Need suggestions for quick and easy dinners

[Roy_Lynne]

I like to cook, but not when I'm camping. When I'm camping Id rather hike in the woods, watch the sun set, photograph birds, sit in front of a fire, well you get it anything but cook. We are off on a winter/spring adventure and I'm thinking on meals that I can just put on the table. I have no oven and many of our planned stops are either dry campgrounds or just boon docking. Can anyone give me some ideas on what to cook?

[Reader1]

We just went for several days hiking in the Smoky Mts. I made a beef stew ahead of time and put it in a slow cooker while hiking. I also made homemade chicken noodle soup (without the noodles), put it in the crock pot and added the noodles when we got back in. We packed lunches and ate at picnic areas. We had a great time. Having everything done ahead of the trip really helped. Enjoy!!!

[magnusfide]

I've posted a link to a book here that can give you more ideas for simple and easy meals on the road and in camp.

[ppine]

I do a lot of trips without the women these days. But all of my male friends can cook. For a week long trip with say 4 people each person cooks dinner once. A couple of people cook dinner twice. We might all cook the last night in the bush and have something spectacular.

Recently I went on a backpacking trip at 9,800 feet. We packed in steak and lobster with dry ice. We made ice for the bourbon and had ice cream for dessert with homemande chocolate sauce about 12 miles from the nearest road. Unbelievable.

[Mountain_Mama]

When using crockpot be sure and use the liners for them. Just throw away. No pot to wash.

[CincyGus]

Crock pot is your friend. Beans and Ham. Cabbage and kielbasa. Chili. Beef Stew. Pulled pork BBQ or BBQ shredded chicken.

I like to grill so I give the darling Wife off except for dishes which we do together afterwards. Steaks are easy and quick. I also do a mean pork tenderloin on the grill, slow cooked for 3 hours on low on indirect heat (turn on one half the grill, put the loin on the other half in a tin foil pan with a sprinkle of water and some fresh green beans and carrots and season to your liking). Great for camp fire watching and an occasional check to see if it needs a little more water.

If we are looking for something really quick and easy, we like state fair corn dogs and Marie Callenders chicken pot pies. Both are quick meals in the microwave. You also have Hot pockets.

Lastly, we generally have a ziplock full of Corn Muffins and/or biscuits we make at home the day before and bring with us for use with the chili or stews. If we don't have time, Hawaiian Rolls make a great substitute.

[Nutinelse2do]

I make before I know we are going to be dry camping for a week or so, then freeze the following.... Sloppy joe’s, chili, chicken taquito’s, dungeness crab rangoons ( with packets of homemade sweet and sour sauce), pulled pork, and taco/ burrito mix.

I always have on hand... steak for sandwiches, or shish ka bobs, tortillas for burritos or quesadillas, pasta salad mix, green, red cabbage, and carrots for cole slaw, bread and canned soup for grilled cheese and soup for chilly nights.

Frozen tyson breaded chicken for sandwiches...just like chick fil a, cheese, crackers, and salami for munchies.

Also, for quick lunches on the go, I make tuna salad, egg salad, and the little oscar meyer lunchables. Those are really easy to throw together on roadie days.

Costco rotisserie chickens are great to have too for chicken salad, sandwiches, and just easy munching.

You can always throw together a nice stew or soup in a crockpot going down the road, and whatever it is will be ready by the time you land somewhere.

Hope that helps.

[Roy_Lynne]

Wow, I'm writing these all down. Thanks so much.

[magnusfide]

Some good ideas already.

In freezing meals for reheating I tend to go toward those recipes that taste even better after being in the freezer for awhile. Things like lasagne, meatloaf, ground beef or ground turkey with tomatoes, cumin, chili powder and garlic (to make tacos) or just a mac and meat dish. Don't forget chili that's frozen and eaten a week later is ten times better than freshly made because all those spices have a chance to work into the sauce.

If you're boondocking away from a store with rotiss chicks then you can make the chicken at home and freeze or you can buy canned cooked chicken. There's also a lot of canned meat options in the canned meat aisle like vienna sausages (taste good with fruit, cheese and crackers), deviled ham (again fruit, cheese and crackers come in handy). Instead of getting canned tuna and salmon we've been buying them in those foil packs instead. They take up less space that way. They're located in the canned meat aisle too.

Nothing wrong with simple PB&J and a fruit or simple veg. If allergic to peanuts sunflower butter works just as well.

Boil up a dozen or so eggs (we use about 1.5 dozen per week). They're a cheap protein that goes with salads, fruits, tuna salad, you name it.

