will be, and what’s around you. For instance, you might avoid certain foods if you’re camping at a sandy beach versus the middle of the forest.
Creating a Kitchen Space
Once you arrive at your campsite, the best thing you can do is set up an area that’s dedicated to food prep. This will be different based on whether or not you’ll be cooking, how long you’ll be camping, and what the overall situation is. But for camping trips where you’re preparing no-cook foods, you’ll likely need a table, paper towels, coolers, a knife, fork, and spoon, and any required dishes to eat your meals.
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Food Ideas for a No-Cook Camping Trip
Now that you have some idea how to approach the planning and set-up for your camping trip where you’ll be eating no-cook foods, here are a few great ideas to include on your menu:
Cold Cereal
There are endless options that you can eat dry or with milk. It’s even possible to eat oatmeal cold and uncooked, and with the right toppings, it’s pretty tasty. Just soak your oats overnight in liquid and enjoy it in the morning.
Trail Mix
Trail mixes can be as simple or elaborate as you want. Mix fruit, nuts, and berries or get fancy and include coconut slices, chocolate pieces (if it’s cold enough, they won’t melt), marshmallows, and popcorn. Store in an airtight container.
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Sandwiches, wraps, and burritos
The ultimate convenience food, sandwiches, and blankets or burritos can go anywhere and include any ingredients your heart desires. Get create and see what you can fit into a sandwich or wrap that might seem unconventional away from a campsite. We love canned smokies, pineapple, and bacon bits.
- Canned fruits, veggies, and beans
- Cold canned beans or peas aren’t for everyone, but there’s nothing wrong with canned fruit when it’s not heated up.
- Cheese, sausage, and crackers
Perhaps the ultimate camping food, you can create an entire meal out of these delicious foods. Just make sure you choose a cheese that stands up to warmer temperatures if you are camping during the summer months.
