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JohnR
3rd January 2009, 05:15 PM
OK, We just spent six nights camping which I know is not a record but it did make us think that in July we are going on the Colonel's Cape Cusade and the thought of planing and packing 3 meals plus snacks a day for two 2 year olds, a 5 year old, Mum and Myself is a little daunting. :o

So I thought I might start a menu planing thread. OK all you long term campers give us your best ideas. Keeping in mind three little kids they need to be quick, simple, not too much prep., long life and kid friendly.

Bring it on :D

Cheers,

Tank
3rd January 2009, 05:29 PM
I cook all my meals, except breakfast, before going and vacuum seal in single or double serves, depending on how many to feed, freeze and then store in Engel fridge till as needed, bung them in a pot of boiling water, snip and serve, the boiling water is then used to wash up afterwards, amazing how many meals you can store this way, Regards Frank.

hoadie72
3rd January 2009, 05:36 PM
I do something similar, cook up lots of frozen meals, soup etc, then on the day I want to use it transfer from the fridge/freezer to a thermo cooler - keeps the thermo from using too much power.

rangieman
3rd January 2009, 05:43 PM
Get a jaffel iron (toasted sangers) baked beans and cheeze yummy;)
A good quick meal:D

waynep
3rd January 2009, 05:48 PM
Agree with the jaffle iron - best thing since sliced bread ;)

Easy and kids love them - fillings are only limited by your imagination.

For the adults, I discovered Stagg's Chilli ( from the tin ) makes a great jaffle filling.

Good way to use up stale bread too

Xavie
3rd January 2009, 06:18 PM
I think if your going to cook that stir fry's are excellent.and you can easily organise the vegies for over a week to stay good. Vacuum packing is an excellent idea on some things.

Also, roasts in a camp oven are easy... just chuck your meat and veggies in but they take a while... However, if you do a bit extra you can leave some meat for sambos and stuff.

Also... what cooking gear do you use? If I have a hot plate I'd easily just take bbq type things and a billy for veg and stuff and do the odd pontiac rapped in foil in the coals... but it depends on your own situation. The roast and stir fry is good as meals can be taken out of these for the kiddies too.

hoadie72
3rd January 2009, 08:21 PM
Get a jaffel iron (toasted sangers) baked beans and cheeze yummy;)
A good quick meal:D


Agree with the jaffle iron - best thing since sliced bread ;)

Easy and kids love them - fillings are only limited by your imagination.

For the adults, I discovered Stagg's Chilli ( from the tin ) makes a great jaffle filling.

Good way to use up stale bread too
I'd hate to spend a week or 2 camping with you lot!

Xavie
3rd January 2009, 08:40 PM
LOL. I was thinking a v similar thing Hoadie!

I mean I except that it is easy but for a long period.... no wayz!

inside
3rd January 2009, 08:43 PM
Just got back from 5 nights with a 7 month who is not completely on solids but still 3 meals a day. Avocado and brie cheese work well and keep for a while in the fridge. Plenty of fruit which is good this time a year as it's in season. Spaghetti is great, we make our sauce form scratch at home then mix with pasta at the camp site. Leftovers are heated in a pot the next day. Bread works well but why not take a few bread mixes and cook in the camp oven? The kids will enjoy mixing it together and it goes well with the above avocado and brie.

We purchased an Aussie Camp Oven from here Camping and outdoor cookware, fish smoker, cookers and frypans - Southern Metal Spinners (http://www.southern-metal-spinners.com.au/camping-page.html) Using the lid you brown/cook the meat then feed the kids, You then put the adult meat in with a curry mix or similar and put on the fire. The kids eat their meat with a few sides (pasta from spaghetti works well) and by the time they're in bed a nice curry for you to enjoy in peace is ready. Again save left overs for the next day.

