Provisions Then and Now

I've always been a camper. Our family tradition was to take camping trips in the summer, and I’ve camped all over California and the West. It's a tradition that I am happy to have kept.

Camp provisions in the early days included eggs, bacon, cereal, milk, cookies, chips, oatmeal cups, instant noodle cups, mustard, ketchup, lunch meat, American cheese, hot dogs, hamburger meat, bread, buns, instant mashed potatoes, meatless stroganoff, and fruit. It was simple and satisfying and a break from actual cooking for my mom. Believe me, I never complained! I was always thrilled to be out on an adventure. I explored just about every inch of our campsites, looking for all types of flora and fauna, climbing small boulders, and enjoying family hikes.

At some point in my adulthood, I started upping my game for camp meals. I mean, traditions can be improved upon, after all. There were baby steps in the early days, like adding tamales to the cooler. Homemade granola instead of store-bought. Fancier cheese and baguettes. My camp meals continued to embrace a break from actual cooking, which still meant relying on pre-made and instant foods that were quickly prepared.

A bit later, I started upgrading dinner with some new heat-and-serve meals that I found in the refrigerated section at Trader Joe’s. I enjoyed their tasty beef roast and rack of lamb (each conveniently served two) on many excursions. Sadly, my side dishes in camp were still a bit unrefined. I often struggled to keep some packaged salads fresh but not frozen in the cooler so I could have some vegetables to eat. I had crudités with everything for a while!

The real turning point for my perfect marriage of gourmet meals without a lot of cooking in camp, not to mention a huge mess to clean up, came with purchasing my sous vide device, Joule. I love this device! It is worth every penny that I paid because I now have absolute freedom to choose the ingredients and seasonings for our dinners. Having vegetables makes me feel good, but having perfectly cooked asparagus, or whatever else I crave, is downright exciting. When paired with my vacuum sealer, the cooler stays tidy and fresh-smelling as a bonus.

These days, camp provisions have expanded to include ribeye steaks, pork chops, chicken breasts, peewee potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, and more. I enjoy figuring out how to add new flavors and recipes to each camping trip, and I'm always looking for more inspiration. In my experience, meals by a campfire taste extra delicious, especially after a day spent hiking. I think that my upgrades have increased the deliciousness factor even more.

Upcoming posts will have unique recipes and meal plans for short trips. I also look forward to sharing stories from the trail, lessons learned throughout my camping life, tips and tricks for comfort and safety, and much more. I invite you to check back in often.