Introduction
When you’re out camping outdoor and hiking, cooking can be a bit of a challenge. It’s even more difficult if you want to save space in your backpack and eat as light as possible. Thankfully, there are tons of great backpacking dinner ideas that don’t require any fancy equipment or ingredients! All it takes is some creativity and the right attitude for enjoying some delicious food in the woods.
Campfire Stew
Campfire Stew
“Campfire stew is the perfect meal for a camping trip. It’s easy to make, tastes delicious and can be made with ingredients that you have in your pack already.”
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef or sausage (mild Italian sausage is recommended)
- 1 large onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 medium potatoes diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 16 oz can tomato sauce
Directions:
- Cook ground beef over medium high heat until browned throughly; drain fat from pan using paper towels if desired. Add onions and sautee until soft, about 5 minutes 2) Add garlic & cook another minute 3) Add potatoes & stir until evenly coated with oil 4) Add tomato sauce & stir again until mixed well 5) Cover pan tightly with tin foil 6) Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes 7) Serve hot
Dutch Oven Lasagna
- Ground beef or sausage
- Onions
- Garlic
- Bell peppers (red, green and yellow are all good)
- Tomatoes (fresh or canned) * Mozzarella cheese * Pasta sauce that you like best! I like a marinara sauce but you could also try an alfredo or pesto sauce if you’re feeling adventurous. The key here is to find something that will coat the noodles nicely without getting too thick or gloppy on them. * Italian seasoning mix (or whatever dried herbs work best for your family). Salt and pepper to taste
Canned Soup And Broiled Sandwiches
- Use a can opener to open the soup cans.
- Put the sandwiches in the toaster oven, and set it to broil.
- Heat up the soup on the stove until it is warm, then serve with a spoon!
Grilled Meat Kabobs
Grilled meat kabobs are a simple and cheap way to make dinner while camping. You can make these on a campfire or in an oven, using chicken, beef, pork or vegetables. If you want to avoid skewers (which can be tricky to find during your trip), simply wrap the ingredients in foil packets instead!
Microwave Meals
Microwave meals are a great option while camping. They’re easy to prepare, clean up and cook. The taste isn’t usually bad either! Microwaves use electromagnetic waves to heat food, which means they don’t need any fuel or flame. They’re also pretty cheap compared with other cooking methods (though not as cheap as heating something up in your car on the side of the road).
Microwave ovens are often used at home because they take less time than using conventional ovens and can be used for reheating leftovers or defrosting frozen foods. There is no need for heating elements like those found in conventional ovens so there’s less chance of burning yourself if you forget about it while cooking dinner!
Instant Pot Dump Meals
Now that you’ve invested in a camping cook set, there are plenty more ways to use it. One option is to make instant pot dump meals. These easy recipes require minimal prep work and can be made in less than 30 minutes. In fact, they’re so simple that all you’ll need is your camping cookware and an Instant Pot!
- Ingredients:
- 2 cups uncooked rice (I recommend brown)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables or other veggies of choice (I used corn)
- 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarians)
Stove Top Chicken Fajitas with Tortillas and Salsa.
- Heat the skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the olive oil and cook for about 1 minute or until it’s hot and glistening.
- Add the onions, peppers, garlic powder and salt to taste and stir well with a wooden spoon or spatula so that everything is mixed together evenly.
- Cook this mixture until tender (about 5 minutes).
- Add chicken breast chunks and stir again to combine all ingredients thoroughly in one big batch on your pan!
However you prepare your food, make sure it’s safe and secure.
It’s always good to keep things simple, and that’s especially true when it comes to cooking your meal. If you’re out on a backpacking trip and want some hot food, there are several ways you can prepare it.
A stove is the best way to go because it uses less fuel than a fire and is easier to control. You’ll also need enough water for cooking and cleaning up afterward–so make sure you have enough before starting out! When using stoves or campfires, never leave them unattended; always stay close by so nothing catches fire or gets away from you while cooking or cleaning up after dinner (and don’t forget about those dishes).
Also keep in mind that some foods aren’t allowed in certain areas because of wildlife concerns: for example bears love peanut butter sandwiches so if possible avoid bringing these types of items with you when camping near bear territory!
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different ways to cook your food while camping. Remember that the most important thing is to make sure that it’s safe and secure. If you’re using an open fire, make sure it doesn’t get out of control so that nobody gets hurt!