By Mrs. Tait
It is really important to eat well when you are on a camping trip. Everyone usually has a healthy appetite after being outside and you must make sure that you get plenty of energy to be ready for the day ahead.
You need to put some thought into what you plan to eat. Cooking in a mess-tin on a camping stove is quite different from the kitchen!
Some foods are more suitable than others. Burgers, bangers and beans are always popular, but having fresh meat is not always possible.
A great food to quick start the day!
Allow half a cup of oats and 1 cup of water per person.
Salt and sugar to taste.
Put the oats and water in mess-tin.
Stir over the heat until the mixture is thick
Pasta is a healthy source of energy and a good filler when you are hungry. It is easy to carry in a rucksack and really easy to cook - so is an excellent choice for campers. You can vary pasta in so many ways and you could eat it every night without becoming bored! (Ed: There are many college or university students who might disagree with that statement).
Allow about 3/4 of a mug of pasta per person.
Use any sauce you like, smoked sausage, grated cheese, tuna etc.
Bring water to the boil with a pinch of salt.
Pour in the pasta and keep it boiling for about 10mins until ready.
Carefully pour away the water and add the sauce.
Rice is another healthy food to give us energy. It is quick to cook and a great way to fill up hungry campers after a long trek.
Packets of flavoured rice give variety without having to bring any extra ingredients. This recipe should fit in a mess-tin and feed two hungry people.
One and a half mugs of rice
1 - 2 teaspoons oil
Half an onion - chopped
Two rashers of bacon - chopped or an egg or both!
About two mugfuls of hot water
salt and pepper
(Bring the water to the boil in a kelly kettle).
Heat the oil and add the chopped onion and bacon. Fry for a few minutes. Add the rice and the hot water and keep boiling for about 15-20 minutes. (Add more hot water if needed).
When the rice is soft and the water has evaporated, add the beaten egg.
Stir well and season to taste.
We made this dish when we were in Fair Isle. Although we all started with the same recipe, each group ended up with a differently flavoured stew.
For each person you will need:
50g lentils (half mug)
About half a mug of mixed vegetables (onion, pepper, mushrooms, ...)
Half teaspoon of curry powder (if liked)
Tomato puree (if liked)
About two teaspoons of oil
Half a vegetable stock cube
One mug of water
If you come up with any good recipes for camping and walking, give them to Mrs. Tait and we can add them to this page. Ed: I think we need some tasty desserts here!