Cheaper and Easier SPAM Mac & Cheese

I've already written up instructions for a Kraft Dinner based version of this. Using a freeze-dried backpacker's meal is easier as you just need to add hot water, but it's also relatively expensive. I think my new preferred middle-ground solution is to use Knorr Sidekicks and some fresh kale. Unlike Kraft Dinner, you don't need to cook the noodles separately or worry about draining them. And you can always mix up the flavours of Sidekicks if you feel like a change.

SPAM Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 pat of butter (optional)
• 1/2 can of SPAM, cubed
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 package broccoli and cheese flavoured Sidekicks
• black pepper, to taste
• 4 Tbsp. powdered milk
• 2 large kale leaves, chopped
• 1/4 c. cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Melt the butter (if using) and add the SPAM. Cook until SPAM is a bit brown and crispy.
2. Add water, Sidekicks, pepper, powdered milk, and kale and cook covered, stirring occasionally, until noodles are done.
3. Stir in cheese (if using).

This is a variation on the Kidlet's favourite overnight oatmeal. I usually make this hot version when camping, but you could also do it as an overnight soak and just stir in the applesauce and milk powder in the morning if you wanted to avoid busting out the stove for breakfast.

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2/3 c. quick oats
• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp. dried currants
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 4 Tbsp. powdered milk
• 1 c. boiling water
• 1 pot unsweetened applesauce
• 1-2 tsp. sugar or brown sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Combine oats, walnuts, currants, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves before you go.
2. To prepare oatmeal, add the boiling water to the oat mixture and stir.
3. Stir in powdered milk and applesauce.
4. Top with a bit of sugar if desired.

Ready-to-Eat-Curry

This isn't really a recipe at all. You literally just heat up the curries in the packages and then eat them. But, as these "bag curries" have become one of my camping staples, I feel like I should at least mention them.

There are a few different brands available. I usually like to take a Gits vegetable pulao and then top it with one or two other curries (usually either Gits or MTR). I find that one pulao + one main/curry is about right for two people. One rice + two mains is about right for three.

If you want something a little bit extra for the meal, bring some tortillas, roti, or naan to serve as an extra starch component/side.

Ready-Made Camping Desserts

I usually prioritize meals and snacks when camping, but sometimes it's nice to have a bit of a sweet treat after dinner. S'mores are, of course, a classic. And I have a few other things that I've made at various points. Often, though, I find I don't really feel like cooking another thing after already cooking dinner. Usually that means I just skip dessert. Other times I'll go for something ready-made that doesn't require any prep. There are, of course, lots of options for such things. This is just a short list of some of my go-tos.

Camping Desserts

• 2-bite brownies
• candy bars (I like Wunderbar)
• Oreos
• fresh fruit
• ice cream (from a local shop)

S'mores

The classic campfire dessert. (And some variations!)

Classic S'mores

Ingredients

• 2 graham crackers
• 1 square of milk chocolate
• 1 marshmallow

Directions

1. Place the chocolate on one of the graham crackers.
2. Toast the marshmallow.
3. Place the hot, toasted marshmallow on top of the chocolate and cap with the remaining graham cracker.

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Variations

Dark Chocolate S'mores

Ingredients

• 2 graham crackers
• 1 square of dark chocolate
• 1 marshmallow

Strawberry S'mores

Ingredients

• 2 graham crackers
• 1/2 strawberry, sliced
• 1 square of chocolate
• 1 marshmallow

Directions

1. Place strawberry slices between graham cracker and chocolate.
2. Assemble as directed for classic s'mores.

Peanut Butter Cup S'mores

Ingredients

• 2 graham crackers
• 1 Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
• 1 marshmallow

Brownie S'mores

Ingredients

• 2 graham crackers
• 1 2-bite brownie, halved horizontally
• 1 marshmallow

Directions

1. Use brownie in place of chocolate.

Chunky Monkey S'mores

Ingredients

• 2 graham crackers
• ~1 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
• 1 or 2 crosswise slices of banana
• 1 square of chocolate
• 1 marshmallow

Directions

1. Spread both graham crackers with peanut butter.
2. Place banana slice(s) on top of one of the graham crackers.
3. Place chocolate on top of banana slice(s).
4. Toast marshmallow and place it on top of chocolate.
5. Cap with remaining graham cracker (peanut butter side down).

