The One Year Urban Survival Plan – Recipes

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The One Year Urban Survival Plan - Recipes

Below, you’ll find a list of suggested recipes for your emergency food stockpile. Every month, choose a breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipe from this list or elsewhere, along with some snacks and desserts, and get enough ingredients to make each recipe at least 8 times.

By the time you finish the One Year Urban Survival Plan, you should have enough ingredients to continually rotate through 11 days of unique recipes for 3 months. This will ensure that you don’t get “food fatigue” during a long-term crisis.

It’s also important that you track your calories, not so you can lose weight, but to make sure you have the energy to deal with whatever disaster you’re going through. Many of the recipes below only amount to 400 or 500 calories per serving, but most people need over 2000 calories per day to stay fueled, so don’t forget to also stockpile a variety of healthy snacks.

Remember, the recipes below are only suggestions, and I highly recommend that you try each recipe before stockpiling enough ingredients to make it 8 times. But before I get to the recipes, I want to talk about ingredients that normally have to be refrigerated (meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, condiments, etc).

Assorted Dried Fruit

Shelf-Stable Alternatives to Refrigerated Ingredients

As you search for recipes for your food stockpile, you’ll notice that almost every recipe includes at least one ingredient that needs to be refrigerated. However, if a major disaster strikes, you could be without power for a long time. That’s why it’s important to find alternative ingredients that don’t need to be refrigerated.

Here are some options I recommend.

Meat

Dairy

Fruits

Vegetables

Condiments

Miscellaneous Recipes

Before we get to the recipes, I want to remind you of some recipes I’ve already shared on UrbanSurvivalSite.com and HomesteadSurvivalSite.com:

One Year Urban Survival Plan Recipes

Note: Every recipe below makes 4 servings.

Breakfasts

Mountain Breakfast

Most breakfasts that people eat every day can be made without refrigerated ingredients or electricity. For example, if you normally eat cereal, you can use powdered milk instead of regular milk. And if you normally eat toast, you can toast your bread over a fire using this tool.

However, it’s a good idea to have multiple breakfast options so you aren’t eating the same one or two things every day. With that in mind, here are some breakfast recipes you can make with shelf-stable ingredients over a fire or camp stove.

Breakfast Hash

Serving Size: 1 cup (745 calories)

Ingredients:

  • 2 (14.5 oz) cans of diced potatoes (337 calories)
  • 2 (12 oz) cans of Spam (2160 calories)
  • 4 TBS of olive oil (480 calories)
  • 2 tsp of garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Drain the canned potatoes and Spam.
  2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add the potatoes and Spam to the pan, cook until browned and crispy, stirring occasionally.
  4. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Breakfast Rice Pudding

Serving Size: 2 cups (440 calories)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of powdered milk (420 calories)
  • 6 cups of water
  • 1 ½ cups of white rice (960 calories)
  • ½ cup of sugar (387 calories)
  • 1 ½ tsp of vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp of salt
  • ½ tsp of cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Mix powdered milk with water and stir.
  2. In a large sauce pan, thoroughly mix together all of the ingredients.
  3. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture is boiling.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low and remove the lid.
  5. Let it simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
  6. When rice is fully cooked, remove from heat and scoop into bowls.
  7. Allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes. The pudding will thicken as it cools.
  8. Serve with any toppings you like (blueberries, strawberries, etc.)

Cream of Wheat with Honey

Serving Size: 2 cups (450 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Mix together powdered milk and water.
  2. Bring milk to a boil.
  3. Gradually add Cream of Wheat and salt, stir together.
  4. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
  5. Allow to cool before serving. Top each bowl with a tablespoon of honey and any other toppings you like.

Granola and Milk

Serving Size: 1 cup of granola and 1 cup of milk (510 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions (for 1 serving):

  1. Pour 1 cup of granola into a bowl.
  2. Mix ⅓ cup of powdered milk with 1 cup of water.
  3. Pour milk over granola.

Instant Grits with Ham

Serving Size: 1.5 cups (400 calories)

Ingredients:

  • 8 packets of instant grits (800 calories)
  • 1 can of cooked ham (800 calories)
  • 4 cups of water
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Bring water to a boil.
  2. Stir in instant grits and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add canned ham or bacon bits for extra protein.

