What Food To Bring Camping

What food to bring camping – A look at the proper nutrition for your camping needs.

If you are going to be spending an extended period of time in the wilderness, you’re going to have to make a decision about your source of nourishment. Are you going to hunt and gather your own food on site or are you going to bring your own food to sustain you throughout your trip? In this article, we will be discussing the best foods to bring on a camping trip.

Let us begin by stating that hunting and gathering your own food to live on for several days is easier said than done. You may have done your research and you may have a good understanding of how to locate some edible plants and perhaps you know how to hunt for animals. However, a lack of experience with these can quickly work against you while camping and if you don’t have a supply of nourishment packed away then hunger and fatigue can swiftly set in leaving you at a disadvantage for surviving in the wilderness. For that reason, we suggest that even experienced campers still pack a supply of food in case woodland food sources are scarce. Furthermore, inexperienced campers should solely rely on pre-packed food for their first few camping trips until they get the hang of foraging for substance. The following are a few foods to bring on your camping trip and a few tips to remember about your body’s nutritional needs.

Dried fruit:

One thing to stock up on before your camping trip is a pack of dried fruit. This is an excellent food to have on hand because, first of all, it won’t spoil. There is no need to keep it cold in a cooler and it comes in convenient packs that make consumption quick and easy. More importantly, however, dried fruit is jam-packed with carbohydrates, which are an essential source of energy for the human body. Even if you are planning a weekend of leisure in the wilderness it is important to know that subjecting your body to the added stress of wilderness life actually elevates for your energy consumption. You’ll be moving around more than you might normally move around, you’ll be traversing uneven terrain, and you’ll be carrying your supplies around with you rather than conveniently fetching them from your kitchen cabinet. All of these factors require elevated energy levels and you will need to supply your body with carbohydrates to sustain it. Dried fruit is a convenient and compact source of carbs that can give you the boost you need to make it through your camping trip.

Oats:

Oats are another good source of carbohydrates that are essential to sustaining energy while camping. Additionally, they are high in vitamins and minerals that are essential for sustaining the body during rigorous activity such as camping. There are a variety of convenient sources of oats that you can stock up on for your camping trip. Think about energy bars and single serving bowls of oatmeal that can be prepared with hot water. Just remember to properly dispose of your trash.

Nuts:

Another energy source that you’ll have to sustain while camping is your healthy fats. Fat is another molecule within your body that it can break down and use as an energy source. When preparing for your camping trip, a convenient source of fat that you should pack is a package of mixed nuts. Specifically, almonds, walnuts, macadamias are all a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids. These nuts can all leave you feeling full and sustained for several hours while camping in the wilderness. Furthermore, as you burn through the stored glycogen within your body, your fats will serve as an alternative energy source that will get you through your camping trip.

Jerky:

Jerky is a convenient source of protein on a camping trip. It comes in a variety of different meat sources ranging from beef to turkey to deer to ostrich and so on (yes there is actually an ostrich jerky). Traditionally high in sodium, there are low sodium versions of jerky (fewer than 500 mg) that can sustain you while you reconnect with nature. Protein is an essential nutrient and if you aren’t going to be hunting or trapping your own food while camping then a pack of good meat jerky can be a convenient and satisfying food source for while camping. Additionally, it requires no refrigeration and thus can last for days on end while you snack on it as needed. Furthermore, jerky is easy to pack in your backpack and doesn’t take up much room which is why it is a common food source on camping trips.

Coconut water:

Although not a “traditional” supply showing up in camping packs, we thought we’d throw this one in here for the added nutritional benefits. Dehydration is something that you really need to be aware of while camping. With camping and moving around outdoors, you can expect that at some point you will start to sweat. You might think that sweating is no big deal but if you are out away from civilization, you need to be smarter about how you take care of yourself.

Many people don’t understand what is actually happening to your body when you start to sweat. It’s not as simple as losing a little water within the body. Your sweat contains many nutrients that are lost to your body when you perspire. Things like sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium are leached from your body when you sweat. Normal, tap water does not replenish these things.

A good way to replenish some of these lost nutrients is coconut water. Coconut water is rich in a multitude of nutrients and antioxidants. Drinking coconut water while camping can quench your thirst and replenish your body in ways that normal drinking water cannot do alone. Pack a few containers of coconut water if you’re going to be spending several days camping in the wilderness.

Drinking water:

Even though we’ve suggested that coconut water and other food sources can help sustain you on your camping expedition, the absolute most important thing to have access to during your wilderness journey is clean drinking water. If you will be spending your time on or around a public campground or if you will be camping close to civilization then odds are you will have access to running, drinking water. However, if you intend to spend an extended amount of time deep in the wilderness or in the desert, you will need to prioritize drinking water above all other supplies.

Generally speaking, the human body is said to be able to survive several weeks without food. Granted, your overall physical performance will suffer greatly, but you could live a long time without food. However, the human body can only last a few days without water. You might be thinking that even a worst-case scenario won’t leave you camping for three days without water. You have to remember that camping can be physically demanding and the more moving around you’re doing, the quicker you’ll be dehydrating yourself. Thus, your body’s need for water will skyrocket while camping and your three or four-day waterless timeframe will be shortened greatly. Be sure to pack several liters of water to get you through a multi-day camping trip.

The key to camping nutrition, like most other things, is preparation. It’s all a matter of the magnitude of your camping expedition. A night of leisure spent in a tent on a public campground with indoor bathrooms and running water probably doesn’t require a long grocery list. However, if you plan to spend several days camping in the woods or a week in the desert you’ll need to plan appropriately. You’ll need to calculate your daily water rations (always bring extra water) and you’ll have to consider how much food you’ll need for your daily survival. Plan wisely and your camping trip will be a success.