If you’re planning to pack up the caravan or camper, pitch a tent, or push the boat out and go glamping, there are lots of ways to stick to your slimming goals – even with the absolute minimum of cooking equipment.
Read on for how to create all kinds of tasty meals in the great outdoors – and keep yourself on the road to weight loss success.
Make a plan
For really seamless holiday cooking, decide on your meals in advance, making use of whatever chilled or frozen food you’re taking first so it won’t spoil. And schedule in a shop halfway through your break to stock up on fresh produce if you can.
More on the blog: Get your free Slimming World 7-day menu
Make life easy
Take a precooked meal for that first night when you’re unpacking and getting sorted. Curries and casseroles are ideal as they can be reheated in one pan.
More on the blog: Use the leftovers from this chicken casserole to make creamy pasta
Stock up
Store-cupboard staples are your friends, leaving you more room in the cool box or mini-fridge for things that need to be kept chilled:
- Tins of chopped tomatoes – great for making a quick pasta sauce or curry.
- Canned beans and chickpeas – add to chillies, soups or stews.
- Courgettes, broccoli, carrots, onions, tomatoes, fresh peas (in their pods) and peppers all last well out of the fridge.
- Spices and seasoning – ground cumin, smoked paprika and dried oregano are a good all-rounder trio.
- Sweet potatoes – wrap them in foil and bake in the embers of a barbecue. They cook much quicker than normal potatoes, so they’re a good choice when fuel’s limited.
More on the blog: Discover our five store-cupboard essentials
Get equipped
You don’t have to take the kitchen sink with you, but a few well-chosen pieces of equipment will make cooking on holiday a joy rather than a chore:
- Non-stick pans – you can create so many meals over a stove if you have a saucepan and a large frying pan.
- Vegetable peeler – great for ribboning veg for quick salads.
- One or two sharp knives – they’ll make short work of all that lovely veg.
- Tin foil – useful for covering food and for baking on the barbecue.
- Kitchen paper – wrap herbs and salad leaves in damp kitchen paper to keep them fresh.
- Freezer bags – useful for storing food in small fridges, because they take up less space than airtight containers.
Motorhome owner Gemma Talbot has lost 1st 9lbs with Slimming Word, proving that you really can make Food Optimising work for any lifestyle.
“My partner, 12 year old son and I regularly go away in our motorhome, and each time I come home to a loss on the scales! We’ve recently been to Belgium for 10 days – I planned each day, including lots of lovely barbecue food. The tricky times for me are evenings, when we play family games and the treats come out, so I always make sure there’s something tasty for me to enjoy, like fresh fruit and fat-free yogurts”.
Our favourite camping recipes
Chicken tikka masala
Satisfying, full of flavour and a doddle to make, our slimming-friendly fakeaway might just become your new favourite.
Store-cupboard hero: Make our chicken tikka masala
BBQ skewers – five ways
These easy bbq skewers are ready in just 15 minutes, so you can spend less time standing over a hot flame and more time relaxing.
Kebabulous: Make our BBQ skewers
Veggie lentil chilli with rice
This simple, family-friendly meal is brilliant for a batch-cooking session.
Cosy up: Make our veggie lentil chilli
Campfire stew
With sausages, bacon, beans, potatoes and plenty of spice, our delicious stew is just the right side of fiery.
Gather round: Make our campfire stew
Summer slimming – sorted!
We can help you enjoy a fitter, healthier and more confident sunny season. Join us in group – or sign up to our digital service, Slimming World Online – and step into your slimmer summer!