Off-Road Gourmet: Simple Yet Satisfying Meals from the Back of Your Rig

Forget Fast Food or Gas Station Munchies

Journey with me into a memory as I paint a picture likely not unfamiliar to any off-road or overland traveler; you’re on the sixth hour of a multi-day drive, approaching the entrance gate for the BLM land on which you plan to set up camp for the night. Only about twenty more minutes of driving up a solemn dirt road, and you’ll reach your targeted coordinates and begin to set up camp.

Now if you’re anything like me, after hours of sitting in the driving seat, two things are battling for dominance in your mind—getting out and stretching, and actually cooking your next meal. While a PB&J can go a long way in times of desperation, few meals compare to those prepped upon arrival in the great outdoors. With just a little pre-planning, even twenty minutes of effort combined with a few simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand can yield tailgate cuisine that won’t disappoint.

To prove my point, I’m going to run you through my simple yet satisfying menu plan from a recent overnight outing. This consisted of dinner on arrival, breakfast the next morning, and a late lunch before my return drive back to the unfortunate reality of an upcoming work week.

Why Local Eats Deserve a Spot on Your Overland Itinerary

Although I love cooking at camp, I’d be remiss not to mention the perks of treating yourself to a meal at a local spot along the trail. For one, breaking bread in small-town diners or roadside taco stands is an easy way to refuel without hauling out your entire kitchen kit—giving both you and your cast iron a well-earned rest.

Sampling the fare unique to the region also helps you tap into the local culture. Whether it’s a bowl of green chile stew in Taos, fish tacos by the coast, or a slice of homemade pie in a prairie café, these meals introduce you to flavors—and stories—you simply won’t find on your tailgate.

Beyond great food, there’s a community aspect. Spending your dollars in a mom-and-pop restaurant, food truck, or market stall supports the folks whose towns we pass through. It’s a simple way to contribute to local economies and show appreciation for the places that make our adventures possible.

And let’s be honest: after a few days in the dust with instant oatmeal and trail mix, someone else doing the dishes is a little luxury that’s hard to pass up.

Mind the Allergies: Planning for Everyone

Before diving headfirst into the camp kitchen, there’s one crucial detail every trail chef needs to remember: food allergies and dietary restrictions within your crew. Nothing puts a damper on an evening around the campfire quite like realizing your signature creamy pasta dish doesn’t exactly sit well with half your group. A quick check-in before hitting the road can save you from culinary mishaps, like discovering your star meal is missing a key audience—or worse, sparking an unhappy stomach on the trip.

Whether you’re carting along almond butter, grilling up sausages, or are ready to whip up a cheese-laden feast, making sure everyone can enjoy the meal keeps the adventure inclusive and worry-free. A little attention to everyone’s needs means full bellies, happy campers, and no need to scramble for backup snacks at the last minute.

The Camp Chef Role: More Than Just Cooking

But before we break out the spatula and cast iron, let’s talk about the unofficial title coveted by many but achieved by few: the “Camp Chef.” If you’ve ever been hailed as the culinary hero of your group, you already know the feeling—everyone’s hungry, you’re at the center of the action, and the sizzle from your skillet is as anticipated as the sunrise over the canyon rim.

Being the Camp Chef isn’t about having formal training or Michelin stars. It’s about being the person folks trust to turn a bag of groceries (or, let’s be honest, whatever’s rattling around in the cooler) into a meal that makes memories. Maybe it’s pulling off breakfast hash in a snowstorm, or wrangling together a one-pot dinner after a day on rough trails. The reward? Smiles around the picnic table, full bellies, and, more often than not, an open invitation on every trip.

This recognition isn’t about perfection—it’s about effort, a dash of resourcefulness, and the confidence to swap instant noodles for something a touch more memorable. The Camp Chef lifts spirits, fuels adventures, and—most importantly—proves that the best cuisine requires little more than fresh air, simple ingredients, and a willingness to embrace the unknown.

