Fast and Affordable Camping Recipes For A Carefree Camping Trip

Categories: Culinary Travel, Featured, Food and Wine, Taste of our Travels

5 Fast and Affordable Camping Recipes for a Memorable Camping Experience

There are many meals you can whip up from the comfort of the campsite. You don’t need to walk for miles to look for an eatery as long as you have a few accessories and a couple of ingredients. A good meal at the end of a tiring day outdoors feels refreshing. It is a simple way to load up energy for the next day of outdoor activities.

When planning your camping meals, you need meals that are easy to prepare, affordable, with few ingredients, and recipes that do not require special equipment and accessories. Experienced campers understand that the only thing you need is fire and a few accessories to enjoy a meal as you would enjoy at home.

Below are five affordable recipes that can save the day when you need a nutritious meal when camping. You do not have to spend more than $10 to get a good meal.

Huevos Rancheros

Mexican foods are a delicacy from different parts of the world. The Huevos Rancheros is a breakfast you will enjoy at a campsite or anywhere else. You can make as much as you want while still spending less than $10.

What ingredients do you need?

1 medium sliced onion
2 cloves of finely sliced garlic
2 finely sliced red peppers (or mixed colors)
3 finely sliced red chilies
2 tins pissata 400g (tomato sauce – 16oz)
5 eggs
Olive oil
Coriander
Salt
Pepper
5 Tortillas

With the above ingredients, you can prepare a meal in less than 40 minutes to serve five.

Method

Pour enough olive oil in a frying pan and set your camping stove to high heat. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, and chili as you stir. Cook for 15 minutes under medium heat until the vegetables are soft. Keep stirring to avoid burning.

Add the passata and let boil. After it boils, reduce the heat and let simmer for about five minutes or until the sauce reduces. Add your eggs, season, and let poach for about four minutes. Let the eggs poach based on how cooked you want them to be.

Once your eggs are cooked, sever your breakfast into tortillas and sprinkle coriander on top. You can add guacamole and cheese to make the breakfast delicious and be set for the whole day of outdoor activities.

Meaty Mac and Cheese

This is one of the most common meals for people who need an easy-to-make meal. You can add cheesy pasta for a tasty meal. It tastes great even without meat, which makes it awesome if you need a vegetarian alternative. It takes only 35 minutes, and you can serve four people.

What do you need?

1 package of macaroni
250g (2 cups) of grated cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons of butter
Half cup milk
Half cup flour
130g fried chorizo (or meat of choice – 1 cup)
Salt and pepper

Method

Boil your macaroni or cook as per the instructions provided by the producer. Drain the macaroni and set aside. Remember to sprinkle some oil to keep the macaroni loose. Melt butter in a large pan. Whisk the milk into the butter as you add flour bit by bit. Stir to get a thick sauce. Season the sauce for a great taste.

Stir your grated cheese into the sauce. Add the macaroni and then the chorizo. Cover the pan and allow to simmer for 6 minutes. Uncover the pan and add all the cheese. Let the cheese melt for a few minutes and serve your meal. This is the simplest meal for camping.

Carbonara

Carbonara is a refreshing meal after a long day. You can make as much as your appetite dictates and still spend less while at it. With the addition of rosemary and mushroom, the meal feels more satisfying. You only need 30 minutes to prepare the meal.

What ingredients should you have?

Six rashes of bacon
400g (2 cups) of sliced mushrooms
2 sliced medium onions
2 sliced cloves of garlic
Chopped rosemary
150ml single cream (2/3 cups light cream or half & half)
2 eggs
400g spaghetti (1 package)
Olive oil
PepperSalt

Method

Start by cooking the bacon until it turns brown and crispy. When it is ready, set the bacon aside and leave it to cool. Boil a pan of water and boil spaghetti in it for about 9 minutes or as per the instructions from the producer.

Add enough oil in a pan and fry the onions, garlic, rosemary, and mushrooms until they turn golden brown or soft. Once they are ready, add the cool bacon to the pan and reduce the heat. Crack in your eggs and mix everything and cook for 30 seconds.

Add drained pasta into the frying pan and add the cream. Stir well to get an even consistency. The meal is ready – season and serve. You can sprinkle chili to spice up your pasta.

Camp Fire Granola

Although you can make granola at home and pack for the camp, making them over the open campfire gives them the taste, flavor, and texture that you enjoy. Fresh granola always tastes great. You can make as much as you need, depending on the number of people you need to feed. It takes less than 30 minutes and the ingredients are readily available.

What you need:

6 cups of rolled oats
2 cups of almonds or pecans
Half to a cup of maple syrup
Half a cup of vegetable oil
A cup of dried cranberries

Method

You need a cast iron pan to make the granola. Start by heating the pan. Add your nuts and start tossing them until they give off a nutty smell. As you toss, you need to take the pan off the fire to ensure the nuts do not burn. Once the nuts are ready, add the rolled oats and cook slowly until the food turns brown. The nutty smell will become more when the rolled oats are ready.

Take your pan off the fire and add vegetable oil. Then add the maple syrup to the meal to the consistency of your liking. Toss the meal until it is completely mixed then put in a bowl. Add dried cranberries on the meal and eat while hot. If you are camping alone, you can make enough to eat for a few breakfasts. Leave the meal covered and it will keep for a few days.

Conclusion

You can try any of the above recipes or even add one of your favorites to complement them. The meal you make should complement the accessories you have and your budget. Whatever recipe you prefer, ensure you have a delicious meal to enjoy at all times. The meal you pick will depend on the availability of the ingredients and your preferences.

The five recipes above should inspire you to make a sweet meal on your next camping trip. They are affordable and they only take a few minutes to make. You only need a pan, a good quality camping stove, and a few camping plates and bowls, and you are good to go. There is no reason to eat horrible convenience foods when you can whip up something in less than 30 minutes.

S’mores

Who said S’mores could only be made at home. This American classic has spread to all parts of the world, and it is a delicacy. It is a great choice for kids, and you can make the meal at any time of the day. You can make the meal in five minutes, serve six, and spend less than $5.

What you need to prepare the meal:

400g of milk chocolate buttons (or Hershey bar)
400gs milk chocolate digestives (or Graham Crackers)
Skewers
250g marshmallows

Method

Place the marshmallows on the skewers and toast them on your camping stove. Toast until the marshmallows turn golden brown – you have to supervise the toasting, so the marshmallows do not burn.

Place the chocolate digestives with the chocolate side facing up and carefully add the cooked marshmallow on top. Add the second biscuit on top with the chocolate side facing down. Wait for the chocolate to melt and turn gooey and then tuck in. If using graham crackers, layer chocolate squares on top of crackers and then add marshmallow on top to melt.

You can add popping candy to make your S’mores more delicious. If you prefer any other brand of chocolate to milk chocolate, you can switch with that to customize your s’mores.

Conclusion

The five recipes above should inspire you to make a sweet meal on your next camping trip. They are affordable, and they only take a few minutes to make. You only need a pan, a good quality camping stove, and a few other appliances, and you are good to go. There is no reason to eat horrible convenience foods when you can whip up something in less than 30 minutes.