In our family, we have a bit of a tradition of hitting the road at Easter time. For us this is a time to connect with friends in the bush and often we camp. A couple of years ago we joined in a mammoth extended family camping weekend perched on the banks of the Balonne River in Western Queensland. There were 19 adults and 27 children! That is a LOT of food and it requires some planning!
In remote places where sneaking in to the supermarket to get some extra milk or a loaf of bread is not an option, forward planning is a must. Go Camping Australia has some great tips that include planning your menus for every meal, keeping it simple, marinating and cutting up in advance and pre-cooking and freezing meals before you leave home.
It is also a good idea to spread the load. Allocate certain meals to different people – instead of bring a plate, bring a meal! This gives everyone time to chip in and time to relax and enjoy as well.
It is well known that leaving me in charge of planning is not wise. I am a bit laissez-faire. My tendency would be to say “just bring a plate, it will all work out.” It probably would not work out and we would be left in a state of chaos with either too much food or starving, mutinous children demanding to go home. OK, I admit it – I have been known to forget the Easter eggs.
Thankfully there are usually one or two highly organised ‘camp captains’ who come to the fore and lead the way with the planning. My all-time pin up in this department would have to be my brother-in-law with my husband a close second. I am fortunate that they leave nothing to chance. They are planners! They have amassed an enviable camping kit bag including solar lights, fridges and showering equipment and pack the car with military precision.
Easter is also a beautiful time of the year to enjoy our wide brown land. The edge has come out of the Summer heat but it is not too cold to enjoy a dip in a river. And, I know I am a grown up but I still love an Easter egg hunt.
Oh, and if all else fails it is handy to have a good fisherman in the group to hunt and gather if need be. There is nothing better than fresh fish on the barbie.
Written by Amy Clarke for Bring a Plate
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Dutch Oven French Toast
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