Above all what will make your life easier is when cooking dinner plan for tomorrow's lunch that can be easily reheated on the go.

rangieman
3rd January 2009, 08:44 PM
I'd hate to spend a week or 2 camping with you lot!
Your welcome any time mate;)

JohnR
3rd January 2009, 10:00 PM
Precooking and freezing is good, Jaffels are good, not so sure how "easy and quick" stir fry's and roasts are. We'll have to try the Steggles Chilli. The kid's went nuts over Kraft Braise Steak and Vegies with rice? How simple was that :eek: So Chilli sounds good. I am also thinking tinned peas, corn and carrots.

Remember we're talking 4 weeks minimum away and three crazy kids to entertain!

Cheers,

Col.Coleman
3rd January 2009, 11:47 PM
John,

Easiest way is to do a rough menu for the four weeks, or one week and duplicate it. Work out what you can take that will keep, what supplies you can replenish on the way.

On the road and transport sections, use convenience places for meals, such as the dreaded McD for brekkie, and save your food for when we get into the bush proper. Try to limit the snacks, (hard with bored kids) as you will balloon out by the end of 4 weeks.

I plan to do a menu plan for ourselves and portion and cryovac fresh things such as meat. Ready cut and portioned steaks, strips and diced.

Stirfry's are quick, easy and tasty with minimal clean up. Rice and noodles you can cook by pouring hot water over, replace lid and by the time you have cooked the rest your rice/noodles will be done.

Then again, I go stupid with cooking while away so don't listen to me.

CC

EchiDna
3rd January 2009, 11:47 PM
IMHO, your 5 year old can do a fair bit of the prep for cooking (except the chopping and hot bit) with some practice. e.g. my 4 year old makes fresh pasta with minimal input from me - he weighs the flour himself and loves getting "floury" mixing in the eggs etc... takes 20 minutes or so which is plenty of time for me to make a sauce and get everything ready to roll out the noodles or whatever. All you need is a big enough bowl to balance on their knees to do the mixing or a low enough table. Alternatively, it can be an exercise in reading the recipe to you as you/they gather the ingredients to cook and or getting the bedding sorted out for the tent/camper or whatever you use.

IMHO, don't underestimate the abilities of the kids and they can (and will) happily join in to help and actually make it a fun/educational cooking with them. After a day sitting in the back of the car, they want to get some "me time" with mum and dad - this is often the food prep or cooking in our house as it has to be done and the kids want our attention - drag em into it and while it might take a while longer, the time is a pleasure and no chore at all.

2 year olds are obviously less capable and a bit different, but they still love to participate, even if it is only carrying a tin of anchovies from mum to dad or whatever...

clean32
4th January 2009, 03:25 AM
about all you need

Bigbjorn
4th January 2009, 09:13 AM
What is wrong with the traditional drover's breakfast? A leak, a Havelock fine cut rollie, and a Bundy.

B92 8NW
4th January 2009, 09:16 AM
What is wrong with the traditional drover's breakfast? A leak, a Havelock fine cut rollie, and a Bundy.

Right here. except I don't smoke.:D

vnx205
4th January 2009, 03:27 PM
We would often cook enough of some sort of stew for about three nights.
We might have it plain that night with fresh veges and freeze the rest in two batches.
The second night all we had to do was add a bit of curry, reheat and serve with pasta.
The third night maybe add even more curry and serve with rice.

We found it pretty quick and easy and provided a sort of Claytons variety or the appearance of variety when really there wasn't much.

That system seemed particularly suitable for those times when we were able to shop once or twice a week but would obviously need some modification for a longer time away from civilisation.

waynep
5th January 2009, 11:56 AM
I'd hate to spend a week or 2 camping with you lot!

Not saying that jaffles are the ONLY thing we eat. ;)

weeds
5th January 2009, 12:02 PM
i used my parrents dream pot? when i toured tasmania....top bit of kit, in the morning put all the the stuff for a stew in, boil for 10min, lid on, pack into car or campertrailer, pull up for dinner and your meal is ready to go.

same goes with a piece of corn meat, cooks while you drive......they have plenty of other meals that you can do as well

JohnR
5th January 2009, 12:12 PM
Heh Weeds, whats a "dream pot"? Is it like a camp oven?

