UpNorthica

There are very few things I dislike about camping, bugs and rain don’t really bother me. In fact the only things that I hate to do while camping is the dishes, and I know I’m not the only one. In scouts (yes I was a boy scout) we would go to extreme lengths to avoid dishes, this wasn’t just a case of teenage laziness because the dad’s would do the same. The methods developed through rigorous testing of dish avoidance methods have lead to a few tried and true methods that I will outline below. A word of warning: if you are attached to proper decorum while eating or afraid of plasticizers than these methods probably aren’t for you (so go back to your tea and doilies nancy).

Generally the easiest way to avoid dishes to to choose meals that you only add water too. Foods like Knorr Sides (formerly Lipton Sides) or instant oatmeal. It’s just a few step to prepare these meals. As a disclaimer this does require having a cook-kit with at leas two different sized pot lids one that fits the pot you’ll boil water in and another that’ll fit in the pot.

1. Fill a pot and boil some water
2. While water is boiling tear the top of of the packages. Careful to tear just across the top so nothing spills out. The packaging is going to become your bowl so make sure you remove the top carefully.
3. Add the appropriate amount of water to the package. If you making a meal where you just need to add water such as instant oatmeal your are done at this point, just mix and enjoy. If you need to boil go on the the next step.
4. Drop a smaller pot lid upside down into the pot of boiling water to create a platform in the pot.
5. Put the food package into the pot of boiling water let it rest on the lid.
6. Boil the food in the package. It may help to put the pot’s lid on over the packages to raise the temp.
7. Once the temp is up and the sauce has thickened mix and enjoy.

The above method can also be adapted to newer foods like precooked rice (Zatarains Red Beans and rice is a favorite). For these you just need to skip the adding water step. Just boil your water add the lid place the opened package in the water and wait for it to heat up.

Right now I suppose your saying that’s not truly dish-less. To that I say true, you still use a spoon and a bowl to hold the package (and hopefully catch any accidental bag punctures). I suppose if I was more hard–core I could use my hands to eat with and hold the bag, but Im not. Back to my tea and doilies I guess.