Possibly the most daunting aspect of preparing for a camping trip is meal planning. With confined spaces, limited storage, and the need for nutritious meals, there’s a lot to consider when putting together a camp menu. It can be difficult enough to feed yourself at home within a normal day-to-day routine. Throw yourself into the wilderness and you’ve added another variable to navigate. So how can you streamline the process?
A successful camping trip will involve easy, nourishing, and delicious meals. One-pot recipes are a great way to achieve this. As the name suggests, this is any meal that can be cooked with just one pot or pan.
Read on to discover the benefits of one-pot meals, the best recipes to add to your meal plan, and how they make it ridiculously easy to store your food efficiently.
The Benefits of One-Pot Meals for Campers
From start to finish, one-pot meals offer unmatched efficiency around camp. Whether you’re embarking on a family camping trip, a friend getaway, or a hunting expedition, streamlining mealtime has benefits for everyone.
Here are just a few reasons one-pot meals will be your new camp go-to!
They Require Less Dishware
The beauty of one-pot meals is the minimal supplies needed to prepare them. You’ll only need to pack one pot or pan, any necessary utensils, and your camping stove of choice. Proficient campers know the value of saving space where possible, and less dishware allows you to do just that. Plus, with fewer supplies, you’ll enjoy a lighter load to transport to and from camp.
They’re Simple to Make
Instead of juggling the preparation of your ingredients over multiple burners, these recipes reduce your tasks to just one pot, over one burner. They take the multitasking out of cooking, making them simple dishes to prepare at camp. Moreover, everything finishes cooking at the same time with one-pot recipes. That means you’ll be eating your meals quicker, with no worry of some dishes going cold while the others finish cooking.
They’re Easily Scalable
Camping with a group of three or more people? No sweat if you’re planning to make one-pot recipes. Simply double or triple your ingredients to get your desired number of servings. Plus, so many one-pot recipes are crowd favorites, like macaroni and cheese and campfire chili.
They Can be Nutritious
It may seem hard to hit every food group with a one-pot meal, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Opt for recipes that include your daily serving of veggies, protein, and healthy fats. Camping often requires a good amount of strenuous activity, so it’s important to fuel up at mealtime. As long as you pick your recipes thoughtfully, you’ll be able to get the same beneficial nutrients as any other meal.
They Minimize Clean-up
Less dishware simply means less to clean up. The last thing you want to do after a satisfying meal at the end of a long day is get up and wash the dishes. Never mind the fact that you won’t have access to a large sink or dishwasher at your campsite. While clean-up has to be done, choosing one-pot meals can help minimize the time you spend scrubbing pots.
The Best One-Pot Recipes
Any recipe that can be cooked in one pot, pan, or skillet can be considered a one-pot meal. This makes the possibilities of mealtime virtually endless. Whether you’re cooking out of your tent for a group of friends or setting up your stove at a family campground, you’re bound to find enjoyable, nutritious recipes to bring camping.
Now that you’re sold on the benefits of one-pot meals, try these recipes on your next camping trip!
Breakfast Ideas
- Banana pancakes
- Cinnamon apple oatmeal
- Egg and sausage hash
- Chickpea veggie hash
- Stovetop quiche
- Veggie frittatas
- Egg shakshuka
- Breakfast tacos
Lunch Ideas
- Quesadillas
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- Nachos
- Rice and bean burritos
- Pasta salad
- Veggie couscous
- Franks and beans
Dinner Ideas
- Black bean chili
- Spaghetti
- Beef stew
- Chicken noodle soup
- Lentil soup
- Ramen
- Pasta Primavera
- Cheesy enchiladas
- Chickpea curry
- Stovetop bratwursts with peppers
- Chicken pot pie
- White chicken chili
Any variety of soup, stew, curry, or pasta makes the perfect one-pot camping meal, and they’re often jam-packed with healthy veggies. Start with the basics, but don’t be afraid to get creative down the line!
How to Make Food Storage Easy and Efficient
With only so much room in your vehicle, you’ll need to be smart with how you store your food and cooking supplies. Not only does efficient storage save space, but it also ensures your food stays fresh, your campsite stays organized, and all safety precautions are followed.
Thanks to the minimal dishware required for one-pot meals, you’re already one step closer to efficient packing. Here are a few more ways to make storage easy and efficient:
Prep in Advance
Plan to prep your meals before you leave for camp. Once you know what you’ll be making, set time aside to pre-cut your ingredients and pre-portion them wherever possible. Utilize airtight containers to keep food both fresh and organized. Plus, airtight containers will do a better job of keeping pesty critters and bugs out.
Meal prep can easily turn multiple-step dishes into one-step, one-pot meals. Not only will it reduce the time you spend preparing food on-site, but it’ll also make staying organized much easier.
Preserve Perishables
When choosing your meals, do your best to pick recipes that require few perishable ingredients. Unless you’re traveling with a portable camping fridge, plan to cook perishable-heavy meals first.
One great way to make your perishables last longer is by freezing them. Cooler space will be limited, and your ice will only last you for so long without replenishment. Not only will freezing keep your items cool for longer, but it’ll also save space in your cooler, with the food itself acting as your ice packs.
If you really want to go the extra mile, look into purchasing freeze-dried camping meals. These come pre-packaged and only require water to turn them into a nutritious dish. This is a fantastic solution for those meals that normally require perishable ingredients, like macaroni and cheese. They may not be the tastiest option, but they definitely check the easy, efficient, and storage-friendly boxes.
Similarly, consider swapping fresh ingredients for dehydrated alternatives. For example, opting for powdered milk instead of a fresh carton eliminates the possibility of it spoiling, giving you more flexibility at mealtime.
Separate non-perishables
It’s always best to separate your non-perishables from your perishables when storing food. Ice in your cooler will inevitably melt, leaving your dry goods, well, not so dry. Keeping them separate ensures everything stays good for as long as possible.
You can also save space by removing the original packaging where it makes sense. For example, ditch the cardboard box your granola bars come in to fit more food in your bags.
It’s also a smart idea to pack food in layers. This will require a precise plan of which meals you plan to eat on which days, but this small organization hack will save you time in the long run. Pack your last meals first and keep your first meals on top. This will give you easy access to the ingredients you need first, and save you the hassle of rummaging during meal time.
Take Safety Precautions
The number one rule of food storage while camping: never store it where you sleep! No matter how nice or big your tent is, it’s best to keep the food out. Storing any type of food or fragrant items could attract unwanted wildlife and put you, and the animals, in danger. Always store food in your car, in a separate shelter away from your sleeping tent, or designated bear boxes. It’s also best to never leave open food unattended anywhere at camp – unless you’re willing to share!
Don’t Forget Cooking Supplies
One-pot meals still do require a pot, so be sure not to forget it! Assess what other cooking gear you’ll need, whether it’s serving utensils, plates, and bowls, or even extra stove fuel. Always go for stainless steel and plastic supplies over glass when it comes to camp cookware. Not only is glass heavy, but it could easily become a hazard at camp if it ends up broken. When packing up cooking supplies in your camping bags, go for durable fabrics like cotton canvas to keep these items protected.
Enjoy Your Meals
Enjoying a hearty meal around the campfire is a staple of camping culture. Food is a well-known avenue of connection, and mealtime is just as good as any to create lasting memories with other campers. Make the most of this time by setting yourself up for success with a thorough plan for both your meals and food storage. With these easy tips, you’ll be on your way to cooking up delicious and efficient dishes at camp.