4 tips for camper cooking success
Traveling by teardrop has many advantages—not the least of which is the cost savings when it comes to dining. With some pre-planning and the right supplies, you can eat in while on the road, courtesy of your camper kitchen.
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Make your menu
Planning your menu ahead of time allows you to choose ingredients that will be used for more than one meal. For example, quick-cooking oats can be used for breakfast oatmeal and later, in fruit-and-oat scones or oatmeal cookies for dessert.
Kevin and Jennifer, who write the Tiny Camper Big Adventure blog, use a camping planner that has space for meals, ingredients and necessary equipment to ensure they only pack what they need.
Following recipes? Scan or photograph the directions rather than bringing cookbooks. And opt for one-pot meals and foods you can cook on the grill. This is supposed to be a vacation, after all!
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Stock smart
Bring compact versions of your must-have appliances and leave their larger siblings at home, and choose pans that can do double-duty. (Check to make sure your pans will fit in the camper oven!)
Once you’ve planned your menu, pack only the amount of ingredients you’ll need for those recipes. Measure, bag, label and store the packets into one plastic container. (Tip: save the labeled bags for your next trip!)
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Follow the “one-per-person” rule
You don’t need service-for-eight if there’s just two of you in the camper. On their Pure Living for Life website, Jesse and Alyssa recommend bringing one dish, plate, bowl, cup and set of silverware per person. Wash after each meal and you’ll be set for the next.
Doing some unexpected entertaining? Paper plates and plastic ware can handle the guest list. After all, no one expects white-linen service when dining al fresco!
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Buy local
Take advantage of locally grown produce. The USDA has a Farmers Market Directory with a searchable listing of markets and a Local Food Directories page with a link to on-farm markets.
If you are packing your produce, prep as much as possible while still at home to reduce on-the-road KP duty time. Anything you can do before you leave allows you to spend more time enjoying being on the road!
Last tip: keep notes on what part of your plan worked and what didn’t, what you packed that you didn’t use and what you wish you had brought. This will help you prepare for your next teardrop road trip!
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