Camping Life - Vegan Style - Vegan on the GO!

Camping Life – Vegan Style

I love camping! I love the trees, the water, the quiet time, the time outdoors, the leisurely walks, the beaches, the campfires, playing games and eating great vegan food (that’s what we spend most of the time doing!). I love it all, each trip is unique, the location, the vibe, access to water, extra services or off the grid – always different and yet somehow the same.

Last year we had our beautiful little Boler camper and we decided it was time to move on to something just a bit bigger. We ended up with a fantastic trailer (far more than we were thinking of), just perfect for the two of us; it suits us now and it will suit us 10-20 years from now too. We decided we wanted to get out there and do as much camping as possible this year, I just booked sites so that it would happen.

I am going on 9 years of being a vegan and my husband is going on 5. We have experienced quite a few camping trips and have learned a few things along the way. I thought it would be fun to write a blog on camping vegan style, I gotta say, camping as a vegan, it’s the best.

Keep reading is you want to find out more on vegan camping and my vacation….

Camping Life – Vegan Style

Camping Life – Vegan Style – oh we had such a great summer! So diverse and each trip enjoyable in its own way. You know that we ate well!

I thought it might be fun to share some our stories and also how we not only survive but thrive when we camp. With a bit of thought and a few simple techniques, you can eat healthy and have beautiful high energy food while you soak up nature – so good for the body and the soul.

This summer was filled with many camping destinations, some very urban (a different type of experience) and some right amongst the trees (my favourite type of camping). Regardless of where we go, I want the food to be good (healthy and tasty) and relatively easy to prepare. That’s my goal for all the things I do before I go camping. With a bit of planning, you have more time to relax and enjoy the people you are with or just be in nature.

The Sites

As I write this, I am looking out over the estuary in Parksville on Vancouver Island, so quiet, lush and filled with all types of life. We’ve seen a number of deer and fawns and a huge blue heron. In the evening, the waterway fills up almost to the campsite and we see more deer on their way home, making their way through the water and plants.

The campsite I thought I loved the most was the Regional Campground on Gabriola Island, which is a short ferry ride from downtown Nanaimo. What I love about this place are the rock formations, the 3 unique bays, the community, the vibe, well I love just about everything.

Our very last trip of the year turned out to be the absolute best. We went to a beautiful island called Quadra Island and stayed at the Wei Wa Campsite located right on the ocean. Being on the ocean was spectacular and the vibe of the campsite was very laid back with everyone doing their own thing. It was so peaceful. Internet access was only available at the registration office, so most of the time I was disconnected and it felt wonderful!

All in all, we had 8 unique camping adventures this year; next year we’ll try more places. I could camp on the Gulf Islands for my whole life and not see everything there is to see. It’s just beautiful being close to home and enjoying what is right here in front of us.

The People

Camping is a wonderful time to spend with the people you love. This summer we were fortunate to have time with many of our family and friends…feeling blessed. Here some pics of the people and experiences we had on our summer vacation adventure

The Food

Now let’s get down to business and talk about what is really important – the food – in particular the vegan food. We ate like kings and queens!

This summer I have been taking a Culinary Program through Rouxbe and I was travelling quite a bit for work so I decided to double up. I had assignments for school (recipes to practice) and they became the foundation of many camping menus, saying me a lot of time. I usually take a bunch of food with me and then just figure it out from there, that can work too.

As mentioned, our camping menu was built around my assignments through Rouxbe. On one trip, the menu was built around a variety of sauces I had created as a result of my program. Indonesian marinade became a tofu dish. On another trip we ate a lot of pasta! I made manicotti and ravioli and froze them. I just had to thaw it out and add another component or veggie. Soups that I had made for school were frozen and we brought those too…frozen soups also help with keeping things frozen in your cooler! Bonus!

I also bought vegan dogs and burgers, snacks, fresh fruit and lots of veggies of course. On the fruits and vegetables, I focused on maximising the use of what was growing in my garden and yard, what was seasonal and fresh at our local farmers’ market and attempted to get as organic fruits and vegetables as possible. I cleaned all my fruit and veggies and stored them in a bin with paper towels to protect each layer and absorb and moisture.

Use leftovers. We would make our dinner and plan to have leftovers for the next day for lunch with the other fruit, veggies and snacks I had brought.

Create a list. I am in the process of developing a list of things I need to do, bring and buy for camping. A general always bring list….bathing suits and towels or trip specific items such as frozen soup. This way I can feel calm and confident that I haven’t missed anything we really need and a few nice to have things too. Hey who says you have to suffer when you camp? Its best when you are comfortable and relaxed, warm and in nature.

Most important tip of all! Have fun, be present, enjoy your life!