Summer camping and hiking are two popular activities that the whole family can enjoy. Aside from admiring the sights, weather, and participating in various outdoor activities, eating around the picnic table or under a big shade tree is one of the best parts about camping. Here are some great camping lunch ideas for hot days that’ll leave everybody cool all day long.
1. Scrap the bread for some lettuce
Sandwiches are a popular camping and picnic food because they’re very easy to prepare and transport. However, a sandwich filled with luncheon meat, cheese, and mayo isn’t going to fare well when it’s 90 degrees out. Instead, pack fresh romaine or head lettuce and a container of marinated and pre-cooked chicken, beef, pork, or fish chunks to make tasty and lean lettuce wraps. The raw protein can also be brought along to be cooked on an onsite grill. When it comes to cool camping lunches, there aren’t many that can beat lettuce wraps, especially on a hot day.
2. Pack a cold salad, pasta salad, or fresh fruit
To combat the heat, choose foods that are fresh and cool. Many of these foods only require a bit of cooking, and some don’t require any at all. A fresh salad with mixed greens, red onion, grape tomatoes, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, feta cheese, and a tangy vinaigrette is a good start. Pasta salad can serve as a main dish or side and can be very light or rich and creamy. Either way, it should be served chilled or at room temp. Finally, you can’t go wrong with sweet, juicy, fresh fruit on a sizzling summer afternoon. Watermelon, apples, cantaloupe, honeydew, strawberries, pineapple, mango, papaya — they’re all excellent choices!
3. Don’t forget the ice-cold beverages
Cool camping lunches can’t be cool without the drinks. After a long day of hiking the trails, there’s nothing better than hydrating with a fruit punch or fresh fruit smoothie. In fact, any cold beverage would do. Soda, juice, lemonade, even ice water would be nice to have in large quantities on a camping trip.
4. Bring chips or veggie sticks and dip
Chips and dip are awesome for camping. Guacamole is a healthy, filling, and delicious dip made from avocados. It can be easily eaten using corn tortilla chips as a scoop. Another suitable snack is veggie sticks and cool ranch dip, hummus, or a bean dip, which can all be easily made at home ahead of time or purchased ready-made. Cut up carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, jicama, or other crunchy favorites and enjoy a tasty and nutritious treat on the trail.
Related to 5 Best Camping Lunch Ideas for Hot Days: 3 Easy and Nutritious No-Cook Camping Meals, 5 Tips for Planning Backpacking Meals, 3 Easy Vegetarian Camping Meals.
Featured Image from Ales Krivec/Unsplash
