With summer always comes camping trips, but staying in the great outdoors means cooking without the convenience of kitchen appliances. The next time you embark on a camping expedition, try some of these genius food hacks that may just change your mind about roughing it.
Eggs in a Bottle
Transporting eggs from the fridge to the cooler to the car to the campsite, it’s practically a given you’ll break a few along the way. To prevent this, as well as save some space, break your eggs ahead of time, scramble them up and pour into a plastic water bottle. At the campsite, simply pour them into the pan and get ready for scrumptious scrambled eggs!
Paper Bag Bacon
Here’s a great way to treat campers to bacon and eggs for breakfast, with no frying pans or plates to clean up afterwards. Simply line the bottom of a paper bag with a few strips of bacon to create a fatty “bacon nest” then crack in a few eggs. Fold the bag over, attach it to the end of a stick and roast over hot coals for about 7 to 10 minutes. Eat right out of the bag — but be careful it doesn’t wind up all over your lap!
Simple One-Pot Campfire Power Breakfast
You’ve probably got a full day of camping activities planned, so your body is going to need some fuel to get through the day. That’s where this one-pot power breakfast comes in – combining protein, veggies and unbeatable flavours to create a day-starting meal that’s as easy to make as it is delicious.
Campfire Muffins in Orange Peels
Whip up a batch of your favourite muffin batter and bring it with you in a plastic container, along with a bag of oranges. Halve the oranges and scoop out the fruit (use in a fruit salad, or for freshly squeezed orange juice), hanging on to the halved orange peels. Pour the muffin batter into the orange peels and bake on a grill over a campfire, then sit back and enjoy fresh-baked muffins that will make you the envy of the campground.
Campfire Nachos
Don’t forget to pack that always versatile cast-iron skillet for your weekend away so you can make these loaded campfire nachos. This crowd-pleasing one-pot campfire recipe is prepared and served in the skillet, making cleanup a snap.
Bannock
Bannock is a tasty bread that is made even better when cooked over an open flame. Consider making a loaf in your cast-iron pan, or for added fun, wrap the dough around a stick and enjoy bread cooked right in the fire. Fresh bread, no oven required.
One Cup Coffee Bags
Feel like starting the day with a fresh cup of java, but aren’t keen on lugging a coffeemaker to the campsite? Here’s the solution: fill a coffee filter with a scoop of ground coffee, and tie it tightly with some unflavoured dental floss. You now have a teabag-style “coffee bag” perfect for making a single cup — just add hot water and voilà!
Crescent Rolls on a Stick
Looking for something easy, fun and downright delicious to add panache to your next camping trip? Grab a canister of crescent roll dough from the grocery store and take it with you. Wrap the dough around a stick and roast over the fire. For a more meal-worthy treat, skewer a hot dog on the stick first, then wrap with dough and roast away!
Seasoning in Straws
When cooking over a campfire, you don’t want food to taste bland, but you also don’t want to pack up the contents of your entire spice drawer. The solution is to pour small amounts of the seasonings you’ll be using into plastic straws, and seal up each end by heating with a lighter. Label with a Sharpie, and you’re ready to whip up some tasty campfire cuisine.
Baileys-Dipped Toasted Marshmallows
Roasting marshmallows is a time-honoured campfire tradition, but here’s a way to add some grown-up elegance. Simply toast your marshmallow as per usual, and then dip into a cup of Baileys Irish Cream (or any other creamy liqueur) for a gooey, grown-up treat.