Cheers,

hoadie72
5th January 2009, 12:13 PM
Not saying that jaffles are the ONLY thing we eat. ;)
Thank god for that cos doesn't methane displace oxygen? lol

allan l
5th January 2009, 03:42 PM
Dream Pot is a proprietary name for an insulated container designed to keep things hot enough that they continue to cook. A BIG thermos flask! (In fact I think that Thermos, another proprietary name, also make something similar.)

I have one and they're good if you've got room, they're a bit bulky.

Just to ensure that temps stay up during the day (above the temp at which the bacteria start to work:mad:) I quickly reheat the cooking container at lunch time for 5 to 10 mins and pop it back in the Dream Pot.

Google them.

PS. Think of the old Crock-pot, or electric slow cooker, but without the power source!

hoadie72
5th January 2009, 04:10 PM
Dream Pot is a proprietary name for an insulated container designed to keep things hot enough that they continue to cook. A BIG thermos flask! (In fact I think that Thermos, another proprietary name, also make something similar.)

I have one and they're good if you've got room, they're a bit bulky.

Just to ensure that temps stay up during the day (above the temp at which the bacteria start to work:mad:) I quickly reheat the cooking container at lunch time for 5 to 10 mins and pop it back in the Dream Pot.

Google them.

PS. Think of the old Crock-pot, or electric slow cooker, but without the power source!
Funny you should mention that, I just had a look at one of these in a camping shop!

I had wondered about how safe it was to leave things things simmering (or is that festering?) away all day without heat.. how hot is the food if you DON'T give it some extra heat during the course of the day?

vnx205
5th January 2009, 04:15 PM
Dream Pot is a proprietary name for an insulated container designed to keep things hot enough that they continue to cook. A BIG thermos flask! (In fact I think that Thermos, another proprietary name, also make something similar.)

I have one and they're good if you've got room, they're a bit bulky.

Just to ensure that temps stay up during the day (above the temp at which the bacteria start to work:mad:) I quickly reheat the cooking container at lunch time for 5 to 10 mins and pop it back in the Dream Pot.

Google them.

PS. Think of the old Crock-pot, or electric slow cooker, but without the power source!

Or think "Hay Box Cooking" which you might have done if you are old enough to have been in the Scouts in the latter half of the previous century.

It worked on exactly the same principle; get the meal cooking for a few minutes and then put the container in a cardboard box lined with dry grass for insulation. The retained heat completed the cooking while you went off and did other things.

Blknight.aus
5th January 2009, 06:16 PM
take your jaffle iron. anything that passes as a meal can be redone in a jaffle iron.

2 minute noodles and some meal in a can (chunky soups/stews) as backups.

zulu Delta 534
5th January 2009, 06:45 PM
Just be careful with tinned goodies as corrugated roads, vibrations etc can cause havoc with tins and their markings over a period of time. Take note of the can markings on the tin itself rather than on the labels as they dont usually scuff off.
Fray Bentos makes some real good pies in a tin that cook up magically in a camp oven.
We always try to carry enough emergency rations for 5 days consisting of a mix of powdered back up gear potato, milk, custard, freeze dried meals etc. Rosella make some good powdered mixes that only require water and this is always handy to have as, should an emergency not occur, the stuff will still keep and you can bring it home.
Apart from that we generally eat the same sort of stuff we eat at home rotating around a menu based on the basic meat sources, steak, chops, sausages, mince, chicken or fish. When we went to the cape in 83 our fridge failed on day 3 but we still ate exceptionally well for the remainder of the month. Meat is available at most of the roadhouses, decent veges are a bit harder to find but you can carry you own (in a hammock style carrier swinging from the roof rack or other suitable part - the swinging action saves the mashing effect of corrugations).
We have been using a "dream pot" now for about 10 years and it leaves "sliced bread" so far in its wake that its not funny. We also dont go anywhere without the Jaffle iron.
Regards
Glen

Barra1
5th January 2009, 08:12 PM
Some great ideas there mate.;) Especially regarding the cooking implements etc.

A few things for consideration though.

The best (and first place) to start is - what have you got to carry the food in?

