An OSG reader, Rebecca, asked me if I could recommend some cooler-friendly Oh She Glows recipes she could take on the road for an upcoming camping trip. This question has been a popular one over the years, so I thought the long weekend would be a great excuse to brainstorm a list of camp- and travel-friendly foods to inspire you!
In my early twenties, I would “camp” (I use that term lightly!) pretty regularly, but the food my friends and I packed in those days was a little different from what I stock my cooler with today. Okay, A LOT different! Lol. Back then, as long as I had potato chips and fruity coolers, I was a “happy camper”! Oh to be 21 again. Don’t worry, though, I’ve accumulated a few years of wisdom since then. I consulted OSG’s recipe tester Nicole to help put this post together as she often travels with my recipes in tow. I think the two of us have come up with some fun ideas for you! As always, please feel free to chime in with your tips and tricks too.
The recipes below can all be made in advance, and many of them also tend to keep well in minimal storage without too much fuss. At the bottom of this post I also recommend some tasty store-bought options for when you don’t have time to make everything you might have hoped to for a trip…because if you’re anything like me, you’ll probably find yourself scrambling at the last minute to get everything ready!
Milks and Fresh Breakfast Options
I love making pre-portioned single servings of dry Vegan Overnight Oats packets to take with us on trips. Simply bring a few single-serve, shelf-stable plant-based milks along and mix them in with the oat packets when ready to enjoy.
Looking for eco-friendly reusable bags? Check out these reusable velcro pouches shown in the photo above.
Granola or Muesli
We love munching on my Ultimate Nutty Granola Clusters (The Oh She Glows Cookbook, p. 31) and my Roasted Hazelnut-Almond Granola Clusters (Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 71) when traveling, plus these clusters should keep fresh in an airtight bag or container for a few weeks.
Fruit and Veggies
Bring your favourite fruits and veggies, choosing varieties that tend to travel well and don’t mind sitting at room temperature—this should help save cooler space for other meals that require refrigeration. Apples, oranges, firm avocados, and cucumbers are usually safe bets. Avoid thin-skinned fruit like peaches or pears as they tend to bruise easily.
Dried Fruit and DIY Trail Mix
Energy-dense dried fruits are another great option for camping! Dried apricots, mangoes, and cherries are some of my favourites. You can also make a DIY trail mix by adding dried fruit like raisins and dried cranberries to a container with your favourite mixed nuts.
Crackers
I love having a good seedy cracker on hand for snacking. My Endurance Crackers are hearty, filling, and energizing! Just be sure they’re packed on top of other foods so they don’t get crushed by anything in transit. Bring a container of nut or seed butter and a small pouch of hemp hearts for a satisfying, protein-packed snack that needs no refrigeration.
Protein Bars or Energy Bites
My Dark Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites, Cookie Dough Balls V (Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 93), and Triple Almond Energy Balls are perfect to munch on between meals. For another option, try my Classic Glo Bars (from The Oh She Glows Cookbook, p. 215), or Feel Good Hearty Granola Bars—those two tend to be big hits as well. Nicole recommends the Mocha Empower Glo Bars (Oh She Glows Everyday, p. 69), saying: “Away from home for 10 days with a toddler? You may need that invigorating combination of chocolate and espresso!” Haha.
Coffee/Tea
Speaking of coffee and tea…I’d love to hear your tips on camping while still getting your coffee fix. Please share your method if you have one! Maybe a make-ahead DIY Coffee Concentrate could work?
Power Toast and Wraps
The 9-Spice Avocado Hummus Toast (Oh She Glows Everyday, p. 39) is a great light meal option! Serve it with Super Power Chia Bread (The Oh She Glows Cookbook, p. 229). Pack a few avocados, a small container of 9-spice Mix, and hummus (keep chilled) for a quick meal. Ifyou don’t have time to make the power bread, just pack a few of your favourite wraps from home. I love Wrap It Up Raw’s flax wraps—they freeze wonderfully too.
Soups and Fresh Mains
If you have a really good cooler situation going, you could also consider making a salad/soup—my Chickpea Salad and Go-To Gazpacho (also found in Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 147 and the app) both travel well. The gazpacho can be guzzled cold straight from a mason jar—super refreshing! If you’re able to bring a bag of salad along, you could whip up a jar of my Shake and Go Balsamic Vinaigrette (Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 273) as well. Tetra Paks of baked beans always work in a pinch (and you don’t need a can opener or a cooler!). I love these Vegetarian Baked Beans by Pacific brand.
