by J Richard Karlsson

Created on: July 18, 2009   Last Updated: July 28, 2009

How to Save Money on Food when Camping

Have been camping for more than thirty years, it has become second nature for us to prepare for a week at the campground. The number one way to be able save money on food is just that, being prepared. We plan our meals ahead of time, with the ability to rearrange our menu depending on the weather and our good fortune of catching fish for at least two of our meals. We usually set camp near a lake or river that is stocked with fresh fish that has been apart of our camping trip for years.

When we prepare for our trip, we make a few of our favorite dishes and freeze them in Tupperware to have some easy to heat meals. One of my favorite dishes is sausage, peppers and onions that we easily pan fry to heat quickly. Our cooler is kept cold with chunks of dry ice, we have one cooler that is stored with a large hunk of dry ice packed tightly and than wrapped with duct tape to supply our cooler and keep our perishables for the week, one small chunk of dry ice will keep the cooler for up to 24 hours.

Another one of my camp favorites is building our home made camp stove that is converted to a wood burning grill with our 15x28 inch cooking grid. We store several wrapped meals such as hamburgers, steaks or chops that we freeze and wrap in sealed zip lock bags. We would chop an ice berg lettuce and store in plastic bag that with the quick fix of fresh cut carrot and onion we have a delicious tossed salad. We pack a 5 pound bag of pototoes that we can wrap in aluminum foil and cook directly on the coals or chop in small pieces and fry with butter in a pan for breakfast. Can vegitables store well, stay fresh and are easy to prepare on our camp stove, my two favorites are corn and pork with beans.

Everyone likes a good snack during the day and the campground trails can really bring out an appetite, the week before our camping trip I will make about 5 pounds of home made beef jerky, it keeps well on the trail and is such a satisfying snack that I enjoy with small chunks of cheese. I like dried fruits and fresh figs to bring on the trail, again they stay very fresh and is easy to store. We find the best deals on chips with the largest sized bags and we individually bag 2 ounce portions that will stay fresh the entire week. We do the same with cookies and small cakes and sealed in a zip lock baggie, it not only keeps them fresh, it keeps our food dry from the rain.

Remember to bring your food from home, buying items at local grociers and campground stores can be very expensive and put a hurt on your food budget. Have your meals planned for the amount of people in your party and make sure you have enough of what everyone likes. Eating well is a great social event on the camp site, gathered around the fire and just enjoying your family and friends.

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