Might be an idea to you use your Engel (or Waeco, Explorer - whatever) as a freezer. But use it to its maximum benefit. Freeze the main ingredient - not the meal. This will conserve space.

Considering 60% of your "eatees" are five or under Chilli Con Carne is probably not going to cut it two or three nights in a row.

Then consider the cooking impliments. Boudourie? Fantastic - you can cook a toasted sanger in there without the inherent heat that is retained by a jaffle iron (God IS that going to stir a few retorts - what I mean is - a toasted sanger in the bedourie will not have the heat that is generated by the "pie" effect that is generated by the jaffle - much better for a two year old).

Best of all though is that you cook a loaf of bread in the bedourie - you have plenty of time to practice - best get to it.

You can also whack up donuts (roll 'em in castor sugar" put 'em in a container and give them to the kids the next door - a great little snack. And mate, White Wings is your friend regarding snacks and a bedourie - the muffin mixture - get a six-muffin tray - it will fit a bedourie - chocy muffins, another snack for the kids.

Just on that - the food you will feed them is probably not the food you would feed them for the next 15 years. You want it easy and filling - it is only four weeks. So muffins twice on a four week trip is no great thing.

Whilst we are on snacks - cheese sticks, breakfast bars - and if you are game - dried apricots etc (get the little fellas used to them before you go). All of these things take little space.

Have a look at your timetable - will you really want to cook a big breakfast every morning - and then pack up etc.

Take paper bowls, breakfast cereals and long life milk -for everybody (weet bix are good) - and remember the bread you cooked last night - yep, a slice of toast if you have time otherwise give it a miss.

Lunch? Do you want to stop and cook a meal or relax. That is why you get a leg of ham, slice and cryvac "luncheon" packs before you go. Yep - ham and cheddar slices on the bread you cooked last night - and if you didn't - on the pack of Kraft Premium Biscuits you brought along. Oh yeah, these biscuits are gold to kids - with vegemite on them. Light to pack and easy to store.

Lunch on other days - didn't say I was against jaffles - just provided an alternative for two year olds. You just may have cooked last nights leftovers in the jaffle as the fire died - and now it is today's lunch for the little fellas - and it won't burn their mouths.

Dinner? Remember the remark about freezing the main ingredients? Food that lays flat or easily packed. Safeway market Tasmanian Salmon steaks which are already frozen and cryvaced. These with a rice make a good meal - and the little guys will love it - not to mention M&D. Salmon with pasta also.

Take a roast - like a piece of Topside (no bone) and makes for tomorrow's lunch also.

Bacon - check out the use-by date on the supermarket packed stuff - buy the smaller packets - just enough for a meal.

Check out some recipe books on how to knock up Bacon and Onion Fritters, a steak pie with a top layer of puffed pastry (frozen pastry sheets in your freezer).

Oh yeah - desert - a can of peaches and the puffed pastry sheets - make a peach turnover and cook it in your bedourie - with a little spray of that can of whipped cream you have in the esky.

The esky? Yep, the frozen stuff is in the fridge so have an esky with a couple sheets of those "ice sheets" - four sheets - two in the esky (one on top) and two re-freezing in the Engel. The esky should be just big enough - too much room = equals not very much cold.

Other meals - canned tuna. Make tuna patties - gee tuna patties once a week is not much (make 'em with powdered potato and breadcrumbs - whack onions in the ones for M&D) - and these are great on the bread the next day.

Tuna curry (LIGHT curry) for the kids and M&D.

So..............

Cryvac the meat and then freeze it.

Mince is great. Makes great little meat balls in pasta - and you can mix a few with extra chilli garlic etc for M&D.

Sausages? Freeze 'em and then cryvac them otherwise the guts get sucked out of 'em. Great on a piece of bread with sauce.

And........Engel/Esky; Bedourie/Saucepan/Jaffle; learn to make bread; check out some recipes and modify them for the trip.

Keep breakfast simple; make lunch the night before and enjoy the family experience of cooking each night.;)

Redback
5th January 2009, 08:21 PM
What is wrong with the traditional drover's breakfast? A leak, a Havelock fine cut rollie, and a Bundy.

