Store cupboard food and tins for camping

[ivykaty44]

Hi going camping for an e tended period in Europe. I want to take some tinned food with me for ease of cooking on an electric camping stove

i had a look yesterday at tins, there was chicken curry, chilli, meatballs etc

anyone got any recommendations?

im literally after tinned food I can heat up for me in the evening when I’m not eating out and long life stuff

The chili is good. The curry is often awful.

Everything you've said, M&S do some ok things, from my kitchen renovation days chicken in white sauce, chicken curry, beef stew, chunky steak, hot dogs, beef and onion, ratatouille, dahl. Pretty sure all supermarkets do things like this?

I'd take pouches of grains / lentils / quinoa etc.

I assume you're driving?!

camp stew.
m and s tinned steak, tinned potato, tinned peas and carrots.

delicious.
although I’m a veggie now the Sainsburys tinned veggie chilli is really good.

the rice pouches are great as you can turn them into stir fry types with a few veggies, bit of cheese (feta or halloumi are good on top), an egg in or on. Nice.

Where are you going? There might be exciting local variants we can suggest.

Don't forget chocolate cake in a tin if they still do that

Buy a tin of something now & try it before you decide to take it.

If you are not used to eating tinned meals, you might find you decide they are not worth taking.

M&S are usually the best tasting but they all taste tinned.

Tins are also heavy so if you aren't camping with a car you might want to rethink your plan.

Don't forget chocolate cake in a tin if they still do that

what is this? From where 🥰😂

im going to France, Spain and Portugal, I’m familiar with both Portuguese and French supermarkets foods

just wanted to take a few tins from home, but a couple or three a week to stock up until I go

byt happy to hear about French/Spanish long life food stuffs that I might enjoy

i eat most stuff

Snugglepumpkin I’m not doing a cycling tour yet, maybe next year - for now I’m taking the bike on the car 🚗 🚴😂

I agree that some marks and Spencer tins are good. As is their cake in a jar!

EvilPea Thanks for your tip on the rice pouches- so it’s ok not to microwave I can just stir fry?

and I was looking at the veggie chilli, so will pick that up in sainsbury

also hadn’t thought of M&S that’s a good shout

What are your favourites from M&S?

cake in a jar? Could I use this on a picnic?

Last time we went to France (admittedly a while ago) there were a range of tinned meals in the supermarkets.

However if you want to take some standby tinned stuff I second camp stew of tinned stew steak or tinned chicken and carrots, except I'd fry the tinned spuds in butter and garlic (I find they have a funny metallic taste on their own). Take garlic, chilli, and tomato purée with you to spice up the bland tinned stuff

'd take pouches of grains / lentils / quinoa etc.

yeah, great idea - thanks

These curry pouched from home bargains are cheap and really nice. We use the 2 minute rice pouches too - heated in a pan with a bit of oil.

You cannot take meat or milk products into the EU from the UK. You cannot take pet food either unless it is a prescription one, and baby milk has restrictions too.

Anyway it is like taking coal to Newcastle - why on earth would you take food to France?

You can get all the stew type meals in jars and cans in France, like cassoulet, lentils and bacon, beans, coq au vin, and ratatouille. Fresh filled pasta is super easy, just put boiling water on top and leave it to sit for 2 mins (you don't have to actively boil it) but in France and Spain, why bother with tins? Just pick up some bread on your way home. It'll be nicer than anything from a tin.

It looks like Heinz Cadbury steamed chocolate puddings in a tin have been discontinued! That was my childhood!!

but in France and Spain, why bother with tins?

because if at times Im 30 miles from a supermarket for a while I want food that will keep and tin is the easiest way I can think of whilst camping without a fridge. Im going to be away for an extended period and won't want to run out of food, so having some in the car to dig into will be handy.

It looks like Heinz Cadbury steamed chocolate puddings in a tin

apparently that was the only baby food I turned my nose up at...

ivykaty44 You CANNOT take meat or milk products into France. Just google it. Do a supermarket trip when you are over the water. THere is no problem moving stuff within the EU but you cannot import it in.

antidisestablishmentarianism

is that dairy milk or does it include soya milk?

I can just take veggie options, looks like there are plenty 😊

Take some classics, beans, macaroni cheese, ravioli. Just buy the rest when you're away. Sachets of soups, pasta n sauce, rice etc are good too. Cooked veg.

Macoroni cheese is surely made with milk?

Camp corned beef hash. Tinned corners beef, tinned peas and carrots, tinned potatoes, oxo and water. Fry an onion if you can be bothered! Don't forget little sachets of HP and if you're feeling really enthusiastic an egg on top.

I would probably do a big shop as soon as you can when you get there of most of the things mentioned on this thread. The small tins of tuna salad are not too bad and don't take up much room in the car, also don't need heating.

I remember these being really very tasty indeed:

snackfully.co.uk/products/look-what-we-found-long-life-ready-meals-mixed-case

Also this stuff is very tasty:
www.indoeuropeanfoods.co.uk/product/tarka-dal/

If I am doing one of these kinds of meals, I will often buy a bag of mixed salad/greens type things and then add them as I am cooking the pouch. Doesn't really improve the flavour a huge amount but hopefully ups the nutritional content slightly.

We sometimes take tins of chunky soup and add tinned new potato’s, which basically makes a one pot stew.