Easy Camping Food Solutions.

Nomad

If you like pasta dishes like me, you can ala dente pasta, ziplock individual servings. There's just a ton of different style/flavor of pre-cooked chicken sausages in the stores - plus all kinds of sauces. Throw some sauce in a pan, grill the sausage, add sausage and noodles to the sauce and you've got a quick meal. Add some sweet peppers, mushrooms, onions to the grill for an added treat. Tired of sausage, grill some chicken strips and add to the pasta.
The key is boiling the pasta ahead of time so you don't have to boil water every time.

Verna

I actually only cooked a meal about once a week.  I'd grill some chicken or simmer chicken in a sauce on the propane stove, simmer the chicken in barbeque sauce then shred it.  Then I'd put the chicken in the ARB and yup, I'd warm it up for the next few meals.  Add veggies, rice, salad, whatever and I was happy.

I bought a Thermal Cooker that was my un-electric crock pot.  Cook the meat in the bottom pot, add what you wanted to it, cover it and put it in the thermal pot.  Put rice or pasta or veggies in the top pot and close the thermal cooker.  It will steam and cook the food for 3 to 8 hours and be ready when you get to your destination.  No electricity needed. White Turkey Chili turned out very well in the Thermal Cooker.

Nomad

Couscous-Almonds-Apricots ... Sounds way to Gucci for my pallet :-)

sgttiki

On a different thread, I've written about the Nu-Wave oven for quickly cooking complete meals. Slap everything under the "dome" at same time, set the timer, and PRESTO! Complete, fully (quickly) cooked meals. I don't remotely resemble a cook, but I do use this device at home. It works well. Yes, it does use shore power. Yes, it does take up space. However, if practical for you to take it along, I recommend it!

I'm sure it would [even] work for "Road Kill" meals!

Check it out via YouTube.

IACamper

I buy those 90 second packets of plain brown rice and fashion them into a Spanish-style rice with canned tomatoes and canned meat or beans. I usually saute some fresh veggies for it, but you wouldn't have to.

bgualtieri

Verna -- I never heard of the Thermal Cooker thing -- who knew! I like the idea of no extra power draw and that it doesn't heat the whole area up. I would guess that most slow-cooker recipes would work in it. Interesting.

Verna

Do a search on Amazon, and be sure to read the reviews. Evidently, these are used a lot in the Orient.  I didn't use it as much as I thought I would, but the white turkey chile and chicken and noodles without much effort was great in December and January in AZ. 

Rad

bgualtieri said:

Has anyone used a simple rice cooker in a T@b? 
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-Decker-3-Cup-Rice-Cooker/16416531

So far from weekend camping we haven't cooked a whole lot but a simple curry or stir fry would be really tasty. I could start with frozen chicken or shrimp or scallops. With fresh veggies it would be really good

I almost always BBQ more chicken, pork or beef than we need for dinner then we have the rest the next day cut up and included in some other dish like chicken salad or an egg scramble, etc.  I do the same when I make "baked" potatoes on the BBQ, then I save one and we cut it up and have it mixed in a breakfast dish the next day.  

A simple lunch we love is just a good bag salad with BBQ'd chicken from the night before cut up and added.  

Rad

I must say that I really do not enjoy cooking inside the T@B.  The lack of standing headroom for me just kills my neck and back having to slump while cooking.  

Rain or shine I BBQ, or cook on our propane camp stove, under our full awning and stay completly dry.  Sitting in my outside chair enjoying a beautiful view with  a glass of red wine as I tend to the food on the BBQ is one of the most enjoyable parts of my camping day.  

Nomad

One advantage of being short - I can stand wherever I want :-)
Oh, and, you reach down far more than you reach up.

Since I'm short, I've never had to duck my head in a doorway - I feel for tall people as I've skinned my bald spot many times going in/out of the T@B. Have yet to draw blood but close.

Nomad

Neither of the visors give you much room - especially if you have the side window open. I can get a couple of chairs and a small side table but that's about it. Good cover/shade for kicking back though.

Rad

Mine is the full awning with the sides.  I don't live or camp a lot in serious bug country so the tent was not needed ( no attaching screen room is made for the T@B). I also did not want a tent floor and I wanted more ventilation, both were because I wanted to cook under it. I wanted something attached because it is completly water proof and leak proof where it is attached to the T@B.

larrygon

I find a lot of convenient, quick prepare food items at the 99 Cent/Dollar Store. Only problem is you have to buy it then or soon after trying it or else risk not finding it again.