Before we get to the menu, let’s first talk about the tools of the trade – what I use to feed myself out of the back of my rig. My camp cooking setup consists of the following:

• My stove is a tried-and-true Coleman Classic 2-burner camp stove I got from my grandmother for my 17th birthday.
• Propane comes from an Ignik 5-lb mini-tank mounted to my swing-out rear tire carrier. It’s refillable and also fuels my ammo-can burn-ban-compliant campfire, which eliminates the waste of those little green bottles!
• For cookware, I have a couple of thrifted but reliable cast iron pans and a Dutch oven.
• I also thrifted a Stanley stainless French press for boiling water and making coffee. Multipurpose pieces save space!I keep my food in a Dometic CFX35 12V fridge, powered by a 150ah Optima Lithium battery and charged by a 130w solar panel.
• I couldn’t camp without REI’s $5 plastic egg crates.
• I keep my basic dry food in my rear compartment cabinets, but you could use an insta-crate or even old milk crates.
• I also keep a sharp knife, a set of utensils, and Ziploc bags to store all the food I will be preparing or for any leftovers.
• My dishes are Gerber’s ComplEAT nestable 9-piece tableware set. They clean easily and pack down into a small space well.
• I carry water in a 2-gallon RotopaX also mounted to my swingout for cooking, plus more in the Dometic for drinking. )The tire carrier, a RIG’d UltraSwing, is fitted with a stainless steel UltraTable, as well as an all-weather cutting board that slides out from underneath.

A Few Extra Essentials for the Road Chef

If you’re just getting your overland kitchen dialed in, a few additional basics will make a world of difference. A good-quality cutting board (bonus points if it slides out like mine) and a sturdy set of camp cutlery are invaluable—no one wants to slice onions with a plastic butter knife. When choosing cookware, opt for pieces that allow you to control temperature beyond just “off” and “on”—cast iron and a Dutch oven are a great start, but consider a pot with a lid and a pan with a nonstick surface for versatility.

Reliable refrigeration can be a game changer, especially if you’re venturing out for more than a night. If a 12V fridge isn’t in the cards, a high-quality cooler (think Canyon or Yeti) packed with long-lasting ice packs will keep your food fresh and your drinks cold. Many of these coolers are also bear-resistant when paired with padlocks—a real asset if you’re camping in bear country and want to keep your midnight snacks from becoming bear bait.

With these tools and a bit of planning, you’ll be well on your way to ditching the gas station jerky for real food—without sacrificing the spirit of adventure or precious cargo space.

Effortless Eats: Pre-Made Meals for Trailside Convenience

Let’s be honest—while I love breaking out my cast iron and flexing my camp chef muscles, sometimes the smartest move is to tap into your home kitchen and let pre-cooked meals carry you through a few camp nights. If you’ve got a legendary chili, a family lasagna recipe, or the world’s best pulled pork, don’t leave them behind. Make extra at home, then bring the feast with you.

Here’s how to set yourself up for delicious success:

• Batch Cook & Portion: Prepare your favorites at home, then divvy them up into single-serve or group-sized portions.
• Vacuum Seal & Freeze: Pop those servings into vacuum-sealed bags and freeze them solid. (Ziploc freezer bags will do in a pinch, but a vacuum sealer works wonders for space and leak prevention.)
• Pack Smart: Store the bags flat in your portable fridge or cooler—Dometic, ARB, or even a trusty YETI keeps everything frosty.
• Reheat with Ease: At camp, heat a pot of water over your Coleman stove. Drop your frozen or chilled bags in and let them warm through—no pans to scrub, and no precious dishes to dirty.
• Serve & Enjoy: When steam curls off the bag, carefully open it, plate your handiwork, and bask in the glory of a real meal under the stars.

Not only does this trick save time (and stack up serious flavor points), it also slashes post-cooking cleanup—the nemesis of many an adventurer. Now, on to the main event…

Beyond the First Night: Evolving Your Camp Kitchen for Longer Stays

Once you’re out there for more than just a night or two, your approach to camp cooking naturally changes. That initial excitement of digging into chili dogs straight from the can tends to fade by day three. The body (and taste buds) start craving real, nourishing food—something with a little more color and variety than gas station jerky and a half-crushed granola bar.

That’s when it pays to step up your culinary game. For breakfast, instead of just instant oatmeal, you might find yourself reaching for good yogurt, some crunchy granola, and maybe a handful of fresh berries. If you have the means to keep things cold, a robust fridge like the Dometic makes these options feel downright luxurious.

Lunch becomes a small event: think slices of sharp cheddar, crackers, and whatever fresh fruit you remembered to snag before leaving civilization—grapes, apples, or even a sliver or two of prosciutto if you’re feeling fancy. These meals are quick to assemble and provide a nice break from the routine trail fare.

