No Fridge Camping Food Ideas

Food to Take Camping Without a Fridge or Cooler

I love going camping; the sounds of nature at night, the ability to have my dogs with me, and how budget-friendly it is. One thing that I had always struggled with is our food. Most nutritionally balanced camping meal suggestions require you to keep food refrigerated or on ice. This is great if you have the space for coolers, don’t mind doing ice runs, or have a camper outfitted with a fridge. However, you may be looking for some no fridge camping food ideas to make life easier if you go tent camping and don’t have space in your vehicles for coolers.

To make things easier, I’ve put together a list of food you can take camping without a fridge or cooler so you can create healthier meals on the go.

If you are looking for more ways to save money during your vacations, check out our top Low Budget Travel Tips!

Why Bring Camping Food that Doesn’t Require a Cooler?

There are several reasons why I prefer camping food that doesn’t require being kept cold; convenience, space, added stress, and money.

• Well-made and insulated camping coolers are expensive and can take up much-needed space in your vehicles. Between fitting friends, family, and pets in your vehicle along with their camping gear, there’s not a ton of space for coolers. Money can also be an issue if you are having to choose between what type of quality gear you are to invest in and a high-end cooler oftentimes is not at the top of the list.
• Bringing food on camping trips that need to stay cool is an added stress. Having to make sure the cooler is properly stocked with enough ice to prevent food spoilage and possible food poisoning is not an enjoyable way to spend your vacation. The hotter the weather, the quicker you run out of ice which leads to frequent trips to stores or gas stations to restock your cooler in time.
• It limits the amount of food that goes to waste. A lot of these items can still be used after you get back home or even until your next camping trip. No wasted food = no wasted money which is an additional win for your bank account.

Best Food to Take Camping Without a Fridge

Believe it or not, there is a surprising amount of healthy food options that you can bring on your next camping trip that doesn’t require a fridge. Pre-made camping meals are a great way to provide cooler-free meals but they do get a bit pricey and can be hard to find in stores during certain times of the year.

I highly recommend bringing a few ready-to-go meal options like soup or pre-packaged camping meals for the times that everyone is too tired or hungry to put a meal together. This is especially helpful after a long day hiking, kayaking, or even driving! This also greatly reduces any clean-up needed after the meal is over which means less work for everyone which is so important if you need to get to bed quickly.

Now that my husband has developed a high amount of food sensitivities, we struggle to find pre-packaged meals that he can eat that aren’t super expensive. With his current diet restrictions, we have been forced to be even more creative with our vacation meal planning and have found ways to include tasty, yet healthy food options when we are on the road.

Here is our list of the best foods to take camping without a fridge! We have separated it into the basic food groups to make it easier for you to create your cooler-free grocery list for your next camping trip. All these things can easily be prepared if you can open cans and boil water. Some of these options can even be eaten without the need to bust out your camping stove or start a fire which makes them a great fit for snacks or lunch if you are off on an all-day hike.

For my fellow dog parents: Most of the foods listed are dog friendly, so if you have any leftovers, you will have the option of feeding some to your pups as a part of their meals or special treats to further limit any potential food waste. Please remember to double-check that the food is dog-safe first.

Proteins

• Beans (garbanzo, black, pinto, etc.)
• Nut Butter (peanut, almond, etc.)
• Canned Meats
• Jerky

Fruits &Vegetables

• Canned fruits & vegetables
• Bananas
• Apples
• Oranges
• Berries
• Husked corn
• Dried/Dehydrated Fruits (raisins, banana chips, etc.)

Carbs

• Noodles
• Potatoes and/or instant potatoes
• Rice
• Oatmeal

Extras:

• Condiments/Seasonings
• Honey
• Spaghetti sauce
• Granola
• Trail mix
• Chips
• Bread
• Dried Seaweed
• Nuts
• Misc. other pre-packaged snacks

No Refrigeration Camping Meals Ideas

Here are just some of the camping meals that you can create with the above list of non-refrigerated foods. Once you select your ‘main course’ you can supplement your meal with any number of sides like chips, vegetables, or fruit depending on what you are in the mood for and how hungry your group is.

• Spaghetti with beans for protein
• PB & Jelly/Banana/Honey sandwiches
• Potatoes or Rice topped with vegetables (you can add beans for protein as well)
• Jerky sandwiches
• Oatmeal with toppings like peanut butter, raisins, berries, etc.
• Canned soups
• Ready-made camping meals

Eat, Cook, and Go Camping!

I hope this post has helped you think a bit more outside the box when it comes to selecting food and meals for your next camping or hiking trip. Selecting food items that don’t require being kept cool, minimizes food waste and in turn optimizes your food budget, saving you money. Having a selection of healthy food and meals to choose from, makes eating at your campsite just as enjoyable as eating at home!

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