Last week I shared my packing list with all the cooking gear you need to make delicious and healthy meals on a camping trip. This week, we’re focusing on food I either bring with me or go searching for at the nearby supermarket. For a gear packing list and more context on why I LOVE camping (from the gluten-free perspective), check out last week’s post! Let’s dig in, shall we?
There is a lot of flexibility in the foods you can choose to bring with you on a camping trip. The main goal is to make sure everything can handle warmer temperatures during the day and provide balanced nutrition for the duration of your trip. In some cases you may choose to bring a cooler, but at other times it’s nice to have the flexibility to go without. Here are the items I typically bring with me:
Breakfast
We generally prefer to get out to explore early while the weather is still cool so keeping breakfast simple is a must. For a slow morning, sometimes I cook eggs, sausages, and/or baked beans for breakfast on the fire (or stove); however, the items below are my staples:
- Gluten-free bread, rice cakes, or Homemade Tapioca Crepes (recipe coming soon to the blog)
- Nut/seed butter (I’m really into sunflower seed butter right now!)
- Honey
- Fresh or dried fruit to eat on the side or to slice and put on top
- Tea and/or coffee (I either bring a small french press or this lightweight drip filter). For cream, I like powdered coconut milk (or fresh coconut milk/creamer if bringing a cooler)
Lunch:
With my camping crew, lunch is usually an on-the-go picnic affair. We pack our meal in the morning and take it with us on day excursions. Our convenient and portable meal-of-choice is a gluten-free “sandwich”. You need:
- Gluten-free bread, rice cakes, or Homemade Tapioca Crepes
- Sandwich fixings: My favorite combinations include hummus + avocado, avocado + cheese, and salami + cheese since these ingredients are delicious, healthy, and last a while unrefrigerated.
Dinner:
This can be a variety of things! Usually we follow these quick and healthy meal guidelines with whatever we can find in the nearby grocery store.
Favorite combinations include:
- Sausage and/or baked beans with vegetables and potatoes, gluten-free pasta, quinoa, or rice
The items I choose vary based on the cooking method:
- Fire pit/grill: Sausages, meat and vegetables in foil pouches, baked beans cooked in the can
- Camp stove: quick-cooking proteins (pork chops, eggs, chicken, tofu) and vegetables (zucchini, spinach, etc), pasta, rice → see this post for more quick cooking ideas
Helpful Hint: For all trips away from home, I usually have a small store of delicious, homemade just-add-water food in case I can’t find safe, healthy options. I also use it when I come back to camp and am too tired from day excursions to cook. See Eat Well Anywhere: The Ultimate Portable Meal to find out how you can make it yourself!
Eat Well Anywhere: The Ultimate Portable Meal (link to recipe above)
Snacks:
- Kind Bars and Larabars
- Nuts and seeds
- Dried fruit
- Coconut flakes
- Cocomels (my favorite sweet at the moment!)
Helpful Hint: Trader Joe's has a great selection of dried nuts, seeds, fruit, and coconut flakes. While their gluten-free labeling has not always served me well, they are very helpful and responsive during phone inquiries. My article on tips for success when calling companies for the gluten-free status of products will be coming soon to the blog.
With this packing list and last week's list of cooking gear, getting ready for your gluten-free camping trip is quick and easy! If you like this article, stay tuned for an article on gluten-free backpacking food and gear coming soon!
We’re curious: what do you bring with you on a camping trip?
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