As for dinner, longer trips open up a world of possibilities if you’ve brought a well-stocked cooler and some staples. Maybe you fire up the camp stove for a big pasta tossed with pesto and grilled chicken, or pull out a Dutch oven for roasted bell peppers stuffed with rice and veggies. If you’re lucky enough to fish a local stream (and have checked those all-important regulations), a fresh trout cooked with lemon and herbs quickly beats any canned protein. Even simple quesadillas get elevated with fresh, never-frozen ingredients—think sautéed peppers and a good sprinkle of shredded cheese.

The essence is this: with a bit of planning and just a few extra ingredients, your meals can rise above “just get by” and actually become a highlight of the outing. Extend your stay, and camp cooking transforms from a chore into a celebration of the outdoors.

Packing Essentials for the Classic Camp Meal

So, if you’re craving that time-honored family camp dinner (complete with a gooey dessert that will have everyone gathered ‘round the fire), here’s what you should pack to keep things easy and enjoyable.

Cooking Tools & Setup

• A sturdy, portable camp grill—think about something like the trusty Weber Q-series or a simple Coleman propane grill. You want it to fire up quickly and handle a range of foods.
• Cast iron skillet and lightweight grate for your open fire moments.
• Roasting sticks (commercially made or a classic DIY from nearby branches) for the kids—and adults—looking to expertly char their marshmallows and hot dogs.
• Portable, leave-no-trace fire pit like the Fireside Outdoor Pop-Up Fire Pit, especially if you’re in an area where campsite fire rings aren’t guaranteed or you’d prefer leaving nature just as you found it.
• Cooler stocked with ice packs to keep everything fresh.

Classic Camp Grub

• Pack your protein: brats, hot dogs, burgers, or even pre-marinated chicken thighs. Easy, crowd-pleasing, and quick to grill.
• Buns, sliced cheese, condiments, and maybe a jar of your favorite pickles.
• Grab-and-go sides: think potato salad (store-bought or homemade), bags of chips, and a simple veggie relish tray. Easy for hungry hands to attack while the main event cooks.
• Roasting fixings for the all-American s’more: graham crackers, chocolate bars, and a big ol’ bag of marshmallows. Trust me, the ritual of perfecting your marshmallow roast becomes an instant camp legend.
• Drinks for all ages: bottles of water, sodas, and—if the adults are so inclined—a six-pack of your favorite local brew.

A good meal at camp is about as much fun as you can have on four wheels—delicious, light on hassle, and big on memories. The best part? With this setup, cleanup is minimal and the only real fight is over who toasts the best marshmallow.

Ensuring You Have Enough Safe Drinking Water

Water is the unsung hero of any successful overland adventure, and nothing derails a camp kitchen faster than running dry or realizing your stash is questionable. I always recommend bringing more than you think you’ll use—grab a sturdy container, like a Nalgene Silo, a Scepter military jerry can, or even those indestructible RotopaX water packs.

For shorter trips, several gallons of spring or purified water should do the trick. If you plan to be out longer or might need to resupply, pack a quality water filter or purifier (think Lifesaver Jerrycan or Sawyer Squeeze) so you can top off from natural sources, just in case. Make it a habit to clean out your containers at the end of each trip—nothing sours the next adventure faster than week-old camp funk.

Bottom line: Don’t skimp on water. Consider both hydration and cooking needs, and treat every drop like gold when you’re bumping down that remote dirt road.

Feeding the Crew: Organizing Group Cooking in Camp

Cooking for a crowd can be half the fun of overlanding—so long as you keep things organized. When you’ve got more mouths to feed, a little planning goes a long way toward making mealtime something everyone can enjoy, instead of a chore that keeps you chained to the stove.

Here’s what’s worked for our rambunctious convoy:

• Assign Roles: Divide and conquer! Give each person a specific job—grillmaster, sous chef (that’s just a fancy word for “vegetable chopper”), dish duty, or even “chief coffee wrangler.” Not only does this take the pressure off the designated camp cook, but it also encourages everyone to pitch in.
• Rotate Meals: If you’re out for more than a night, assign each meal to a different person or pair. Some folks secretly love showing off their breakfast scramble, while others excel at managing dinner. Breaking it up keeps things fresh and ensures no one gets stuck with cleanup duty every time.
• Create a Prep Station: Set up a communal area—my trusty UltraTable has seen more dicey onion-chopping competitions than I can count. Keeping all the knives, cutting boards, and utensils in one spot means less hunting, more cooking.
• Keep it Competitive (In a Fun Way): Sometimes, a friendly cook-off over who grills the best burger or nails the fluffiest pancakes turns meal prep into evening entertainment.

