camping cooking questions from a camping newbie

[sheisaeval]

Cooking-
What kind of camping stove is best? Butane vs propane? Pros/cons?

What about cooking over a camp fire - is it better to cook over wood fire or charcoal briquettes? Pros and cons? Do we need firestarter sticks, or can we use tissue/newspaper? Also, matches or a lighter?

What some good camping recipes that have little or no cleanup (like just wiping it down and don't need to scrub it with soap)? some I've thought about are boil in a bag rice, steamed vegetables, boiling pasta (and adding sauce in own bowl), grilling meats on foil, foil packet meals, hot dogs on sticks over a fire, any "add hot water" meals (instant oatmeal, instant noodles/soups, etc).

We like the omelet in a bag idea BUT we don't want to cook plastic, so can we do something like this with foil or something (aka pouring the mixture in a foil packet and sealing the edges, and submerging in boiling water)?etc.



Also some other questions-
Foam sleeping pad vs inflatable mats?

If you visit a state or national park and you want to explore the park area or go hiking, do you put up the tent and then leave the tent up while you go explore?

What are some MUST HAVE camping supplies people may forget about? What do you find the most useful in your camping trips?

[Rob22315]

These questions are all worthy of separate threads and internet searches. Recommend you try those. Here are my short answers for the average car camper:

Cooking-
What kind of camping stove is best? Butane vs propane? Pros/cons?

PROPANE, easy to get, will power lighting too.

What about cooking over a camp fire - is it better to cook over wood fire or charcoal briquettes? Pros and cons? Do we need firestarter sticks, or can we use tissue/newspaper? Also, matches or a lighter?

CHARCOAL, self-lighting for the evening meal. Get firestarter for wood fire. Lighter but have waterproof matches as backup.

What some good camping recipes that have little or no cleanup (like just wiping it down and don't need to scrub it with soap)? some I've thought about are boil in a bag rice, steamed vegetables, boiling pasta (and adding sauce in own bowl), grilling meats on foil, foil packet meals, hot dogs on sticks over a fire, any "add hot water" meals (instant oatmeal, instant noodles/soups, etc).

SEARCH or buy a book

We like the omelet in a bag idea BUT we don't want to cook plastic, so can we do something like this with foil or something (aka pouring the mixture in a foil packet and sealing the edges, and submerging in boiling water)?etc.

USE YOUR CAMPSTOVE AND GET SOME PANS

Also some other questions-
Foam sleeping pad vs inflatable mats?

SELF-INFLATING MAT 3-4 inch thick, better insulating

If you visit a state or national park and you want to explore the park area or go hiking, do you put up the tent and then leave the tent up while you go explore?

SET UP CAMP, THEN EXPLORE Otherwise, you're running around with all your gear in the car

What are some MUST HAVE camping supplies people may forget about? What do you find the most useful in your camping trips?

LOTS OF EQUIPMENT LISTS ON THE INTERNET

[Rob22315]

One more tip - get used to cleaning your pans and dishes. Lowest eco impact IMHO is to get some biodegradable soap and wash your pans and dishes. Paper, plastic, and foil disposables, or anything disposable for that matter, are wasteful, but convenient. Recycling is a little better if you do it. Best practice is to minimize your waste from the start. Get aluminum bottles instead of buying plastic and refill from the tap, pump, or filter. Buy pans and dishes and use them rather than throwing away plastic utensils, paper plates/bowls, or foil packets. Keep food in the original wrapping or use resealable containers.

I've got a small and a large water carrier from Seattle Sports for washing dishes during the trip. The small is for soap water, the large (the round blue one) is for rinsing. The round carriers do a better job of self-supporting than the rectangular ones. Takes a matter of about 3-5 minutes after a meal to clean up. Just leave the wet but clean dishes and pans on the table to dry while you're out or sleeping. The bugs and dirt will add flavor to your next meal. (Ashes from the fire in the morning coffee improves flavor as well.)

[WVcamper]

One more tip - get used to cleaning your pans and dishes. Lowest eco impact IMHO is to get some biodegradable soap and wash your pans and dishes. Paper, plastic, and foil disposables, or anything disposable for that matter, are wasteful, but convenient. Recycling is a little better if you do it. Best practice is to minimize your waste from the start. Get aluminum bottles instead of buying plastic and refill from the tap, pump, or filter. Buy pans and dishes and use them rather than throwing away plastic utensils, paper plates/bowls, or foil packets. Keep food in the original wrapping or use resealable containers.

