Camping Locally with CGM Food!

City Greeners,

Thinking of doing something fun for the weekend? Camping is a great way to escape the bustle of the city, and Missouri has a handful of state parks just a quick drive away! The Missouri State Parks website has an easy-to-use reservation system which is great for planning ahead. Many of the state campgrounds have non-reservable sites that are available on a first-come, first-serve basis as well.

If you're new to the camping scene, one of the crucial aspects of planning is making sure you have your meals covered. You can plan out your menu (based on what is in season!) and do some preparations ahead of time. Here's a sample menu for a weekend of camping - City Greens Market style!

Friday night supper: turkey burger made from Buttonwood Farm's ground turkey or a portabella mushroom burger from Ozark Forest Mushrooms (on rolls from Companion Bakery) and grilled asparagus from IISTL's Global Farm

Saturday morning breakfast: Granola from Companion Bakery, small yogurt cups from Windcrest Dairy, strawberries from Dry Dock Farm, and coffee from Stringbean Coffee

Saturday afternoon lunch: PB&J sandwiches! featuring bread from Red Fox Baking (or Companion), peanut butter from Eastwind Nut Butters or Mound City and jam from Hilty's Bee Yards. Serve with a side of Billy Goat Chips!

Saturday night dinner: Pork chops from Patchwork Family Farms or BBQ MOFU tofu with Freddie Lee's Ghetto Sauce (make then into sandwiches with some Companion bread!) and veggie skewers with fresh veggies from Dry Dock Farm.

Sunday morning breakfast: repeat Saturday morning breakfast, but with different flavors of yogurt!

Be sure to bring some bags of Grandma's Nuts and Singing Prairie Farm's pork snack sticks - these both make excellent snacks. Hummus or dip from del Carmen are a great way to spice things up around the campsite, too!

Also, we don't sell ingredients for the classic camping dessert, s'mores, but maybe try a twist on an old favorite - break one of the Angel Baked Cookies in half and use that instead of graham crackers!

If you do have any food that requires preparations, like the veggie skewers, plan ahead! Chop and skewer the veggies ahead of time so all you have to do is stick them on the grill or over the fire. If you're doing burgers, form the patties ahead of time. Marinade pork chops and portabella mushrooms the night before you leave, so those are ready for cookin' too.

Some folks don't like to, but you can chop up veggies and put them in foil packets to put over the fire. Pre-cut potatoes and put them in the hot coals. If you have leftovers, put them in the cooler and save them for breakfast potatoes.

Another tip - if you're planning on having some frozen meat or hummus, plan these for the second night. That way you can pack them in your cooler and use them as ice packs. Likely by the time you're ready to cook with them the evening of the second day, they'll be thawed out and ready for grilling.

Be sure to check City Greens and other local food vendors when doing your shopping, so you can get the most flavorful, freshest, and healthiest foods to make your camping trip outstanding!

See you at the market :)



Photos courtesy of Michelle Erhard.