Low-protein camping food

A good chunk of the reason I started this blog was because of food.  Go figure; the hardest part of managing a protein disorder is the diet.

What sparked me to do it, however, was when I started planning a camping trip.  I love camping, and I like cooking; I have a great deal of experience with both.  What I didn't know how to do was low-protein camp food.  So I started looking for suggestions online.  And I was... underwhelmed.  A big green salad for dinner, when you've been hiking all day?  Meat-substitute hamburgers?  Low-protein "peanut butter"?  Zebras, we can do better.

I've done tent camping with all kinds of amenities (and barely any).  Forest glades with water, trash service, fire pits, and bagged ice a short drive away?  Sure.  Desert camping where you have to truck in your own water and haul away your garbage and wastewater?  Yep.  Cold camps?  Occasionally.  No ice available?  Not yet, but I was sketching it out after I found out I'd be camping at Big Sur when landslides blocked it to north and south, and I wasn't sure any store would be open.  So I know how important it is to cater a menu plan to what facilities you'll have.

Refrigeration is an important thing to consider.  Will you have a refrigerator or a steady supply of ice?  That affects how many perishables you bring, and in what state.  Will you have a stove, a campfire, or no heat at all?  Will easy cleanup be a big plus, such as when water is limited or wastewater disposal is an issue?  Will you have limited time to cook, and will the weather potentially make cooking outside difficult?  You need contingency plans.

There is absolutely no reason you can't eat great food with a little planning.  Make-ahead meals, creative use of leftovers, and quick one-pot dishes can make camp food some of the best you have all year.  What follows is my (ever-growing) list of meal ideas.  You'll have jealous campsite neighbors for sure!


Notes:
Even non-dairy milk needs refrigeration after opening, unless you use creamer or formula.  Factor that into your recipes.

Rice-based foods (pasta, bread, and of course rice itself) can crystallize at low temperatures, turning hard and flavorless.  Plan on either cooking fresh on site, using it for travel food on the trip to the site, or reheating it thoroughly before eating.  Bread can be kept at room temp for up to a week.

More complicated dinners like chili or stew can be made ahead, sealed in plastic bags (preferably vacuum-seal bags), then frozen.  To prepare, pull what you want out of the ice chest or refrigerator, pop it into a pot of very hot water for ten minutes (or throw it on the hot hood of a car for a bit!), and serve.  You can even keep the pot of water from day to day, if needed.

Breakfast
Egg-free (or vegan) french toast
Fried bread
Pancakes (using an egg substitute or a banana)
Home fries (bring cooked, peeled potatoes)
Hot rice cereal
Cold cereal with non-dairy milk
Fruit
Oatmeal (small portions)
Oatcakes

Lunch (or cold dinner)
Potato salad
Beet salad
Greek salad
Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves; canned or make ahead)
Coleslaw
Bread and butter
Veggie sandwiches: cucumber and vegan cream cheese, avocado and sprouts, olive salad/tapenade and lettuce, fire-roasted peppers and garlic, etc.

Hot options:
Fried rice (using leftover dinner rice)
Grilled (vegan) cheese sandwiches

Dinner
Rice spaghetti (marinara, pesto, garlic-and-butter, chimichurri...) and green salad
Skillet rice and steamed (or fire-roasted) broccoli/carrots/peppers/etc.
Indian vegetable curry with rice
Thai curry with rice
Fried or fire-toasted garlic bread
Potato-cauliflower chili
Toasted/steamed carrot dogs and gluten-free or low-pro buns (make ahead)
Potato-veggie hash (make ahead or pack cooked, peeled potatoes)
Vegetable kebabs (marinate them for an extra kick) with rice
Dutch oven-roasted potatoes and root veggies
Veggie stew
Vegetable minestrone (rice pasta optional)
Quick-cook polenta and fresh vegetable spears
Fried polenta and ratatouille

Snacks and sides
Chips (potato or tortilla, even veggie)
Popcorn
Pickles
Rice crackers
Hot buttered corn tortillas


Enjoy!