Unless you re camping during cold weather, select foods that do not have to be refrigerated. Meats will be safe for the first night out even without a cooler if frozen solid, wrapped in foil, and tucked into towels or clothing. Canned or dried beans, peanut butter, tuna, or canned chicken are good choices for protein. A loaf of white bread may not survive the trek in your backpack without being smashed, but bread with a crisper crust will resist damage. Dried milk is lightweight and easy to incorporate in recipes that use milk, even if you don t enjoy drinking it.
Potatoes are excellent camp food sturdy, versatile, and satisfying.
Vegetable oil, olive oil, and margarine all travel well. With a few basic cooking utensils, you can create masterpieces in camp cuisine. All you really need is a sturdy pot with a lid, a spoon, spatula, serving dishes such as lightweight plates, bowls, and cups, and flatware. Food can just as easily be fried in a pot as on a skillet. Bring aluminum foil for wrapping food to cook buried in hot embers.