Fat Elvis S'mores

Ingredients

• 2 graham crackers
• ~1 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1/2 slice of bacon
• 1 or two crosswise slices of banana
• 1 marshmallow

I've made a car camping version of this recipe a few times now and it's worked out pretty well. I think it could be adapted to backpacking fairly easily as well.

It's taken me a while to get the hang of putting together good camp menus. I don't normally use a lot of mixes and packaged ingredients in my cooking, so I don't tend to think of such things when planning meals. That said, they are very well suited to camping and backpacking. Having a mix means needing to bring fewer ingredients. And they're usually pretty shelf stable as well. It's a nice way to keep things quick and simple when you have limited tools, time, and carrying capacity.

I recommend cooking this in a large cast iron skillet or dutch oven over the fire/hot coals. If your cooking vessel doesn't have a lid, you'll want to bring along tin foil to cover it with or else the biscuits won't cook properly.

Chicken and Biscuits

Ingredients

• 400g cooked chicken breast pieces
• 4 c. water
• 1 c. milk
• 1 packet dry cream of vegetable soup mix
• 1/4 c. dried vegetables
• 1/4 c. freeze-dried broccoli
• 1 tube Pillsbury Country Biscuits¹ (or similar)
• black pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Combine chicken, water, milk, cream soup mix, vegetables, and broccoli and give it a stir.
2. Separate the biscuits and place them on top.
3. Cover and cook until biscuits are done.
4. Season with a bit of pepper, if desired.

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Variations

Backpacking Version

I've adapted this to cook a smaller portion in a pot on a stove for backpacking. If you are willing and able to build a fire and want to feed a crowd, then feel free to double these amounts and cook it in a larger vessel over a fire.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. dry skim milk powder
• 1/2 packet dry cream of vegetable soup mix
• 2 Tbsp. dried vegetables
• 2 Tbsp. freeze-dried broccoli
• 1 can chicken breast chunks
• 2 c. water
• pepper

Biscuits

• 1 c. Bisquick
• 1 Tbsp. dry skim milk powder
• 1/3 c. water

Directions

Before You Go

1. Combine milk powder, soup mix, dried veggies, and broccoli in a baggie.
2. Combine Bisquick and second measure of milk powder in a separate baggie.

At Camp

1. Combine contents of first baggie (with the soup mix), chicken (no need to drain), and 2 c. water.
2. Add 1/3 c. water to second baggie (with Bisquick) and mix to make a dough.
3. Top the chicken mixture with chunks of dough.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, until biscuits/dumplings are mostly cooked.
5. Remove from heat (but keep covered) and let stand until dumplings are cooked through.
6. Season to taste with pepper, if desired.

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¹ It seems that Pillsbury may have discontinued their tubes of chilled country biscuit dough. It looks like they have "Southern Homestyle Biscuits" that are pretty similar, but I've never seen them in the shops here. I guess next time I make this I get to try it with "Flaky Dinner Rolls" or something instead. ^Back

If you're car camping, things like Tuna Helper can make for a nice easy dinner. It's still doable as a backpacking meal, but you'd either need to divide the noodles and sauce and only cook ~1/2 at a time or make sure you have a fairly large pot. I cooked mine over the fire this time. I think next time I'd attempt it in my little cooking pot. Easier to control the temperature and cooking time that way. I ended up overcooking the noodles in my big cast iron pan and it picked up a distinct smoky flavour from the fire which, while welcome in many other applications, did not jive particularly well here. I'd also double the tuna next time. Despite what the package says, one tin does not provide nearly enough tuna for one box of Tuna Helper.

Tuna Helper: Creamy Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 c. water
• 2 tins tuna (packed in water)
• 1 c. milk
• 1 box Creamy Pasta Tuna Helper
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 c. dried veggies

Directions

1. Combine water, tuna (no need to drain), milk, pasta, sauce mix, butter, and veggies in a pot.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Simmer, covered, for 5-10 minutes.
4. Uncover and remove from heat.
5. Let stand 5-10 minutes.