My Mum used to have a Bex and a cup of tea, a cough and a smoke for breakie:D

Baz.

weeds
5th January 2009, 09:09 PM
meat and three veg was the standard on my simpson trip, the water form boiling the veg was the dishes

i ran a second 32L fridge as a freezer, froe all the meat, made some pasta sauces and froze them as well

it was all a little eaier, i onlt had one 5 going on six year old

slug_burner
5th January 2009, 09:47 PM
Whatever you cook at home you can cook on a camp fire with the right implements. Then again I find that people who can't cook resort to all sorts of pre-cooked canned or frozen meals when they are away.

Cooking on a gas camping stove has hairs on it, it takes for ever and the space is limited. Gas cookers only to be used for boiling water when it is not convinient to start a fire. This can be a problem if you chose to stay in camp grounds (i.e., caravan parks). Then you probably want a break from cooking and go to the pub or local fish and chip shop.

Think about what you want to eat and how you are likely to make it. You don't want to have to wait two hours every night for a roast in the camp oven but if your holding up in one spot for more than a day go the roast. Or just pull up early and give the cook sometime to get the roast done. Just take the kids out exploring and you can get on with it while Mum entertains the kids.

When camping out of a car weight is less important so don't worry about the aluminium pots etc, cast iron or rolled steel make good implements that are tough and don't have plastic handles.

Just remember flames burn, get your bed of coals and then start cooking.

Condiments always help. I have been on trips where I was the only bloke with a salt and pepper shaker. Some luxuries are always good. I take a coffee plunger and some ground roast. After a meal on in the morning just boil the billy and pour and then plunge, that smell gets them coming from neighbouring camp sites. A nice red with the roast or chops.

Kids what do they eat? snags, fish if you can catch it (or fish fingers/fillets) anything that goes on the BBQ plate. Spaghetti and meat sauce ir bacon and onions with a cream sauce. Everything tastes better with cheese or so I am told by the jaffle brigade.

Fresh is always best and tastier. Remember you are going to go through towns, or even roadhouses, after all the vehicle needs fuel. You don't have to pack everything before you leave. Just stack the fridge with the high cost items before you leave and then plan to restock at the bigger towns.

Planning Prevents P1ss Poor Performance, the 5 Ps.

JohnR
5th January 2009, 10:24 PM
Heh Barra1,

Some awsome ideas man. I am guessing you have camped a lot and with kids.

I've been camping since I was born as my parents are founding members of the family bushwalking association of Queensland. So a lot of these ideas are not new but I always believe in listening to other peoples thoughts and taking the best parts :p

The Bedourie looks just like something we used to cook in when I was little. I think one of these might be on our shopping list and we can start cooking in it at home for a while to see whats possible.

I agree that B'fast and luches need to be kept simple. B'Fast is going to be our biggest challenge. Getting up, fed and packed up in time for the starters horn :eek:

Thanks for you input, some great ideas have been poping up on this thread and I am writing them down so we can start forming a menu of sorts.

Keep the ideas coming guys :D

Cheers,

subasurf
19th January 2009, 10:52 AM
On my long trips (ie: Canning Stock Route) etc, we always just eat what me manage to shoot or catch ;)
But then again, we had permission from the Aboriginal elders of the land we were on :)

CraigE
19th January 2009, 11:11 AM
The list is endless. But generally we have lots of BBQ's but vary what you cook (steak, amrinated chicken, various sausages, veal, schnitzels etc) but also prep some before leaving (eg spaghetti sauce - reheat and cook pasta, easy, Vietnamese curry which I am prepping today for Thomas River) etc. As said the vaccum bag idea is great and on our list to get. We also do camp ovens and these are easy. One of the best things you can get is a ring burner and a large camp oven, most items can be cooked in one from roasts to casseroles to spaghetti and even sweets. This allows most of this to be done even in fire bans.
We also like cheeses, antipasto or tapas plates for some variety.

