Camping and adventuring in the great outdoors during the winter months can be challenging both physically and mentally. On winter expeditions, Outward Bound students learn how to stay warm and energized through drinking, eating and cooking. When you’re out in the cold, you’re often burning a lot of calories. It is important to refuel properly throughout the day and eat nutritious meals and snacks.

Hydration, Food, Repeat

We asked Bud with the Voyageur Outward Bound School (VOBS) for tips on eating on a winter course, like a winter dog sledding expedition:

Eating on trail is incredibly important. Drinking enough water/fluids is essential. Water and fluids act as the oil of the body’s engine and help warm blood and nutrients circulated to all parts of the body. Always start with hydration.

Food is the obvious second! Start out the morning with food in the mouth as soon as possible to get calories in so the engine (the body) can start creating heat. This can consist of hot, buttery bagels or english muffins, accompanied with sokausage or bacon. You’ll want to get long-burning fats along with quick burning carbs. This involves one or two people getting up before everyone else to get the fire and food ready. On super cold mornings, start everyone with some cookie dough to really get the engine going.

After getting up and breaking down camp, have a second breakfast with a choice of granola, oatmeal, dehydrated mashies, ramen noodles and grape nuts, in addition to hot chocolate and coffee! Consider carrying a thermos of hot chocolate, jello or sugary tea in case anyone gets too cold and needs a pick-me-up.

In-between second breakfast and dinner is a good time to break out the ‘squirrel bags.’ These are plastic bags with our daily rations so you can always be snacking to keep your caloric intake up and consistent. You also don’t want to stop on a cold day, sit in the cold and have lunch while dogs are barking. Lunch can be a chunk of cheese, meat (pep or summer sausage), nuts, dried fruit and a high caloric bar, usually around the 500 calorie/bar mark.

When you get to camp, celebrate by drinking water and having some crackers. Dinner and another round of hot drinks ends out the day, all to get up and do it all again the next day.

Tip: Butter and cheese or real fatty meals help people sleep warmer! 

Recipes For Your Next Adventure

Whether you’re on a dog sledding trip with Outward Bound or doing some winter camping close to home, check out these cold weather camping recipes and more tips from the Columbine Cookbook, courtesy of the Colorado Outward Bound School (COBS).

Breakfast

There’s no better way to start the day than with a big, warm breakfast, especially in the snow! As we’ve learned from Bud above, it is important to eat right away in the morning to fuel your body. These recipes will get you going and help prep you for the adventures ahead.

Basic Oatmeal (serves 8)

What you’ll need:

• 3 cups of oats
• 6 cups of water
• Pinch of salt

Directions:
Bring water to a rolling boil, add salt and oats. Lower flame and cook uncovered until all water is absorbed and oats are soft. Embellish with raisins, apricots, cinnamon, honey or strawberries. Always make oatmeal in the ratio of 2 parts water to 1 part oats.

Hot Granola

What you’ll need:

• Granola
• Milk Powder
• Sweetener
• Boiling Water

Directions:
Place ingredients in a canteen cup. Pour boiling water over the whole thing and stir. Bonus: there are no sticky cookpots to clean!

Lunch or Dinner

Is there anything better than a hot dinner after a day in the cold? These recipes will warm you up and help you stay full throughout the night.

Potato Soup (serves 8-12)

What you’ll need:

• 8 potatoes
• 1 cup liquid milk
• 1 package of dried veggies
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic

Directions:
Chop potatoes into chunks. Cover with water and bring to a boil, then simmer until soft. Add milk and seasonings; simmer for three minutes. One package of soup mix can be added the last five minutes of cooking.

Cumulus Dumplings (18 Dumplings)

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 cup of milk

Directions:
Mix ingredients, using enough milk to make a stiff dough. Pat out ½ inch thick. Dip spoon in water, then spoon dough into simmering soup. Cover and cook about 15 minutes.

For zestier dumplings, add chopped onions, cheese or try replacing ½ the flour with cornmeal.

The trick to good dumplings is to keep them steaming on top of a simmering liquid. Never boil. Don’t crowd them in a pot and keep the lid on the pot. No peeking!

Dessert and Drinks

Just because you’re in the wilderness doesn’t mean you should skip out on luxuries. Enjoy dessert and hot drinks in the backcountry, just like you would at home.

Stewed Fruit

What you’ll need:

• 1 part water
• 1 part fruit
• Sugar or honey and cinnamon to taste

Directions:
Boil the fruit in the water until hydrated. Add seasonings.

Hot Tea: Variations

1. Peppermint tea bag to steep (almost boiling), stir in 2 tablespoons of cocoa mix.
2. Orange spiced tea bag to steep, add 1 tablespoon of apple cider mix.
3. Black tea bag to steep, add 1 tablespoon of orange or lemon drink mix.

Note: Warm biscuits with honey and a hot cup of tea are a great treat in the morning, or for dessert.

Snacking on Trail

It is important to eat regularly all day. A good variety in trail food makes it more enjoyable. Peanuts and sunflower seeds are both a good source of fat and protein. Dates are a good source of vitamins and sugar, however, be careful not to eat too many. Raisins, apricots, figs and apples all supply a great source of carbohydrates and some essential vitamins. Making fudge the night before your trip is a great idea for a snack, too.

Leave No Trace Tips

Outward Bound educates students about low-impact, environmentally-friendly backcountry travel by practicing the Leave No Trace method. Remember these tips when it comes to cooking and protecting the environment:

• Use all jars of honey, peanut butter and packages of dry food before opening another.
• Pack out all your trash.
• Recycle anything you can, but be careful where you wash recyclables out in the field. Avoid streams, lakes and other water sources.

Have any favorite cold weather camping recipes of your own? Leave them in the comments below!

About the Author

Shelby Jumper is the Web Content Administrator for Outward Bound. Her hunger for adventure has taken her all over the world  – from hiking in the Swiss Alps to exploring the South African Wild Coast to swimming with wild whale sharks in the Philippines. She’s passionate about getting people outside, the medicinal value of laughter and her dog, Scout. She writes from Golden, Colorado.