We're going camping next weekend for two nights; two adults and a little-un. If it was just the two of us, we'd go with pot noodle types for most meals, but are there any ideas for anything a little more interesting and nutritious with minimal washing up?
We're trying to avoid having to pay for all our meals from a food stand!
My friend is a scout leader and I was present one weekend when she was teaching her charges 'expedition' cooking. She'd made up a big batch of bolognese with pasta already in it...and another of brown stew. She then decanted either one or the other into 'cooking' bags and tied with a twisty. The kids then dropped their bags into boiling water (small stove and a pan) and when heated through they plonked the lot bag an all onto their tin plates. They didn't even empty out the bag they just ate out of the bags with their sporks.
No dishes, pots or plates, just a bag to discard! I thought it was brilliant. Asda sell the cooking bags, I'm sure most supermarkets do.
We tend to do all of our washing up at the tent anyway, regardless of if there are facillities or not, we just prefer it.
But to actually answer your question...we eat a lot of pasta when we are away, can be done in one pan with a jar of sauce thrown over and heated through once the pasta has been drained. Or get yourselves a disposable BBQ, then all the pots you would have is the plates and cutlery.
------------- "Better a rainy day on a hill than a sunny one in the office"
Quote: Originally posted by Tracey86 on 02/6/2013We tend to do all of our washing up at the tent anyway, regardless of if there are facillities or not, we just prefer it.
But to actually answer your question...we eat a lot of pasta when we are away, can be done in one pan with a jar of sauce thrown over and heated through once the pasta has been drained. Or get yourselves a disposable BBQ, then all the pots you would have is the plates and cutlery.
This and take paper plates so no washing up at all.
Cannot believe I didn't know about these cooking bags until now! Stealing that idea for my next wild camp right now.
When I do a wild camp on my bike I usually take pasta, a peperami and one of those stir-in sauces. I take some kitchen roll and just wipe my pot.
I'm doing a festival with my toddler soon and I will probably take things like fruit, oatcakes, cheese, smoked sausage, houmous, crackers. When we've camped before he's always been starving. I'll get him the odd burger to get a bit of meat in.
I've found that you can cook pretty much any nutritious normal meal or breakfast just by taking a large teflon (easier to clean) frying pan and a large teflon saucepan.
You can also get away with just one gas stove, I use the briefcase type camping bistro cooker and they are brilliant at about £10-15 each. You will need 2-3 canisters of gas for a weekend at about £1-2 each.
Breakfast time, get your beans in the saucepan, heat, put aside with lid on to keep warm. Then fry bacon / sausages / eggs / tinned meat on frying pan. I find that bacon keeps overnight without refrigeration, because it's cured meat, never had any problems. By the time of serving if you find the beans cooled off anyway, just give them a quick zap on the stove again just before serving.
Lunch and dinner? Pasta in the saucepan, or new potatoes with some extra veggies (carrots, green beans, etc.) thrown in the same pot a bit later. When cooked put aside with lid on and do not drain, the hot water keeps them warm. Then fry your burgers / tinned meat / sausages / chops / steaks or bolognese sauce on the frying pan.
Then comes the washing up. Take frying pan, put on stove, squirt small amount of washing up liquid and a cupful of water. Bring to a warm or hot temperature. Give it a quick rub with a washing up brush, chuck dirty water in nearest bush. Now rinse with clean cold water. Repeat with saucepan. Quick and easy, and if you use disposable plates & cutlery that's your washing up done hygienically with virtually no effort and with no facilities required!
------------- My OH is convinced that a permanent raincloud follows my tent where ever it is pitched. Apparently, I could end all drought and famine in Africa simply by pitching my tent there!
When we go to some of the big Hot Rod shows and camp there are no washing up facilities, so as someone else already said we fill the washing up bowl from the kettle and use a low table as a draining rack.
One show we went to, I cooked 15 people with no proper washing up facilties. I made chilli at home the morning of the show and reheated over a gas stove. We served it with bread and salads made everyone do their own washing up!
Most of the Cub & Scout camps I've been on the kids wash up on a table with a washing bowl filled from a big birco type boiler, but then there are usually 30+ people there!
Quote: Originally posted by 74giggles on 04/6/2013
Most of the Cub & Scout camps I've been on the kids wash up on a table with a washing bowl filled from a big birco type boiler, but then there are usually 30+ people there!
hmm, burco boiler would mean I could leave the kettle at home
You should how full the Scout kit van is when we go away with them They even take a kitchen sink for the cooking team to use. I must remember to take some photo's when we go away in July.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: No washing up facilities...what to cook!
