What Meals Should I plan on a Kid's Canoe Trip to the Boundary Waters?

 As all parents know, preparing kid-friendly meals can be a daunting task anytime. It may seem even more daunting to plan kid-friendly BWCA canoe trip menus.

Get the Kids Involved

A key point that we’ve learned is to plan canoe menus and meals that are simple and that the kids can help prepare. One of the best parts of the whole camping experience is the food and most children love to help. This accomplishes two things at the same time, it gives them something to do where you can keep an eye on them, and it teaches them some new skills.Freeze dried food can be very tasty! It’s very easy to prepare, just add boiling water, stir, wait and eat. The waiting is the hard part. Make sure you give it plenty of time or you’ll have a crunchy dinner. We use a lot of Cache Lake  freeze dried meals. Spaghetti or chicken alfredo seem to be favorites among youth and adults alike. They also have a great selection of yummy desserts and breads that are fun and easy to make while camping.

Hot Dogs and S'mores are Always a Hit

Kids also love fire. It’s new and exciting and something they don’t get to see regularly. There’s a variety of meals kids can help with using a fire. The classics are, of course, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. There’s also the ever-simple tin foil dinner; each child can make their very own with the ingredients they like.  It’s fun for the family to just sit around the campfire in the evening roasting hot dogs and making s’mores. When you’ve conquered these it’s time to be more adventurous and try making pies in a pie iron. These can start out very simple and get more elaborate as the kids get into it more. They are always delicious though.

Camp Stoves Create More Kid's Canoe Trip Meal Planning Options

Bringing a stove along will open up a lot of options. With a stove you can make most of their favorite meals from home. Using a stove is generally a lot faster than cooking over the fire. They’re especially useful in the mornings when everyone wakes up hungry. Nothing’s better than the smell of bacon in your campsite. The key again is to find ways the kids can help with your meals.There are also easy meals that require no cooking.  Sandwiches and wraps are easy and the kids can make their own the just way they like them.  There’s the old canoeing favorite of trail bologna with crackers. Again, very easy if you’re traveling and don't want to build a fire or get out the stove to prepare lunch.

To make it more fun for the kids throw in some great snacks. Trail mix is another camping classic. Help them prepare ahead of time so they can put in their favorite ingredients.When bringing kids to the Boundary Waters, take some time to do kid's canoe trip meal planning.  Remember, plan meals they like and are easy to prepare so the kids can help. Great meals will go a long way in creating some incredible memories on your trip.

Charlene

For more information on BWCA Family Canoe Trips, click here, or call us at 218-365-5837