According to her, it's all about container selection. Avoid bringing a food item in its original container if it's large, heavy or breakable. "Take the time to bring only what you need and find an appropriately sized container for it," she says. She suggests scouring arts and crafts stores. "Think small and light," she says. "When it comes to schlepping everything around on your back, every bit of efficiency helps."
Keep It Simple and Live off the Land
Great meals don't have to be complicated. Pick out recipes that don't require many steps or equipment, like soups, pastas, stews, salads or grilled, marinated meats and veggies.
More: Recipe: Barbecue Marinated Steak
And, as any food-obsessed person knows, culinary passion goes far beyond taste. "It's also about where the food comes from and where it grows," Jacque points out. She recommends food foraging. "You start to realize that there's actually a plethora of edible treats growing all around us, urban and wild."
Before she takes off, Jacques researches the area she'll be visiting to find out what grows there in that season, how to find it, and what it looks and tastes like. "It's actually really fun and rewarding to gather some of your food for that evening's meal," she says. "And, what better way to save on space and load weight than not having to carry it in at all—jackpot."
Going fishing? You can cook your whole cleaned, scaled snapper, trout or similar fish over the campfire wrapped in aluminum foil, stuffed with a little chopped ginger, onions, garlic, scallions, black pepper—or the spices of your choice.
Next time you head out for your next camping trip, indulge the food snob in you and remember that with some planning and innovation, outdoor cooking can lead to gourmet, campsite bliss.
More: The Art of Making Good Coffee in the Outdoors
Enjoy your next meal outdoors and reserve your campsite online.
Christina Scannapiego is the online Outdoors Editor for Active.com.
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