Camp cuisine

Beyond hot dogs….

Meal planning and prep for camping is easier than you think

BY STEPH TODD

I am coming at you with my best meal planning and prep tips for camping! Easy things you can do to make camping prep a bit more painless, and to avoid eating hot dogs for three days straight.

CAMPING MEAL PREP TIP #1:

WASH AND CHOP YOUR MEAL INGREDIENTS Nobody wants to pull out cutting boards and knives and spend the time washing and cutting with a camper sink and counter space … or outside of a tent.

If your veggies are already all cut up and prepped it is much easier to grab them as a snack and use them up. Having fresh veggies ready will be just as easy as grabbing chips!

For meats, cut and marinate them so you can avoid cutting raw meat in the wilderness!

You don’t have to assemble meals, just have everything ready to go so at the campsite, it is just tossing it together onto the grill or fire.

CAMPING MEAL PREP TIP #2:

MEAL SHARE WITH YOUR CAMPING GROUP If you are camping with multiple couples or families, try meal sharing.

This means each couple or family is responsible for planning a dinner during the trip.

Think about it like this. If a group of three families camps for three nights, instead of each family planning three dinners for three nights (nine different dinners), each family plans a dinner for one of the three nights and cooks for everyone.

CAMPING MEAL PREP TIP #3:

PACK FROZEN ITEMS I like to pack frozen items – especially meat, because then I don’t worry nearly as much about having food in the danger zone.

Also the frozen things function as added ice and keep the cooler colder!

CAMPING MEAL PREP TIP #4:

PREP FOIL PACKS OR FOIL TRAY MEALS Assembling meals in foil pans means no cutting or fussing while camping. Simply put them on a grill or fire and you are set!

Foil packs do leak, so using foil pans from the dollar store have been my go to for the past few camping seasons.

Pro tip – you don’t want to fill the containers too much; you want shallow pans. This way your dinner will cook evenly and not just on the bottom! For more recipe inspiration for your camping meal plans, visit mealplanaddict.com

CHILI LIME CHICKEN FOIL PACKS

Chili lime chicken foil packs save the day for camping meal prep! Assembled in just a few minutes and packed into the cooler, these foil packs are perfect for your next camping trip.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Servings: 2 Calories: 403 kcal

INGREDIENTS 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Juice of 1 lime 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 cup canned corn 1 small red pepper, diced 2 tbsp olive oil

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and gently mix until combined. Lay out two pieces of foil, approx. 12 inches by 12 inches. Divide the mixture up evenly into the centre of each foil piece. Create the foil packs, and store in a container (in case they leak) until ready to cook them.

FOR THE OVEN Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the foil packs on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked (165 F).

FOR GRILLING Set the grill to 450 F. Place the foil packs on the grill and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, until chicken is 165 F.

Nutrition Calories: 403 kcal Carbohydrates: 9 g Protein: 46 g Fat: 21 g Fiber: 3 g Sugar: 7 g

FOIL PACK MANGO MOJITO CHICKEN

Foil pack mango mojito chicken is as easy as mix everything in a bowl, place into foil packs, and put on the grill. Less mess to clean up, and prepahead friendly!

Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Servings: 2 Calories: 356 kcal

INGREDIENTS 1 lb chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise 1 cup mango chunks 6 mint leaves, sliced very thin 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lime juice 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes salt and pepper to taste cilantro (garnish)

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and gently mix together. Lay out two pieces of foil, approx. 12 inches by 12 inches. Divide the mixture up evenly into the centre of each foil piece. Create the foil packs, and store in a container (in case they leak) until ready to cook them.

FOR THE OVEN Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the foil packs on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked (165 F).

FOR GRILLING Set the grill to 450 F. Place the foil packs on the grill and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, until chicken is 165 F.

Nutrition Calories: 356 kcal Carbohydrates: 16 g Protein: 22 g Fat: 23 g Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 12 g