7 Need to Know Campsite Cooking Strategies

Are you sick and tired of not knowing what to bring or what to cook when you go camping? Do you either pack the entire kitchen (including the sink) or you bring the absolute minimum and then have to use a fork as a spatula or two spoons as tongs?

If that sounds even the slightest bit familiar then you are in the right place. Over the past decade or so I have refined a list of 7 things that I use every single time I prepare for my next camping trip.

These strategies are relevant whether you are car camping, primitive camping, RV camping, scout camping or large group camping. You can very easily apply them across any type of trip, which is what really makes them worthwhile.

So here they are:

1. Plan the Meals ? Okay common sense right? Well If I didn't include this as the first and most important item I would get hollered at! But seriously, if you don't plan the meals ahead of time not only do you not know what you're going to eat you also have no idea what to pack as far as cooking gear is concerned. Do you need a spatula or tongs? Do you need a strainer or a frying pan?

2. Plan the Gear ? This follows directly from number 1. Now that you know what you are going to eat for the trip you can now figure out exactly what utensils, pots, pans, containers and other miscellaneous cooking gear you need. And more importantly what gear you don't need! My family and I do a lot of tent camping which means that we take my wife's SUV, so we have a very limited amount of room that we must pack all of our "stuff" into. If I only need a 2 quart pot and a small frying pan well guess what, the 9 other pots and 4 other frying pans stay at home!

3. Plan the Condiments ? Have you ever went camping and once you get there you realize that you don't have ketchup, mustard or relish for your nice, hot and juicy steakburger you just cooked for yourself? Have you ever went camping and it took you 10 minutes to find the garlic powder because it found it's own way to the bottom of the box you keep all your spices in? There is a fine line between having too many spices/condiments and not having enough but you have to walk that line. Even if you have a 40 foot Class A Mega Super Duper Motor home, you only have so much space. Sit down and look at the recipe's you are going to use and then figure out what spices/condiments you can bring and which ones to leave at home.

4. 10% Above ? Get 10% more food then you think you should take. If your family usually eats 4 hamburgers, take 5 or 6. If they usually eat 6 pieces of Corn on the Cob take 8. I don't know for sure what it is but whenever you go camping everybody seems to be HUNGRY all the time. It might be because they are running around doing more stuff or it might be something in the air, I don't know.

5. KIS ? Keep It Simple. Realize that you are going to be in the middle of the woods. Is it possible to cook a Rack of Lamb with Herb-Dijon Nut Crust, Parisienne Potatoes, Green Beans Wrapped In Carrot Ring and Pureed Sweet Potato Basket? Yes it is technically possible. Should you attempt it? Heck NO! Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying to plan 3 square of milk and cereal. I am saying to remember where you are going to be and the mostly primitive cooking tools you will have at your disposal. 6. Test Runs- If you are planning on cooking on a campfire, or using a new grill, or cooking in your RV for the first time on your next trip?Don't Do It! Always, always, always do a test run at home before you get out there. Build a little fire in your backyard and figure out if you need some charcoal to bolster the wood fire and make it cook more evenly. Make sure you know how to hook up that new grill and where the hot spots are. It is really not a lot of fun to get out into the woods somewhere and burn your dinner to a crisp or have it sitting in the bottom of the campfire because of a "equipment malfunction". So always do a test run.

7. Try a new Treat ? Remembering strategy number 6, my family always tries a new treat whenever we go camping. Whether it be a new recipe for our green bean casserole or a naughty little after dinner snack, we try something new every time. This doesn't have to mean something exotic that you're not sure the animals would even like. Just look around on the internet, there are a ton of campfire / Dutch oven recipes out there for you to try.

Well that's it, that's my list of 7 Need to Know Campsite Cooking Strategies. This is not a wish-list or a group of things I pulled out of thin air. I use this list each and every time I plan a trip for my family, my friends and my troop. This list if used properly will keep you in good stead for your trips. You won't run out of food, you won't eat bland food, you won't bring home a ton of unused and possibly spoiled food and most importantly dinner won't be a chore while camping.

Eric Stephenson is an avid camper and publisher of http://www.NJCampingInfo.com where you will get all the information you will ever need about camping in New Jersey as well as information about camping and the latest technologies and products related to camping. This article is copyrighted. It may be reproduced only if the hyperlinks here are left intact.