Sharing the job gets everyone involved, lifts the mood, and might just inspire your next five-star camp dish.

Bringing the Outdoors to Your Plate – Fishing, Hunting, and Foraging on the Trail

There’s something undeniably satisfying about crafting a meal with ingredients you’ve sourced right from the very landscape you’re camped in. Fishing gear stashed in the rig? Perfect. Drop a line in the nearest stream, and with a bit of luck, you’ll be pan-frying trout by sundown, elevating that dinner far above anything from a tin can. If you’re venturing out during hunting season, and you’ve managed to secure the proper permits, a local game bird—think pheasant or grouse—can transform an ordinary supper into a backcountry culinary triumph.

Let’s not forget foraging. Depending on where you unroll your sleeping bag, wild berries might be in abundance. On a summer trip through Montana, for example, I lucked into a patch of wild huckleberries, tossing them into pancakes and over oatmeal for a tangy burst of local flavor. There’s nothing quite like the pop of fresh, sun-warmed berries in the morning air. Of course, safety first: bring along a trustworthy field guide, as mistaking your berries can end a trip faster than a flat tire with no spare.

Not only do these fresh finds add excitement (and a bit of bragging rights) to your meals, but they also remind you that camp cooking isn’t just about convenience—it’s about savoring the adventure itself.

Coming in for the Landing – A Solid Supper Before Settling in

Back to our narrative! So, you’ve pulled in, you’ve deployed your rooftop tent, (sorry ground dwellers. You may be a little late to the party) and it’s time to make the most of the molars God gave you. That’s right- we’re talking steak—good old-fashioned American USDA Prime beef. One of my favorite meals when I go camping, especially if I’m only going for a day or two, is a cast iron seared ribeye steak cooked in rosemary butter with fried asparagus, sauteed mushrooms, and garlic mashed potatoes. Not only is this meal fulfilling after a long drive, but the aromas are simply perfect when blended with those recently arrived, lung-saturating breaths of non-citified air.

But let’s pull back for a second—because while my ribeye ritual is a personal favorite, the beauty of camp cooking is that it’s all about dialing up those classic Americana comforts we grew up loving. Once you step up from the “just-add-water” meals, you open the door to a world of satisfying, belly-filling options: franks and beans, burgers and buns, eggs and bacon sizzling in the morning air. These are the time-tested basics, and these days, you can find premium hot dogs or brats, scratch-made buns, even fancy mustards and ketchups at most grocery stores. If you’re feeling ambitious, a bag of gourmet potato chips or some homemade potato salad rounds out the experience—everyone at camp is suddenly a lot more cheerful.

And don’t forget dessert. No camp classic beats the s’more: roasting sticks, a bag of marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers. Making s’mores isn’t just dessert, it’s an event—everyone tries for the perfect golden marshmallow, and the best attempts inevitably spark some friendly competition around the fire. Whether you’re using a portable grill, a simple grate over a fire, or even just a sturdy roasting stick, these are the moments that make camp meals memorable.

So, whether you’re going full steakhouse or sticking with all-American favorites, camp cooking is about embracing those familiar flavors and elevating them with a bit of open air and good company. Here’s what it looks like from the back of my ride at dinner time (by the way – if you’re vegan, you can likely stop here. Sorry.)

First, I’ll prep my ingredients:

• One ribeye steak – 12-16 oz.
• One cube of butter from the fridge. Cut ¼ cup, return the rest to the Dometic.
• Pull out the fresh rosemary – 2 sprigs should do it.
• While you’re in there, grab the Ziploc of 8-10 stalks of washed and trimmed asparagus you prepped before you left, and the bag of washed mushrooms you coarsely chopped (or do it now!)
• Pull out the 4 oz packet of Idahoan roasted garlic instant mashed potatoes that you keep on hand for such a time as this(come on, you know you do.)

Set up the cooktop, light the left burner for boiling water and the right for the cast iron Dutch.