Oatmeal with Strawberries

Serving Size: 3 cups of oatmeal and ½ cup of blueberries (385 calories).

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Boil water or milk and salt.
  2. Stir in oats.
  3. Cook about 1 minute over medium heat; stir occasionally.
  4. Sprinkle with sugar.
  5. Mix in blueberries or eat them separately.

Notes: Technically, old-fashioned oats will last about a year longer than quick oats, but if you keep rotating through the quick oats, you should use them before they go bad, especially if you sealed them in airtight containers.

Pancakes with Syrup and Blueberries

Serving Size: 3 4-inch pancakes with 1 TBS of butter, 3 TBS of syrup, and ½ cup of blueberries (550 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Combine pancake mix with water and stir until smooth.
  2. Heat the frying pan and add oil.
  3. Wipe oil around the pan and cook pancakes until browned on both sides.
  4. Serve with butter and syrup.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal with Chocolate Chips

Serving Size: 1 ½ cups (510 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Boil water and stir in oats, cooking for 1 minute.
  2. Stir in peanut butter while the oatmeal is still warm.
  3. Top with chocolate chips.

Quinoa Porridge with Fruit and Nuts

Serving Size: 2 cups (600 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Boil water, then add quinoa and stir.
  2. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until quinoa is soft and water is absorbed.
  3. Add dried fruit and mixed nuts and stir.
  4. Add honey and stir.

Scrambled Eggs and Sausage Hash

Serving Size: 1 ¼ cups (600 calories)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of powdered eggs (560 calories)
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 cans of sausage hash (1600 calories)
  • 2 tsp of onion powder
  • 2 TBS of olive oil (240 calories)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Mix together powdered eggs and water.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the sausage hash.
  3. Cook until sausage is browned, then add the egg mixture.
  4. Scramble the eggs until fully cooked, and season with onion powder, salt, and pepper.

Lunches

Skillet Quesadilla

Bean and Cheese Burritos

Serving Size: 2 burritos (500 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Reconstitute the powdered cheese by mixing it with 1 cup of water.
  2. Heat the refried beans in a saucepan.
  3. Divide the cheese and beans into 4 servings.
  4. With each serving, spoon the beans and cheese into two tortillas and top them with salsa.
  5. Wrap the tortillas into burritos.

Chicken Quesadillas

Serving Size: 1 quesadilla (490 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Reconstitute the powdered cheese by mixing it with water.
  2. Spread the cheese and chicken evenly between four tortillas.
  3. Top each with another tortilla, pressing them together to make a quesadilla.
  4. Heat oil in a pan and cook each quesadilla for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
  5. Serve each quesadilla with a salsa cup.

Chicken Salad and Crackers

Serving Size: About ¾ cup of chicken salad and 13 crackers (500 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Mix tuna, mayo, and relish in a bowl.
  2. Serve with 13 crackers (or 1 stack) per serving.

Chili and Crackers

Serving Size: 1.25 cups of chili and 13 crackers (525 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Heat chili and tomatoes in a saucepan until warm.
  2. Stir for a few minutes.
  3. Serve with crackers.

Lentil and Rice Stew

Serving Size: 1 ⅓ cups (515 calories)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of instant rice (680 calories)
  • 2 cups of water
  • 2 (15.5 oz) cans of lentils (560 calories)
  • 2 (14.5 oz) cans of diced tomatoes (350 calories)
  • 4 TBS of olive oil (480 calories)
  • 2 tsp of garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cook the instant rice with water according to package instructions.
  2. In a separate pan, heat the lentils and diced tomatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  3. Combine the cooked rice with the lentil-tomato mixture and stir.
  4. Let it simmer for a few minutes and serve warm.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

Serving Size: 1 sandwich (530 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. If you need directions for this, you have serious problems.

Tomato Soup and Crackers

Serving Size: 1.5 cups of tomato soup and 13 crackers (375 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Mix ⅔ cup of powdered milk with 2 cups of water.
  2. Mix the resulting milk with tomato soup and diced tomatoes.
  3. Heat in a saucepan and serve.

