Camping plant based is the way to go, especially if you are in a car or tent. You don’t have to deal with refrigerating meats or cheeses, plus preparing or cooking plant-based meals take a very small amount of effort/time. Not to mention that most of the food listed below are budget-friendly.

Recently, we went on a small trip to Yosemite, where we car-camped for free, but also saved big $$$ on money.

One of the smartest things to do when organizing your camping trip is planning ahead. By purchasing our main meals in bulk and preparing  snacks beforehand, we were able to save $$ that would have been spent at high-priced convenience stores or grocery stores in Yosemite.

Breakfast:

Instant oatmeal with homemade granola

Apples and cinnamon flavor tastes like a breakfast version of apple pie, plus nuts and seeds in the homemade granola give a crunch and some protein to help you start the day fueled up

$0.16 per packet of oatmeal

$0.50 per handful of homemade granola

Total breakfast per one person: $0.66 per day

 

Lunch:

Peanut butter sandwiches (a classic)

We suggest getting bulk peanut butter. It’s fresh, cheap, and free of all the sugars in other PBs. Plus, it helps cut down waste if you bring your own glass jar.

$0.49 per two slices of Franz vegan bread

$0.15 per two teaspoons of peanut butter

Total lunch per one person: $0.64

 

Dinner:

Pad Thai

$4.50 per serving

Chana Masala

$3.00 per serving

Mexican Cowboy Rice and Beans

$3.00 per serving

Total dinner per one person: $3- $4.50 per day

Yes, you heard that right…. We were eating like a king and queen with our packets from Backpacker’s Pantry, by far the best selection of vegan camping meals. They are dehydrated, fully prepared meals that require 15-20 minutes of rehydration with boiling water. Plus, each of the packets have 2 servings, lots of protein, plentiful carbs to restore our bodies, and a far-from-bland flavor for camping. While they are pricier than our other day meals, it was definitely a splurge well worth our money because they were still less than $5 a meal.

Total day cost per person: $4.30 – $5.80

 

Granted, we also had some snacks here and there, such a handfuls of granola, almonds, pumpkin seeds from our carved pumpkin at home (spooky season), and CLIF bars, but still were able to keep the food money under $12 a day for two people, which is an adventurous feat in itself.

 

What’s your favorite camping food?