Camping on a Whim with Essential Oils - Menus - and more

 It was a Friday afternoon, the kids relaxing inside from a rough morning of playing. I was outside when I received a phone call from my husband. 
“Hi Honey, would you like to go camping this weekend?”  What? No I couldn’t possibly get everything ready. So we hung up and I was walking back into the house and I said to myself, Why not? Why can’t we go camping it is only 1pm in the afternoon. I can do it and have everything ready by the time my husband gets home from work.

I walk in the house and ask my children if they would like to go camping this weekend. They all jumped up and said Yeah!!! I told my kids I would need their help and we need Team Chambers to come together to make it happen. Then we did. I put some a Blend that helps me focus on the back of my neck and end of my nose to see if helped me stay focused. 

Planning is very important when camping, once you get there, there is no going back for what you forgot. Well you just won’t want to.  (It is a good idea to do a trial camp at the beginning of summer to make sure you have all camping gear ready)

I knew if I planned and organized in the short amount of time I had to get to the store, pack clothes and the trailer that we would have a successful camping trip. We are camping in the  national forest, not to far from our house. It is about 40 minutes where we like to go, there no fees and a wide open for camping.

There are a few steps in organizing and planning a last minute camping trip. 

PLANNING THE MENU

First I planned the menu and the food

A well planned menu for the camping is key. Healthy snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner. 1.5  gal water per person per day, a half of bag of ice per person per day. Make sure you have enough food for everyone, and don’t forget the dog. We love to do a meal in Dutch Ovens, BBQ or over the fire.

If you do not have a well-planned menu, you will be without sides or seasonings. You learn to compromise. You could end up with hot dogs all weekend if you do not plan a good menu. This is fun, you get to be creative and enjoy any good meal while camping. (For Cooking with Essential Oils, click on the cooking tab above for tips and tricks on cooking with essential oils.)

You will want to make sure you have plenty of food and even extra in case you get stranded. Always be prepared and make sure you tell someone where you are camping. Again I can not stress, make sure you have Plenty of water. 

Note: Lemon Essential Oil purifies any water, also great for cooking.. I also love diffusing it in the trailer as soon as we get set up. 

CLOTHING

The next thing is you want to pack your clothes. Just like vacation you have to pack the appropriate clothes. Be prepared for the woods, lake, beach, wherever you are camping. We were headed to the woods out back behind us so we needed our ski coats, yes it gets cold at night. Jeans, long shirt, tennis shoes, remember Utah’s weather and how unpredictable it is. Don’t forget your toiletries, toothbrush, hairbrush etc. even though you may not use them, they are there if you decide to.

It can be life threating if you are not prepared with the appropriate clothing. Even in the summer you can get hypothermia.

There was a gentleman this summer who lost some fingers from hypothermia when he got trapped between two rocks. I let my daughter pack her clothes and she was not prepared for the weather we had one time and it was scary. We had enough for her, but still what if we didn't.

Finally Preparing for Trailer or Tent?

At the beginning of Camp season whether you have a tent or trailer you want to always have certain things ready so you can be ready to camp anytime. Preparing the Trailer with dry goods or Dry Good Bin for Tent. You will want to have all pots and pans, Cups, plates, silverware, cookware, BBQ, camping stove, toilet paper, paper towels, wipes, seasonings, canned goods, other dried goods, and Emergency kit and First Aid Kit and Your Essential Oils. Ice Chests, you can never have enough ice for camping, and if you come home with it, refreeze it for the next trip. Accessories you may want, chairs, table, generator, shade, mats to lay on outside, firewood, paper and matches, propane heaters.

These are good to have on hand and ready to go. If you do not have your Camping bin or trailer ready it could take a little more preparation.

If you do not have a well prepared trailer with appropriate supplies, again it could be life threatening. Our trailer was without batteries one trip and then we ran out of propane, so not fridge or stove either. We had extra supplies so we were okay, but if we didn't we might not have been.

One time we forgot to put the wood blocks behind the tires and the hitch fell in the dirt, I was inside cooking the corn for dinner and the trailer tilted sideways. I was so scared and my husband jacked it up and had us fixed up in no time. But he was prepared. Also remember to tell someone where you are at and when you will be home.

While I ran to the store, the kids were packing their clothes, books, pillows, toys, match box cars, BB guns, targets, fishing poles, bikes, helmets and whatever else they wanted to bring. They also checked the Trailer for TP, paper towels, pillows etc. We came together as a team and made camping on a whim fun and easy. 

We had the trailer prepared and ready to go with most everything, I just needed fresh food, clothing and to make sure the trailer was still stocked with dry goods etc. Also make sure you have a deck of cards, dice for Yahtzee or a game to play in case the weather turns.

