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Camping Food: Easy to Use Camp Food Tips and Ideas

There are many different kinds of backpacking food. One very convenient and lightweight type is freeze-dried, or dehydrated. It usually comes in a pouch that you simply add boiling water to, stir and wait a few minutes to eat. They are usually quite tasty, but can be a little pricey. Another advantage: there is very little clean up after you eat. The only down side is you need to carry extra water to re-constitute it. There is a huge selection of freeze-dried meals, though I would steer clear of any of the breakfast type meals. I have never found a freeze dried egg meal that tasted very good, and the breakfast entrees seem to come with an over abundance packaging as well.

Another camp food option is what the military is currently using. They are called M.R.E.s (meals ready to eat). You can get entire meals sealed in a plastic pouch (main entree, side dish, desert, accessory pack including gum, toilet paper, hot sauce, plastic utensils, and possibly other items) or just the main course entree. I prefer just to bring the main course entree as there are several items included in the meal pouch that I find unnecessary. The food in a M.R.E. is fully cooked and vaccum sealed in an air tight pouch. I think they actually taste quite good. They can be eaten cold, but are better warmed. You can find chemical heaters made just for the entrees. They are a plastic pouch with chemical powder that is activated with a little water. Just slip the entree pouch in the plastic sleeve, add a little water, and wait a few minutes. Just make sure to use them in a well ventelated area as they put off fumes while your meal is warming. M.R.E.s are heavier than the freeze-dried or dehydrated meals as they contain all their water.

Of course, your local supermarket has things that can serve as camp food as well. I like one of the many pasta dishes in a pouch. Just make sure it's the kind that only needs boiling water to prepare. Some require butter or milk and won't work on the trail. Once you have cooked up the pasta you can add some tuna fish or chicken that comes in a foil pouch. This is a very cheap, filling, and easy trail meal. There is more in the way of clean up than the prepackaged meals, but they are much less expensive. Take a look for some of the dry mix soups as well. Again, just make sure you only need to add water for preparation. In my area there is a brand called "bear creek" that I've found works very well. If you split the pouch in half it feeds two hungry guys very well. You can also add some instant potato mix to any of these dishes to thicken it up and add more "oomph". Don't forget about instant oatmeal and instant hot cocoa - they are alway fast and tasty.

With any type of camp food, make sure what you buy is newly manufactured and hasn't been sitting around forever. So next time you are grocery shopping keep an eye out for items that might work well on the trail. It pays to be creative, and for some reason even the most basic meal tastes better in the wilderness. Bon apetite.