McDisco
20th January 2009, 08:55 PM
I find a handy tips for an easy lunch or even dinner is precooked pasta. We cook a bit of extra pasta, let it cool and then oil it a bit to stop it from sticking. Combined with semi dried tomatoes, hams, salami, canned beans, veges or a can of tuna with some mayo and a bit of salad dressing makes a nice salad and is very variable. Quick to knock up too...

Angus

abaddonxi
20th January 2009, 10:22 PM
Brown rice, tin of Sole Mare tuna (already comes in olive oil), tahini and soy sauce on the rice.

Brown rice only takes twenty-five minutes if you boil the water before you pour it on the rice. If your really keen chop up some veggies and steam them on top of the rice in the last five minutes.

Slices of chorizo instead of the tuna work a treat, too.

Leave out the veggies and you can keep it all inside the Trangia in the back of the truck, room for a tea bag, too.

Simon

d@rk51d3
20th January 2009, 10:31 PM
For dessert, dust off that jaffle iron again.

Banana and maple or golden syrup.:thumbsup:

EchiDna
20th January 2009, 10:59 PM
you can do the same with extra rice, extra boiled spuds... anything to save on cooking lunch when on the move and to get away from boring old sangers I reckon :)

Debacle
20th January 2009, 11:09 PM
I find a handy tips for an easy lunch or even dinner is precooked pasta. We cook a bit of extra pasta, let it cool and then oil it a bit to stop it from sticking. Combined with semi dried tomatoes, hams, salami, canned beans, veges or a can of tuna with some mayo and a bit of salad dressing makes a nice salad and is very variable. Quick to knock up too...

Angus

If you are going to cook pasta, best to cook a heap of it, then when it's drained and cooled put it in a container with heaps of parmesan and shake it a fair bit to coat it. Makes the pasta last up to about ten days as long as it's kept cool. Good also for grabbing a handful for inbetween meal munchies.

Distortion
21st January 2009, 01:16 AM
May be a bit off topic but someone might find these interesting

Solar Cooking - with Solar Cookers and Solar Ovens in Australia! (http://www.solarcooking.com.au/)

I wanted to see if I could mount one on the top of the car/trailer and have it cooking as we're going along.

Last trip I took up north to coral bay we had a box type and were going to try and mount it in the sun roof hole of a mates car and start cooking in the back of the car to keep us entertained.
An accident with the flour while trying to make a cake on a test run put an end to it though.

One concern was it reflecting into other drivers eyes but theres so much other shiny stuff on cars I doubt it would make much difference

Rastas000
21st January 2009, 02:09 PM
I swear by my Dream pot, and the Cobb Cooker. I have not used a camp oven for years, mainly due to weight. However, after seeing one of the Aussie Camp Oven's in use the other day (spun metal not cast) I could be convinced to add this to the stable.

The Dream Pot is great for porridge brekkies or as a chiller for Bircher muesli. If I am not cooking in it for the day, it can be used as a smaller esky...

I do all sorts in the dreampot if we are travelling for the day. Certainly food needs a top up of temp on the 10 hr days (particularly if the pot is not FULL)

The Cobb Cooker is brilliant and I can do roasts, cakes, and even boil the billy for washup and a cuppa at the end oft he meal...

Food wise, I have experimented with dehydrated meats, and cannot stand the texture, but at a pinch it will keep me alive.

The rest of the time, I can cook and freeze 14 days of meals (evening) and with the ability for leftovers the next day. Let the vacuum mack maching be your friend.

The standby for me is frozen tomata base for any meal (Pasta, stew, chicken meal, even sausages in a sauce) with a little box of herbs and spices..

We eat better while away than we do at home, mainly because we think about it and plan.


The kids eat what we eat, and if they don't they go hungry. They have lived witht his for years. (Except for seafood)

Oh, and the best thing of all, one of the commercial potato poweders (Knoors/maggi/edgells) as a potato mix, crispy coating for anything, thickener for the runny stew... BRILLIANT!!!!

Utemad
21st January 2009, 02:48 PM
Figure out how many meals you are going to need and pack 4 slices of bread per meal. Pack another 4 slices per day for inbetweens. Then get some bbq chickens. How many chickens depends on how much chicken you like on each sandwich and whether or not you like stuffing.
Add your fizzy drink of choice for flavouring.

