Let's go camping! But what provisions to take? Check out our top 10 suggestions for dining under the stars.
1. Kendal mint cake
The ultimate energy snack, designed for arctic explorers and the like (indeed, a Romney’s Kendal Mint Cake was carried to the summit of Mount Everest in 1953). But they’re just as effective for an exhausted family of four, camping in the rain. First produced in Kendal, Cumbria, the minty snack is made by boiling sugar, glucose and water together in a copper pan, then adding peppermint oil. It’s tough as nails on the outside, but smooth and creamy when sucked.
2. Corn on the cob (leaves on)
Hardy travellers for a vegetable, and they don’t need to be refrigerated. Soak your leafy corn on the cobs in water for 15 minutes whilst you fire up the disposable barbie, then put them on the heat and turn as the leaves blacken. When all sides are charred they should be ready; peel back the leaves to reveal the sweet gold inside.
3. Rice pudding
Only if you like rice pudding of course – but how could you not? Easily warmed up on the camp stove, or eaten fresh from the tin for breakfast and/or pudding. You could even buy one of those mega cans, and pass it round the whole family if you’re really desperate. Add a splodge of jam for sheer indulgence, and remember to take a tin opener with you!
4. Frozen bacon
A top tip from my brother, who is a Glastonbury festival addict. Freeze a couple of packets of bacon before you leave, and carry them in a cool box (bottles of ice help maintain the temperature in the cooler for longer) to the campsite. They’ll take ages to totally defrost, so, if you take a small pan with you and a gas stove, you can count on bacon butties for breakfast for at least three mornings.
5. Pringles
By far the best crisps to take camping, because they’re easy to keep fresh. A massive bag of crisps is bound to either a) accidentally empty itself all over your tent, with crisp remnants turning up in your sleeping bag the next morning, b) be left open and quickly go soft, or c) be left open and eaten by a racoon. You can keep the lid on with Pringles, and chuck them across the camp fire to friends.
6. Dried fruit
It’s hard to take fresh fruit on a camping trip as it will only last a couple of days if not refrigerated (apples might work, though). Instead, try a bag of mixed dried fruit, which can hang around in whatever climate for whatever period of time. It’s also a quick energy boost, and if you’re really swish you could make your own in a dehydrator.
7. Corn kernels
What could be more wholesome than making popcorn together over the camp fire? Heat some oil in a pan, add a handful of corn kernels (which are super cheap to buy), put the lid on, return to the heat, and shake occasionally until the popping has stopped. Sprinkle with sugar and maybe a little cinnamon. You’ll be the envy of the whole campsite.
8. Lucozade energy tablets
For when you’ve had a terrible night’s sleep, but are still planning on that 10 mile morning coastal walk. They’re quicker to take down than a whole bottle of Lucozade, and are a concentrated source of carbohydrate designed to increase performance in exercise. But go easy – the website says that you’re not supposed to have more than one every half hour.
9. Crispbread
Far easier than regular bread, because they won’t get squashed on the way and they don’t go stale easily. Nibble a couple for a snack, or make a lunch out of a packet. Ryvita suggests spreading marmite over their dark rye, or adding mashed avocado (which doesn’t need refrigerating, and acts as a sort of butter) to their sesame crispbread.
10. Frozen chilli and spuds
A lovely idea suggested to us via the medium of twitter, by Yorkshire man @leeaharrison. He said: “we always take a frozen chilli, then when we arrive light the BBQ. BBQ jacket spuds wrapped in foil straight on, and chilli thawed and then re-heated – yummy.” You could even blitz your potatoes in the microwave for ten minutes or so before leaving, so they don’t take as long to cook.
And for the gourmet camper...
You've got the basic staples, but what if you want to go a bit further than frozen chilli con carne? Our man Josh Sutton knows how to make better camping meals, and his article is full of top tips. "There's more to camping cuisine than bangers and mash," he promises...
Have you got any top camping food tips for us? Talk to us in the comments box below...
This is a classic lovefood article that has been updated