When camping packing foods is important. However, you must be sure that you’re practicing food safety guidelines in order to prevent spoiled foods or food borne illnesses. There are plenty of foods that you can take with you on a camping trip that do not require a lot of temperature control. While the amount of foods you can take will depend upon the load you’re planning to carry, you can get creative with these non-perishable food items for your next camping exploration.
Trail Mix
Just about any grocery store that you shop in will have prepackaged trail mix for you to choose from. However, if you want to get really creative you can go to a grocery store and mix and match your own types of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds that you like most. Adding a mixture such as sunflower seeds, cashews, and/or Brazilian nuts is a great combination to any trail mix.
Nut Butters
Another non-perishable item that you can take on your next camping trip are nut butters. Packed with protein these butters are great for a quick boost of energy. While you are probably familiar with peanut butter there are other butters that you can try that include sunflower butter, walnut butter, almond butter, and cashew butter. They have individually wrapped portions which are great for traveling.
Freeze Dried Foods
Another option you have for your camping trip is to purchase freeze dried foods. They are very easy to travel with and have a long shelf life. All you have to do to prepare one of these meals is pour some boiling water into the package and wait. Within a few minutes you have a delicious meal to eat. There are options that include scrambled eggs, veggie lasagna, chicken meals, and pasta primavera just to name a few. There are also desserts such as freeze dried ice cream and cheesecake.
Fish
Not all fish is great to go camping with, but canned fish such as tuna, sardines, or salmon can be a great addition to your food list. You can add this fish to your meals for extra protein.
Canned Goods
Another excellent idea (as long as you’re not backpacking as this could be heavy) to take on the road with you during your camping trip are canned goods. Packing things such as canned beans, soups, veggies, or fruit works wonders while outdoors. Be sure to either purchase cans that have an easy to open lid or that you pack a manual can opener.
For those who are planning to experience what it’s like to cook while camping there are some options that are best for choosing than others. Some options for cooking outdoors might include packing quick/ready rice, mashed potato flakes, oatmeal, cereal, pasta, and instant food packages that only need boiling water to be prepared. Be sure to pack a few spices to make the food taste good just as if you were at home. You will most certainly enjoy these non-perishable food choices while camping as they are all fairly easy to pack and prepare to make your trip that much more enjoyable.