That's what I normally do anyway if by myself. Leaves more time for socialising or fixing things. BBQs etc are good if you can spare the time or if my wife comes.

The ho har's
21st January 2009, 05:04 PM
John I have seen what your kids eat while camping they seem to eat veges very well....what about salad things?? we find a couple of nice liquid sauces Maggi/continental etc are a good base for hot dinners poured over steak/chicken/etc with a few veges....brilliant...veges? there is always tin but they weigh fare bit...dried is the way to go but potatoes/pump/sweet pot keep very well...so only go peas/beans/carrot/corn


another one marinate your meat before you Cryovac it....CRYOVAC IS YOUR FRIEND.....I paid $79 off the Internet delivered to my door...........make a BIG pot of Bolognese sauce and pack it in several bags...kids love Spag Bog...

Salads...we carry lettuce/toms/beetroot/cheese and usually buy tubs eg pasta/coleslaw when we can and just fry up steak/chicken


One 0f our all time favourites is

Snags or mince.(to make a double batch)
tin of mixed veges (x2)
onions (x2)
garlic (x2)
cornflour/powdered potato (x2)
Curry powder

boil silly
serve with
rice/pasta/on toast/boiled pot & pump


YUM

will get back as I can think of more


Mrs ho har:angel:

The ho har's
21st January 2009, 06:26 PM
It has only been 3 1/2 half since we have been there and you can get all the basics at all towns keeping in mine all bread is frozen and usually meat is pre cryovaced these days which is great...most of the camp spots will not be camp oven friendly as there is SOOO many people up that way you may find it very tight to camp and find no wood unless you carry it in yourself......I forgot to mention we have a Cobb cooker as we gave up the camp oven years ago because of the weight I have cooked bread/cakes/roast/pizza about anything you can do in an oven. A Cobb can do just as good job with the heat beads.


Mrs ho har:angel:

The ho har's
21st January 2009, 06:38 PM
At weipa the supply's come only on Thursday's at Wollies...3 1/2 years ago that is...so by Saturday there was no bread left or nearly anything else for that matter.....so might pay to check if this is still the delivery day a plan accordingly:D


Mrs ho har:angel:

abaddonxi
21st January 2009, 07:54 PM
Figure out how many meals you are going to need and pack 4 slices of bread per meal. Pack another 4 slices per day for inbetweens. Then get some bbq chickens. How many chickens depends on how much chicken you like on each sandwich and whether or not you like stuffing.
Add your fizzy drink of choice for flavouring.

That's what I normally do anyway if by myself. Leaves more time for socialising or fixing things. BBQs etc are good if you can spare the time or if my wife comes.

:D:D:D

Do you cut them up, or freeze them first, or just keep 'em in the bag?

martinozcmax
22nd January 2009, 03:36 PM
The list is endless. But generally we have lots of BBQ's but vary what you cook (steak, amrinated chicken, various sausages, veal, schnitzels etc) but also prep some before leaving (eg spaghetti sauce - reheat and cook pasta, easy, Vietnamese curry which I am prepping today for Thomas River) etc. As said the vaccum bag idea is great and on our list to get. We also do camp ovens and these are easy. One of the best things you can get is a ring burner and a large camp oven, most items can be cooked in one from roasts to casseroles to spaghetti and even sweets. This allows most of this to be done even in fire bans.
We also like cheeses, antipasto or tapas plates for some variety.

I always thought that was the curry ? ;)

cartm58
22nd January 2009, 05:13 PM
Personally l would write up a menu plan for the trip your doing

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner

Then look at ingredients for each meal required and pack them into a plastic bag and seal it with the menu for the meal ingredients in that bag.

Then pack the meal bags in reverse order so first meal is on top last meal is bottom, depending on meals and car space you can spread it into several boxes.

When your out you simply take the days meal bag out and use it, each bag can also contain any treats or sweets for the kids or even day activity material like coloouring pens and puzzles.

