Eat healthy… even while camping

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Isabelle Huot

Sunday, 30 July, 2017 18:39

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Sunday, 30 July, 2017 18:39

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Québec is a destination of choice for camping. Forests, mountains, lakes and rivers make up the landscape of the approximately 900 camping sites located in the four corners of the province. Is it possible to eat healthy at these small summer break ? Tips for balancing holiday, pleasure and health.

The campsite : a activity appreciated

It seems that the site has the rating. And this is the tent that won the palm of popularity, in front of the recreational vehicle, according to Camping Québec…

• In 2016, the number of locations available and the number of sites occupied in the campground were, respectively, an increase of 2.3% and 2.9 % compared to the data recorded in 2015.
• For the same period, users of the tents were up 6.4 %.

The super foods

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Foods that can be kept at room temperature are valuable allies during short breaks in the open air. It is so full of these foods and, for the sake of space, we fact, before the start of the portions that is placed in plastic bags that are closed.

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• cereal bars
• peanut butter or nuts
• fortified soy beverage (Tetra Pak) or UHT milk
• whole-grain cereal or granola
• canned diced tomatoes
• canned fish
• whole grain crackers
• dried fruit
• oatmeal nature
• milk powder
• canned vegetables
• legumes varied
• nuts and seeds
• whole grain bread
• whole wheat pasta
• baby potatoes
• fruit puree (without added sugar) and canned fruit
• sauces tomato-based (with or without meat)

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For fresh fruit, in addition to preferring those that keep more easily, you can opt for the fruits that one can consume in a meal : apples, pears, bananas, citrus fruit.

Cooking, health, camping

Kitchen, camping, a book written by Alexandra Leduc, nutritionist, and published at Modus Vivendi, is a complete tool that will appeal to fans of outdoor cooking. Several topics are addressed : planning, food preservation, cooking, tips cooking, recipes and menu ! A perfect companion for our next trips camping !

Tips for cooking

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Portable stove, camp stove or wood fire… what type are you ?

The portable stove offers a quick-cooking and can prepare a larger quantity of food. The stove requires less space, but cooked a smaller amount of food at one time.

Several diehard practice cooking on a fire of wood. You can cook the food over the coals or above a flame. However, it must not wait to be hungry before you start cooking the meal. The whole requires a bit more time… and patience.

• On the embers of the fire, it is ideal to cook food in aluminum foil. Small caution : you double the aluminum foil to coat the food !
• For the second mode of cooking on a fire of wood, simply place a grill over the flames. Take it or inquire to see if the campground offers.

The ABC’s of the cooler

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Conservation is a major issue in camping. Poor food storage could lead to food-borne illness.

If the cooler is the only equipment available for the cold storage, here are a few tips :

1. Prior to departure, you freeze the meat (well packaged, to prevent their juices flowing), liquid eggs, the grated cheese, breads, some fruits, 100% juice and milk. Then we put them in the cooler. They décongèleront slowly and will keep the other foods cold. We consume the meat thawed within 24 hours.

2. You can also cook some full meals (chili, curry, couscous royal) prior to departure, thus reducing the preparation of meals during the stay. Thus, the minced meat, and grain products (pasta, rice, couscous and quinoa) may be brought already cooked in the cooler.

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3. Place the foods often used on the top and cover with large blocks of ice before closing.

4. The drinks may be placed in a second cooler.

5. Do not open the cooler only when necessary and place it in the shade.

Reinvent the marshmallow

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Four marshmallows contain about 330 calories and over 55 g of added sugar ! Want to add to the bonfire of a mouthful sweet… but nutritious ? Two delicious options :

• A slice of fresh pineapple (55 g) roasted (28 calories and 5.5 g of fruit sugar)
• A foil consisting of a banana cut in two on the direction of the length, with 5 ml (1 tsp) dark chocolate chips (130 calories and 17 g of sugar, of which more than 14 g of which originate from the banana)