The Happy Camper: Menu Planning 101

  Menu Planning 101-Kevin Kallan

Rating: ****

When camping out in the bush, most people assume that all meals need to be simple and provide only enough nutrition to sustain you. For a group of college students and their professor, this is not the case. It explains the big meals you can make with simple ingredients.

Kevin Kallan was approached to teach a college course on advanced wilderness skills, expecting to teach the students about fire lighting and mapping. He found that the skill the group was most lacking in was meal preparation. He challenged the students to make each meal as tasty as possible, while only spending $8 per meal while shopping. Then, he took the students on a week-long bush hike, while recording the ingredients and meals the students used. Some ingredients were common, like rice, pasta, and beans. Some uncommon ingredients students used included Bulgur(a substitute for beef, high in protein) and toasted Buckwheat(kernels high in protein). Dinner included stir fry, sushi, and spaghetti, while some of the nicer breakfasts were eggs burritos and oatmeal with fruits.

This article has made a large impression on my perspective for meal planning, especially since our grade 10 camping trip is fast approaching. I was planning my meals to be simple, fast cooked items that would sustain me until next morning. After reading this article, I have already changed my ideas for supper and breakfast during the trip. I also learned that there are multiple substitutes for anything, including eggs and beef. This article showed me that tasty, nutritious meals can be made while camping, and I strongly recommend anyone read it for new ideas about meals and ingredients.

Callan, Kevin. "Happy Camper: Meal Planning 101" Explore Magazine. 18 Nov. 2013. Explore magazine. 8 April. 2015 <http://www.explore-mag.com/the-happy-camper-menu-planning-101>