Tuna Fish Sandwiches

Serving Size: 1 sandwich (475 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Mix tuna, mayo, and relish in a bowl.
  2. Divide into four servings and make 4 sandwiches. 

Tuna Pasta Salad

Serving Size: 1 cup (445 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender, then drain.
  2. Drain the tuna and mix it with the cooked pasta.
  3. Add mayonnaise and the drained mixed vegetables, stirring everything together.
  4. Season with salt and pepper.

Tuna Salad and Crackers

Serving Size: ¾ cup of tuna salad and 13 crackers (550 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  • Mix tuna, mayo, and relish in a bowl.
  • Serve with crackers. 

Dinners

Dutch Oven in Fire

Beefy Chili and Crackers

Serving Size: 2 heaping cups of chili and 13 crackers (770 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crumbled and hot, stirring occasionally, drain.
  2. Stir in chili and undrained tomatoes.
  3. Reduce heat to low.
  4. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until hot, stirring occasionally.
  5. Serve with crackers.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Serving Size: About 3 cups (645 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.
  2. Add chicken and cover.
  3. Cook until warm, stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove chicken from skillet.
  5. Add the soup and water to the skillet.
  6. Stir and bring to a boil.
  7. Stir in rice and Velveeta cheese.
  8. Top with chicken.
  9. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

Cheesy Chili and Rice

Serving Size: 2 heaping cups(595 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Warm beef in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
  2. Add chili, tomatoes and water; stir.
  3. Bring to a boil.
  4. Stir in rice and Velveeta; cover.
  5. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes.

Chicken Alfredo

Serving Size: 2 heaping cups (730 calories)

Ingredients:

(Teriyaki doesn’t have to be refrigerated if you keep it in a cool dark place and use it all within a few months.)

Directions:

  1. Boil pasta in water. While it’s boiling, melt butter in the skillet.
  2. Drain the chicken, put it in the skillet, and add seasonings to taste.
  3. Cook chicken over medium heat until it’s cooked all over.
  4. Turn down to medium low heat and add Teriyaki sauce.
  5. Cook until sauce is absorbed.
  6. Turn down to low, add the alfredo sauce, stir and simmer.
  7. Drain water from pasta and add chicken to it. Stir well.
  8. Sprinkle with parsley, serve.

Chicken Burrito Skillet

Serving Size: Almost 2.5 cups (445 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add chicken and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add onion and taco seasoning; cook 2 more minutes.
  4. Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes, and water; bring to a boil.
  5. Add rice to everything else and stir.
  6. Cover and reduce heat and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until rice is tender.
  7. Prepare cheese separately.
  8. Stir in ½ of the cheese. Pour the rest of the cheese on top.

Chicken Scampi

Serving Size: About 1.25 cups (520 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:  

  1. Cook the spaghetti. I recommend adding 1 teaspoon of salt to the water.
  2. Combine the oil, chicken, garlic powder, and parsley in a pan and mix.
  3. Heat the mixture in a pan over medium heat.
  4. Drain the spaghetti.
  5. Remove pan from heat and toss with the spaghetti.
  6. Serve with 4 packets of parmesan cheese.

Chili Mac

Serving Size: 2 cups (570 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
  2. Drain and cover to keep warm.
  3. In a large skillet, warm up the ground beef and onion flakes over high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
  4. Drain off excess liquid.
  5. Add macaroni, spaghetti sauce, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper; mix well.
  6. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through.
  7. Serve with 4 packets of parmesan cheese.

Ground Meat Skillet

Serving Size: 2 cups of ground meat skillet and 1 cup of rice (750 calories)

Ingredients:

  • 2 (14 oz) cans of ground beef (980 calories)
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 (15 oz) can of corn (210 calories)
  • 1 cup of ranch dressing (1040 calories)
  • 2 (3.8 oz) cups of salsa (80 calories)
  • 1 TBS of dried oregano
  • 2 cups of instant white rice (680 calories)
  • 2 cups of water (for the instant rice)

Directions:

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Cook and stir beef and garlic pepper in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly (about 5 to 7 minutes).
  3. Drain and discard grease.
  4. Stir corn, ranch dressing, salsa, and oregano into ground beef mixture.
  5. Cook and stir until hot and bubbling (5 to 10 minutes).
  6. Prepare the instant rice separately.
  7. Once the ground meat skillet is ready, serve over rice.

