Did Wednesday’s post inspire you to head out into nature with your family? With all of Katie’s great tips, it sure got me excited for camping. My family loves to camp, although now that we’ve got all these little ones in tow, “roughing it” has taken on a whole new meaning.
One of the biggest challenges I’ve found is keeping a real food mentality when we head out for a camping trip. Growing up, camping vacations were when our family splurged on special snacks, treats and those mini personal-sized cereal boxes. So planning a campout with real food is definitely new to me.
I can’t wait until we plan and prepare for our next trip, now that I’ve got such a great resource to use: Katie Kimball’s Kitchen Stewardship in the Big Woods: A Family Camping Handbook with Real Food Options.
Just recently Katie released the second edition of her handbook. As if it wasn’t good enough, she has beefed it up to include:
- almost 20% more pages!
- 6 new complete recipes and 8 new additional food ideas
- 36 total recipes and camping cooking techniques
- general edits to the book and a bunch of new tips scattered throughout
The book is even more than a great source recipes and it’s sure to be a great guide for everyone, even the most experienced camper. It includes everything from finding a campsite and packing hints, to tips on cooking over a campfire, and camping with kids of various ages. I’ve been camping since the womb and yet have still been learning so much from Katie’s book (I especially love the section titled 10 Things to do in the Woods at Any Age).
Giveaway
Today, Katie is offering one lucky Simple Organic reader a copy of her newly updated e-book!
To enter, simply leave a comment here, telling us either your favorite camping spot, or if you’ve never been, what inspired you to plan a camping trip.
Giveaway ends Monday, July 11th at midnight, PST. Good luck!
About Nicole
Our favorite camping spot is anywhere fairly isolated, preferably with a good-sized creek nearby.
Wendy´s latest post: buckets and boards ~ water play table
Our family love camping!!! we enjoy mostly beach camping, especially during the summer
Michael´s latest post: Simple Animation Software – tips and guidelines
I just love camping,it’s such a good idea for breaking the routine of the life! thanks for Katie’s link!
hongvana´s latest post: commercial loans
My favorite camping spot is on land owned by my stepmother’s family in NH. It’s quiet, with lots of hiking and swimming spots around and holds lots of great memories as my family camped there 1-2 times a summer every year when I was growing up.
I’m hoping to bring our family to Acadia, ME this year, fun!
when i was little my family lived in Ca. and we camped by the ocean. I would love to take my family there sometime. It was the best! We really enjoy camping just about anywhere!
I love camping in the mountains.
Marci´s latest post: Trim – One Room Down!
I haven’t camped a lot, but the camping spot with the most sentimental value for me is on a tiny island on Caddo Lake in Texas. That’s where I first got to know my now-husband
.
My family didn’t camp very much when I was growing up, but when we did, it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. I’d love to create some positive camping experiences with my own children (5 year old twin girls). My husband is on board and is eager to share some of his outdoorsy knowledge with our kids.
Beth´s latest post: Socially Responsible Deals
We love to camp at any state park in Texas, but we really loved camping in Arkansas!!
Looks like a great book!! We also eat junk camping – thanks for making me think about eating better!!
blessings,
Janelle
Hubs loves backpacking and I thoroughly enjoyed the one trip we’ve gotten to go on together (usually I stay home with the kids who are still too young to carry themselves much less their stuff in a pack!). It was to the “Grand Canyon of TN.”
we love camping near the beach
we go every year during spring break
We’ve been camping with our kids since my middle one was 18 months. That night was a disaster! He kept waking up and screaming all night because he didn’t know where he was and the shadows of the trees scared him. But we kept taking them and now we have added a sister who we took camping with when she was just 10 months old. I really love going to our state parks in Ohio especially Hocking Hills.
I grew up camping just about every summer, and two of my favorite places are Pedernales Falls and on the Frio River – both in Texas. Yes, it’s even fun camping in Texas in July – you just have to be near water to cool off!
I’ve taken the kids camping with other people but we haven’t camped as a family and decided that the theme for this year Christmas’s gifts will be camping so we will be doing a couple of camping trips next year. We also like hiking, have a dog, and live in the NW so it’ll be fun to see where we end up…
My husbands whole family (all 20 of us) go camping for most holidays through the summer! We love it. And the cousins are too precious when they play together outside!
Every year my entire church goes camping together at a campground not too far from home. My kids look forward to it all year long. Such fun. I would *love* win this eBook as I’d love to know how to feed them well while we’re there. Thanks!
Favorite camping spot? Gosh, that’s hard. Because we had such a GREAT time a couple of months ago, I’m going to say Yosemite. I.LOVE.IT.
I took a wonderful trip with my cousins in the Lake Tahoe National Forest and I would love to take my husband and son there or just camping in general sometime soon.
I have yet to take my boys camping and am looking forward to doing it as a family. My favorite places to camp are always near a river. I love the sound of water while I sleep.
We love camping and go a bunch. In fact, we are packing right now to take our two month old son on his first ever camping trip – so excited! We are fortunate to live in the Rocky Mountains and have so many beautiful places to visit & don’t really have a favorite spot. I love every camping spot!
Rebecca´s latest post: camping (!).