• Grab the coffee pot, pull the French press filter, and fill the stainless pot with 2 cups of water; start to boil.
• Make sure the Dutch is clean, spray a light coating of oil, and put on the burner on high. Add the butter.
• Lightly season the steak. I prefer simplicity – garlic powder, Tony Chachere’s Creole salt for a little heat, and fresh ground pepper is my go-to trio.
• Strip the rosemary from 1 of the 2 sprigs, chop fine. Chop the other sprig coarse. .
• When butter is melted and just starting to bubble, add the mushrooms and a bit of the rosemary. Stir to coat, then cover for about 2 minutes. Grab your steak.
• Move the slightly sauteed mushrooms to the perimeter and drop the steak in the center of the pan. Immediately surround with the asparagus and remaining rosemary. Add the cover but be ready. If you like your steak rare to medium rare like me, this won’t take long – maybe 2-3 minutes.
• Pull the lid and flip the steak. Stir and toss the asparagus. Return the lid for a few more minutes.
• By now your water should be boiling. Grab a bowl and pour in the instant potatoes. Add the water, stir, and cover with a plate.
• Pull the lid on the Dutch and either flip your steak again, or plate it. Your call, just please don’t ruin a good steak.
• If you want your asparagus softer, quickly throw a 1/4 cup water into the Dutch and cover to steam them. Or you can plate them as-is. I prefer them a little crispier. Either way, save any butter/sauce/rosemary still in the pan for your potatoes (adding the water will almost make gravy, and eases cleanup!)

Now all that’s left is to select your beverage of choice, pull up a chair, maybe play some dinnertime tunes off a speaker, and enjoy!

Breakfast – Arguably the Most Important Meal of the Day

Whether the day’s agenda entails simply chilling at your campsite or embarking on a full day of exploration, if you’re like me, nothing starts until I’m on the other end of a morning cup of coffee (or three) and plate of solid food. My feed-me-first formula for success is simple, and yet oh-so-satisfying.

But before firing up the stove, let’s talk meal strategy for a second. Overlanding is all about planning ahead—think through what your day looks like and let that guide your meals. Are you hitting the trails hard and need a hearty breakfast for fuel? Or do you prefer to save your big meal for dinner, so you can relax and refuel after a long day? Personally, I lean toward a solid but simple breakfast and lunch while I’m on the move, saving the more elaborate cooking for the evening when I can kick back and savor it. Tailor your meal plan to your activities: big hike planned? Maybe a bigger breakfast. Easy day at camp? A light bite will do.

Now, back to my morning ritual.

After rolling back and forth about twenty times in my rooftop tent and mustering up the courage to turn off that fourth alarm and get up (and collect myself enough to find my glasses), my first priority is to make coffee. I’ll once again light the trusty Coleman from the night before, pull my manual coffee grinder from the drawer, and deposit the fruits of my effort into the French press that I got for $9 at a sporting goods thrift store on a recent stop in Boise. With the water for my coffee beginning to boil, I can begin to turn my attention to a simple and consistent breakfast for the day – bacon, eggs, and avocado toast – my breakfast holy trinity.

Breakfast Prep – Keep It Simple, Keep It Satisfying

Prep is relatively straight forward, and includes only a few items:

• 2 eggs from the REI travel vault
• 2 pieces of bread, soon to be transformed to toast
• ½ of the avocado that I’ll keep in a Ziploc bag (keep the pit still in it so it lasts longer!)
• 3 strips of Costco pre-cooked bacon from the Ziploc I packed before I left (you can make your own, but this lets me eat sooner, and as you’ve likely learned by now, that matters to me – a lot.)
• Salt, pepper

By now, water is boiling on the burner. I can pull it and use that burner for the cool little toaster tent I found at REI. I’ll also start heating my cast iron skillet for the eggs.

• When the toast is done on one side, flip. Prep the cast iron with a little butter, crack the eggs, and season as desired.
• Since the bacon is cooked (in my case), it won’t take long to heat. Place it alongside the eggs at some point.
• As the eggs are cooking, slice the avocado and spread it on the toast. Top with some salt and cracked pepper

Once your eggs are how you like them, you’re ready to rock. Stir and then press the French press, pour your coffee, and enjoy! While this simple breakfast isn’t going to win you any Michelin stars, it’s also not going to take you an hour to clean up, so take your wins and go embrace the day! After all, isn’t that why you got out and away in the first place? Game on!

Quelching the Midday Munchies

Though many may simply pack a brown bag lunch to eat on a hike, I’m more inclined to return to my food stash around noon or 1 to ingest additional sustenance of the prepared kind. Again, nothing super crazy, but I do fancy a nice grilled ham and cheese, with perhaps a sliced apple and some peanut butter. Wash it down with a tall cold hydration supplement and you’ve got yourself a suitable energy injection to hold you over till either the next dinner, or Heaven forbid, the drive home.

