You and your group arrive at a campsite after a long drive. You’ve just finished pitching your tent and setting up camp when a blinding sandstorm or a blizzard with 50 mph winds rolls in. You scramble into the tents with the last of the gear. It’s meal time, but the sand puts the kibosh on any plans for a cookout.
What do you do? You have to eat, right? Sand in your food is not an option. Some solutions exist. You just need to have packed the right equipment and food.
Water plus stove equals hot food
Two general scenarios exist:
- You can heat water, or
- You can’t.
Being able to heat or boil water is ideal. A large selection of food items becomes available, including coffee, tea, cocoa/hot chocolate, as well as soups and stews.
Additionally, some food manufacturers offer freeze-dried meals. Just add hot water, and you have a tasty hot meal.
Mountain House (and many others) offers an extensive collection of freeze-dried meals. Pour the hot water into the packet, and stir and let it sit a few minutes according to the instructions. Each meal is designed for one person but will serve two people. Mountain House can be eaten right out of the pouch. With a shelf-life “taste” guarantee of 30 years, you can prepare once with a few pouches in your kit and forget it. If you use one replace it.
I really like their beef stroganoff. I suggest trying several meals at home and settling on one or two. Try some of the other brands too. They stow easily in a camp box or other storage unit.
MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) are a viable option as well. I’m not sure how popular they are. But if you pack an MRE or two, make sure the commercial brand has the internal heater. Not all do. That is the advantage about MREs is that they don’t require an outside heat source to cook.
Options for heating/boiling water
A traditional camping stove is always useful, of course. But don’t overlook the smaller camping stoves. Designed more for backpackers, they perform in any camping situation.
Two popular brands are the JETBOIL camp stove and the MSR PocketRocket camping stove.
The JETBOIL stove includes a container for heating water. The unit holds about 8/10 of a liter. Fill with water and light the burner. Set the control to the proper flame
Another option is the MSR PocketRocket stove. This stove is designed to handle a small sauce pan, allowing you to heat a can of your favorite soup or stew. Its arms fold down for compact storage.
I pack an MSR stove for every four-wheeling excursion.
JETBOIL and PocketRocket use special fuel
pocket Rocket on fire small 4 oz ISOPRO
A word about the fuel. These camp stoves do not run on propane. Instead, they use a blend of butane and propane called ISOPRO. The tank is a distinctive shape and features a nozzle designed exclusively for JETBOIL and PocketRocket stoves.
ISOPRO is typically found in 4-ounce, 8-ounce, and 16-ounce containers.
BTW, you can purchase a “propane to isobutane adapter” for under $10. With it, you can screw the JETBOIL or the PocketRocket onto a 1 pound propane tank. I carry mostly propane but there is an adapter that goes the other way. Check Amazon.
Boil safely… outside your tent
Regardless of the type of stove used, always cook outside the sleeping tent. Carbon monoxide will build up quickly. And if a stove tips over, the tent could start on fire.
The JETBOIL is a little tricky, too. Its control knob is below the burner. If something boils over, you risk a nasty burn trying to turn off the heat. Use the right amount of flame to heat the liquid sufficiently but avoid boiling over.
Some people cook off the back of a pickup truck. The hatchback on some vehicles might work, too. Experiment at home. You don’t want to experience an unforeseen issue while off-road.
If you’re willing to take a chance inside the tent – which I don’t recommend – the jack board should provide a more stable platform. But there are still risks. Someone could inadvertently kick over the stove starting the tent on fire. If no fire you may have food and liquid soaking in to your sleeping bag and gear. Make sure it is monitored every moment it’s fired up.
Cooking and eating in your tent have additional risk in bear country.
Should you consider a cooking tent?
Cooking tents come in a variety of styles and sizes. Fully enclosed, they feature a chimney and offer good ventilation. Those tents tend to be rather large and pricey. If you cook frequently for large groups, a cooking tent could be a wise investment. But for the purposes discussed here, such a tent doesn’t make sense.
Another possibility is a hunting blind. Some are just the right size for cooking yet fold up into a compact shape. You might have room to pack one on a regular basis. Pick one that will block the wind.
Cold food is a viable option
Even if you can’t boil water or cook, all is not lost. Or shouldn’t be. Other food items can fill in when necessary. They include:
Appetizers: cocktail wieners, meatballs, veggie dishes
Sandwiches
Chips and salsa; potato chips; other snack foods
Summer sausage and crackers
Tin of Kippers or salmon. Sardines may be pushing it a bit. They can be messy and could really stink up a tent.
Fresh fruit is always a hit. Someone usually has apples, bananas or something with them.
Summer sausage and crackers.
You get the idea. Most four-wheelers pack an assortment of snacks and packaged foods. You should have enough to get through an evening.
For most four-wheeling excursions, the weather holds as planned. But occasionally Mother Nature brews up a storm unexpectedly. Having the right gear and food on hand ensures you won’t go hungry when the weather turns ugly.
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Did you miss the previous article?
2026
- 2026-01-16 Pack Spare Bolts and Nuts
February 2026
February 8, 2026 Super Bowl Run
February 21, 2026 Getting Started Off-Road – LA Area
February 22, 2026 Day 2 Getting Started Off-Road – LA Area
February 21-22, 2026 Getting Started Two Day Package – LA Area
February 28, 2026 Winching Clinic – LA Area
February 28, 2026 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – SD Area
March 01, 2026 Day 2 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – SD Area
February 28-March 01, 2025 Getting Started Two Day Package – SD Area
March 2026
March 7, 2026 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – LA Area
March 8, 2026 Day 2 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – LA Area
March 7-8, 2026 Getting Started Two Day Package – LA Area
March 13, 2026 Death Valley Adventure
March 18, 2026 Cal4Wheel Death Valley Experience
March 21, 2026 AWD Off-Road Driving & Safety Clinic
March 28, 2026 Tire Repair and Hi Lift Mini Clinic – LA Area
March 28, 2026 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – SD Area
March 29, 2026 Day 2 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – SD Area
March 28-29, 2026 Getting Started Two Day Package – SD Area
April 2026
April 11, 2026 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – LA Area
April 12, 2026 Day 2 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – LA Area
April 11-12, 2026 Getting Started Two Day Package – LA Area
April 18, 2026 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – SD Area
April 19, 2026 Day 2 Getting Started Off-Road Driving – SD Area
April 18-19, 2026 Getting Started Two Day Package – SD Area
April 25, 2026 Winching Clinic – LA Area
73 KI6FHA
I hope to see you on the trails!
Tom Severin, President Badlands Off Road Adventures, Inc.
4-Wheel Drive School
310-613-5473
www.4x4training.com
Make it Fun. Keep it Safe.
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