Camping is quality uninterrupted time together. It is a lot of work, but worth it and it can be very simple, when you involve teamwork. Camping is relaxing, you get away from everyday life and electronics, and you are in the moment with the ones you love.  In today’s world, we are all so busy. It is hard to take some time to find peace and relax. When you are out being adventurous, it slows down time, you are living in the present, you stop, relax and enjoy.

Remember to prepare and organize, plan the menu, pack your clothes and prepare Trailer or Tent. You will have a successful camping trip on a whim. I invite you all to go camping, we are so lucky to have this beautiful national forest in our back yard, find your perfect camping spot and Enjoy!

Below is our camping list for trailer or tent preparation, clothes, food, menu, etc.

Camping Checklist for Trailer Beginning of Season

Propane Tanks (depending or trailer or tent get appropriate size, small for tent, large ones for the Trailer)

Propane Heaters (little ones are always good to have on hand)
Fire wood
BBQ

Toilet Paper

Fishing Poles

Generator (optional)

Table

Fake Grass Rugs (optional but really nice to have)

Chairs

Batteries

Flash Lights

Bug Spray

Trash Bags

Shampoo, Conditioner and Soap for sinks,

Dish soap

Cups

Plates

Silverware

Utensils

Pots and pans

Wipes

Seasonings and Salt and Pepper, Sugar

Towels

Bedding, Pillows

Canned goods – Beans and assortment of them, always a good easy side dish. Canned Fruit & Veggies is great while camping if you are tenting it, but also well anytime.

Dried goods

Coffee

Coffee Pot

Smore’s Sticks (Over the fire sticks to roast Marshmellows)

Ice Chest

Tent – All of the above that you wish to put in a bin. Tent and Bedding, Flash lights are a must.

Menu and food

Dinner Idea’s

BBQ Drum Sticks

Burrito’s

Burgers

Hot dogs

Hotdog and hamburger buns

Dutch Oven BBQ Ribs and Veggies (Yum our favorite)

Dutch oven Peach Cobbler

Crock Pot Chicken with Salsa, cook the day you leave. Great for easy Burrito’s for dinner and left overs for sandwiches the next day. Pasta dishes, Soups, Chili, and Salads are always great too!

Sides – Beans, Corn on the Cob, Fresh Veggie and Hummus, Carrots, Steamed Veggies, Fresh Green Salad.

Dessert Idea’s – S’more’s, or whatever you would like. Peach Cobbler, homemade ice cream in zip lock bags, fresh fruit

Lunch Idea’s – Chicken Burrito’s, Ham or Turkey Sandwiches, Cucumber Sandwiches, Hot Dogs, Salad.

Sides – Fruit and Chips, Hummus and veggies.

Breakfast Idea’s – Corned Beef Hash and Eggs over easy. Bagels, Donuts, Cereal, Bacon, sausage, Protein Shake with Almond milk and Wild Orange or Lemon Essential Oil. Fresh Fruit.

Grocery List

BBQ Sauce

Onions

Cheese

Chips

Fruit (pick fruits that travel well)

Veggies- broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery

Hummus

Chopped Veggies

Ham and Turkey for lunch meat (or Veggies for a Veggie Sandwich)

Spring Mix or Power Greens for salads

Ranch Dressing or Dressing of choice

Water, Water, and Water (1.5 gallons per person per day)

Sun Screen

Paper towels

Trash Bags

Coffee

Chocolate Syrup (for my husbands coffee)

Marshmallows

Hershey’s chocolate bars

Gram crackers

Catsup

Mustard

Mayo

Butter

Eggs

Corn beefed Hash

Bacon

Beans

Rice

Corn on the Cob

Honey Combs (Any Cereal is great to have camping, this is my daughters favorite)

Milk

Bagels and Cream Cheese

Almond Milk and Protein Shakes

Chips

Cookies

Donuts or breakfast treat are a nice treat for kids one morning

Ritz Crackers

Drinks for the kids

Drinks for the Adults

What to Bring

For the Mountains

Jeans

Winter Coat, gloves, hat

Baseball cap or visor for the day

Socks

Tennis Shoes

Ski Coat or winter coat

Sweat shirt

Extra Blankets and Socks

Hand Warmers

Fleece pants and shirt

Long Sleeve Shirt

Essential Oils, Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, Frankincense, Melaleuca and OnGuard, TerraSheild, are a must when camping. 

For the Lake

Bathing Suite

Life Vests

Towels

Water Toys (rafts, canoe, kayaks, etc)

Pump to blow up rafts and air mattresses

Blanket

Shade

Sunscreen

Extra Ice

Jeans

Jacket

Tennis shoes

Socks

Essential Oils, Lavender & Peppermint a must for sunburns, Peppermint cools the body 3-5degrees, Frankincense, Melaleuca (soothes minor skin irritations), (bug repellent Blend), and OnGuard are a must when camping. 

It can get cold late night by the lake as well. Remember to be safe, use your smarts, drink responsibly, be prepared for the unexpected and enjoy!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.