Car Camping Meals That Don't Cost A Lot Of Money

By Emily Coopers


Barbecuing a gourmet meal while camping can be a lot of fun, not to mention delicious. Nevertheless, occasionally we are restricted by time, cash or space for transporting our gear. That is where inexpensive and easy car camping meals are convenient.

You don't always need to forgo a warm, cooked meal to cheap food that is easy to prepare. With a mobile burner, you can still have your hot cup of java in the morning, cook warm breakfasts, make fragrant stews and lots more.

A portable burner can cost you under $20 plus a small propane tank will cost a couple of dollars. Besides being more affordable than a barbecue, camping stove or portable grill - this food preparation strategy takes up very little space in your car. They are even ideal for backpacking trips.

Assuming that you don't want to bring food that you need to refrigerate, below are some ideas for camping meals that are simple, cheap and healthy.

Noodles

Get yourself a big stew pot, and you can boil water for all types of noodles. Pasta is cheap, takes up practically no space and does not have to be stored in a cooler. Include a jar of pasta sauce, and you have a warm, substantial meal. Leftovers also make a fantastic, quick lunch.

Chili

Get a couple of cans of chili and heat them in your pot. Lots of products already have seasonings added, so this means less work on your part without having to forgo flavor. Again, no refrigeration needed, and obviously canned food keeps for a very long time. You could even add your chili to your pasta dish above.

Oatmeal

There is absolutely nothing like a warm meal when you wake up when you are camping, and oatmeal is cheap and uses up extremely little space. You can make use of the exact same pot you utilized for the pasta and the chili and cook some oats for a few minutes with some cinnamon or brown sugar. For a heartier meal, you might even add some trail mix or dried fruit, which are great treats to take on a camping trip anyway.

Rice

Although it takes longer to cook than pasta, rice is a good alternative, considering that it is compact, affordable and it doesn't need to be cooled in its dry state. Rice complements any sort of meat, fish or vegetable, but I even love it plain with some pizza seasoning.

Tuna in a Can

Canned tuna is an inexpensive, simple and a fast source of healthy protein. Add it to rice, sandwiches, tortilla chips or eat it by itself from the can. Small serving containers are also a nice benefit.

Potatoes

This vegetable might use up more space, but it is simple to transport, does not require refrigeration and is an inexpensive healthy carbohydrate. You might prefer baked potatoes or those prepared in a skillet vs boiled potatoes, but no matter what type of food preparation devices you have, understand that you have meal choices.

Peanut Butter

We can not forget peanut butter. It is quick and simple and a great source of protein also. If you are trying to find an option to sandwich bread, why not get crackers or rice cakes?

There are plenty more food options to come up with camping meals, but these staples are really versatile and help you produce lots of different meals simply by changing your seasonings or sauce.






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