2canoe

When we canoe we need to fit all the meals for 7-8 days in two bear barrels.  I also don't eat items with gluten or nightshades.  Needless to say we prepare our own food.  A bit of a challenge.  I'm so enjoying having the T@B kitchen.  Wish it would fit in the canoe.

Nomad

What are "night shades"? Have never heard of it/them before.

2canoe

The nightshade family includes potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant.  They give me big skin problems.

Nomad

Drool...



Easy camping deserts...my downfall, deserts/treats...I could lose these last 10 lbs of baggage if it weren't for cookies...
http://www.gocampingaustraliablog.com/2014/03/campingdesserts.html

Deb55

@Verna I have one of those thermal crock pots, and they're great for baked potatoes. Fill the pot (depending on the size of your pot) with scrubbed russets, cover with water, bring to a boil for about 5 minutes or so, put in the thermal pot and leave for at least three hours. Then crisp them up on the grill for just a few minutes - - works great! Any leftover potatoes are good topped with chili, cheese, sour cream, etc. for a second meal. 

JeffroNC

I love this topic.
I am eating low fat vegan but my wife eats meat so there is some extra work.   I also need to curtail salt intake so the bag meals are not something I can eat often.
We have been on the road in our TAB 400 for eight weeks of a six month trip. We prep veggies and fruits ahead of time and cook some chicken or other meat for her. I eat the vegan equivalent which usually does not require any prep.
Most mornings, I have oatmeal and powdered milk with fruit. I can cook it in the microwave or just dump boiling water on it. Sometimes we make pancakes.
For lunch, we either pack a picnic or eat in the camper. DW has a turkey or chicken sandwich and I have a wrap with veggies and baked tofu or Tofurkey. Once I fill the wrap with onion, lettuce, tomato, and add mustard, I'm a happy guy. We also eat salsa with carrot sticks instead of chips.
For dinner "out" we grill burgers or hot dogs (mine are vegan), and have salad and potatoes or rice that I cook ahead.
When cooking inside, we make a meatless soup or pasta dish and she adds meat while I add beans or vegan "meat." We both eat the vegan crumbles in our chili. It's hard to tell the difference between them and ground turkey.
So far, we have been able to eat healthy and look forward to our meals. I am an instant pot cook and we have a small one for when we have shore power. However, we have spent several weeks dry camping as well. Our grocery bill is somewhat higher than when we are home but stores are more expensive out west than NC.
We love pulling over to a beautiful spot and eating a relaxing lunch with a great view.

Mouseketab

I have an Insinkerator Instant Hot Water in my T@B, so I do oatmeal for breakfast, some type of Ramen soup in a cup for lunches (I know, not real healthy), I keep a few of the tuna salad, or chicken salad snack packs for quick meals, and breakfast bars around if it's too nasty to venture back to the Clamshell. Most of my camping is at gatherings, so I usually pick up some frozen corn for the potluck and put it in the crockpot, or I grab a veggie/fruit tray from the store. On the occasional weekend trip where hubby comes along, we get meat for the grill prepped/marinated ahead of time, and put baked potatoes in the toaster oven, and he sautees mushrooms in a frying pan on the grill. I got rid of my propane stove, so he also makes omelets on the portable induction burner we have.

Lesley_and_Ian

@Verna and Deb 55 I have one of those thermal crockpots too.  Would love some more ideas for using it as i have not used it as much as I thought and we are planning a 3 week trip this spring if covid 19 doesn't interfere. 

Verna

@Lesley_and_Ian and @Deb55, I only kept the Thermal pot for the 2014/15 camping season. I seemed to be limited to what I could cook in it, so I just went back to cooking food on the propane stove. The Thermal pot was neat, but it didn’t really seem to save time. I’m not that imaginative of a cook, so that’s probably what limited me. I cook to survive, I don’t survive to cook😉

jkjenn

RangerTom said:

Verna said:

 I cook to survive, I don’t survive to cook😉

Yes,  I eat to live, not live to eat.  Having said that, when extra active, I seem to have extra gusto for the most basic of meals. 

By the way, the below ground foods (e.g. potatoes and sweet potatoes or yams) are complete in themselves, where as the above ground foods (e.g. grains and lentils) just need a small amount of fruits and vegetables to fulfill all dietary requirements.  Can't get more simple than that for T@B mobility.

Sure you can. Bob Evans mashed potatoes. Heat Nd eat. 😉

ontheroad

@jkjenn...yup you definitely need that microwave..😁

jkjenn

ontheroad said:

@jkjenn...yup you definitely need that microwave..😁

They warm great on the stove top, too. These have been a staple for years.

jkjenn

Real milk and potatoes is probably what sold me on them 😁

jkjenn