First camping trip of the season - camp fire and food question.

[newcamper]

Hi.

I only started camping with the family last year.

We are going this weekend.

I feel like I have seen a kind of ready made campfire in a bucket. Has anyone seen one of these? Can't find at go outdoors and am wondering if i saw it at somewhere like home & bargain or if I saw something completely different (like an ice bucket) and thought it was a campfire bucket!!! Very possible :-/

Also, last time I went for a weekend I packed WAY too much food 'just in case'.

Only there 2 nights. 6 y/o, 3 y/o...what would you take? We only have one of the plug in cool boxes for refrigeration.

Thanks in advance.

No idea on fire buckets but for food you just need to plan your meals and take food accordingly.

Two dinners, maybe something that you reheat the first night and BBQ the second night. Or something pre frozen from home in a plastic container that will help to keep things cold for a day or so.

Breakfasts - we like porridge with fruit compote when we are camping or poached eggs on toast, both quick and simple without too much washing up.

Lunches - wraps generally have a longer use by date than bread. Fillings.

Fruit and salad/veg. Breadsticks and hummus are a staple here when camping, the odd biscuit or chocolate and wine. I always have a couple of tins of baked beans and lentil soup for emergencies.

It doesn't have to be different from what you eat at home, you just need to plan it.

You need a menu plan... and even then leave some behind. My DSs eat like birds when we're away from home, I had about a days' worth too much food.

One thing I did which was great, were some foil meals cooked on the camp fire

quesadillas
banana smores these were THE business
hobo meal -not the exact one I did, but similar

HerRoyal - we eat more! A lot more, part the fresh air and part we are always doing something, cycling, walking, canoeing or just messing about!

Def take something ready made esp for first night. I was recently away for 4 nights and had all our meals sorted before.
Day 1 - chicken stock soup with noodles and veg
Day 2 - burgers
Day 3 - Sausages and pasta
Day 4 - Lamb stew (brought from home frozen and left in the campsite freezer for the duration)

Breakfast: bacon, eggs, beans or porridge. Also made dampers on the fire which are like scones.
Lunches, bread, cheese, dips, salad.

Lots of fruit, choc and wine

Also check out where the nearest supermarket is beforehand in case of need!

If you are going to a campsite it might be worth asking them if they allow campfires, many don't. If they do they will usually provide a base (like an old car wheel) free of charge.

For two nights away I would usually take something that is easy to reheat for the first night like a chilli, and for the second night a BBQ, sausages, burgers and rolls. For breakfasts I usually take cereal for DS and I'll have scrambled egg. Lunches I pre make wraps to take with us and also take some extra to make burritos from any left over chilli from the first night. On top of that a multi pack of crisps, bunch of bananas, bag of apples, some flap jacks, and a bag of marshmallows.

Hope the weather stays good for you.

The BBQ sounds like a Bucket

I bought one years ago from a shed on the beach in Whitstable and they have taken off.

They are great because unlike many portable BBQs you can get a good distance between the coals and the food. easy to carry, effective, bigger and much better than those silly small buckets with an inner charcoal bucket.
Very robust, too.

Mine lasted for years until it was rather over-enthusiastically used as a fire pit.