Enjoying a day at mountain camping in the Catalan Pyrenees can be very pleasant. Although a day of camping is a wonderful option, it is an experience that can be enhanced when you bring the right equipment.
In this article we are going to teach you how to improve your camping experience. Not only will we give you some ideas for cold camping meals or camping meal ideas, but you’ll also find tips on how to get the most out of that meal.
Must-Have Food List for Camping
We’ll start with a basic, but essential, list of food to bring to a campsite. The first thing that should never be missing are the basic and essential foods to prepare the rest of the dishes. We are talking about oil, salt and pepper to make salads for camping, bread for camping sandwiches, dried spices and eggs, since these are easy to cook and very versatile.
There should also be an important gap in the list for the main ingredients. We are talking about meat and chicken, sausages, pasta, rice, fresh camping vegetables and also canned foods. The latter are very well stored and transported and also offer a wide variety of options.
If you want to prepare breakfast at the campsite you must bring milk, coffee or tea with you. One of the best options is to bring powdered drinks, for example, milk. This will allow you to prepare drinks with ease and you will only need some water.
You can always take a snack with you to help you with camping lunches. Energy bars, fruits to take to the campsite, pancakes… All this is perfect for breakfast, but also to consume throughout the day.
Camping takeaway without fridge and without fire: practical options
Knowing how to choose the right food for camping is much easier if you keep these three principles in mind. Always prioritize non-perishable food, especially if you don’t have a refrigerator. Choose from options that are ready to eat, such as canned foods. Finally, look for nutrient density, that is, foods that provide you with a lot of energy and keep you satiated without taking up a lot of space.
If you meet these three requirements, it won’t matter if you don’t have a fridge at hand or can’t prepare a fire. In addition, despite these restrictions, it is possible to enjoy a large number of options by following these principles. For breakfast you can have dried fruit, nuts or cereal bars.
At lunch or dinner time you can also enjoy easy camping recipes, for example, canned preserves, cold cuts, hard or cured cheeses as well as a little bread that is shaping up to be the perfect base for any meal.
To snack throughout the day you will not have a problem either. If you need healthy snacks for camping you can opt for some fresh fruit, crackers or nuts. Never be short of mineral water for camping with which to carry out all kinds of preparations, from coffee to soluble juices.
Basic tips for organising food at a campsite
The organization of food at a campsite involves good planning and preparation at home. At home you have more means and comforts than at the campsite, so you should take advantage of that time to plan and prepare food.
For planning you should take into account what the dishes prepared for camping are going to be like, think about the food for children at camping and prepare the ingredients to use. This is the time to chop and chop the ingredients or to mix and marinate dry ingredients.
With all this prepared, try to organize yourself as best as possible when packing with airtight containers. Make use of labels that allow you to differentiate the contents of each container easily and without having to open them, as this is the easiest way to organize food in a camping bag.
All the time you spend at home doing all this will be quality time that you can then spend at the campsite since the organization will be done. Anticipate all these tasks at home and dedicate yourself to enjoying more quality time at the campsite.
Camping meals with cooler and stove
If you take a portable fridge and a stove to the campsite, the options multiply when it comes to having different dishes. If you have a fridge you can take perishable food with you, so it is a good opportunity to bring meat, eggs or dairy products.
From here you already have several options such as scrambled eggs with ham and sausages, pasta with homemade sauce, grilled hamburgers and you can even prepare several stews or cold soups for camping.
Bringing a cooler and a stove with you means you’ll have to carry more loaded, but it’s a highly recommended option for those who want to enjoy more than just sandwiches or prepared meals at a campsite. After all, preparing your prepared dishes for camping in the countryside is much more enjoyable.
Cold meal ideas to take to a campsite
If you anticipate that it is going to be a hot day at the campsite, the best thing you can do is bring cold meals to make it much more pleasant. These cold meals are perfect for any time of the day. You can start breakfast with a delicious fruit salad with melon, strawberries or grapes. If you prefer, a rich yogurt with fruit is also a good idea.
For lunch, some refreshing camping picnic ideas are pasta salads, camping wraps or classic camping tortillas. These options are very versatile and can be prepared in different ways suitable to the consumer’s taste.
If you are looking for some energy during the day you can opt for camping hummus, canned tuna or chicken, nuts and cold cuts. All these options are very simple and can be enjoyed at any time of the day such as the good cheese and sausage boards.
Family camping meal ideas with children
An important part of enjoying a family campsite is the children. Children often prefer familiar flavors and textures, so the campsite is not a place to improvise or prepare dishes that could be unpleasant for them.
There are many options that can be interesting, from classic sandwiches to special skewers where children can insert their own ingredients. There are also foods that never fail, from the classic breaded chicken breasts or steaks, to hamburgers or sausages.
A very useful solution that can also be used as a snack are pancakes. You can fill them with chocolate or cinnamon for breakfast or with other foods such as ham or cheese for snacks. They are a good solution as they are fire-free food for camping and can also be easily transported and prepared.
Tips for preserving food during your stay at the campsite
To ensure that you can preserve your food during your stay at the campsite without it going bad , it is important to know how to choose the right food. Foods that come in cans such as camping-ready legumes, dried camping fruits, or hard fruits and vegetables keep quite well.
If you have the possibility to take a small portable cooler with you , you will see that your life is much easier at the campsite. Use ice blocks to cool the fridge and open it as little as possible. The organization of the fridge is important so that it lasts longer, placing the blocks of ice at the bottom and on top of these the foods that need colder such as meat. Leave the top for foods that are eaten first.
If you are going to take perishable food with you and you do not have a fridge, it is important that you freeze it at home beforehand. Freeze the meat before you leave and pack by type of food. This way the food will withstand the trip much better and you will not have problems during the journey.
Kitchen utensils and accessories essential on the campsite
It is just as important to carry the necessary food with you as all the instruments to prepare them. The first thing to consider is a basic kitchen kit consisting of a camping stove, pot, frying pan, cutting board and basic utensils. With this you will have everything you need to prepare the vast majority of picnic food in the mountains.
Complement this with reusable plates and cups, as these do not weigh too much and facilitate the rest of the camping takeaway. If you want to enjoy more options and find yourself easier when cooking, there should always be room on your list for a can opener, some kitchen tongs and scissors. Also remember to bring cleaning supplies for all this such as sponge, soap and garbage bags and always leave the area free of waste.