Here’s how break this one down:

• 2 slices of bread, 4 if it was a big morning or you skipped breakfast
• 4-5 slices of ham, and at least 2 pieces of cheese per sandwich
• Condiments optional, but I do like deli mustard sometimes
• Butter (yep still using it!) to grill the bread

Now I always thought everybody knew how to make grilled cheese, but then I went to college and got a roommate who didn’t even know how to wash a knife on his own, so I digress. For those of you who’ve led entirely too sheltered of an existence, here’s the step-by-step.

1. Heat a pan or skillet to medium-high heat. As it’s heating, grab two pieces of bread.
2. Butter only one side of each and place them BUTTER SIDE TOGETHER back on a plate.
3. On the top piece of bread (non-buttered side), place enough cheese to cover the bread.
4. Cover the cheese with 4 or 5 slices of ham. Now cover that ham with more cheese.
5. Separate the bread with the ham and cheese from the other piece of bread, placing the top piece WITH THE HAM AND CHEESE butter side DOWN on the hot pan. It will start grilling!
6. Top the sandwich, butter side OUT with the second piece of bread. It will go butter side DOWN on the pan when you flip it.
7. Watch for the bottom bread to become golden brown, flip, and repeat. You can now make a grilled cheese.

All joking aside (and yes, I did actually have a roommate who had never cooked for himself before), this is a great and satisfying camp lunch, especially paired with either fruit or some granola, or even chips. Just remember to drink plenty of fluids and stay away from sodas. I like to take hydration packets lLiquid IV is a go-to) and add one to about 12 oz of water at lunch, even if I’ve been staying fairly well hydrated during the day.

The Not-So-Secret Insurance: Freeze-Dried Meals

Before you start worrying that my pantry is all fresh bread and fancy cheese, let me let you in on a little camp-cooking insurance policy: freeze-dried meals. These lightweight wonders from brands like Mountain House or Backpacker’s Pantry aren’t just for backcountry minimalist types or your uncle prepping for the next ice age—they’re actually crazy useful to have tucked away for emergencies.

Here’s the deal:

• They last basically forever (okay, years, but close enough).
• No refrigeration required—just a snug spot in your bin will do.
• All it takes to bring ’em to life is some boiling water and a mug of patience.

Much like stashing a zero-degree sleeping bag when temps drop (even if you have a heater), having a couple freeze-dried meals as backup means you’ll never be left hungry if weather turns, plans change, or the gourmet lunch takes a digger off the tailgate. And trust me: when you’re tired, hungry, and cold, nothing beats the magic of a hot meal appearing in just a few minutes flat.

Well, there you have it. No, not sage advice from doctor-sharing peer-reviewed research on nutrition—just a 19-year-old, high metabolism outdoor enthusiast sharing my go-to recipes for non-boring nourishment. Cooking outdoors is a big part of why I enjoy overlanding and camping as much as I do. Cooking, like I’m learning about many things in life, doesn’t have to be complicated to be good. In fact, keeping it simple can often make your chances of success go up! Plus, and I truly believe this to be a part of the equation – everything just tastes better when you cook it off your tailgate, and nature is on the ingredient list.

But let’s be honest: sometimes, food just isn’t the main event. Maybe you’re out to catch that trout rising at dusk, make the summit for sunrise, or you just want to cover as much ground as you can before dark. There are nights when you roll into camp late, tired, and hungry—when the minimalist approach to cooking makes all the difference between eating and just collapsing into your sleeping bag.

On those trips, I keep it simple and satisfying. A single-burner stove, like a Jetboil or similar, can boil water in under two minutes—plenty fast for a freeze-dried meal, instant oatmeal, or a quick cup of coffee before you’re off chasing whatever adventure called you out. The variety of freeze-dried options these days is actually impressive (yes, even desserts!), and they’re about as foolproof as it gets.

For snacks and energy between meals, I pack jerky, dried fruit, nuts, and a little dark chocolate—nothing fancy, but gets the job done and keeps the kitchen clean-up to almost zero. Sometimes, you just want to do more than cook when you’re out there, and that’s perfectly fine.

Simplicity in your camp kitchen isn’t just about saving time—it’s about making room for the real reasons you’re out there. Whether you’re grilling up a cheese sandwich or tearing into a bag of trail mix after a long hike, the best meals are the ones you enjoy with a side of fresh air and whatever view you earned getting there. If it’s been a while since you’ve taken a bite beneath the stars, perhaps it’s time to grab a plate, get out there, and refresh your palate. Bon Appetit!