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Best inexpensive camping food

When you’re going camping you’ll need to decide what kind of camping food to bring; it should be non-perishable, nutritious, tasty, and inexpensive and something you could eat for breakfast lunch and dinner if you had to. The best bang for your buck for cheap food has got to be Kraft dinner. You can pick up a box of

Kraft dinner at Walmart for .67₵

Figure 7: Kraft dinner box

 

This tasty treat can feed a lot of people and provide plenty of energy packing in 40g of carbs and 7g of protien per ¼ box.

Figure 7: Kraft dinner nutrients

When I was younger I remember eating so much Kraft dinner that we had a whole shelf full in our cupboard. This was and still is a staple everytime I go camping. If you start to get tired of the cheese flavor, just add some ketchup and you’ll have a completely different tasting meal.

What is your favorite meal for camping?

Choosing the perfect camping spot

When you’re choosing your perfect camping location you’ll have to take multiple things into consideration. The last thing you’ll want to do is regret the camping spot you’ve picked for the week and have to wish you were in another more convenient spot.

Figure 10: Image from page 63 of "Our little men and women; modern methods of character building;" (1912)

Some things you’ll have to consider will be what camp sites have electricity? Is the land level? Are there lots of trees to block the wind? Is there open space nearby for activities? How many cars can I park on my camp site? Do I want to have sun in the AM or in the PM? Do I want to be secluded? Do I want to be near a wash station for cleaning dishes or having a shower? Do I want to be near the water or the beach?

These are some of the most important questions I ask myself before I go camping.

What are some of the other requirements needed for choosing the perfect camping spot?

How to Keep Camping Food Fresh?

I have always been asked by friends how I kept my camping food fresh. Well, the answer is quite simple. I have a little trick I like to use. It keeps all my food fresh for a couple of days. This is perfect as most of my camping trips are three days long.

Coolers are the most popular way to keep your camping meals chilled and fresh. However, when you are in the backcountry you cannot carry around a cooler. My trick is based on the same concept and is really simple and inexpensive. Here is what you will need for successful and fresh backcountry meals:

• A small soft insulated cooler bag
• Your favorite meat such as steak, pork chop, half chicken, etc.

That’s it! Those are the key factors. Then you can select and add your favorite fresh veggies, fruit, eggs, etc. Here is what you need to do:

© Robin, Leighton Moss 2009

1. Season the meat using any of your favorite camping recipes (or have your butcher do it)
2. Seal the meat using a vacuum sealer (or have your butcher do it)
3. Freeze the meat

Once the meat is frozen it will act as an ice pack inside the soft cooler. This will keep all the other camping food you wish to chill nice and cold until you are ready to eat.

I usually enjoy the “main camping meal” on the early evening of the second day of camping. This way it has kept my camping food chilled for most of the trip and I can enjoy the meal without worrying about spoilage.

Try this trick for successful and delicious campfire recipes!

Do you have a tip for keeping your camping meals fresh?

Share your best tips.

Road Trip Planner – How to Save Money on Gas

Today’s gas prices can take the fun out of road trips. Missing epic trips with your closest friends because money is tight can be disappointing. You can avoid this the next time you plan a road trip!

Don’t let high gas prices ruin what can otherwise be the road trip of the summer. Bonding with your closest friends is what attracts the adventurer to the road trip. It provides stories that get told for years to come. Some of these great moments are created on the ride up. This is why carpooling is a win-win. My money saving tips are carpooling and splitting gas when you plan a road trip.

© Chovee 2008

Here is what you need to do to keep it simple and honest:

1. Fill up the tank – Before you head out, have the owner of the vehicle fill the gas tank. This ensures that you start the road trip on a clean slate. The objective from here on in is to replenish the consumed fuel collectively.
2. Enjoy the ride – No need to track distance covered or fuel economy. The last thing you want to do on a road trip is keep tabs on how much fuel is being burned. This time is dedicated to blasting your favourite tunes.
3. You’re there… now fill up the tank – Filling the tank near your destination will give you the total fuel cost for the trip.
4. Get out your calculator and wallet – Now that you have the total cost of the gas consumed, divide it by the amount of people in the vehicle. Make sure to include the driver. The result gives you the exact amount each person owes.

Carpooling and sharing the gas bill ensures fairness and a great way to save money. This summer call up your friends, pick a spot on the map, and plan a road trip of a lifetime.

Do you have tips on making road trips less costly? 

Leave us a comment!

Best Campfire Sing-Along Songs

Figure1. Plaskett Creek 13 [Photograph] by Mark Gibson. 2007.

The day’s over and everyone’s relaxing and eating s’mores before the campfire.What else could be a more fun (and super inexpensive) camping activity than singing?

Loosen up after a long day. Try learning these simple, crowd-pleasing songs for camping that are very easy to play on the quitar and sing-along. Here are my 5 best picks for campfire singing:

1. If I Had A Million Dollars by Barenaked Ladies - What would you do if you had one million dollars? This song will take words right out of your mouth! It’s easy to sing and a fun campfire song that anyone can relate to.

2. Danny’s Song by Loggins and Messina - This sweet and soothing acoustic song about a father’s love will tug you in the heart and will suddenly make you miss your parents!

3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-DA by The Beatles - This may be one of the catchiest songs ever composed on our planet. It’s happy, upbeat and a very easy sing-along song for camping.

4. Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol - This lovely, slow rock song is described by the lead singer Gary Lightbody as his “purest love song”.

5. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison - This is a popular campfire song that will make you want to clap your hands while singing. It’s has simple chords with a catchy and cheerful beat.

What songs have you sung the last time when you went camping?


References
MacRae, D. (n.d.). 10 Songs That ALWAYS Get Covered Around The Campfire. Retrieved June 29, 2015, from http://www.etcanada.com/music/photos/10_songs _that_always_get_covered_around_the_campfire.aspx

Whitmore, L. (n.d.). Ten Easy Acoustic Guitar Campfire Sing-Along Songs. Retrieved June 29, 2015, from http://www.guitarworld.com/acoustic-nation-ten -easy-acoustic-guitar-campfire-sing-along-songs