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Variations

Backpacking Version

Ingredients

• 2 c. water
• 1 tin tuna
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. skim milk powder
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. ghee
• 1/4 c. dried veggies
• 1/2 box Creamy Pasta Tuna Helper (1/2 the pasta + 1/2 the sauce mix)

I was initially planning on just making this with a box of Kraft Dinner, but then I found I had a bag of Mountain House mac & cheese left over from a camping trip a couple of years ago and figured I might as well use it up. I wasn't expecting much from a "just add water" dehydrated meal, but it was actually really delicious. It came out a lot more saucy than KD normally does, but the sauce tasted rich and unctuous and it meant that the extra SPAM and broccoli that I added in got a generous coating of sauce as well and everything merged into a deliciously cheesy glop.

The procedure for this is a bit simpler when you're using a Mountain House-style dehydrated meal, but it should be easy enough to adapt to standard Kraft Dinner-style boxed mac & cheese options. The main difference will be cooking the pasta in the pot and bringing along some milk and butter for the sauce.

Mac & Cheese with Broccoli and SPAM

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1 can reduced-sodium SPAM
• 3 c. water
• 1/2 c. freeze-dried broccoli
• 1 bag of Mountain House (or similar) freeze-dried mac & cheese
• black pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Cut the SPAM into 1cm cubes.
2. Add SPAM to pot and cook until it begins to brown and crisp.
3. Add water and broccoli to pot and bring to a boil.
4. Pour ~2 c. of boiling water into the bag of mac & cheese and mix well.
5. Seal bag and let stand for ~10 minutes.
6. Drain excess water from broccoli and SPAM.
7. Empty bag of mac & cheese into pot and stir to combine with SPAM mixture.
8. Season with pepper if desired.

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Variations

Kraft Dinner with Broccoli and SPAM

(Serves 3-4)

Ingredients

• 1 can reduced-sodium SPAM
• 5 c. water
• 1 c. freeze-dried broccoli
• 1 box Kraft Dinner (or similar)
• 1/3 c. milk¹
• 2 Tbsp. butter²
• 1/4 c. Cheddar cheese (optional)
• black pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Cut up and fry the SPAM as above. (1cm cubes cooked until slightly crispy.)
2. Add water to the pot and bring it to a boil.
3. Add broccoli and pasta and cook for ~7 minutes.
4. Drain.
5. Add milk, butter, cheese sauce mix, and extra cheese (if using).
6. Mix well.
7. Season with pepper if desired.

Vegetarian Version

Ingredients

• 1 package veggie dogs or extra delicious tofu
• 5 c. water
• 1 c. freeze-dried broccoli
• 1 box Kraft Dinner
• 1/3 c. milk
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 c. Cheddar cheese (optional)
• black pepper (optional)

If using tofu, add at end of cooking (with sauce ingredients).

Spicy Asian-Inspired Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 can spicy Mala SPAM (if you can find it)³
• 5 c. water
• 1 c. freeze-dried broccoli
• 1 box Kraft Dinner
• 1/3 c. milk
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder (optional)
• 2-3 green onions, chopped

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¹ If you don't have access to a cooler powdered milk works just fine here. Skim/fat-free milk powder will keep for longer than whole milk powder. Just add 1 Tbsp. of milk powder and 1/3 c. of water along with the other sauce ingredients. ^Back
2 Salted butter will keep better than unsalted butter without refrigeration. Ghee will work just as well as butter and keep even better still. ^Back
3 If you can't find any spicy Mala SPAM, just use regular or reduced-sodium SPAM and add ~1 Tbsp. of sriracha and 1/4-1/2 tsp. Szechuan peppercorn powder. ^Back

Nut/Seed Butter Sandwiches

I normally go with the classic PB&J when camping because it's easy and the Kidlet and I both like it. That said, there's lots of room for variation on the theme for a bit of variety.

Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. peanut butter¹
• ~1 Tbsp. jam²

Almond Butter and Banana Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. almond butter
• ~1/2 a banana, sliced
• ~1 tsp. honey (optional)

Snickers Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of toast
• ~2 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter³
• ~1 1/2 Tbsp. Nutella

Peanut Butter, Apple, and Bacon Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. peanut butter
• ~1/4 of an apple, sliced thin
• 2 slices of bacon

Ants on a Log Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 rib of celery, chopped
• ~2 Tbsp. raisins

PB&M Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. smooth peanut butter
• ~2 Tbsp. marshmallow fluff

