Few things feel better than a long hike in the woods, exhausting yourself as you soak in the fresh air and tranquility. Then, back to camp, where you chip away at those health benefits with packaged hot dogs slapped into a white-bread bun with a slice of plasticky processed cheese.
It doesn’t have to be that way, says Aaron Owens Mayhew, a dietitian and long-haul trekker in Orcutt, California.
“It always made me sad that people who train so hard, they exercise, they eat well at home, and then they go backpacking and pick up honey buns,” Owens Mayhew says.
Getting outside generally improves mental and physical health. But too often, campers and hikers resort to the convenience of processed foods high in saturated fat, salt and sugar.
Here’s how to rethink campsite cooking to eat healthy while acting healthy.
Eat like you do at home
Many people rightly assume that a little processed food is fine, especially when you’re exerting outsize energy that can help counter excess calories. The problem lies in the way the body processes it, says Owens Mayhew, who founded Backcountry Foodie, a website dedicated to bringing nutrition to the trail.
Simple carbohydrates like sugary baked goods and candy bars can cause rapid blood glucose spikes followed by a sharp drop, leaving hikers more fatigued than before. Meanwhile, heavily processed foods tend to be dense in calories but lacking the vitamins, minerals and protein the body needs to perform well.
A healthy diet can provide consistent energy throughout the day and improved recovery.
“I like to think of food as one variable that can be controlled, unlike a sprained ankle or bad weather,” Owens Mayhew says.
She suggests finding ways while in the wilderness to continue eating the same foods you would have at home. Instead of frying bacon and eggs on the fire because that’s what you did at camp as a kid, have that bran cereal you eat every morning, this time with powdered milk.
Many of the recipes on Owens Mayhew’s website are healthier versions of her family’s classic recipes, including tuna casserole, garlic-Parmesan noodles and sweet potato casserole. As a supplement to grilled meat or fish, she suggests packing instant brown rice, quinoa or couscous, which are lightweight, healthy and require only boiled water.
To boost flavor, add fresh ginger, herbs, or garlic or onion powder. Adding nuts, dried mushrooms, grated Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes or dried fruit turns the starch into a meal of its own.
Prep meals at home
Cooking at camp is much harder than when you’re comfortably home in your kitchen, so winging it is usually a bad idea, says Rashad Frazier, founder of Camp Yoshi, a gourmet adventure outfitter.
Well before a trip, take time to plan meals and prep as many ingredients as will stay fresh in zip-top bags or containers. Chopping onions or grating fresh ginger at home frees time to enjoy the sunset and spend time with family when you’re outdoors.
Frazier’s cookbook, “Cook Out,” devotes a section to pantry ingredients that can be prepped at home. His universal spice mix, salsa verde, chutneys, curry paste, pickled onions and other flavor boosters pack a punch without adding many calories. They can be mixed and matched, he says, with whatever meat, vegetables or grains you have.
Also, always have an emergency backup meal for when bad weather or other factors ruin your plans, Frazier says. His is a Bolognese sauce that he keeps in the freezer until leaving. But a homemade pureed soup or even peanut butter and jelly can be a lifesaver.
Campsite recipes
Here are two recipes to elevate campsite cooking:
Universal Camping Spice Mix
Ingredients
■ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
■ 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
■ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
■ 1 teaspoon thyme
■ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
■ ½ teaspoon onion powder
■ ½ teaspoon cayenne (adjust to spice preference)
Directions
Mix at home and put into a sealed container. Rub onto any meat, fish or vegetable before cooking on a well-oiled grill.
— From “Cook Out” by Rashad Frazier
Parmesan Pesto Ramen
One serving
Ingredients
■ 1 package ramen noodles
■ 2 tablespoons pine nuts or almonds
■ 1 tablespoon dried basil (or 2 tablespoons fresh, if available)
■ ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
■ ⅛ teaspoon table salt
■ 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
■ 3 tablespoons olive oil
■ 6 ounces water
Directions
At home, discard the ramen’s high-salt seasoning packet. Create a pesto packet by putting the nuts, herbs, garlic and cheese into a small baggie. At camp, boil water to cook the pasta, discard the water when tender, and stir in the pesto packet and oil. Tear fresh basil if you have it and stir it in.
— Backcountry Foodie
