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SOS Tips: Organizing Your Camping Weekend
Equipment
One good rule of thumb when looking to buy camping supplies: buy fewer things at higher value, rather than buying many products that are mediocre in quality.
Be sure to have a good cooler with a tight-fitting lid – which should not be opened often.
Bring an outdoor propane grill and some matches. It is a little less romantic than cooking over an open fire, but it is fast, clean, practical and environmentally-friendly. In general, one propane stove should be sufficient to cook for 4 people.
In order to ensure the balance of the stove, it is a good idea to bring a plank of wood, 30 cm x 30 cm to place under the stove. For propane, you should bring about 250 ml for each person, per day.
Don’t forget that it is not safe to use a stove inside a tent – always cook outdoors!
Other items to bring: a pot with a lid, a sturdy frying pan and spoons. You should keep all cooking dishes and utensils together. This will ensure that any cooking smells will always be together in one place, just in case animals come snooping around.
For backcountry trips and lazy gourmets
Photo: “Two People Lying Inside Tent”, Teemu R, ©
When you are going to be heading off of the beaten path, you will of course, be packing differently, since you will only be taking what you can carry.
There is an easy solution if you are worried about variety in your meals. Go to almost any outdoor specialty store and you can get lyophilizated food food packages . All you have to do is add boiling water and dinner is served.
The lyophilization process: A meal is frozen (at a temperature of -25°C), so that all of the water contained in it becomes ice. Then, using a vacuum method, the ice is turned into vapour. The vapour is then removed and the food is freeze-dried. The packages can then be stored at room temperature.
The lyophilizated food stays in the same shape as if the food were fresh and it keeps for years. This process allows for easy rehydration when boiling water is added. As soon as it is added the water returns colour, taste and texture to the food.
Our suggestion: These products might not be the epitome of culinary delights, but when you’re famished and far from a kitchen, they get the job done. We don’t suggest any particular brand, but here are our top 3:
- Backpacker’s Pantry: Pad See You with Chicken (good flavour, looks nice, not pasty)
- AlpineAire Foods: Creamy beef & noodles with mushrooms (gluten and lactose free, tastes great, looks good)
- Harvest Foodworks: Couscous Almondine (vegetarian, good texture, good flavour, original)
This text was prepared for the July 23, 2009 episode of Par-dessus le marché. Watch the corresponding video.
(Updated on July 18th, 2016)
Author
Cinzia Cuneo, founder of SOSCuisine.com, never wanted to neglect the quality of her food. She shares her special expertise to make good food quickly and without complications!
Great points! When preparing for a camping trip, I like to prepare my meats (slice them, place them in a zip lock bag with the marinade)at home and freeze them. This way there is minimum handeling of raw meat at a camp site where hygiene can be a challenge.
I also use a good cooler for the meats and a soft sided cooler for the produce (they don’t need to be kept as cold and we’re into this more often).
Wraps are a great alternative to bread as the pack well and you can fil them with sliced meat, veggies and have a well balanced meal.