Peanut Butter S'Mores Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. peanut butter
• ~2 Tbsp. marshmallow fluff
• ~1 Tbsp. Nutella

Cherry-Almond Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. almond butter
• ~2 Tbsp. cherry jam

Chicken Pad Thai Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. peanut butter
• fresh veggies⁴
• fresh herbs (optional)⁵
• ~50g cooked chicken breast pieces
• 1-2 tsp. sri racha (or similar hot sauce)
• 1/2 tsp. lime juice

Pumpkin Seed Butter and Cranberry Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. pumpkin seed butter
• ~1 1/2 Tbsp. cranberry sauce/jam

Pistachio Butter, Goat Cheese, and Apricot Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices of crusty French bread
• ~2 Tbsp. pistacio butter
• ~1 Tbsp. marmalade
• ~2 Tbsp. soft goat cheese (eg. chèvre)
• 2 dried apricots, chopped

Apple-Pecan Sandwich

• 2 slices of bread
• ~2 Tbsp. pecan butter
• ~1 Tbsp. granola (optional)
• 1-2 tsp. maple syrup
• ~1/4 of an apple, sliced thin

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¹ I prefer crunchy "natural" peanut butter (as in no added sugar, salt, or oil). ^Back
2 I like either grape jelly or raspberry jam. Strawberry jam also works well. Feel free to experiment with different flavours! ^Back
3 For most of these sandwiches feel free use whatever type of nut butter your prefer. For the snickers sandwich though, it really does work better with crunchy peanut butter. ^Back
4 Try bean sprouts, grated carrot, sliced cucumber, and/or red onion. ^Back
5 Try cilantro/coriander and/or Thai basil. ^Back

Snacks

I didn't really want to make a separate post for each snack since they're all simple, no-cook, one- or two-ingredient deals. Initially I wasn't going to bother posting them at all, but I figured it might be nice to have a sort of quick-reference list to refer to when planning trips. "Camp" snacks involve items that require refrigeration/a cooler. "Backpacking" snacks are largely shelf-stable and appropriate for either backpacking or car camping.

Camp Snacks

• cheese & crackers
• hummus & crackers
• applesauce¹
• carrot sticks
• cucumber coins
• grapes

Backpacking Snacks

• granola bars
• protein bars
• pepperettes/salami
• jerky
• GORP/trail mix
• dried fruit
• roasted chickpeas
• applesauce (packets)

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Vegan and Vegetarian Options

Most of these snacks are or can be adapted to meatless diets. Soy or nut cheeses can be used instead of dairy cheese. Many vegan protein bars are available these days. There is also at least one good vegan jerky available here in Ontario. Just about the only thing I can't think of a vegan or vegetarian option for is the pepperettes. I think everything else is pretty veggie-friendly.

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¹ I usually like to bring a whole jar of applesauce. It's shelf-stable while sealed, but requires refrigeration after opening. Single-serving pots or packets are more appropriate for backpacking as they don't require refrigeration. The packets are especially easy to pack and more resistant to rupture/failed seals than the pots. ^Back

Beans and Weenies

Equipment

• camp stove and fuel
• small pot
• knife (and cutting board)
• cheese grater (optional)

Ingredients

Serves 2-4 depending on appetite

• 1/2 onion
• 1 tsp. butter, ghee, or oil
• 2-4 hot dogs
• 2 cans baked beans with molasses

Optional extras:

• cheese
• ketchup
• mustard
• brown sugar

Directions

Chop the onion and cook it with the oil until it softens.
Cut up the hot dogs and add them to the pot. You can try to brown them a little if you like, but this may be tricky depending on the stove and the pot.
Add the beans along with any optional extras you want.

If you can find vegetarian beans without any meat in them (or wish to make your own ahead of time), veggie dogs can make this a simple vegetarian dish.

Loaded Sweet Potatoes

Equipment

• tin foil (and parchment paper)
• knife (and cutting board)
• fire grate/grill (if cooking over the fire)
• oven mitt(s)
• cheese grater (optional)

Ingredients

Feeds 2-3 depending on size of sweet potato and appetites

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 small zucchini
• 1/2 onion
• 1 (350g) package worth of tofu bacon (or a few slices of actual bacon if you're not opposed to eating meat)
• 2-4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 small block Cheddar
• 3-4 green onions
• salt and pepper, to taste

Optional extras:

• sour cream

Directions

Get your grill or fire going.
Line tin foil with parchment paper, if using.
Slice the sweet potato, zucchini, and onion into discs -- or half discs in the case of the onion -- and pile onto (parchment-lined) tin foil.
Top with (tofu) bacon, garlic, cheese, and green onion and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Seal the foil packet and toss it on the grill or coals. Cook until veggies are done and cheese is ooey-gooey.
Serve as is or with sour cream.

