Camping Food Doesn’t Have to Be Trash

I just got back from a week-long camping spirituality festival, and while it was a fantastic time filled with late nights, deep conversations, and laughter with friends, it also came with its share of challenges. The sleep wasn’t great, it was hot, and we weathered a couple of intense thunderstorms with high winds. In past years, this kind of trip would have left me feeling run down, with my energy tank on empty and my skin breaking out.

This year, however, I made a commitment to myself to focus on what I was eating. I consciously decided to skip the usual camping junk food—no chips, no sugary snacks, just real, whole foods. And I’m so glad I did. It wasn’t any more difficult to prepare than my normal trash food, and I felt so much better for it.

Instead of greasy snacks, I made a bunch of different quick pickles. I brought jars of crunchy radishes and red onions, mixed veggies, and even green tomatoes and tiny cucumbers. They were incredibly refreshing, and I found myself reaching for them all week. The bonus? The leftover pickle juice made a surprisingly great electrolyte drink. It might sound a little weird, but it was just what my body seemed to need.

For meals, I focused on lighter, Japanese-inspired dishes. We kept the meat, salt, and fat to a minimum. We had simple miso soup and ramen, and I made a fantastic poke bowl. But since I didn’t want to chance raw tuna in a cooler for a few days, I used marinated tomatoes in its place, along with with fresh veggies, mushrooms, seaweed salad, edamame, and pickled ginger. A cold noodle salad with a homemade yuzu ponzu sauce and a bunch of matchstick veggies was another highlight. We even had a refreshing corn and tomato gazpacho.

The difference in how I felt was night and day. My mood was better, my energy was more stable, and I was much more capable of handling the stress of a long camping trip and the challenging weather. The best part? I came home with clear skin and feeling nourished, not totally depleted. It just goes to show that what you put in your body truly makes all the difference, and sometimes the best changes are the simple ones.

How to Quick Pickle Any Veggie
This is my go-to recipe for making quick pickles. They’re easy, keep well for a couple of weeks, and are a great way to add some zing to your meals or have a healthy snack on hand.

• Start with a clean jar and your choice of fresh, washed veggies, cut into your desired shape. Pack them tightly into the jar.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water, 1 cup vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar to a boil.
• Carefully pour the hot liquid over the vegetables in the jar.
• Seal the jar and let it cool slightly before refrigerating. The pickles need to be kept in the fridge and will be ready to eat in about 24 hours. They’ll keep for up to two weeks.