First night camping meal suggestions?

[dinkystinky]

So, at DH's instigation, we're off camping this weekend with 4 other families. Between us we will have 10 kids aged between 1 and 5. We arrive at the campsite on Friday at 5pm. I suspect the kids will be v excited for the first half hour then ravenous. What do seasoned campers suggest for first night's meal? DH thinks BBQ but I reckon by the time that's up and going the kids will be overtired and overhungry. Thoughts?

I always take a home made bolognaise for the first night. Take it out of the freezer in the morning, defrosted by dinner and take pre-grated cheese. Pasta only takes 10-15 mins, quick easy hot food for everyone.

Save the BBQ for the next night.

Yup, we too take frozen bolognaise though this year thought I'd take frozen stew instead, just for a change. Ready peeled spuds boiled & mashed and bob's your uncle.

Or scrambled eggs and beans with sausages?

Defo save the BBQ for the next night.

I'm taking Moroccan beef and couscous this time. Beef mince with passata, dried apricots and sultanas cooked the day before.

As a child our first night meal was always tinned beef stew and tinned new potatoes. DH won't eat it, so I am deprived a nostalgia trip.

went camping with a group a few weeks back and we all took a curry dish along to eat on first night. (mine was pre-frozen and defrosted over course of day) We had a feast!!!

As each poster seams to be try to out do the one above my dh says we are having a full roast. shop bought sliced cold beef with new potatoes and veg he says it will be done when the potato's and cooked. Looking forward to that lol

Wow - you guys are all very organised and clearly gourmet campers! Will show this thread to DH

i do spag. i always have bags of it in the freezer. i buy a couple of packs of fresh pasta, like one of those ravioli types.
5 minutes of boiling pasta, add mince and tomato sauce. job done. so easy.

depends on where you are camping. But, I now opt for the easy life and with a crowd that size would send someone off to the fish and chip shop on the first night and wash down with lots of lovely wine . I know its not proper camp food, but who wants to wash up after that lot and also remember that you will have travelled there and had to set up. take a home made pudding instead then you wouldn't feel so guilty about the fish and chips.

I'm with those who take something frozen and homemade for the first night - we took veggie chilli and served it with a pack of Uncle Ben's express rice which takes 3 mins to cook once the water's boiling. The whole meal was ready to eat in five minutes and really welcome/delicious.

I take a really hearty vegetable stew, drop in some dumplings when we arrive and serve it with loads of fresh crusty bread and lashings of butter.

We aren't camping this year though - and now I really want to!

We are another spagbol family, although I don't feeze mine anymore after one trip when the cool bag was so chilled it didn't thaw and we had to eat it the next night.
The Dd's always say why do we have spagbol on the first night of camping, but they always eat it.

We usually do the frozen spag bol thing too, but last trip we did chicken fajitas.

Very simple with chicken, peppers, cucumber, cherry toms, salsa and sour cream. Delicious

Another wave in the air for spagbol, that and fresh pasta, by the time the pasta is cooked the meat's heated through, bung it all together and throw on the (pre grated cheese) jobs a good un! if we're not arriving til really late we do a pile of rolls and sausage roll type snacks we usually throw out a blanket and the kids have a picnic whilst we're getting the tents up!

hot dogs

I save my spag bol/chilli/stew for day 2 and for 1st night cook sausages before we leave, (often chuck in oven whilst packing/eating breakfast etc..) chop salad in tupperware and buy a baguette and take cake for pud /with wine..