Hobo Stew

Serving Size: 2.5 cups (530 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Heat a cast iron Dutch oven over a campfire. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, heat a pot on a camp stove over medium-high heat.
  2. Pour in all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Cover and cook until macaroni is tender or until stew reaches desired thickness.

Skillet Lasagna

Serving Size: 2 cups (550 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Cook beef and onion in Dutch oven over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is heated.
  2. Stir in remaining ingredients, except cheese.
  3. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to low.
  4. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is tender.
  5. Serve with 4 packs of parmesan cheese.

Tomato Alfredo Linguine

Serving Size: 3 heaping cups (810 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Heat broth and water in a large skillet over medium-high heat until simmering.
  2. Add linguine.
  3. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until linguine is tender, stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir in Alfredo sauce, basil, garlic powder and pepper.
  5. Gently stir in drained tomatoes.
  6. Cook 2 minutes more or until hot.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Serving Size: ¾ cup (510 calories)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Reconstitute milk by mixing powdered milk with water.
  2. Cook egg noodles until tender and drain.
  3. Add in milk, tuna, peas, and cream of mushroom soup. Stir until all ingredients are combined.  
  4. Pour into Dutch oven and cook over hot embers, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Breads

Dutch Oven Bread

Instead of eating crackers with your meals, consider baking your own bread. This option is cheaper, healthier, and a better long-term solution since flour has a longer shelf life than crackers.

To make bread, you’ll need to stockpile plenty of instant yeast. Try to determine how much bread your family will eat in 3 months, and get enough yeast to last that long. For example, if you expect your family to go through a loaf of bread every week, you’ll need at least 12 packets of yeast.

Here are a few bread recipes you can make in a Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet over a fire, grill, or camp stove.  

Dutch Oven Bread

Ingredients:

  • 3 ¼ cups of unbleached bread flour
  • 1 packet of active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1 ½ cups of warm water
  • Cooking oil

Directions:

  1. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl.
  2. Slowly add warm water and use your hands to mix everything until the dough starts to form.
  3. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. If it’s too dry, add a little more water.
  4. When the dough is nice and stretchy, place it on a floured surface and spend 10 minutes kneading it.
  5. Clean out the mixing bowl, dry it off, and grease the sides with a little bit of oil.
  6. Set the ball of dough in the mixing bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise for at least an hour.
  7. Grease the inside of a Dutch oven, then place it in hot embers (not over a fire as you don’t want to burn the bread) and let it pre-heat for at least 30 minutes.
  8. Line the inside of the oven with parchment paper, then place the ball of dough inside. Cut a couple of slashes in the top.
  9. Place the lid onto the Dutch oven and put it in hot coals. Make sure it’s surrounded by hot coals and place some on top if it has a flat lid.
  10. Allow the bread to bake for up to 1 ½ hours, checking it occasionally. To help it cook evenly, you can rotate the bread a few times.
  11. When the bread is done (internal temperature should be 200°F), remove it and allow it to cool before slicing.

Fried Bannock

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups of flour
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1 TBS of baking powder
  • ⅛ cup fat (butter, olive oil vegetable oil, etc.)
  • 1 ¼ cups of water or milk
  • Oil for frying

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
  2. Add the fat and liquid (water or milk). Add the liquid slowly until the dough is just beginning to form; you may not need all of the water or milk.
  3. Knead the dough on a floured surface for a few minutes.
  4. Form the dough into discs that are about ½ an inch thick and 3-5 inches in diameter.
  5. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet, then add the disks one at a time.
  6. Fry for 1-3 minutes per side.
  7. Once they’re golden, remove them from the oil and set them on paper towels or a wire rack to dry.

