Plastic-Free Camping Meals
While #plasticfreejuly is wrapping up, camping season is still in full swing-- and your plastic-free journey shouldn't stop there! We have created a list of zero-waste meals for your next camping trip.
Major Pro Tips:
- Prep what you can before you leave for your trip (chop and cook what you can before)
- All about the preparation; make a meal plan ahead of time, cook what food you need beforehand, and store food as needed (away from plastic or any single-use containers)
- Ice—ice generally comes in plastic bags, so freezing water (in ice cube trays or old Tupperware) well before you go is a great zero-waste alternative
-Freeze what you can food-wise before you leave (frozen water bottles, frozen smoothies, frozen meals) and use the frozen goods as ice while they thaw out.
-Keep cool as long as possible: nice quality cooler and keep in shade
4. Buy fruits, veggies and bread as close to your leaving day as you can
5. Simple menu will make your life easier (makes it easier to swap ingredients between meals, or create many different recipes)
-Sandwiches, oats, smoothies, salads, beans and rice are great options (you might want to opt for colder foods as they don't require being heated up)
6. Use foods you already have in your fridge before heading to the grocery store to stock up for that camping trip. Chances are, there are foods in your fridge that would go bad and would be more than happy to hit that camping trip with you.
7. Bring spices, oils, and dressings (I am sure you already have these in your house, it’s not worth the money, time or extra packaging to buy new ones before heading on your trip)
8. Find alternatives to plastic wrap, aluminum foil, etc
-Pie iron or a cast iron skillet are great replacements for aluminum foil
-Khala Cloths are a great replacement for plastic wrap
Pro Tip: Attached are some links to recipes—but in general, this is a curated list of meal ideas for your camping trip.
Breakfast
- Sausage Breakfast Sandwich https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/sausage-egg-cheese-breakfast-sandwiches/
- Avocado toast (or any type of toast!)
- Chickpea breakfast hash https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/chickpea-breakfast-hash-summer-veggies/
- Pancakes
- Muffins (blueberry, cranberry orange....mmmm!)
- Breakfast hash https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/camper-s-breakfast-hash/#.T6c9CcuL3PE.pinterest
- Hard-boiled eggs (or scrambled, over easy, etc.)
- Quiche
- Frozen smoothies
- Cinnamon rolls (cook in a pie iron or on a metal stick, like one you would use for smores!)
Pro Tip: Lunch and dinner meals are very interchangeable—something to keep in mind when it the end of your trip is near, and you still have plenty of leftovers.
Lunch
- Grilled fish tacos https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/campfire-grilled-fish-tacos/
- Sandwiches
- Our sandwich wraps would be happy to honor any of your creations
- Burritos
- Pasta Primavera
- Fire-roasted potatoes and zucchini
Dinner
- Nachos https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/campfire-nachos/
- Grilled corn
- Fajitas (add shrimp or chicken) https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/shrimp-fajitas/
- Cheese Ravioli (add sausage!) https://www.thecookierookie.com/cheesy-ravioli-skillet/
- Pie iron pizza pockets
- Grilled chicken tacos https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/cilantro-lime-grilled-chicken-tacos/
Snacks
- Trail mix
- Fold a Medium Wrap into a bag for storage
- DIY Energy Bites
- Fruit
- Cheese and Crackers
- Cast iron skillet cornbread https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a9486/skillet-cornbread/
- Veggies and ranch or hummus
Drinks
- Coffee grounds
- Reusable coffee filter
- Pour over station
- Water
- 5-liter reusable water container (fill it up at home before you go and see if there will be water refill stations available near you)
- Reusable 40 oz water bottle (or even larger, whatever fits your needs)
- Juices, kombucha or tea
- Fill up in a large water bottle ahead of time
https://www.freshoffthegrid.com/27-easy-camping-meals/
https://zerowastememoirs.com/zero-waste-camping/
https://gippslandunwrapped.com/2019/03/14/zero-waste-hiking-food-and-drinks/