Camping and Outdoor Meals, Tips, & Tricks

Camping season is here! Depending on where you are in the country, camping can be a year ‘round adventure. Here in the Mid-Atlantic where Soom is headquartered, a lot of families head into the woods in the summer. It’s a relatively inexpensive way to enjoy nature and spend quality time with friends and family. 

There are several types of camping including cabin camping, car camping, hike-to-camp, and even glamping! Because tahini is shelf-stable, is loaded with nutrients, and packs a punch of flavor, it’s one of the best ingredients to pack when you’re planning some time out in nature. 

We chatted with some of the enthusiastic hikers and campers on the Soom Crew to compile a list of their tips and tricks when you’re heading out for a weekend camping trip. Plus, they shared some of the meals that were the biggest hits with their camping companions! Taste the difference.

If you have any camping tips you’d like to share, comment below! 

Tips & Tricks

• If you’re heading to a place where cell service might be spotty, make sure to bring a satellite phone/radio. This is especially important when you’re hiking to your campsite and won’t be able to get in touch with help quickly in an emergency. 

• Tell someone where you’re going and when they can expect you back. This is a best practice even if you’re just heading out for a day hike or for some time on the water. 

• Bring more water than you think you need, especially on hot days. It’s incredible how much hydration your body needs so always overestimate. Carry lighter weight bottles or water packs so they don’t weigh you down. Extra water is super helpful if you take a wrong turn or your outing takes longer than expected. (If you use AllTrails, take 3x the water! Any of our hiking friends know what we mean.) ;-) 

• Freeze beverages to use as ice packs. This is a great trick for your cooler. The extra ice helps to keep any perishables cool and also acts as an additional hydration source. Then on the way home, your cooler won’t be so heavy! 

• Bring frozen veggies so they also act as ice packs. This is the same concept as above. Freezing anything you can beforehand will keep your other perishable foods at the proper temperature. Plus, they don’t take up extra precious space like additional ice packs might. 

• Use animal proof food lockers, especially in bear country! Animals are smart and will always look for an easy meal. (Raccoons have a deep love of marshmallows!) If you can’t lock your food in the car when it’s not being used, invest in a locker and store it away from your campsite. 

• Always have a first aid kit and know what to do in case of an emergency. 

Food to pack for your camping adventure

• As many shelf-stable options as possible. Of course, tahini is at the top of our list since it can be used in everything from pancakes to coffee. (If you haven’t tried mixing a tablespoon of Chocolate Tahini into your morning coffee, you’re missing out!) 

• Pre-cook items like potatoes or pasta to avoid long or messy cooking 

• Bring things to cook over the campfire, it’s worth it! Try one of those old school Jiffy Pop Popcorn tins, corn on the cob, and foil wrapped meals likethis. 

• Bring cast iron pans. They hold up well to flames and are perfect for cooking over a campfire. If you’re hiking to your site, disregard this message! (Who wants to carry all that extra weight?)

• Bring an oven grate for cooking over the fire just in case your campsite doesn’t have one. We’ve been caught too many times without a place to rest our precious food. 

• Pack your grill kit so you have long tongs, skewers, and a telescoping fork. 

Be a good steward of the environment

• Leave no trace…

• Bring trash bags and only place them in approved receptacles or bring your trash home for disposal. 

• Watch fires closely and pay attention to ranger warnings. When the conditions are dry, fires may be prohibited to prevent forest fires. (No smoking in the woods!) 

• Clean off all boots and shoes thoroughly. Our shoes are one of the most common ways to spread invasive species and diseases. (It’s how white nose syndrome, a disease wreaking havoc on our native bat populations, was brought to the US.) 

• Don’t feed wildlife. It’s tempting, we know. They’re so cute and cuddly! But in the long run, feeding wildlife and getting them used to humans does them more harm than good. 

Camping Recipes

• Vanilla Bean Tahini Crispy Rice Treats

• Make in advance and bring for a campfire dessert. They’re fantastic dipped Dark Chocolate Tahini with Sea Salt and have that s’mores flavor we all love. 

• Dark Chocolate Banana Swirl Muffins

• Bake in advance and bring with you for a quick, easy meal

• Buckwheat Banana Bread Pancakes

• Measure the dry ingredients and place in a jar at home, then mix in the wet ingredients at your campsite and cook over the fire in a cast iron skillet

• Roasted Cauliflower with Harissa Tahini

• Make the sauce at home and roast the cauliflower over the campfire

• Chocolate Tahini Toast

• Quick and easy and perfect for energizing you on a long hike

• Maple Tahini Granola

• Make in advance and enjoy for breakfast with chilled milk, fresh fruit, or yogurt. Also makes a fantastic trail mix! 

• Chocolate Tahini Date Bites

• Super simple snacks to keep fuel your adventures

• Roasted Whitefish with Lemon Tahini Dressing

• Any of our roasted fish recipes would be fantastic over the campfire cooked in a foil envelope 

• Chocolate Chip Coconut Tahini Granola Bars

• They’re granola bars, of course they’re great for camping! 

There are so many ways to enjoy the outdoors, we hope you’ll get outside and enjoy the wonders this beautiful planet has to offer!