Let’s face it, no-one really wants to cook while camping, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to sandwiches either.
Here are some easy camping cooking hacks to take your campsite cooking to the next level.
Pre-make your meals
With a little bit of forward planning, you can enjoy delicious home-cooked meals with minimal effort. Simply cook and freeze your meals before setting off. This cuts down on the need for fresh ingredients and even ice cubes, as the meals themselves will help to keep the esky cold. Simply defrost an hour or so before dinner and it’ll heat up in no time.
Don’t risk an eggs-plosion
Unless you have a special egg carrier, you’re always at risk of making a mess. The best way to transport your eggs safely is to crack them at home, whisk them and pour them into a plastic bottle. Then you can simply pour and cook as needed.
Boil-in-the-bag-omelettes
Making any kind of eggs for breakfast usually ends with time spent scrubbing the pan clean afterwards. To avoid this, simply crack (or pour) your eggs into a ziplock bag, add your favourite ingredients (ham, cheese, tomato etc), seal the bag, give it a good shake to mix it all together and pop it into a pan of boiling water. It’s a great way to cater to everyone’s dietary preferences without having to clean the pan in between.
Spice up your life
No-one has space to bring their entire spice drawer, but you can bring along your favourites. Empty Tic Tac boxes are great for storing and transporting small quantities of spices, as are stackable pill boxes. Whichever way you transport your flavours from home to campfire, you never need to settle for bland stew again.
Swap rice and pasta for couscous
Rice and pasta are a great accompaniment to many camp favourites, but they take a while to cook. You could bring them pre-cooked and either stir-fry the rice or drop the pasta into boiling water to heat it up, or you could just choose an easy, fast and versatile alternative – couscous! Simply add it to a pot of boiling water, cover and set aside until the water is absorbed (about 5 minutes). This leaves your fire or gas burners free to cook the rest of your meal. Once ready, fluff it up with a fork and serve.