Pioneer Cornbread

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 cups of cornmeal
  • 4 tablespoons of cooking oil (or bacon drippings)

Directions:

  1. Add the salt to the water and bring to a boil.
  2. Put the cornmeal into a bowl.
  3. Drizzle the hot water into the cornmeal stirring constantly with a fork to make a batter.
  4. Add the bacon drippings or your oil substitute and blend into the batter.
  5. Pour into a small, cast-iron frying pan.
  6. Cook over an open fire for 10 minutes.
  7. Flip the cornpone with a spatula and cook another 10 minutes.
  8. The classic test for doneness is to insert a toothpick into the center. If it emerges wet, give it a few more minutes. If the toothpick emerges dry, you’re done.

Flour Tortillas

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 cup warm water

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
  2. Add the olive oil and warm water and mix everything with your hands until you form a ball of dough.
  3. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead with your hands for about a minute.
  4. Cut the dough into 12 pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
  5. Cover the balls of dough with a towel and let them sit for at least 10 minutes.
  6. Heat a dry cast iron skillet over hot coals for a few minutes.
  7. Using a rolling pin, flatten one of the dough balls into a circle (it should be 6 to 8 inches in diameter).
  8. Immediately place the tortilla in the hot skillet.
  9. Cook each side for 30 seconds to a minute, watching closely to ensure it doesn’t burn.
  10. The tortilla is done when it has a few light brown spots on both sides.
  11. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.

No-Yeast Dutch Oven Bread

Sometimes people ask me, “What if I run out of yeast?” Not a problem. There are several ways to grow your own yeast from flour or even from a potato. Or, you could just make bread without yeast. Here’s one way to do it.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of flour
  • 2 TBS of baking powder
  • 1 TBS of sugar
  • ½ tsp of salt
  • ½ cup of butter
  • 1 (5 oz) can of evaporated milk + extra water if needed to create desired consistency
  • 2 extra tablespoons butter (optional)

Directions:

  1. In large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
  2. Mix the butter into the dry ingredients with your hands until it has a crumbly consistency.
  3. Gradually add the milk until you get a soft texture but not too sticky. Add a little extra water if needed.
  4. Place the dough on a floured surface.
  5. Fold the dough in half, use your hands to push it down and out, turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat. Do this at least 10 times.
  6. Shape the dough into a ball.
  7. Line a Dutch oven with parchment paper or a Dutch oven liner. Note: Do NOT pre-heat the Dutch oven.
  8. Put the dough into the Dutch oven, then use your hands to flatten the dough into a circle that fits the bottom of the oven. The dough should be about 1 inch thick.
  9. Prepare coals for baking.
  10. Place the Dutch oven in the hot coals, and place coals on the lid as well. Use about 15 on the bottom and 15 on top. Ideally, your Dutch oven will be about 425°F.
  11. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
  12. Rotate the oven and lid occasionally to ensure even baking.
  13. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven using the parchment paper or liner.
  14. Allow it to cool slightly before serving.

Snack Ideas

Camping Snacks

If you use the recipes above in the suggested serving sizes, then you usually won’t reach 2000 calories in a day (unless you decide to make larger portions). This is a problem because during a stressful disaster, which often includes lots of walking, manual labor, a lack of heat or air conditioning, etc. you’re going to burn well over 2000 calories.

For this reason, I also recommend stockpiling a variety of snacks. However, don’t just stockpile candy and junk food. Those things are okay in moderation, but if you overdo it, you’re going to feel like crap, and your immune system will be weaker. With that in mind, here’s my list of suggested snacks:  

