One of the most important parts of any camping trip is... food. Since you are traveling and possibly hiking long distances three questions arise when you bring food camping.
- How much do I bring?
- Carry enough for the length that you’ll be camping as well as the type of trip you have in mind. Example: backcountry or front country camping.
- How should I carry all the food? If you decide to bring canned food or heavy foods it’s going to get difficult especially if you decide to carry it in a backpack. What may help is stuffing it into a canoe, kayak, car, or other types of transportation. Remember carrying food depends on the type of trip you’ll be going for.
The amount of food that the body needs each day is also a factor. If you plan on hiking long distances you’re going to burn off more energy than someone who is kayaking or canoeing so you’re going to need more calories in your food intake. Age as well is a factor. If you are younger you may have a higher metabolism which means you’ll be burning off more calories and need to eat more than someone who is older.
What’s on the menu:
Figuring out how to put a decent menu together for the outdoors is pretty difficult, especially if you're carrying all your food. In this section, you’ll find basic ingredients that you can mix and match to make delicious meals. Remember to pack more of the items that you’re going to borrow from other meals; try to vary what you are serving from day to day.
Breakfast
-Coffee or tea bags
-Bacon (for short trips)
-Eggs (for short trips)
-Oranges/Grapefruit
-Honey
-Cereal/Oatmeal packs
-Powdered Milk
-Pancake Mix
Lunch
-Cheese packs
-Crackers
-Peanut butter
-Sardines
-Apples
-Ramen
-Rice Packs
-Beans
-Dehydrated Food Packs (Mountain House, Backpacker's Pantry)
-Meat (if caught in wild)
Dinner
-Bag Pasta
-Potatoes (can be Instant/powdered)
-Minute Rice
-Soups
-Tuna, chicken, turkey (packs or canned)
-Couscous
-Carrots
-Onions
-Cured Meats
-Meat (if caught in wild)
Snacks and Treats
-Candy Bars
-Trail Mix
-Granola
-Dried Fruit
-Hot Chocolate Mix
-Chips
-Peanuts
-Sunflower Seeds
Tip: Bring a Frisbee with you, you can use this for entertainment and as a plate to eat on.
Now, these are just some items you might need there’s no need to get everything on this list. Remember if you’re a weekend camper you can take what you can carry for one night. Those planning on staying for longer trips will want to pack light and most likely want to carry dehydrated food. Most importantly, if you’re out hiking and being active you’ll want your water intake to be higher, so make sure you carry enough water with you. Further, if you decide to get your water from a natural source such as a stream, lake, or river, make sure to purify it using either a water filter, boiling it, or chemically treating it.