August always brings that bittersweet nostalgia that comes with the end of summer. City carnivals get set up, sunflowers are in full bloom and school bags and pumpkins slowly start making an appearance in retail stores.
August, to me, also symbolizes camping season as it’s been a ritual of ours to go camping at the end of August/beginning of September during these past four years.
Part of what makes a camping trip so memorable is sharing comforting meals cooked over a smoky campfire in the stillness of the night, or making fresh coffee in the crisp mornings with chipmunks scurrying on a tree branch above your head. I don’t know about you, but I find there’s something incredibly pure about preparing and eating food in the outdoors.
Channeling our inner Almazan Kitchen (if you like the outdoors and delicious food, you need to follow this channel), here are some meals that we’ve previously enjoyed over a fire, amongst morning birdsong or under a blanket of stars.
Homemade Chilli and Corn Tostitos
Chilli is such a quintessential camping food for many reasons. It’s hearty, it’s tasty, it’s smokey and it’s available in a can. Although the latter is convenient, we actually make our own chilli at home ahead of time, store it in the fridge and pack it with us. Chilli that’s had a day or two to soak up all its favours tastes so much better, and even more better when heated over a campfire.
Sausages and Slaw
Camping isn’t camping without roasting a wiener over the open flame of a fire. This is perfect for the first day to kick-start the camping experience, but also when you’ve spent the afternoon setting up your tent and campsite and just need something quick and easy. Assembling a creamy coleslaw while the sausages are roasting is just as quick since you’ll already have mayo, mustard and pickle juice from your burger condiments, another camping staple.
Burgers
Are you even camping if you haven’t had a charbroiled burger? Whether over the campfire or on your portable BBQ by the beach, this is an easy, summery, nostalgic camping food. For this particular camping trip, we used flatbread buns and smoked gouda as a specialty topping. So gooda.
Avocado Toast and Eggs
That’s right, you can live the millennial dream even in the outdoors. Bonus: if you have any avocado left, it can be used for guacamole and paired with the remaining Tostitos from your chilli meal. Perfect campfire snack.
Breakfast Wraps
Breakfast wraps are ideal for camping. Not only do they keep you full, you can use existing meals like chilli or sliced up sausages from the night before as your filling. Just combine with scrambled eggs, cheese and green onions or whatever else to start your day.
Oatmeal Pancakes and Sausages (or bacon)
This is my personal favourite camping breakfast. I mean, fresh pancakes flipped on a hot plate atop a vintage Coleman grill, paired with leftover roasted sausages drizzled with maple syrup? That combination of sweet, savoury and smoky is such a camping delight. My go-to pancake recipe is one that includes oatmeal so it keeps you nice and full. And it’s kind of healthy?
Wine & Cheese Picnic by the lake
If your campground is near a lake, it would be the perfect setting for a picnic. As huge cheese and charcuterie enthusiasts, this is a fun (and romantic!) way to change the scenery, especially during sunset. Just remember to bring your flashlights and bug spray!
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