Solo Traveling as a female can certainly be a life changing experience. As you explore different places, and learn about different cultures, it can bring you a sense of independence and appreciation for the world around you.
However, traveling alone as a solo female traveler also comes with its fair share of unique challenges, especially if you plan to cook and prepare a nutritious meal for yourself outdoors. Whether you’re trekking, hiking, or camping, a healthy meal is important to keep you healthy and on your toes.
To help you navigate through the labyrinth of outdoor cooking, here are 7 cooking tips that will help you satiated and energized throughout the day, as you venture into the great outdoors.
Plan Your Meals
Meal planning is an essential part of solo female traveling. Whether you’re going for a day long trip or venturing on a trail that’ll take you longer, you must prepare your meal plan ahead of time to avoid any last minute problems.
Before you leave, make a list of all the meals that you’ll be preparing and check off all the ingredients and utensils that you need for it. Packing everything up will save you trouble when you decide to cook in an outdoor setting.
Dehydrated & Nutrient Packed Meals Are Your BFF
Once you’ve decided all that you will be cooking as you travel, you must invest in highly nutritious yet lightweight meals for easier travel and more energy.
You can pack some grains such as quinoa and oatmeals for a carb infused diet, dried fruits and nuts are great for fats, while eggs, peanut butter, and roasted chickpeas are excellent sources of protein, as well as easy to carry in a backpack.
Choose Outdoor Friendly Cookware
You can’t backpack across Europe with a cast iron, and a dutch oven taped to your back. So, always pack light and smart cookware when you’re planning to travel solo and cook outdoors.
Some outdoor friendly cookware pieces that you can invest in as a solo female traveler may include a portable gas stove, an all in one pot that you can use to cook a variety of dishes, a fuel canister, as well as a cool bag to carry any frozen items such as meat or any seafood.
Invest In Learning Basic Cooking Skills
Cooking is a life skill that requires a combination of knowledge and practice. Before you set out to cook a hearty meal in the middle of the forest, make sure you have the clarity regarding the basics of cooking.
Even if you’re not a master chef or particularly enjoy cooking, certain basic skills such as boiling water, chopping up vegetables, adding salt to a dish without precise measurement, sauteing veggies, and cooking grains will help you stay nourished and healthy while cooking in the outdoors, which is all you need to avoid eating from any unhygienic place instead.
Don’t Leave All Your Seasonings Behind
Whether you’re making a pot of mac and cheese or are in the mood for something fancy such as grilled lobster tail, you can’t do without essential spices and condiments such as salt, pepper, garlic and ginger powder, and other dehydrated spices and herbs.
Whatever may be your favorite seasonings, bring them with you for a tasty cookout experience. Along with that, keep all the oils that you’ll need for cooking, such as olive oil or even cooking spray. Keeping these things handy will help you cook more comfortably instead of resorting to eating tasteless alternatives.
Simplify Cooking With One Pot Meals
Let’s be honest, you’re outdoors to travel, not to cook fancy dishes, so why not make the process simpler? Instead of carrying too much cutlery, and spending hours cooking food, embrace the power of one pot meals.
Not only will these dishes save you time but also effort in carrying and cleaning multiple utensils. You can try out some amazing one pot recipes ranging from a simple pasta to a grilled salmon in a single pot, and the best part is that it’s tasty and low effort.
Prioritize Food Safety
Food borne illnesses are very common, especially when you’re cooking outdoors. Since you don’t want to get sick while traveling, at least not from the food that you’re cooking, following certain safe food practices might help you avoid any case of food poisoning or other food related accidents.
While being generally cautious is of importance at all times, you must also wash your hands before handling food, specifically because you’re outdoors. You must also keep foods that are prone to perish in cool bags. This can include your salads and dips. Other foods that are often the culprits of food poisoning due to mishandling include deli meats, cheese, eggs, poultry, and fresh vegetables as well as fruits.
Another thing to take note of is the change in temperature. Since bacteria grows fast in food that deviates from its temperature, you want to ensure that your cold food stays cold and the hot food is eaten as soon as cooked. Leaving it unattended in constantly changing temperatures will only make your food go bad, especially if it’s been out for over 2 hours.
Having nutritious meals while traveling outdoors as a solo female traveler is the soul of your experience. If you’re constantly starved and low on energy, how will you enjoy your travels?
To ensure that you stay active and have fun, always plan your meals ahead, use lightweight food options, pick outdoor friendly cookware, learn basic cooking skills, use seasoning, make simple recipes, and always eat fresh food to avoid getting sick when you’re alone. After all, you deserve a fun adventure and good food. Bon Appetit!