I remember many wonderful camping trips as a child and early on in my marriage. It wasnt until I was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease that camping was out of the question. However, after gaining some much needed strength and courage we bought a tent and will be attempting to go camping sometime this summer. Our favorite spot to go is somewhere in the Shenandoah mountains where Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland meet.
I love to camp at Rock Island, Tennessee among the waterfalls and big boulders! I’d love to have this lovely book along next time I go
We just went camping a few weeks ago for the first time (mine and the kids first times), but are looking forward to many more camping trips!
I’d love it!
We camped at White Buffalo Resort in Arkansas when we were visiting our friends. Definitely a beautiful, stunning place.
We like to camp at a place called Joy Springs, it is a primitive campground on a trout stream that has great fishing! One of our favorite meals to make is Trout wrapped in foil with salt and pepper, and potato’s with onions, butter, and seasonings!
My husband and I usually go backpacking several times a year in the Eastern Sierras. Last weekend we took our 7.5 month old daughter backpacking for the first time – so much fun! Last summer we did some car camping in the Eastern Sierras and the best place we came across was Little Lakes Valley/Rock Creek, between Bishop and Mammoth Lakes, CA. Short hikes between lakes and incredibly beautiful. We’re planning to go back next month because we enjoyed it so much!
I’m planning a camping trip because my kids would love to go.
I have not been camping but my husband and I just bought all the necessities to do so. He has been wanting to camp but I was born and raised a ‘city girl’ so I have been hesitant. Slowly I have been stepping outside of comfort zone and getting closer with nature. He is all excited about it and I want it to be a good experience for both of us.
Our family’s favourite camping trip was at MacGregor Point Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. We also love Cypress Lake at Bruce Peninsula National Park, also in Ontario. Some people are surprised that our family with five children (soon to be six) enjoys camping – in a tent! – so much.
I have not been camping since I will a teenager but my kids have a huge desire to sleep outside in a tent. I think we will try “camping” in our back yard this summer and then get more adventurous next year. I would love to spend 2 days unplugged from the world, hiking in the woods and sleeping outside!
I LOVE to camp in Yosemite. It is so beautiful and it is very kid friendly.
I don’t know if I have a favorite place to camp but my family is headed to Turkey Run State Park in Indiana at the end of the month and I am very excited. We were there once before and there is wonderful hiking. We did not go camping last year because I gave birth at the beginning of August to our second child so our older son does not really remember going. I can’t wait to be in the great outdoors as a family for a few days!!
As a kid, I loved camping in Canada and Maine with my family. As an adult, I love it in the beautiful state of West Virginia! I’ve been *wanting* to figure out what to cook/what food to have because I tend to go for quick & easy stuff like hot dogs, but would like something more “real”!
Our family loves to camp at Sugar Pine Point in Tahoe. We camp there every year in the summer. We always make a food menu but it does tend to be a struggle so this would be great!
A favorite memory for me is our family camping trip to Mesa Verde national park. In addition to the joys of just camping, there are the ancient Anasazi ruins to explore and we were even treated to a beautiful meteor shower one night–unforgettable! I think being away from city light and enjoying the stars is my favorite part of camping.
So far our favorite camping spot is Branch Brook Campground in Campton NH. (You can check them out at http://campnh.com/) Its very family friendly and in a beautiful setting. Any time we get to go camping is a treat, though, no matter where it is even if its the backyard!
I think I haven’t camped in 13 years or so since high school. It’s time to get there again and bring my family.
In our life before kids we loved camping. But once the kids came along the thought of sleeping in a tent and managing tiny ones was completely overwhelming. Now that the baby is 2, we’re eager to start again. I’d love some good non-junk ideas for feeding the crew!
Yosemite!
We love Algonquin Park in Ontario (where we live).
My favorite camping spot is at my Grandpa’s farm. No one lives there (though there is a house), and there are acres to camp on.
Alaska by far, or anywhere with mountains, a creek or some sort of water to fish & play in & no other people – just us! A clear starry night & a big bonfire to make smores – what could be better!
Our favorite place to camp is Hardy Lake in So. Indiana, about an hour from where we live. I’m raising grandchildren and am on a tight budget, so this is a real treat for all of us. We sleep in tents, eat smores, there is the lake for swimming, games before bedtime, cooking out each night – who could ask for more? And all for a very frugal price!!
Our favorite camping spots are ludington, silver lake and cadillac state park. One of the reasons that we love to camp because of the family time that we have together with no other distractions.
Somewhere on a mountain in CO! We just find a secluded space & camp! When I was growing up, we went camping every summer…I went in IL with my grandparents, so we stayed at campgrounds. The way my hubby’s family does it is totally different. Both ways have provided us with memories we’ll cherish forever!
Brookiej´s latest post: a first
My favorite camping vacation as a kid was to Ponca, Arkansas. Although it was a haven for ticks so not sure if I’d repeat that trip as an adult, now that I think about it!
Our favorite camping spot is a state park about 45 minutes from our house and a big ranch a few hours away. We love to camp!
We love camping in Kananaskis, Alberta. It’s close to home and you can find the type of camping you want: from out of your trunk, to backcountry. Our family is looking forward to going camping with our one year old son, soon!