Feed me

Camp food. For some, it is a treat that is looked forward to. For others, it is a miserable downside to an otherwise enjoyable hobby. Doesn't have to be that way, unless you are just one of those people that will never like any type of camp food. If you aren't the latter though, maybe I can help you a bit.
A few things need to go into your decision about what type of food to take on a camping trip. First, what meals do you plan on having? Now hang on a minute, not everyone plans on having a full blown breakfast-some folks only eat an energy or fruit bar, and some skip breakfast entirely. I have known some couples who have breakfast of some sort, but skip lunch and opt for little snacks and then a huge dinner meal. Secondly, how many days will your trip be? So how many meals will you need now? Next, what type of food will you want for each meal? Do you want a granola bar for breakfast, or are you more interested in bacon and pancakes? For lunch will a sandwich cut it, or is piping hot lasagna on the menu? Lastly, I think, is the method, or how the food is cooked. What I mean by this, primarily, is the preparation type or category that the food falls into.

I primarily have two types of prep category that I fool with on my trips: canned or freeze dried. I love big cans of Dinty Moore beef stew. They are large, hearty, rib-sticking meals that will warm you right up for hours and taste fantastic. I think it tastes even better when camping somehow. It is easy as hell to cook, just pour it into a pan or pot, warm it up a bit, and eat it. Only two downsides I can see are the weight of the meal in a can, and what to do with the can when you are done if you don't have trash facilities near you. But canned meals like this are quick and easy, and very durable when packed. Freeze dried meals are much lighter, but cause you to carry extra water to rehydrate them, which can make up the weight difference, and can cause issues with your total water storage. If you decide to go with a lot of freeze dried stuff, please make sure you account for the water needs. You don't want to wind up out in the wilderness and short yourself on drinking water because of your food. The only other downside I have found with freeze dried stuff is the amount of time it takes for them to heat up, an average of about 15 minutes for a big bag, around 10 for some of the breakfast bags. My experience with the bag meals has been good so far though. They are piping hot when finished and very tasty, however I have found them to be a bit runny sometimes, so I'd advise doing a little adjusting on the water level you use. Additionally, you can eat right out of the bag, so you don't necesarrily need any cookware for these, which cuts down on gear you have to bring and or clean.

Other types of food can work really well when trying to camp light, as well. Things like Ramen noodle cups, lo mein packs, soups, instant soup kits, etc. are all viable options. Just do a little planning, think about the gear you are going to bring with you in relation to food transport and prep. There's tons of info out there on the intarwebs for good camp food ideas, the sky really is the limit. And trust me, if you put a little thought into your food prep before your trip, and try to learn as you go, it can make that part of the trip one of the most looked forward to and enjoyable experiences.

-Owen