Don't forget jerky. It comes in beef, pork or some specialty stores sell deer jerky.

[Travel_glampers]

About a month before a big trip, I will start preparing and freezing meals. I'll bake a meatloaf, divide it into amounts that will serve the two of us for a meal, and freeze. I'll make chili, vegetable soup, spaghetti sauce, crockpot pulled pork, sloppy joes, etc. and freeze in ziplocks in mealsize portions. To freeze, I fill ziplock, then lay flat in freezer. It freezes into a thin rectangular shape that is easy to store in RV freezer. I'll also pat out and freeze hamburgers and wrap them individually and place them in a ziplock. Sometimes the night before a trip I will fix roast beef and gravy and mashed potatoes for dinner. Then the leftovers go in the RV refrigerator and make quick on-the-road meals. I take a ham slice because it doesn't take up much room in the refrigerator and is easy to fry. Baking potatoes and sweet potatoes can both be easily microwaved for easy sides. Prepackaged salad kits are also convenient.

[coolmom42]

Seven Can Soup

1 lb ground beef + 1 jar pasta sauce is enough for 2 meals, with your pasta of choice.

Frozen or fresh tortellini or ravioli, plus sauce is pretty awesome.

Cream of broccoli soup from Costco is awesome. I do not care for their tortilla soup.

I bet you could get the frozen meals like Stouffers, thaw them enough to soften, so they would fit in the crockpot, then heat them up. Check temp with a meat thermometer so you know they are hot.

Besides a crock pot, a lidded large non-stick skillet (like 12") is a great way to make skillet meals with minimal fuss. Poke around on Pinterest and see what you might like. A lot of these use chopped onions, peppers, etc. I like to buy these pre-chopped and frozen, saves a lot of time.

Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli, & Rice is one of my favorite skillet meals. You can sub in canned chicken or rotisserie chicken.

I like to prep or gather dinner either the night before or first thing in the morning, so there's not much to do when it's time to cook.

[ppine]

I ust came back from Yosemite. I like to use an aluminum Dutch Oven on a propane stove. Much easier than cooking with wood and cast iron. We had great food, spaghetti carbonara, beef stew with wine, tamalie pie, stacked enchiladas, steak and potatoes. All were simple to prepare.

[TexasShadow]

I do some pre cooking before taking off. I cook up 2 or 3 lbs hamburger meat, crumbled and use it for tacos or sloppy joes. I also cook up several chicken breasts and freeze them in small, one meal size bags for making alfredo or chicken salad or creamed chicken or chicken sandwiches.
I cook up 3 lb bacon and freeze it. I take cooked sausages, and we like those cooked hamburger patties. Stouffers makes some good entrees we like.

[Merrykalia]

Buy some gnocchi at the Dollar Tree, some rotisserie chicken left over from some of the above recipes, a large box container of chicken broth, carrots, onion, celery and you have the makings of the Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi soup. Yummy, easy, 20 minutes and done.

Saute carrots, onion and celery (small pieces) in 3 TBL olive oil until tender. Add some small pieces of chicken, and a clove or two of garlic. Stir in 2 TBL flour cook a minute or two, then stir in the chicken broth and a couple handfuls of chopped spinach and 1/2 tsp thyme. Allow to come to a boil and begin to thicken. I will usually add about 1/2 cup milk and the gnocchi and boil until the gnocchi looks/feels done.

Eat up!


I will usually buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery or Walmart or wherever I can get one before we leave home and use it for 2-3 different meals. The rest of the ingredients, I will chop and pre-package at home in a couple of zip-lock bags. They go in the fridge until ready to use them. I will usually have milk and if not, a can of evaporated milk and flour from my staples.

I also will make some chicken salad from the rotisserie with some mayo, mustard, pickle relish, celery, onion and chicken. Occasionally toss in some grapes.

We will use the chicken bones and any leftover chicken to make Chicken Vegetable Noodle soup. Put the carcass in some water, onion, celery, carrots (those again) and bring to boil. Add some frozen soup vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, etc) and cook 30-45 minutes, the longer, the better. Remove carcass and discard. Add salt, pepper and add some pasta. Cook the recommended time for tender pasta.

That's 3 easy, quick meals with one rotisserie chicken. Economical and filling.

[Big_Katuna]

Box of uncooked ziti, 8oz pack of mozzarella, whole or shredded, half bag frozen meatballs, two jars Ragu or your brand, in a crock pot all day.