This way you never have excatly the same meal each day, your meals are in sync with your trip, you got no problems hunting for ingredients for meals and anyway can follow the menu to put the meal together.

The ho har's
22nd January 2009, 05:44 PM
Well thats is something sorta of how I do it sometimes.......

write down a meal plan then write all ingredients for said meal...

write a list of what you need and then make sure it is the pantry EG:

Creamy Chicken Fettuccine
Chicken
Tin Heinz cream of chicken condensed soup
onion
bacon
Cream (long life)
Worcestershire sauce


Fry chicken, onion & bacon
add soup, cream & sauce

mix through pasta wallah:D


So I carry in my pntry all the basics for many meals
tomato paste
long life cream
mixed herbs
garlic...you can buy cubes now like stock
tin tomatoes/soup
curry powder
sauces of many varieties
paprika..essential for Beef Strog/French onion steak
tin Capsicum
SR & plain flour
cornflour
250ml tin of lemonade........Lemonade scones

Mrs ho har:angel:

cartm58
23rd January 2009, 11:08 AM
Whenever we have done trips its been mainly interstate so your not allwoed to carry across borders fresh fruit and veg, so in terms of meal planning we use dehydrated potatoe mash, beans and peas etc packets for veggies tinned carrots and so on.

So thats never been an issue for us

The ho har's
23rd January 2009, 06:53 PM
Same here Mrs HH....and even sadder I do it in Excel and print it off, and check of each item as it gets packed in the car.

Same with all our gear...and yet somehow I still manage to forget things :(:D


Thats not sad I do that as well :eek: :D


Mrs ho har:angel:

Spenboyd
25th January 2009, 12:23 PM
we did nine months on the road following the coast between Broome and Cairns with a few desert detours thrown in a few years back, before we left we went to a chinese supermarket and an italian supermarket as both cuisines make extensive use of dried foods (beans, mushrooms, sausages etc). With 150 litres of water on board it was no problem.
Tinned tomatoes, buy em by the case and take as many dried spices as you can think of.
For the kids (2, 4 and 6) snacks we generally go the dried fruits and nuts path.
The gas ring is the go but also have a look at the Coleman guide series burners we used a three burner gas model for every meal, phenomenal bit of gear bit bulky but more powerful than the gas hob at home.
Cryovac your steaks with marinade, works a treat.

We tried to be sparing with cooking fires, once or twice a week max but whenever we used one we would bake bread in the camp oven and do a roast for cold cuts.

We put a large water bottle in the bottom of the Engel every day and every morning would use it to fill up a water bottle with a bit of lemon barley cordial, broke up the monotony of the water during the day and a cold lemon drink is the most refreshing thing this side of beer.

Fresh salad veggies are a bit of a challenge but we used Les Hiddins' bush tucker book and found some good stuff to go with the fish, oysters, prawns, cherabin and occasional kangamoo.

Still miss the 4BD1 County we used on that trip.

Narangga
25th January 2009, 04:39 PM
Sorry if I missed it when reading through the thread but spuds wrapped in foil and cooked in coals for 30 mins and then covered in a bottle of your favorite pasta sauce (or make it from scratch) - add in meat from the previous nights BBQ if you like - and cover with grated cheese and other diary products that take your fancy.

bblaze
25th January 2009, 06:32 PM
When camping with others, its camp oven roast, stews and dumpling etc Have had camps where we have cooked for forty three people with camp ovens on the big wood stove we take. We often have viitor and they reckon we eat better camping than at home.
When I go touring its more often that I travel solo. Breakfast consist of muelsi, dinner is sandwiches often made from the previous nights left overs and tea is steak or saugages with fresh veg, spud, carrot, sweet spud, with tomatos, celery ect. I eat well but its a pretty rough feed sometimes. Aways carry a few tins of bake beans (always brought them home unused so far).
So no great recipes from me
cheers
blaze
ps
I hate lists, if I foget it, its generaly not that important or I buy another.

The ho har's
25th January 2009, 07:26 PM
if you forget something you generally can't buy it in the desert....if that.s where you are....or other isolated places......so be pepared


Mrs ho har:angel: