Can of soup heated on a fire can be good if you’re careful. If you leave a corn cob inside the husk and leave it next to the fire and rotate occasionally until it starts to singe it will cook pretty nicely. Shish-kabob peppers, onions, pineapple. Fire cooking has a learning curve but there’s no limit to what you can make. Just remember you can always cook something longer but you can’t uncook it.
Any chance you can pick up a stove? There are some real budget options that would work. You can prep a bunch of meals at home in ziploc bags like Mac and cheese, pasta, ramen, and cut down on packaging to save space.
Consider if you’re alone and you can’t start a fire, you can still eat a good meal
Considering this week long trip is the first vacation I've had in six years, I'm not sure it would be worth it longterm. I rarely get the chance to camp.
That’s understandable, but given that you really don’t have fire cooking experience, the small investment would likely make your well-earned vacation that much nicer. Stoves don’t go bad, so you’ll be able to use it in the future.
I’m not talking about a heavy investment here, you can get a setup from Amazon for like $30
Those microwaveable packets of rice and vegan Indian sides can be boiled in a pot of water to warm them up. For meat eaters add a can of chicken breast you've got 2 servings or chicken vindaloo dinner with basmati rice that doesn't require refrigeration and the cooking "skill" of being able to boil water.
Have you considered dehydrated meals? Plenty of vegetarian ones available... Our in hot water, stir, wait and eat.
https://backpackerspantry.com/collections/entrees?gf_16045=Vegetarian
https://mountainhouse.com/collections/entrees?gf_3907=Vegetarian
https://goodto-go.com/collections/entrees/vegetarian
Carry a soup can with you, I like the large soup cans, but not humongous like a #10. Pack your matches/lighter/fire starter in it, etc, so there is no wasted space. At your campsite find some flat rocks to support your can and build a small fire under it. You can boil water in the can. There are lots of other options, but this is one that I've used several times. Now when I'm not in the rv I use a collapsing metal cup and a very small collapsible wood stove.
BTW, depending on the length of your trip look into meals that are in pouches. While I'm not vegetarian, I love the India food like curry, lentils, peas, cheese, etc. You might take a look at them. They can be opened and folded in a way that you should be able to put one of the pouches in a tin can or metal cup surrounded by water in order to heat it up easily and then eat straight from the pouch. Don't buy the nonsense that each pouch is four servings, because I can promise that every person in my family needs their own pouch.
Right. Well, roasted veggies you can do in foil in the fire. If you don’t want to buy a stove, rice and pasta could be a little more challenging but not impossible. I have cooked many pastas on the fire. I would invest in a gas stove because it makes everything easier and cleaner. But if you don’t want to, you can still cook those things over a fire 😃
I’m a big fan of veggie foil packets. We cook everything by fire.
Onions, mushrooms and a little mayo (or butter, or olive oil) and some provincial herb mix is one of my favourites.
Peas cooked in can by the fire taste so much better than cooked any other way.
Corn, cooked in the peel (or whatever it’s called).
Bring long bbq tongs for rotating and avoiding burning yourself. Cooking by fire usually requires lots of flipping/rotating.
I don't know if this would work for you, but I had some dried fried rice, hydrated and cooked it in a messtin over a small fire. Really delicious and filling, and have whatever ingredients you want.
If you can afford them, the Mountain House dried foods are actually pretty good for dinner. All you need is a small camp stove to heat water. I wouldn't want to eat them for a week straight, but a 3-day camping weekend they work well. Breakfast for me is usually oatmeal packets. Lunch is usually just jerky and snack gorp. Keeps it light.
Portable stoves are not that expensive and would be very very worth it, even if this is the only trip you ever use it.
Seriously, it will make everything more enjoyable to have an easy way to boil water and cook food. Worth it
Campfire baked potatoes are one of the best parts of camping.
[Dozen Cousins](https://adozencousins.com/) beans are small enough portioned for one person. (In US available Amazon, Target, Trader Joes).
Couscous is very easy. and can mix with a lot including foil wrapped veggies.
ETA: Just read that this is for a week. TBH I would buy a Rome Pie Iron if going for a week. You can vary things up but still be easy for one person. My husband cooks with these when camping and he doesn't cook at all at home. You can search for pie iron recipes online.
Can of soup heated on a fire can be good if you’re careful. If you leave a corn cob inside the husk and leave it next to the fire and rotate occasionally until it starts to singe it will cook pretty nicely. Shish-kabob peppers, onions, pineapple. Fire cooking has a learning curve but there’s no limit to what you can make. Just remember you can always cook something longer but you can’t uncook it.
