TheCampingGuy.com Blog | Camping Tips

Let’s face it…camping meals need to be easy to make, easy to eat and easy to clean up. Did you know that potatoes just happen to be a great way to get all of those things and still have plenty of room for flavor? So here’s some great ideas on how to satisfy your whole family on your camping trip using many potatoes…and a few other things as well.

1. Po’ Boy Foil Bowl
Chop up 1 small potato per camper, depending on their appetite. Put the chopped potatoes in a clean, plastic bag, add a splash of olive oil, pepper, salt and whatever dried herbs you have. Add a couple of hand fulls of chopped vegetables like: carrots, celery, onion, tomato, broccoli, etc. and shake the bag. Dish out about a cup of the mixture onto sheets of aluminum foil. Wrap the ingredients tightly, leaving a small opening at top and grill over open flame or in the coals of a fire, for up to 30 minutes. Use tongs to check the packages regularly–if they steam when you open them, your po’ boy is ready! Serve straight from aluminum!

2. Baked Potato Burrito
One baked potato per camper. Leave the skin on and cut the potato in half, long ways. Scoop a chunk from each half and place scooped potato in plastic bag. Add lots of salt, pepper, seasonings and a can of drained, black beans. Mush the bag until thoroughly mixed. Place potato halves onto aluminum foil sheets, scoop potato/bean mixture onto the halves and top with other half of potato. Gently wrap in foil and, turning gently and regularly, cook the potatoes over open flame or in the coals of a fire. Be careful when opening and eat with a spoon!

3. Fried Slice and Dice
Cut several potatoes Julian style, long ways, like French fries. Place in a Ziploc with 2 tbsp. olive oil, salt, seasonings, finely diced carrots, onions and garlic. Cook either on foil over open grill or fry in a pan on a portable grill. Top with a can of hot chili and/or cheese. You can also serve with Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake and Scoop
Wrap one potato per camper in foil and place on grill or over open flame, being sure to turn regularly. Prepare what toppings you have on paper plates and place one spoon per topping. Try toppings like: dried chives, squeeze margarine, salt, pepper, onion flakes, sour cream, Parmesan, leftover chicken, etc. You could also try your fresh-caught fish marinated and cooked in lemon on top of your potato!

5. Potato Bobs
Chop several potatoes into chunks and, using a Ziploc bag to mix, season with olive oil, salt, pepper, vinegar, seasonings and jarred garlic. With clean hands, place potato chunks and other chopped, veggies like: cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, etc. onto skewers. With the proper hand protection, allow your campers to cook their own Potato Bob over the campfire!

6. Potato Stew
Using a large pot, fill half way with water. Add up to 4 chopped potatoes to hot water. Add salt, pepper, seasonings, garlic, olive oil and margarine. Stir. Once Potatoes break up, add either fresh milk if you have it, or water and powdered milk. Once the mixture is hot and thickening, add up to 4 more chopped potatoes and veggies such as: celery, artichoke, carrot. Heat until potatoes are hot but not soft. Remove from heat. Serve after 5-10 minutes in Styrofoam cups for convenience!

7. Boiled Potato Soup
Leaving the skins on, boil one potato per camper in salted water. In another small pot, heat 3 cups water, add 2 bullion cubes, some seasonings and a scoop of margarine. The mix should be strong and mixed well. Placed boiled potatoes in styrofoam bowls and top with soup mixture. Voila!

8. Hashbrown Burrito
Using a cheese grater, grate 1/2 -1 potato per camper. Place grated potatoes in a Ziploc, add a small amount of water and cheese. Fry on portable grill in one, large patty. Flatten with spatula. Turn over. While bottom side cooks, add seasonings, chopped carrot or onions, leftover chicken or scrambled eggs if you have them. Once fully cooked, roll the hot potato cake up like a chimi changa and cut into sections. Serve with ketchup and a side of apples or oranges.

9. Crispy Pasted Patties
Slice your potatoes very thin and fry in a pan. Add olive oil and spice directly to the pan and a small can of tomato paste once the potatoes are crispy and almost done. Mix well and flip. Cut into pieces and serve!

10. Good Ol’ Hashbrowns
Using a cheese grater, grate your potatoes and mix in a Ziploc with your spices of choice. Add olive oil and a 1/2 tsp vinegar to the potatoes while cooking them. To add a little extra zing, place chopped pieces of bell pepper and sour cream on top before serving!

See how inexpensive and easy potatoes can be when feeding a bunch of hungry campers! Give it a shot and be creative with your toppings. You will be surprised at how tasty a potato can be with lemon and fresh cooked Salmon on it!

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