It is summertime, and that means camping. But choosing what food to bring on this adventure can be confusing. It’s not like you can bring a gourmet feast of Beef wellington and Yorkshire pudding. The choice of what to bring needs to be things that travel well and can be cooked there or reheated. Think of how much better tomato pasta tastes the next day. The same goes for many chilis or stews. That means less prep during your trip, as all the work has been done.

If you are going to a campsite where you can cook, there is the obvious hot dogs and hamburgers, and who doesn’t like a hotdog cooked over an open fire! But there are many other choices to fill your belly after a great day of hiking. Bring a Dutch oven along and a big container of something you can make ahead and pack in a cooler like chili, pulled pork, or even a Beef Bourguignon if you want to be fancy. Yes, it is actually easy to make, travels well after it has been cooked, and tastes better the next day anyway. Another great suggestion is to make sloppy joes. They go a long way and are great if you make your own, not the can version I grew up with! Even vegetarians can make sloppy joes using jack fruit.

Another awesome thing to bring along is shredded meat in a spicy sauce such as Chili Verde or chicken in adobo sauce to make tacos, tortillas travel well, and they are the perfect handheld meal. You can even heat them up wrapped in foil. The point is to get creative. It will make your trip even more fun.

If you can’t cook at the campsite, sandwiches are a great choice, have fun choosing different fillings other than ham and cheese. Bring along different spreads with fun flavors like adding some Korean chili paste (gochujang) or pregrilled pineapple and walnuts to a chicken salad. Tabbouleh, a middle eastern salad, also is a fantastic side dish to bring. It is light and refreshing.

Dessert can be fun too. Of course, brownies and cookies are always great, and then there is the classic smores. Simple cakes such as a poundcake or Bundt cake travel perfectly. But when I was a kid, I loved campfire cobbler. Again, take your handy dandy Dutch oven and place a couple of cans of canned fruit in syrup or pie filling. Sprinkle a box of yellow cake mix over the top, dust with some cinnamon, and dot with a stick of butter. Let cook on the fire or cookstove for 30 minutes or so until it is hot and bubbling. It’s a fantastic treat that I still love today. Choosing different and fun things for your next camping trip can add a bit of zip to your next adventure.