Plant-Based Camping Meals
I’ve been off the grid for the past few days, so sorry for not being as active recently! I spent some wonderful and much needed days away from my computer (and decent cell service). We went on several gorgeous hikes, a canoe adventure, and even had a few chilly dips in the lake! It was a lovely staycation to end off the summer and see parts of our province that we hadn’t explored before!
One of my favourite parts about camping is the cooking. Although everything takes a bit of extra effort when you’re not in your home kitchen, it feels like such an accomplishment to be able to make your own meals outdoors!
Camping meals are usually as simple as they can get, so whether you’re a camper or just looking for some really simple plant-based meals to make outside or bring to your next picnic, these are a few of the plant-based meals we cooked:
(TIP: You don’t need to buy new fancy camping equipment! If you don’t have anything, check with your friends and family to see if you can borrow their equipment and if you need to buy, check secondhand! We borrowed my parent’s camp-stove from the 80’s and it worked like a charm!)
1. Reheated Vegan Chilli
I made this protein-packed chilli knowing we’d need the energy for our long hikes! I used texturized vegetable protein for a beefy texture. Pre-cooking this ahead of time made it so easy to just reheat quickly on the stove. (topped with Daiya cheddar cheese shreds) Recipe coming soon!
2. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a quick and easy breakfast, and it can be so filling and satisfying when you add the right toppings. I top mine with coconut yogurt (helps to keep the oatmeal moist and creamy), bananas and peanut butter.
3. Fire-Roasted Veggie Dogs
For those meals when it’s getting dark and you don’t feel like firing up the camp-stove, veggie hotdogs/sausages on the fire are the perfect dinner! You can save the leftovers to have as breakfast sausages the next morning.
4. Spaghetti with TVP Bolognese Sauce
Pasta and sauce is a really simple camping meal, especially if you can make it all in one pot (when it comes to camping: the less dishes, the better). I used pre-made tomato sauce to keep it simple, and added in Texturized Vegetable Protein for the bolognese. TVP is a great “meat” alternative for camping because it’s filling, packs well, and doesn’t need to stored in a cooler!
5. Vegan Cold-Cut Sandwich
For those on-the-go meals, sandwiches are an easy meal to prep at your campsite! I made this sandwich using (all vegan) mayo, butter, cheese, and soy protein “turkey” cold cuts for my lunch on our 18km hike.
6. Chickpea Omelette Breakfast
For a hearty vegan breakfast, chickpea omelettes are easy to pack and make! Even if you’re not vegan, packing a small container of chickpea flour is so much easier than packing a carton of eggs! We added mushroom and tomato to our omelettes and served them with toast and beans.
7. Vegan S’mores!
What’s a camping trip without s’mores?! Though original marshmallows aren’t vegan, there’s many vegan marshmallow alternatives! I use Dandies marshmallows and any dark/dairy free chocolate bar.
I hope these help you with planning your next camping trip or even provide some inspiration for simple vegan meals to eat at home. What are your favourite camping meals?
