Last Updated on March 5, 2023 by
Going camping is a great way to step away from life’s monotony and get some fresh air. Hiking or biking during the day and snoozing under the stars by night might be just what you need to feel rejuvenated. Additionally, being out in nature encourages you to put down the electronics and lead a stress-free life for a few days.
However, you may wonder what you should take to eat. Without stoves or microwaves, some people are at a loss when creating healthy meals. With a bit of extra thought before the trip, you can ensure you’ll have healthy food to eat the entire time instead of resorting to less nutritious options. Here are some food tips to keep you in tip-top shape during your camping expedition.
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Prep at Home
It’s easy to run to the store and grab fast, unhealthy meal items, such as hot dogs, as you can quickly make them over the fire. While everyone likes to indulge occasionally, it’s not a good idea to do it frequently.
Rather than getting unhealthy items that are easy to make, you may want to consider preparing food before the trip and taking it along. If you’re not going to be gone long, you can take cold items and keep them in a cooler. However, there are alternatives if you don’t have refrigeration. For example, instead of taking cold milk, you may opt for powdered or evaporated milk.
If someone in your family has allergies, keep these issues in mind during the planning process. For instance, rice is an easy food to make and take along, but if you have a family member who suffers from a gluten allergy, you may want to reconsider. If you’re wondering, “Is rice gluten free?” it actually does contain a form of gluten. You should be extra careful when addressing allergies because sometimes food items aren’t what they seem.
Cook Over the Fire
Do you enjoy cooking over the fire? Do you love the smoky taste? If so, you can always take raw foods and cook them over an open flame. You can make anything from eggs to sausage to steamed vegetables, allowing you to mix the menu up.
Don’t forget to pack a grill grate and cast iron pots and pans to make all of your favorites. However, making food this way can be time-consuming, so you may only want to cook a few meals. You won’t want to miss out on the camping fun because you’re cooking the entire time!
Take Nutritious Snacks
If you don’t pack unhealthy options, you won’t be able to eat them. Rather than grabbing potato chips, crackers, buttery popcorn or cookies to snack on, opt for more wholesome options, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, trail mix or nuts. You can even put them in little bags or containers so anyone can grab a serving size and carry on with the camping festivities.
Stay Hydrated
If you feel hungry, your body may be trying to tell you that you’re actually thirsty, which is why it’s vital to stay hydrated. If you don’t get the water your body needs, you may overeat trying to meet this requirement. Instead of eating when you feel hungry, drink at least eight ounces of water first. If you feel full after drinking the water, you were probably only thirsty in the first place.
Further, because you’ll be getting more exercise than usual, you’ll start to lose fluids more rapidly, which means you should increase how much water you’re drinking. If you don’t particularly enjoy plain water, consider adding flavor packets or citrus fruits.
If you start to feel lethargic and experience muscle cramps, you may need to boost your electrolyte consumption. You can do so by ingesting drinks containing electrolytes or creating your own electrolyte-infused beverage.
Camping should be a fun and relaxing experience. However, letting loose a little bit doesn’t mean you should let go of your healthy eating habits the entire time, as doing so may cause you to feel stressed and tired. Instead, focus on nutritious foods so you can come back from your trip ready to take on the world.
Apart from that, if you are interested to know about the Ways Expats Can Eat Healthy on the Go then visit Food category.