---

Google News Updated : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:51:38 GMT San Francisco Network Admin Gives Password To Mayor - CRN eFluxMedia San Francisco Network Admin Gives Password To Mayor CRN - 1 hour ago Disgruntled San Francisco system administrator Terry Childs has finally relented and turned over the password to the FiberWAN network he has been holding hostage. IT Career Advice: Passwords Make Bad Hostages eWeek SF Admin Gives Up Keys To Hijacked City Network Slashdot ZDNet - eFluxMedia - SFist - PC World all 101 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:16:36 GMT Grocers stop selling jalapeno peppers after salmonella discovery - Los Angeles Times CTV.ca Grocers stop selling jalapeno peppers after salmonella discovery Los Angeles Times - 11 hours ago By Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Southern California grocery stores reversed themselves Tuesday and started pulling jalapeno peppers from their shelves. Salmonella Outbreak Exposes Food-Safety Flaws Wall Street Journal Found: Smoking Jalapeno Washington Post Food Consumer - WRAL.com - KTAR.com - San Francisco Chronicle all 1,315 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:00:46 GMT Estelle Getty was a true 'Golden Girl' - Los Angeles Times Telegraph.co.uk Estelle Getty was a true 'Golden Girl' Los Angeles Times - 1 hour ago Estelle Getty, who died Tuesday three days before her 85th brithday, may have won her only Emmy Award in the supporting race but she was really one of the leading lights of "The Golden Girls. Video: Estelle Getty of 'Golden Girls' Dies at 84 AssociatedPress The Golden Girls: Estelle Getty Dies at 84 BuddyTV Washington Post - E! Online - CollegeOTR - Reuters all 968 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:47:51 GMT Viagra helpful to women on antidepressants, study finds - Los Angeles Times Viagra helpful to women on antidepressants, study finds Los Angeles Times - 11 hours ago In a small study, 72% of those on SSRIs -- which can have debilitating sexual side effects -- reported improvement when taking the male impotence drug. Viagra offers help to some women Minneapolis Star Tribune Viagra May Boost Female Libido in Some Cases U.S. News & World Report Wall Street Journal - Chicago Sun-Times - WebMD - Reuters all 433 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:39:02 GMT ESPN begins Sprint Cup telecasts with momentum - SportingNews.com Bleacher Report ESPN begins Sprint Cup telecasts with momentum SportingNews.com - 52 minutes ago By Michael Smith With ratings up for its Nationwide Series broadcasts and NASCAR shoulder programming, ABC/ESPN enters the Sprint Cup portion of its schedule feeling considerable momentum. Menard ready for return to famed Indianapolis Rotoworld.com Indianapolis Motor Speedway is Jeff Gordon's personal playground ... ESPN Howell Times and Transcript - Clutch and Chrome - WTHI - Clanton Advertiser all 151 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:59:22 GMT Report: Christian Bale Confronted Mother After She Insulted Wife - FOXNews ABC News Report: Christian Bale Confronted Mother After She Insulted Wife FOXNews - 4 hours ago AP July 21: British actor Christian Bale arrives for the European Premiere of 'The Dark Knight', in central London. July 21: British actor Christian Bale arrives for the European Premiere of 'The Dark Knight', in central London. Christian Bale's alleged blow-up came after mom bad-mouthed his wife New York Daily News Kin claim they were roughed up by Batman Boston Herald San Francisco Chronicle - New York Times - Los Angeles Times - The Associated Press all 2,153 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:42:07 GMT Many conomists see McCain better for stocks: poll - Reuters New York Daily News Many conomists see McCain better for stocks: poll Reuters - 3 hours ago By Emily Kaiser WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US stock market would fare better in the first year after a victory by Republican presidential candidate John McCain than by his Democratic rival Barack Obama, according to a majority of economists at US banks ... Video: Obama Campaign: McCain Flubs on Iraq Timeline AssociatedPress McCain: 'Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political ... Wake Up America Wall Street Journal - FOXNews - Los Angeles Times all 301 news articles Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:37:23 GMT Amazon Tool Clickbank

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Chimborazo: Learning Spanish At 20,600 Feet

Climbing the glaciers to the summit of Mount Chimborazo in... Read More

Top Five Honeymoon Safari Destinations In Africa

An African honeymoon safari is the perfect way to celebrate... Read More

The Pyramids of Giza

The most famous Egyptian pyramids to be built are the... Read More

Disneyland for Hikers: A Walk to Mt. Whitney

Base camp sits at 12,000 feet - stark, windy, unshaded... Read More

Inflatable Boats: An Overview

Inflatable boats are made from flexible material, usually rubber, canvas,... Read More

Drive Me to WA Today!

Western Australia Driving Adventure Great Australian Road Trip Large... Read More

Things to Make Your Gap Year in Africa Easy!

The kind of things you pack when you go on... Read More

Why Should You Use Hiking Poles?

Why should you use hiking poles is perhaps the first... Read More

How Are Minerals Formed?

HOW ARE MINERALS FORMED?MINERALS are naturally occuring, inorganic solids, with... Read More

Review: Russell Shortos The Island At The Center Of The World

Up to now the preponderant view held by many historians... Read More

Unforgettable Cape Cod Vacations: The National Seashore Gift

Take a captivating trip through the Cape Cod National Seashore... Read More

Take a Hiking Pole on Your Next Hike

It is the downhill ski racing competition of the winter... Read More

RV Vacations: Ten Tips

Perhaps you have wondered about taking an RV vacation. It... Read More

All the Way to Timbuctu

Yes, it's real. There is a place called Timbuktu and... Read More

A Review of Inflatable Boat Manufacturers

There are many manufacturers of inflatable boats on the market... Read More

Two Person Hammocks ? Snuggle With Your Beau in Style

How many of you take the time to just relax... Read More

Be Sure to Buy the Best Discount Camping Gear Before Going on that Family Adventure

When you're on the Internet looking for discount camping gear,... Read More

Discover Eaton Canyon In Pasadena California

Eaton Canyon Natural Area Nature Center, entrance, 1750 N. Altadena... Read More

A Thumb Sketch Outline of Tanzania?s Attractions and National Parks

The Northern Circuit is probably Africa's most dramatic wildlife area.... Read More

What Do Cowboys-n-Campfires Have in Common?

I bet you're wondering where the heck this articles going.... Read More

Canoe Trip with Nature

A canoe trip is a great way to appreciate Nature!A... Read More

Find Outdoor Camping Gear Online at Great Discount Prices

Before you take off on that great outdoor adventure, be... Read More

Tips for Mountain Bikers in Spain

As any keen mountain biker will know, there are some... Read More

Boondocking America

Boondocking is fun! Boondockers go anywhere they want, at any... Read More

Lake Jipe straddling Tanzania and Kenya

So unknown is this treasure of Lake Jipe not many... Read More