Another idea is to pack the ingredients for a super easy balsamic chickpea salad. Bring some small Tetra Paks of chickpeas (I buy Pacific brand), balsamic vinegar (or any vinegar you love), olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bring along a collapsible strainer and a bowl, and you’ve got the gear for a quick salad: simply drain and rinse the chickpeas then add them to the bowl along with the vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper (to taste).
Sweet Treats
My Flourless Thumbprint Breakfast Cookies, Blissful Basil Power Biscotti, and Banana Bread Muffin Tops can all be made ahead and frozen. Our editor, Terra, packed the Banana Bread Muffin Tops for mountaintop snacking on her month-long hiking trip through Switzerland. Terra added a touch of rosemary oil (which she uses as a natural preservative) to the batter, and the tops kept beautifully during her trek!
I recommend eating the most perishable items first, if possible. This may also be a situation in which it’s worth stocking up on some store-bought, less perishable options because not all foods will last in a cooler for too long. (Unless of course it’s going to be COLD where you’re camping—in that case, maybe a little DIY Hot Toddy is in order! Yassssss!)
Running out of prep time before your trip? Here are some store-bought plant-based foods that should keep well through your travels!
Photo credit, photos 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10: Ashley McLaughlin
This is perfect! I’m always on the go and have trouble finding good vegan snack recipes! Thank you!!
Thanks so much…I’m glad it’s helpful!
Coffee! The Aeropress (lightweight and easy to clean) along with the Jetboil stove (it literally boils water in 2 minutes) are your best friends for camping. Pre-grind some beans at home and take the grounds with you. Throw some almond milk Bailey’s in there and you’re good to go!
Sounds like you have your system down pat…love it. And almond Baileys while camping sounds like the ultimate luxury. nice!
Good coffee is not optional in my life. I pack coffee grounds and the filter that sits ontop of your cup, pour hot water over it periodically.
Massaged kale salad is a great make ahead to bring since it keeps fine in a cooler several days.
haha so true :)
And good call on massaged kale! I hadn’t thought of that.
Last summer for a canoe trip (where I had a cooler), I made several of your recipes that worked great camping. First, I made your 5 Minute Pantry Dal and then also made some quinoa. At camp, I just heated then on my camp stove and they were great. I also made the pumpkin seed taco “meat” from your app. I brought a can of refried beans and some corn tortillas and made tacos. So tasty! When I go backpacking and have to worry about weight and whether things are perishable, I have made your Cinnabon granola. It is great with powdered milk or just plain.
Hey Allison, That’s so great! Thanks for sharing :)
I’m not sure why it never occurred to me but packing single serve packets of overnight oats mix is a great idea for breakfasts when travelling! I usually like to have a little something to eat when starting my day and granola bars get a bit old fast. I’ll have to try this next time.
Such a great round-up! Granola is my go-to snack.
Thanks for this post! I’m frequently ‘house sitting’ in a friend’s small urban apartment on order up visit my parents, (alas just Mum now because Dad just passed away). While away I try to make it a bit of a holiday in order to enjoy the waterfront view from my friend’s apt and not get stuck in her postage size kitchen. Something I always bring, which is very camping-friendly, are chia seeds along with a can of coconut mylk or other plant-based mylk. That way I can make chia seed pudding for breakfast or afternoon snack. Also, I’ve been bringing homemade baked beans sealed in mason jars for a hearty breakfast. Additionally, I find tempeh travels nicely and can be eaten just as is cut up into cubes for instant protein, or included in a simple stir-fry.
These are such great ideas! Thanks Laurie :)
Great tips. Thanks for sharing them!!
I know I’m a bit late to the game and maybe somebody already mentioned it, but we recently got an Aeropress (around $40) for camping. I thought I’d use it just for camping since it’s plastic, small, light, and is – the best part – by far the easiest coffee maker to clean, but I now use it every single morning!! I immediately stopped with the French press and the Bialetti stovetop – it was just so much easier and quicker (boil water and steep the coffee for about 1-2 min only) and the coffee tastes great. The waste is limited to one really small paper filter for each use. The cons are that it only really makes one 80z cup of coffee at a time so it’s not great if you’re a multiple-giant-cups-of-coffee-in-the-morning type or if you need to make it for multiple people. However I can’t recommend it enough for camping.
Awesome tips!! Thanks so much :)
I really loved those snack ideas for camping! From now on i am always have some!