Nothing says summer in our family like the first camping trip. And doing it gluten-free takes some preparation. So, I've been spending the last week shopping and mapping out our meals and snacks while we are in the great outdoors.

Here's the menu:

Day 1
We will arrive about 3 p.m., so I'm packing ham rolls and gf pretzels for the car. After we get all settled in and the tents are up, I plan an easy and filling dinner. I pre-cut veggies and got all the fixin's for taco salad. I also pre-made the beef with Penzey's Taco Seasoning. I plan to re-heat the beef either over the fire or on the camping stove. For dessert, we have Kraft marshmallows to roast, of course!

Day 2
For breakfast, I premixed some pancake batter. I like Bob's Red Mill, and I just add water and applesauce to desired thickness. I packed some pure maple syrup, which should taste even better out in the woods. For lunch, we will roast Ballpark hotdogs and eat them with Heinz pork and beans. I've got some Celiac Specialties Gummy Worms for dessert (I found them at Hiller's), which should be a hit at the campground. For dinner, I'm going to grill chicken, which I packed in the marinade (Kraft Italian dressing). I also pre-made a package of Lundberg risotto and cut a half a dozen carrots on an angle. I plan to roast the carrots over the fire in a grill basket. I bought some gf graham crackers and Enjoy Life chocolate bars. So later, we'll make s'mores!

Day 3
We're gonna just have some Gorilla Munch cereal and fruit for breakfast. Then, it's back on the road. I've packed a loaf of homemade gf bread so we can slice it up and make sandwiches on the way home.

Snacks
I popped some popcorn in canola oil and lightly salted it, then packed it in a freezer bag. Also in my snack bag are Soy Crisps, pre-baked Kroger Brand tater tots, Silk chocolate milk boxes, Boar's Head bologna, Rice Chex, Kroger brand Organics Barbecue Kettle chips, homemade trail mix, peanut butter and celery sticks.

Here's a recipe for a little outdoor energy:

Trail Mix
1 cup gluten-free pretzels
1 cup nuts (or soy nuts) of choice
1 cup gf chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life))
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried fruit of choice

Mix and store in travel containers.

Happy trails.