Vegetarian Meal Ideas For Camping Trips?

Discussion in 'Vegetarian' started by Ashalicious, Jun 20, 2016.

  1. Ashalicious

    Ashalicious Senior Member

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    Hit me!

    This is my first summer as a Vegetarian, so there will need to be a bit of extra meal planning on my part when it comes time to go camping this summer.

    Ideally I'd like meal ideas that I can freeze in plastic bags, and then the bags will act as extra ice packs in my cooler. I was thinking my vegetarian curry would be a good option here, and I also make a pretty tasty pasta with veggie ground round - does pasta freeze okay once cooked, though?

    For snacks - lots of veggies and fruit, hummus. Does hummus freeze okay?

    Protein - I wont be able to make my elaborate smoothies when I am in the bush, so I guess I am just going to have to shake my Whey in some water and chug it. Not my ideal way to get my protein, but what else can I do? I don't eat meat, fish, or tofu (aside from the little amounts of tofu in my veggie burgers). I could cook up some quinoa and chickpeas and bring a quinoa salad for protein, but I will need at least 80 - 100 grams of protein a day.

    Breakfast??

    I need primarily dinner and lunch ideas here, guys! This isn't just a two night car camping trip that doesn't require much planning.
     
  2. MeAgain

    MeAgain Dazed & Confused Lifetime Supporter Super Moderator

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    There are lots of dry veggie meals that don't need freezing, like variations of mac and cheese and rice. They're all over the grocery store.

    As spaghetti is already dried you could make, aglio e olio, which we always pronounced aya oil (alla-ul).
    It's just basically olive oil, garlic, and spaghetti noodles. You just fry up some garlic in olive oil and toss in some boiled noodles. My wife adds a little tomato paste (a tablespoon). There are recipes all over the net. Very good.

    Supposesly you can freeze pasta once cooked but I never tried it, so you could freeze aglio e olio.
     
  3. MeAgain

    MeAgain Dazed & Confused Lifetime Supporter Super Moderator

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    Oatmeal for breakfast, cream of wheat, veggie burritos, pancakes.
     
  4. Ashalicious

    Ashalicious Senior Member

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    I am aware there are lots of meals that don't need freezing, however my motivation with freezing our meals is so I can minimize cooking and the amount of dishes I have to do. I hate doing dishes while camping.

    I have some friends who froze all of their meals in ziplock bags when they went to Burning Man one year. The frozen bags of food acted as extra ice packs in their cooler, and they heated the food up in the bags, and ate the food from the bags, and had next to no dishes that needed to be done. I am not expecting my husband to eat his food out of a ziplock bag, but washing a plate or two and some utensils wouldn't be that big of a deal for me.
     
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  5. MeAgain

    MeAgain Dazed & Confused Lifetime Supporter Super Moderator

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    When I used to backpack I carried one small pot, a pint maybe. Here's the kit, we just used the small pot and lid at the lower right for a meal for two people.

    [​IMG]
    Same pot for coffee water, soup etc. We also carried two stainless steel spoons, and two insulated mugs, something like these:

    [​IMG]
    They were our coffee mugs, soup bowls, and plates. No other utensils at all. Cleaning involved wiping with a fabric scratch pad and rinsing.
     
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  6. Ashalicious

    Ashalicious Senior Member

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    I suppose I could just set up a full kitchen.....
     
  7. TheGhost

    TheGhost Auuhhhhmm ...

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    That's a big no no. Make the pasta fresh.
     
  8. morrow

    morrow Visitor

    Apart from pasta, everything can be frozen, including your smoothie, rice is a great frozen alternative to pasta, and fruit berries are great..pancakes for breakfast with fresh (frozen) fruit.
    Prepare all your favourite meals, and freeze, have a great time Ash,
     
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  9. drumminmama

    drumminmama Super Moderator Super Moderator

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    Slightly undercooked orzo might work. Try in at home first. Different versions of orzo are finicky.
    Rather than freezing solid, a noodle salad, chilled, would hold about three days. Thai peanut sauce would bring protein.


    I'd go with rice as a frozen option.
    Hummus freezes well, and so does guacamole.
    Look at the Vega meal options to replace smoothies. Vegan and not disgusting. I pick up a few packets here and there, rather than a big container.

    You said this isn't car camping, but you have a cooler?
    Is this a drive in and set up situation?
    Is it a short hike in?

    I never tried a cooler at Rainbow. Too far, too bulky. Small tent.


    How many days?
    What does he eat?
    Does a meal need to be hot? Can sandwiches or salad do?
     
  10. Ashalicious

    Ashalicious Senior Member

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    We have one cooler, and I am going to borrow another one, so we will be bringing two. Ideally I'd like one cooler to have all of our frozen food and food that needs to stay cold, and the other cooler will have our dry food and hopefully kitchen utensils if it will all fit.

    We will be camping for one week. I don't remember the last time I went on a week long camping trip. I think it was back in 2009 when I camped in Newfoundland for 10 days with my ex.

    My husband will eat, for the most part, anything. Sandwiches would be fine, salads would be fine as well. The meal doesn't need to be hot, but it is nice to have a hot meal for supper while camping.

    I am not sure how long the hike in is, as I've never camped at this spot before. It is on the island somewhere, and we have to get up at 4am to catch a ferry there.

    If hummus freezes well, then I will do that and we can have hummus and veggies for snacks. Pasta salad is an excellent idea as well, thank you!
     

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