Feeding the family whilst camping

[Pleiades45]

canWe're new to the camping scene and so far have done 2 weekend trips so food was pretty easy.

This summer we're going camping in France for 2 weeks. I have a 5, 4 & 3 year old. Given that I won't have the luxury of my kitchen or cupboards, I'm a bit lost for ideas.

Can anyone suggest a book or any meals that are easy to eat and which young children will eat.

They are not great with veg (I usually hide it in dishes as well as serve on the side) and salads are still frowned at.

Thanks

you need a Cobb.

then you can cook as you do at home.

obv still have the issues of buying/storing, but you can cook anything on a Cobb.

I have done curry and spag bol, as well as roasts etc. it comes with a recipe book, which gives you ideas and timings.

really fantastic.

When we go camping we pack our little Weber 'Smokey Joe' BBQ, a one-ring gas stove, camping pans/kettle, a big cool box and buy all fresh food plus a bag of ice daily. Breakfasts are then cereals with milk out of the cool-box. Lunches are sandwiches and canned soup. Evening meals are something BBQ'd with boiled rice/pasta/spuds, salad and fruit . Angel Delight is a family tradition. I remember having conversations in the early days about 'we aren't at home so everyone has to eat their camping food up and not complain'....pays to set expectations!!!

This weekend we did pasta and pesto with packet (ie dry) veggie sausage mix which I made into 'meatballs'. None of it needed the cool box though the pesto will afterwards. You can then use it to spread on tortilla wraps with cheese or ham instead of a sandwich.

pasta with a sauce made from a can of chopped tomatoes, tin of tuna, an onion and seasonings

Years ago when we were kids Ma JetLi would cook pasta & peas on one ring, and then heat through a tin of M&S chunky chicken and then stir the drained pasta together with the chicken - twas scrummy.

Breakfast ought to be easy - croissants, bread, jam etc. Cereal is fine but the french supermarkets can be a bit light on fresh milk - plenty of UHT stuff but for some reason they don't seem to bother so much with the fresh stuff.

Rillettes are worth looking out for - like a rough meat spread. Very addictive & I would say child friendly for sandwiches & such. Steak hache are like a nicer version of a beef burger - loads of them in the french supermarkets & I think again the kids would like them either fried or BBQ'd. Lots of nice sausage in France - merguez for the grown ups.

The campsites usually have take aways. The best boeuf bourguignon I have ever had was on a campsite - you took 2 pans to the counter - one for the beef & the other for the chips! Twas scrummy.

Thanks for the replies. I like the look of the Cobb but I don't think DH will allow me this luxury :(

Pasta, rice and chilli are favourites, I just don't want to be feeding them these for the entire 2 weeks! The steak hache are a good idea as are the merguez! I'll have to investigate the take aways when we get there.

a barbecue is very useful - amazing what you can cook - you can wrap things in foil as well - fish, mushrooms, asparagus, pre cooked or tinned pots with garlic and olive oil.... anthony warrell thompson does a very good book.

campsites in france have lots of barbecue food in their shops. we use a £10 barbecue thats supposed to be on legs but put in on bricks or the side bit of a cake tin with tent pegs through the barbecue to keep it safe. if you are going for 2 weeks worth putting legs on!!

supermarkets have a deli counter with cooked food, eg bourguignon that you just warm up.

Do you have an electric hook up cable? We went camping this weekend for the first time and at the washing up sinks i saw someone washing their slow cooker! I'll be taking mine next time we go.