How to Enjoy Vegan Camping Food Without Sacrificing Flavour

If you’re a vegan who loves camping, you might have faced some challenges when it comes to finding delicious and nutritious food options for your outdoor adventures. 

Maybe you’ve settled for bland meals or relied on processed and packaged foods that are not good for your health or the environment. 

Or maybe you’ve skipped some trips because you didn’t know what to eat in the wilderness. 

Well, not anymore! 

In this article, we’ll show you some amazing vegan camping food ideas that will make your mouth water and your stomach happy!

Vegan Camping Food Ideas for Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially when you are camping. You need a hearty and energising breakfast to fuel your outdoor activities and keep you going until lunchtime.

Here are some of the vegan camping food ideas for breakfast that are easy to prepare and pack:

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a classic camping breakfast that is vegan-friendly and versatile.

You can make it with water or plant-based milk and add your favorite toppings, such as nuts, seeds, dried fruits, fresh fruits, maple syrup, peanut butter, or chocolate chips. 

You can soak it overnight in a jar for a no-cook option.

To prepare it, combine rolled oats, plant-based milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt in a mason jar. 

Shake well and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, add your toppings and enjoy cold or warm it up on a stove or campfire.

Sandwiches and Wraps

Sandwiches and wraps are the ultimate vegan camping food because they are simple to make, portable, and customisable. 

You can use any kind of bread or tortilla you like and fill them with your favourite ingredients, such as vegan cheese, deli slices, hummus, avocado, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sprouts, etc.

If you want to add extra texture and flavor, you can also try vegan jerky as a filling or a snack. 

Vegan jerky is made from plant-based ingredients such as soy, wheat, mushrooms, or jackfruit and seasoned with barbecue, teriyaki, pepper, or maple bacon flavours. 

You can find some of the best vegan jerky brands here: https://jerkybrands.com/vegan-jerky/.

Pancakes

Who doesn’t love pancakes for breakfast? They are fluffy, sweet, and satisfying. And they are also easy to make vegan!

To make vegan pancakes on your camping trip, you can either use a premade vegan pancake mix or make your own by mixing flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a ziplock bag. 

Then, you must add water and oil to the mix and cook them on a skillet over the campfire or stove.

You can top your pancakes with fresh fruits, maple syrup, nut butter, or vegan chocolate sauce.

Vegan Camping Food Ideas for Lunch

Lunch is a time to refuel your body and recharge your energy after a morning of hiking, biking, or exploring. 

You want something quick to make, easy to eat, and satisfying:

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Sometimes you just want something simple and comforting for lunch. And nothing beats a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich for that!

You only need some bread, peanut butter, and jelly (or jam). Add some sliced banana or apple for extra crunch and sweetness.

Veggie Sushi

This is a fun and easy way to enjoy raw veggies and rice. You can buy sushi rice and nori sheets at the store or online and cook the rice at home before your trip. 

Then bring some veggies of your choice, such as cucumber, carrot, avocado, bell pepper, or spinach. You can also get some tofu, tempeh, or seitan for some protein. 

To make the sushi, spread some rice over a nori sheet and add your fillings on top. Then roll it up and cut it into pieces. You can also bring some soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger for dipping.

Hearty Salads

Salads are not just for rabbits! They can be hearty and satisfying vegan camping food if you add protein and carbs. 

You can make salads with quinoa, couscous, rice, pasta, beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, etc.

Vegan Camping Food Ideas for Dinner

Dinner is a time to relax and enjoy a delicious meal after a long day of outdoor fun. You need something warm, cosy, and more filling.

Frito Pie

Frito pie is a Tex-Mex dish that consists of Fritos corn chips topped with chili and cheese. It’s super easy to make vegan and perfect for camping!

You need – 

• a can of vegan chili (or make your own with beans, tomato sauce, and spices), 
• a bag of Fritos corn chips (or any other vegan corn chips), and 
• some vegan cheese (or make your own with cashews, nutritional yeast, and spices).

Simply heat the chili in a pot over the campfire or stove. Then layer the Fritos corn chips in a large skillet or baking dish. 

Pour the chili over the chips and sprinkle the cheese on top. Cover the skillet or dish with foil and place it over the campfire or stove until the cheese melts.

Enjoy your Frito pie with some chopped onion, cilantro, and vegan sour cream.

Veggie Burgers and Hot Dogs

Veggie burgers and hot dogs are another classic vegan camping food that everyone loves. They are easy to grill over the campfire or stove and serve with buns and condiments.

You can buy premade veggie burgers and hot dogs from the store.

Grilled Fruit and Veggie Kebabs

Some of the best grilled fruits and veggies are pineapple, mango, peach, apple, banana, zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, onion, mushroom, and cherry tomato. 

You can also add some tofu or tempeh cubes for extra protein.

To cook grilled fruit and veggie kebabs on your camping trip, simply cut your fruits and veggies into bite-sized pieces and thread them onto skewers. 

You can either use metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning.

Brush your kebabs with some oil and season them with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs and spices. 

Grill your kebabs over the campfire or stove for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are charred and tender. 

Enjoy them with some rice, couscous, or bread.

Vegan Camping Food Ideas for Dessert

No camping trip is complete without dessert! You can enjoy some sweet treats around the campfire without compromising your vegan diet.

Treat yourself to some gummy vitamins that are not only yummy but also packed with nutrients your body needs.

If you want to do something more, you can always bet on some S’mores.

S’mores

S’mores are the quintessential camping dessert that everyone loves. They are gooey, chocolatey, and crunchy. 

And they are also easy to make vegan!

You just need some – 

• vegan graham crackers (or any other vegan cookies), 
• vegan chocolate bars (or chocolate chips), and 
• vegan marshmallows (or marshmallow fluff).

To prepare it, roast a marshmallow over the campfire until it is golden and melty. Then, put a piece of chocolate and the marshmallow between two graham crackers. And it’s done!

Conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of vegan camping food ideas that are easy to make and delicious to eat. You don’t have to compromise on taste or nutrition while enjoying nature. 

In fact, by choosing plant-based meals, you are also doing your part to protect the environment and reduce your carbon footprint. 

So what are you waiting for? Grab your tent, sleeping bag, and appetite, and head out for some vegan camping fun!