I agree. Great tip Rob.

[tplife]

Butane is cheaper, and more efficient by about 12% by volume than propane, and thus lighter and a better choice for backpacking, but is less available for purchase and fewer stoves are manufactured numerically for its use. Propane also has a lower boiling point and is a better choice than butane at freezing temperatures. Reusable pots and pans are certainly better than "disposable" ones, but you have to consider that the soap and water used to wash a plate is no less wasteful than paper plates made from sustainable pulp forests. The eco-green cr*p can go a bit too far, and this comes from a guy who grew up in the wilderness...:D

[Rob22315]

Reusable pots and pans are certainly better than "disposable" ones, but you have to consider that the soap and water used to wash a plate is no less wasteful than paper plates made from sustainable pulp forests.

NFW a few drops of biodegradable soap and a gallon of water has equal or more environmental impact than four place settings of paper/plastic utensils.

[tplife]

NFW a few drops of biodegradable soap and a gallon of water has equal or more environmental impact than four place settings of paper/plastic utensils.

(Sound of a chemist laughing) Well Rob, what can I say? Biodegradeable soap contains no phosphates (alkyl benzene sulfonate or ABS is the #1 widely used troublemaker), only surfactants. The lye used in bar soap process is totally consumed, and if it wasn't, the lye is biodegradeable as well. It's the phosphates that can wreak havoc in water supplies and bodies of water. And please read my post again, I referred to paper plates. Campers like myself use polycarbonate (READ: Lexan if made by G.E.) silverware that we reuse. It's sharp and hefty like metal but without the weight. I'd guess the tiny impact from biodegradeable soap is similar to that of paper plates since both are biodegradeable and current paper-plate manufacturing techniques recycle the bleaches used to make the plates white. It is an interesting discussion though and I value your input.

[Rob22315]

Glad you came around to my side. :D

Lexan is OK but I'm not a fan. We have 4 place settings of Lexan utensils we use sometimes but I prefer enameled metal or stainless to plastics. I don't know enough about the production of either to judge one or the other from and environ impact standpoint but I figure almost anything reusable is an improvement.

I don't agree that the eco police are totally out of control though. There is an awful lot we could do with a few changes in our daily habits, mostly in food packaging and convenience items, that could go a long way towards having the populace make a big difference in the amount of stuff we dump into landfills without going into over-engineered buildings or vehicles. I am hoping to replace my commuter vehicle - an 18 year old Classic Saab 900 - with an all-electric some time in the next couple of years though.

[Bigdog57]

I like and use the Lexan utensils myself - they are slick and clean up with less effort and soap than steel. Just DON'T use them to stir something boiling hot! (Been there, done that.... eewww....)
When camping I use the biodegradble 'camp soap' too. A little cleans my slick plastic bowls really well - less water needed.

[tplife]

Glad you came around to my side. :D

Lexan is OK but I'm not a fan. We have 4 place settings of Lexan utensils we use sometimes but I prefer enameled metal or stainless to plastics. I don't know enough about the production of either to judge one or the other from and environ impact standpoint but I figure almost anything reusable is an improvement.

I don't agree that the eco police are totally out of control though. There is an awful lot we could do with a few changes in our daily habits, mostly in food packaging and convenience items, that could go a long way towards having the populace make a big difference in the amount of stuff we dump into landfills without going into over-engineered buildings or vehicles. I am hoping to replace my commuter vehicle - an 18 year old Classic Saab 900 - with an all-electric some time in the next couple of years though.

I respect your opinion, but as a 31-year science professional I don't drink that KoolAid and disagree 110%
Rant finished...Hope to see you camping! :D

[Bigdog57]

Hehehe..... "Big Oil" is going to LOVE the coming Electric Car and Solar Power revolution........

[Rob22315]

I respect your opinion, but as a 31-year science professional I don't drink that KoolAid and disagree 110%
Rant finished...Hope to see you camping! :D

No problem. What's your take on global warming? Man made? Natural? Imagination? Man staving off the next ice age?

[Bigdog57]

That could devolve into a political rant, which we really don't want here.

[Rob22315]

That could devolve into a political rant, which we really don't want here.

That's already happened but I think things will stay civil. Also, I wouldn't encourage thread hi-jacking either but the OP appears to have disappeared.

[tplife]

No problem. What's your take on global warming? Man made? Natural? Imagination? Man staving off the next ice age?

As in many other scientific mysteries, follow the money, as in the scientists not on the dole:
http://www.drroyspencer.com/