Breakfast Couscous

Equipment

• camp stove and fuel
• small pot
• bowl with lid

Ingredients

Per person:

• 35g whole wheat couscous
• 1 Tbsp. sweetened flaked coconut
• 25g dried fruit (pref. cherries, cranberries, and/or raisins
• 125mL milk

Optional extras:

• yogurt
• fresh fruit
• jam
• honey
• maple syrup

Directions

Combine couscous, coconut, and fruit in a bowl.
Scald milk and pour it over couscous mixture. Mix well, then cover for 10 minutes.
Fluff with spork and serve with any desired extras.

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Variations

Backpacking

Ingredients

• 35g whole wheat couscous
• 1 Tbsp. sweetened flaked coconut
• 25g dried fruit (pref. cherries, cranberries, and/or raisins
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. powdered milk

Directions

Combine all ingredients in advance and place in a baggie.
At camp, bring 125mL of water to a boil and pour it into the baggie. Mix well and seal. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Fluff with spork and eat.

If you have a bowl with a lid or a bowl that fits inside your baggie, you can empty the baggie into the bowl first and then pour the water over. This will probably give a nicer texture but means you'll have to clean your bowl. On the other hand, if you're using a re-usable baggie, it's probably easier to clean the bowl than the baggie.

Chili Cheese Fries

Equipment

• tin foil (and parchment paper)
• can opener
• knife and/or cheese grater
• oven mitt(s)

Ingredients

Feeds 4-6 depending on appetites

• 1 bag frozen fries
• 2 tins chili
• 1/2 small block Cheddar cheese

Optional extras:

• green onions
• (pickled) jalapeños
• (lightly dried) cilantro

Directions

Fire up your grill (or get a camp fire going).
If using parchment paper, place it on top of the tin foil.
Dump the fries onto the (parchment-lined) tin foil and let them cook for a bit. (Leave the foil open.)
When the fries seem like they're just about cooked, dump the chili on top and top with cheese. Top with any other extras you like.
Close the foil to make a sealed packet and cook until everything is good and melty.

A couple cans of vegetarian chili makes this an easy vegetarian meal.

Chili & Chips

Equipment

• can opener
• camp stove and fuel
• small pot
• knife and/or cheese grater

Ingredients

Feeds 2-4 depending on appetites

• 2 tins chili
• 1 bag Doritos
• 1/4 small block Cheddar cheese

Directions

Dump the chili into a small pot and heat it up over your camp stove.
Serve topped with cheese with Doritos on the side.

Can easily be made vegetarian by using vegetarian chili.

Milk and Cereal

Ingredients

• milk
• cereal

Optional extras:

• fresh or dried fruit
• yogurt

Directions

Pour yourself a bowl of cereal and slosh some milk over it.
Add some fruit and yogurt if you have it.

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Variations

Backpacking

Ingredients

• powdered milk
• cereal

Optional extras:

• dried fruit

Directions

Portion out milk and cereal (and fruit, if using) in advance and seal in a baggie.
At camp, empty baggie into bowl and add water to reconstitute milk.

Grilled Sausages and Corn

Equipment

For Fire Grilling

• fire fork or stick
OR

• grate/grill to put over fire

Ingredients

Per person:

• 1 sausage
• 1 cob of corn
• 1 bun

Optional extras:

• butter
• salt
• pepper
• Sauerkraut
• mustard
• ketchup
• relish
• hot peppers
• cheese

Directions

Pretty straight-forward. You get your fire (or your grill going), slap some sausages and corn down, and cook until done.
Put a butter, salt, and/or pepper on the corn if you wanna get fancy.
Put the sausages in the buns and top with whatever condiments you like.

I didn't want to lug along a tonne of toppings, so I just had mine with sauerkraut and mustard.

There are a lot of nice vegetarian sausages available these days if you're not into the meat.