When my family goes car camping, we like to bring two coolers, one for drinks and one for food. We fill the latter cooler with frozen meat, fish and chicken, then defrost and grill the most perishable items first. We supplement meats with fresh salads, vegetables, little canned potatoes (great for grilling), or with boxed mixes of rice pilaf or couscous that just require hot water. Bring plenty of bottled water for cooking and drinking. If you drink or prepare foods with untreated water, boil it for ten to twenty minutes first or use a commercial purifier (available in outdoor-supply stores).

Other easy dishes include macaroni and cheese or penne with pesto sauce (bring frozen pesto). Hummus and a hunk of flat bread make good appetizers. Fruit, roasted marshmallows and, of course, S'mores are favorite desserts (I confess: Catharine and I sometimes smuggle Swiss chocolate bars into the tent to eat after the kids have fallen asleep). Breakfast is instant oatmeal, or eggs, bacon and any leftover potatoes, fried up. Lunches are typically sandwiches and fresh fruit. The crucial thing to pack is plenty of snacks, which especially come in handy during long, energy-sapping hikes.

For campfire tips and 16 recipes, see More than S'mores.



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