Peanuts and raisins are delicious, but after a long day of hiking or hunting, you crave something heartier to slake your hunger. What’s the best way to go beyond trail mix and feed yourself a meal worthy of your big appetite when coming back to camp? These six clever ideas can enhance your camping meals.
1. Forage
You have to exercise the proper caution when foraging — staying away from unknown mushrooms and berries is a wise rule of thumb. However, it doesn’t take long to become acquainted with some of the most popular wild foods in various climate zones, letting you enhance your meals with fresh greens and more. For example:
- All parts of the dandelion are edible. The leaves and flowers make a pleasant salad when mixed with sweeter substances to cut the bitterness — perhaps some dried blueberries and a touch of honey in the dressing.
- Chicory is another ubiquitous plant that grows in multiple climate zones. The roots make an excellent coffee substitute, and the leaves and flowers provide inulin, a type of fiber that nurtures most people’s intestines.
- Pine needles are rich in vitamin C, and you can make them into a tea that wards off scurvy.
- In desert regions, all parts of the prickly pear are edible, especially the antioxidant-rich “berries” and the paddles, known as nopales in Spanish cuisine.
2. Use Trail Mix as an Ingredient
Trail mix is fantastic for snacking but isn’t exactly a full-course meal. However, something magical happens when you dump a bag into your basic boring salad blend. All of a sudden, you have crunch, sweetness and tanginess added to your greens, transforming “rabbit food” into a hearty dinner. At the very least, it’s a more proper accompaniment for that venison haunch you roasted over the fire as your main dish.
You can also use trail mix to create a perfect charcuterie — a fancy French word for a meat and cheese tray. For a real trailside gourmet experience, slice up some jerky and a few string and brick cheeses and scatter trail mix between them. It’s Four Seasons elegance from your nearby gas station.
3. Fish
Cooking in the great outdoors has advantages. For example, while you’ll want to avoid using gas grills indoors, bringing a model designed for camping on your trip reduces the wildfire risk compared to an open flame. Using them outside keeps you safe from fumes.
The great outdoors is also the perfect place to fry up the day’s catch without your kids complaining about fishy odors. Your biggest concern may be setting up your perimeter fence, as the tantalizing aroma could draw unwanted wild visitors. Then, kick back within your temporary camping kingdom and enjoy the fruits of your labors as human ancestors once did, fresh from the lake, with a touch of modern propane cooking for convenience.
4. Cook up an Easy Grain Base
Cooking grains is easy enough for anyone to master. All you need is a pot and a simple tripod to hang it over the fire, a bit of water and your chosen grain — rice, oats, quinoa, millet or pearl couscous are good choices. You can also cook pasta over the fire the same way.
You now have the base for a bowl that you can spice up any way you like. Add a protein, like a can of tuna, some veggies like peas and carrots, and a sauce or gravy for a complete and hearty meal that sticks to your ribs.
5. Rethink the Typical Sandwich
A sandwich need not consist of two boring slices of white bread with an over-processed slice of baloney and cheese tucked within. There’s a world of wraps out there, some with your daily veggies baked right in, like spinach and sun-dried tomato. A real, rustic loaf of bread baked from whole grains gives you energy and plenty of fiber to keep your stomach from growling and scaring that prize buck away from your tree stand.
Unfortunately, many processed lunch meats aren’t the healthiest for you, but plenty of hearty, healthy alternatives exist. Anything roasted — from turkey to beef — is less likely to contain sketchy preservatives. Flaked fish, like salmon or tuna, is fantastic in a wrap or made into a creamy spread. Add veggies like arugula and kale for crunch, balancing out their bitterness with a bit of spice or sweetness, like hot or bell peppers.
6. Soups On
Soups, stews and chili stick to your ribs after a day in the woods. Best of all, they’re easy to whip up beforehand and take with you for easy heating over the fire. Make your batch a double asset by freezing it in a reusable freezer bag — it doubles as an ice pack for beverages and cheese sticks.
Enhance Your Camping Meals
Going into the wild need not mean living on trail mix. You can whip up gourmet meals with a little creativity and a few clever tricks.
The post Go Beyond Trail Mix with 6 Clever Ways to Enhance your Camping Meals appeared first on AllOutdoor.com.
