For breakfast if using a cooler, I love scrambled eggs with peppers, mushrooms, onions and garlic. You can purchase an egg holder, to prevent eggs from breaking for under five dollars at your local grocery store. If you have a cooking grate and a skillet (or camp stove) you can cook just about anything you can cook at home while camping. Another car camping breakfast favorite is breakfast quinoa tacos. Add a whole wheat tortilla, salsa, eggs and quinoa (maybe left over from the night before) and a protein packed breakfast is waiting for you! If I am without a cooler oatmeal is my go to. Quaker sells organic oats already individualized. Just add boiled water and you are set. I like to add nut butter for protein. I often keep hemp seeds, chia seeds and goji berries in a zip lock to add to my morning oatmeal. Bringing a small spice rack along can really improve on the flavor- cinnamon for the oatmeal! If you have some extra time on your hands before your trip, the yummylife does a great DIY oatmeal.
Snacks are must when camping, Nuts and nut betters are a great way to pack the protein. When hiking I do not get very hungry, nuts are an easy way to get some quick fuel without a heavy meal. Other easy snacks to bring along whether it's camping, hiking or traveling are fresh fruit, chopped vegetables, hummus with celery and carrots as well as whole grain or nut crackers and healthy energy bars (look for low sugar and a short list of healthy ingredients).Wild albacore tuna in a pouch with crackers is a very easy, delicious and protein packed option to bring along camping.
For dinner, I love to do a good stew. Precook the rice or quinoa at home, bring it along in a zip lock bag and bring an assortment of vegetables. Adding everything to a pot with vegetable broth or water (water may be the easiest when backpacking, as you can just filter this from your water source instead of carrying it in), let simmer, and in just a short time a delicious stew is made. This is also when the spice rack comes in handy to season the stew. Another great option is freezing left overs at home, think rice and veggies, and letting them thaw while camping.
Article by Danielle Fernandez
