Your kids will love helping to make and cook these healthy foil-wrapped meals for outdoor cooking. The foil-wrapped packets are pre-made at home, easily portable, and even more delicious when cooked and consumed outdoors. No clean-up is necessary!
This meal includes a recipe for meatloaf and vegetables (sliced potatoes, onions and green beans), corn on the cob, and cooked, spiced cinnamon apples for dessert.
Whether cooking at camp, on the beach, at a park, or in the backyard, the kids will love this meal with their own special portions, and the fact that they helped make it.
Outdoor Cooking with Foil
Cooking with foil is simple and mess-free. Use at least one layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to wrap your individual portions. Foil packets can be placed on an outdoor barbecue, camp stove, over a campfire, or even in a 400 degree F oven at home. Spray or coat the inside of the foil with olive oil or canola oil (the healthiest oils) prior to filling.
Cut pieces of foil 3 times the size of the portion you are making. Fill the foil with individual portions of food, then seal the ends of the packets by folding over all of the ends two or three times. Steam from inside the foil packet will help cook the items, so remember to add a teaspoon of water to help with the cooking.
If cooking over a campfire or coals, be sure to bring a wire rack to place on the coals. Bring tongs to place, turn and remove the foil packets, being careful not to tear the foil. Also bring fire-proof cooking mitts for extra protection, and your kids will be able to make the meal from start to finish. You will want to bring heavy-duty plates to place the cooked foil packets on to eat from.
Meatloaf and Potatoes on the Campfire or Barbeque
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 pound of fairly lean hamburger (you can substitute or combine the meat with ground turkey or chicken, etc)
- 1 cup oatmeal
- 1 packet of dry onion soup mix
- 1 raw egg
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. of water
- salt and pepper to your liking
Additional Ingredients:
- sliced potatoes
- sliced onions
- fresh green beans
- Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper
Directions:
- Mix all meatloaf ingredients together. Form flat patties about the size of a hamburger patty and place on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil 3 times the size of the meatloaf patty that has been sprayed or basted with olive or canola oil.
- Place a few thin potato slices, a few sliced onion rings and fresh green beans on top.
- Add salt and pepper, and perhaps an extra dash of Worcestershire sauce and a tsp. of water.
- Fold over aluminum and double or triple fold the ends to make a secure and tight flat packet.
- Cook 10-15 minutes on each side close to the coals.
- Serve with additional ketchup for the kids.
Corn on the Cob on the Campfire or Barbecue
Place 2 cobs in 1/2 or 1/3 size pieces on a layer of heavy-duty foil 3 times the size of the corn that has been sprayed or basted with olive or canola oil. Add ½ Tbsp. butter and salt and pepper to your liking. Fold over aluminum and double or triple fold ends to make a secure and tight packet. Place on coals and cook 10 minutes on each side.
Spiced Apples
For a nice and healthy dessert, try spiced apples. Core and slice 1 apple per person into a bowl filled with water and 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice. Lift out and place one sliced apple portion on a piece of heavy duty foil 3 times the size of the apples. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. of flour, then 1 teaspoon of cinnamon-sugar or 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon and 1 packet of sugar substitute. Dot with 1 tsp. of butter, 2 Tbsp. of chopped nuts, and 1 tsp. of water. Fold over aluminum and double or triple fold ends to make a secure and tight packet. Place on coals and cook 20 minutes right side up and do not turn.
Don't forget to bring tongs, cooking mitts, forks, and serving plates to place the cooked packets on for eating. Be careful of released steam when you open the packets.
CAM101
Paula I. Nielson - Paula I. Nielson, Ph.D., holds credentials and interests in anthropology, archaeology, religion, the Middle East and Asia.
