A short guide to eating well while camping!

Summer in Quebec is the perfect time to enjoy nature!

It's also the best time to cook outside comfortably...

And what could be more "outdoorsy" than cooking while camping? It's one of our favorite summer activities. Not only do we love making our own cheese, but we also love camping and the outdoors!

That's us, Max and Pascale, the co-founders of Kits U MAIN!

While we eat breakfast, we chill with the local petit-suisse, we give him a nickname and we keep a close eye on him so he doesn't steal our bag of nuts, haha!

Tip #1: Equipment

Cooking your food:

A hot meal cooked outdoors is easier to prepare with a camping stove. It's not very expensive, and there's a good price range.

Most stoves run on gas, with different types of canisters and sizes depending on the space and portability you need. There are also stoves that run on small branches of wood. However, it's more complicated to operate them if the wood is damp.

It is possible to eat only cold meals, but when the weather is chilly, a good hot meal is comforting.

You can also build a fire and cook over the embers when there are no restrictions in the region. Here, we prefer this option for dinner. A grill or cast iron skillet is practical in this case.

It is still more practical to make a cup of coffee in the morning with a small stove than by lighting a fire for the occasion.

Refrigerate your food:

Another essential piece of equipment... the cooler!

Even if it's small, being able to keep meat, fish, eggs, dairy products (homemade cheeses!) or leftovers fresh will make a big difference in the variety of dishes that can be cooked.

Before your departure, you can freeze 1L of juice and then use it as an ice pack. Once it's thawed, you can drink it and replace it with ice. This way, you won't have to carry a thawed ice pack around unnecessarily during your trip.

Besides the stove and cooler, you will need the following kitchen essentials:

- a cutting board,
- a sharp knife,
- a frying pan,
- a small cauldron,
- spatula,
- utensils,
- curved plates or bowls,
- cups,
- etc.

There are small portable sets sold for camping, but if you have enough space, you can just take what you have at home.

Tip #2: Planning and Preparation

A good camping meal starts with careful planning. If you're only going away for the weekend, you can also prepare several steps in advance to speed up the process once you're out and about.

Otherwise, when we go on long camping trips, we bring cooking essentials that don't need refrigeration:

- vegetable oil for cooking and salads

- salt, pepper and various spices

- garlic cloves

- French onions or shallots

- fruits and vegetables in small quantities - prefer those that do not spoil too easily (e.g.: prefer kale to spinach or lettuce).

- Canned tuna, salmon, or sardines (they're packed with protein, take up little space, and keep for a long time). They're perfect for lunchtime sandwiches while hiking.

- bread or tortillas

- pasta and/or rice

- can of diced tomatoes for sauces

- coffee, tea, hot chocolate

- oats for breakfast

- nut mix (raw cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, raisins) - great for snacks while hiking and to add to salads or oatmeal in the morning.

- bars to eat as a snack during hikes

- peanut butter, jams, etc.

- more indulgent snacks that are a pleasure to treat yourself to at the end of a day spent outdoors (chips, chocolate, etc.)

Of course, the amount of food you bring with you will depend on the length of your stay. That's why if you're only going for a weekend, it's a good idea to plan your meals in advance so you don't bring too much "stock" with you. And if you're going for a long time, you can restock on supplies along the way!

Tip #3: Homemade cheese and yogurt when camping!

When it comes to fresh food, we particularly recommend making your own halloumi, feta, and Greek yogurt in advance to bring with you.

There's nothing more satisfying than grilling homemade halloumi slices over the fire, making delicious Greek salads with homemade feta, or enjoying a bowl of fresh fruit, homemade Greek yogurt, and granola in the morning. Tasteful pleasure and pride guaranteed!

We hope these few recommendations will inspire you to cook outdoors this summer and bring your delicious homemade cheeses with you on your outdoor getaways! Happy holidays!