Here are some tips that I've learned on how to cook/prep meals and food camping. YMMV
First, I'm going to give some guidelines that should help you think about/plan what you want to make Finally, I'll include some examples of things I actually like to make.
Resources are scarcer when camping then usual. Resources like: dishes, mixing bowls, silverware, table space, clean utensils, cooking surfaces, and time. Recipes with lots of steps and procedures use these resources quickly, and sometimes leave you with dirty dishes.
Choose meals that are simple and do not take lots of steps. One step is good. You don't have to sacrifice taste to do this! If you must have something complicated, consider completing most of the complicated cooking steps cooking at home and then simply warming the meal.
Put another way, spending 2 hours carefully mixing all the individual ingredients for a pot pie or chocolate cake or casserole is impressive, but you will be left with dirty dishes and a sense of exasperation.
Meanwhile, the person who made instant macaroni by boiling water in a pot and then putting macaroni in that pot already ate hours ago and has no meaningful washing to do. Maybe they put in some peas and pre-cooked dice chicken for flavor.
While it might be very easy, resist the urge to bulk out on one kind of thing (unless you think its something delicious you can trade). Although a pack of ramen requires no complicated cooking, eating nothing but ramen for 24 hours is a soul-suckingly depressing experience. Make sure you plan for some variety. I'm going to have something different for every meal
When at home in your comfy air conditioning, cold-cuts, pop-tarts, and cereal seem like perfectly acceptable low-cost options. However, when bored, eating hot food has a tendancy to dramatically increase your spirits, and it's a lot more fun. Pop-tarts for dinner sounds totally fine in theory, but when everyone else has hot-dogs or steak or fresh fish and spaghetti you can start to feel envious.
Gas ranges have two settings: "HOT" and "Off". Likewise, coal grills are difficult to keep even, and campfires are even worse. If your recipie says 'bake for exactly 20 minutes at 320 degrees' then it probably won't work.
Doing dishes sucks. Have a plan in mind for HOW you are going to prepare your food. Will you need a pot? A pan? Have you arranged with someone to bring one? Will you grill? Do you need tinfoil? Forks? If you dirty your pot saturday night with cheese sauce, will you be able to use it the next day for boiling eggs? Make sure you bring sanitation stuff if you need it.
Your great-grandpa had an icebox. it was literally that, a box with ice, and it kept his milk, eggs, meat, etc. fresh. You can do the same, especially for only one day.
Here are some example recipes that I've made while camping, organized by meal type followed by ascending difficulty. Also, Really, check out http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyday-cooking/on-the-go/camping/, for some great ideas!
| Meal | Instructions | Dishes | Prep Time | Trash Rating | Satisfaction Rating | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | Bring fruit, eat the fruit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Donuts | Bring a pack of donuts. Eat the donuts | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Toast | Put bread on the grill, or hold over a flame | 0 | 10 min | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Fried Eggs | Turn on gas range, fry eggs in a pan with salt and oil | 2 | 15 min | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Bacon | Put bacon strips on the grill or over the fire until cooked | 1 | 30 min | 1 | 8 | 4 |
| Pancakes | Bring pre-mixed pancake powder, mix with water and fry | 3-4 | 20 min | 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Cereal+Milk | Bring cereal and milk | 2 | 2 mins | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Toaster Strudel | Grill Toaster Strudel | 1 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
###Lunch
| Meal | Instructions | Dishes | Prep Time | Trash Rating | Satisfaction Rating | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Cuts+Chips | Bring Bread, Meats, Cheeses, Condiments,Chips | 2 | 5 mins | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Macaroni Casserole | * Boil water in a pot on stove. | 2 | 20 mins | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| * Mix in kraft macaroni, frozen peas, frozen grilled chicken bits | ||||||
| * Strain when done...put onto plate, add cheese powder | ||||||
| Spaghetti | * Boil water. Make spaghetti. Bring sauce. Warm sauce in a pan or warm sauce in tinfoil on a fire | 2 | 30 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Hot Dogs+Hamburgs+Chips | *Hot dogs can be made on a fire with a stick or fork. Bring ketchup. | 1 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| *Hamburgers can be made on a grill, or wrapped in foil and thrown on the fire | ||||||
| Canned soup | Canned soups and meals like spaghetti-os or raviolis can be cooked IN the can. | 0 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Just open them a little so they don't explode, then put them directly on the fire. Pull them out with pliers. Eat out of the can with gloves or pour into a bowl. | ||||||
| Anything stir-fried in foil | Mix up meats and veggies (pre-cooked!) and throw them in foil. This recipe looks good http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Sausage-with-Potatoes-and-Green-Beans/Detail.aspx?evt19=1 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Stew | An old-timey favorite: Basically, all you need is a pot (or cauldron). Fill it with water and edible things. Salt it until it's tasteless then eat. | 1 | 40 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| Meal | Instructions | Dishes | Prep Time | Trash Rating | Satisfaction Rating | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled Meats | Grill meat. Steak, fish, chicken,veggies. Season somehow | 1 | 20 | 0 | 7 | 4 |
| Dutch Oven Ravioli | *Get a dutch oven. | 2 | 60 | 1 | 9 | 8 |
| * Layer ravoli noodles in the oven with | ||||||
| * ground beef,cheese, ricotta, and mozzarella alternating | ||||||
| * Cook in the fire with coals on top of the oven | ||||||
| Anything from the lunch descriptor | XXXX | x | x | xx | x | x |
| Meal | Instructions | Dishes | Prep Time | Trash Rating | Satisfaction Rating | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smores | http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Smores/Detail.aspx?evt19=1 | 2 | 10 min | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Camp Pie | http://allrecipes.com/recipe/hobo-pie/ | 1 (pie iron) | 15 mins | 0 | 7 | 4 |
| Can also use jelly, peanut butter, or fresh fruit | ||||||
| Oreos | Bring oreos | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Apples+Caramel | Roast apples and dip in caramel | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Camp Donuts | http://www.thoreausdaughter.com/2011/08/canned-biscuit-campfire-doughnuts.html | 2 | 45 | 2 | 8 | 9 |
Yoooou're amaaazinggg Steeeeevennn Braaaaeeegerrrrrrrrrrrr