Events and Camping Guide

Camping Guide:

Must-Have Foods for Your Camping Trip

Cooking at the campground doesn't have to be difficult. All it takes is a little bit of planning, the right supplies and a few key ingredients.

To simplify preparation for your upcoming trips, keep a list of food to take camping.

    Consider keeping a camping pantry packed with key ingredients and non-perishable foods, so each time you go camping, your staples are ready to go.

Depending on your portable kitchen, campground cooking can be quick and easy with one-pot recipes or extravagant with multiple burner stoves, camping grills and Dutch ovens.

    Marinating meats, pre-cooking potatoes, and chopping veggies at home can help with cooking once you're at the campground.

Here are the key ingredients and food you should take camping every time you go:

Camping Pantry

Olive oil or vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

Your favorite herbs, spices or seasoning packets

Hot drinks such as coffee, tea, apple cider or hot chocolate

Condiment to-go packets such as mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, hot sauce, soy sauce, parmesan cheese and chili flakes

Drink mixes like Gatorade, Kool-Aid or Emergen-C

Sugar or honey

Non-dairy creamer or dehydrated milk

Flour and baking powder

Easy Camping Meal Staples

Quick oats: oatmeal or cream of wheat

Pasta: tortellini, ravioli, penne or fusilli

Grains: 5-minute rice, couscous or quinoa

Chicken, tuna or salmon (packets or canned)

Canned beans: whole beans, refried or baked beans

Soups: canned or dehydrated

Peanut butter

Pita bread

Bagels and cream cheese

Tortillas

Granola

Fresh vegetables

Camping Snacks

Whether you like to hike, camp or just get outside with your family, this guide has tips and advice for you.

Find a scenic trail for your next hike, the perfect spot for a family vacation or a dog-friendly campground to pitch your tent.

IMPORTANT ITEMS TO KEEP IN MIND...

When you're knee deep in camping gear, it's easy to forget some of the most important items like flashlights or band aids. Before your next trip, create a must-bring bag with all ten of these camping essentials so you're never without that one thing you forgot to bring.


First Aid Kit

Burns, scratches, cuts or bumps—one of these is bound to happen on an active camping trip, making a first-aid kit one of the most important camping essentials you could bring. Don't arrive at your campsite without it, and be sure to take it on your excursions, as well.


Tarps

Whether you're using it to protect the bottom of your tent or as an extra shelter at your campsite, tarps are essential. They're easy to fold, and only take up a small amount of space in your camping bags.


Lantern, Flashlight or Headlamp

Whether you're stumbling to the bathroom after dark or sneaking a midnight snack, you should always have a lantern and/or flashlight in your camping essentials box. Be sure your light source is easy to reach in the car, in the event that you arrive at your site after dark.


Alternate Weather Wear

You've checked the weather forecast for weeks—no rain, only sun. Unfortunately, the weather can change at the drop of a dime, leaving you stuck in the rain or huddling around your campfire. With an extra set of clothes, you won't have to worry about sudden weather changes; you can swap out wet clothes for dry ones or layer during a cold front.

Don't Forget Your Camera!!!