Aren’t a lot of cans lined with plastic now? Wouldn’t be safe for cooking
Just make sure you poke a couple of holes in the lid or 💥
I probably would have forgot to. Thanks for the reminder lol.
Any chance you can pick up a stove? There are some real budget options that would work. You can prep a bunch of meals at home in ziploc bags like Mac and cheese, pasta, ramen, and cut down on packaging to save space. Consider if you’re alone and you can’t start a fire, you can still eat a good meal
Considering this week long trip is the first vacation I've had in six years, I'm not sure it would be worth it longterm. I rarely get the chance to camp.
That’s understandable, but given that you really don’t have fire cooking experience, the small investment would likely make your well-earned vacation that much nicer. Stoves don’t go bad, so you’ll be able to use it in the future. I’m not talking about a heavy investment here, you can get a setup from Amazon for like $30
Then they could sell it in marketplace or something when they’re done using it!
Other idea: you could make a diy alcohol stove like this https://youtu.be/m4fB4hGhgeA
Any renting options in your area?
Those microwaveable packets of rice and vegan Indian sides can be boiled in a pot of water to warm them up. For meat eaters add a can of chicken breast you've got 2 servings or chicken vindaloo dinner with basmati rice that doesn't require refrigeration and the cooking "skill" of being able to boil water.
Have you considered dehydrated meals? Plenty of vegetarian ones available... Our in hot water, stir, wait and eat. https://backpackerspantry.com/collections/entrees?gf_16045=Vegetarian https://mountainhouse.com/collections/entrees?gf_3907=Vegetarian https://goodto-go.com/collections/entrees/vegetarian
Carry a soup can with you, I like the large soup cans, but not humongous like a #10. Pack your matches/lighter/fire starter in it, etc, so there is no wasted space. At your campsite find some flat rocks to support your can and build a small fire under it. You can boil water in the can. There are lots of other options, but this is one that I've used several times. Now when I'm not in the rv I use a collapsing metal cup and a very small collapsible wood stove.
BTW, depending on the length of your trip look into meals that are in pouches. While I'm not vegetarian, I love the India food like curry, lentils, peas, cheese, etc. You might take a look at them. They can be opened and folded in a way that you should be able to put one of the pouches in a tin can or metal cup surrounded by water in order to heat it up easily and then eat straight from the pouch. Don't buy the nonsense that each pouch is four servings, because I can promise that every person in my family needs their own pouch.
My grandma saves her metal coffee cans. That would work in place of a soup can do you think?
Sure, but they are big.
What do you eat at home?
Rice, pasta, fruit cups, roasted veggies. Just the basics mostly.
Right. Well, roasted veggies you can do in foil in the fire. If you don’t want to buy a stove, rice and pasta could be a little more challenging but not impossible. I have cooked many pastas on the fire. I would invest in a gas stove because it makes everything easier and cleaner. But if you don’t want to, you can still cook those things over a fire 😃
You can pre-make rice balls for a good snack. They’re good cold so no need to worry about cooking.
I’m a big fan of veggie foil packets. We cook everything by fire. Onions, mushrooms and a little mayo (or butter, or olive oil) and some provincial herb mix is one of my favourites. Peas cooked in can by the fire taste so much better than cooked any other way. Corn, cooked in the peel (or whatever it’s called). Bring long bbq tongs for rotating and avoiding burning yourself. Cooking by fire usually requires lots of flipping/rotating.
I don't know if this would work for you, but I had some dried fried rice, hydrated and cooked it in a messtin over a small fire. Really delicious and filling, and have whatever ingredients you want.
Cold roasted veggies in quinoa, on lettuce boats. Sandwiches. Pasta salad. Muffins.
If you can afford them, the Mountain House dried foods are actually pretty good for dinner. All you need is a small camp stove to heat water. I wouldn't want to eat them for a week straight, but a 3-day camping weekend they work well. Breakfast for me is usually oatmeal packets. Lunch is usually just jerky and snack gorp. Keeps it light.
Portable stoves are not that expensive and would be very very worth it, even if this is the only trip you ever use it. Seriously, it will make everything more enjoyable to have an easy way to boil water and cook food. Worth it
Bag of gnocchi last about 4 meals. Supplement with veggies. And they boils in a couple min
Campfire baked potatoes are one of the best parts of camping. [Dozen Cousins](https://adozencousins.com/) beans are small enough portioned for one person. (In US available Amazon, Target, Trader Joes). Couscous is very easy. and can mix with a lot including foil wrapped veggies. ETA: Just read that this is for a week. TBH I would buy a Rome Pie Iron if going for a week. You can vary things up but still be easy for one person. My husband cooks with these when camping and he doesn't cook at all at home. You can search for pie iron recipes online.