  • Cereal – Dry cereal such as Cheerios makes a good snack, but opt for low-sugar cereals.
  • Cheese and Crackers – This isn’t particularly healthy, but canned cheese spread on crackers is a nice snack.
  • Crackers and Nut Butter – Ideally, you’d eat whole grain crackers and almond butter, but Ritz crackers with peanut butter is okay.
  • Dark Chocolate – Dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher) satisfies sweet cravings without a sugar crash.
  • Dried Fruit – Apricots, dates, figs, raisins, etc. These have lots of fiber.  
  • Fruit Cups – Single-serving fruit cups (in water or juice, not syrup) are shelf-stable and delicious.
  • Granola Bars or Protein Bars – These usually aren’t as healthy as advertised, so look for the ones that are low in sugar and/or high in protein.
  • Granola with Dried Fruit – A bag of granola with dried fruit is both tasty and healthy.
  • Jerky – Beef, chicken, or turkey are all high in protein. Try to find jerky that is low in sodium and nitrate-free.
  • Nuts – Almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, or a bunch of mixed nuts. These are full of healthy fats that will stave off hunger between meals.
  • Pop Tarts – These definitely aren’t healthy, but they’re tasty and convenient.
  • Popcorn – You can make popcorn without power by using a Whirly Pop over a grill, fire, or camp stove. All you need are popcorn kernels and some butter-flavored coconut oil.
  • Roasted Chickpeas – These are crunchy and delicious and come in a variety of flavors.
  • Seeds – Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. Not a lot of calories, but still worth getting.
  • Trail Mix – A mix of nuts and dried fruit. Stay away from trail mixes that are mostly chocolate and/or peanut butter candies.
  • Tuna Pouches and Crackers – You can get individual tuna pouches or snack kits, which come with crackers.

Desserts

Dutch Oven Apple Pie

An occasional dessert can be a huge morale booster, especially for the kids. Below are a few deserts you can make in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.

Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Grease the bottom of a Dutch oven with a little bit of butter.
  2. Toss the apples with sugar and cinnamon, then spread them in the bottom of the Dutch oven.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix the oats, flour, brown sugar, and butter until crumbly.
  4. Spread the crumb topping over the apples.
  5. Cover and cook over a campfire or grill for 20-30 minutes until the topping is golden and the apples are tender.
  6. Allow it to cool slightly before serving.

Brownies

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Start a fire and warm up your Dutch oven.
  2. Add parchment paper or a Dutch oven liner.
  3. Mix the soda and brownie mix in a bowl.
  4. Pour the batter into the Dutch oven.
  5. Pour the chocolate chips evenly across the batter.
  6. Bake for 30-60 minutes, checking frequently.

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 TBS of baking powder
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • ½ cup of canned butter (soft)
  • ½ cup of sugar
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon
  • ¾ cup of canned milk

Directions:

  1. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
  2. Stir in the milk until a dough forms.
  3. Roll the dough out into a rectangle and spread the softened butter on top.
  4. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon evenly over the butter.
  5. Roll the dough into a log and slice into rolls.
  6. Place the rolls in a greased cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven.
  7. Cover and bake over a campfire or grill for 20-30 minutes, until the rolls are cooked through and golden brown.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of peanut butter
  • 1 cup of sugar (you can also use granulated or brown sugar)
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, mix the peanut butter and sugar until smooth.
  2. Gradually add the flour and mix until it forms a dough. The dough should be soft but not too sticky. If it's too crumbly, you can add a tablespoon of water.
  3. Roll the dough into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter.
  4. Flatten each ball with the back of a fork to create a crisscross pattern on top.
  5. Grease your cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven with a bit of oil or butter.
  6. Heat your cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over low to medium heat (if using a campfire, you’ll want to cook over the coals, not the flames).
  7. Place the cookies into the skillet or Dutch oven, leaving some space between them.
  8. Cover the skillet or Dutch oven with a lid (if using a Dutch oven, place some hot coals on top) and bake for 5-10 minutes, checking frequently to avoid burning.
  9. The cookies are done when the edges are firm and the centers are still slightly soft.
  10. Remove the cookies and let them cool for a few minutes on a plate or rack. They will harden as they cool down.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of canned butter (soft)
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups of flour
  • ½ tsp of baking powder
  • ½ tsp of baking soda
  • White sugar on a plate

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, mix together the softened butter and sugar until creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  2. Gradually add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until fully combined and a dough forms.
  3. Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized balls.
  4. Roll each dough ball in the additional white sugar, coating them evenly.
  5. Gently press each dough ball flat with your palm or the bottom of a cup. They should be about ½ an inch thick.
  6. Place the flattened dough balls in a preheated Dutch oven or on a grill using the indirect cooking method. Cover and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden and crisp around the edges.
  7. Check the cookies frequently to prevent overcooking. They can burn quickly over indirect heat, so keep an eye on them.
  8. Once baked, remove the cookies from the heat and let them cool on a plate or a wire rack before serving.