These Delicious Potatoes Make The Perfect Side Dish For Your Campsite Dinner

When planning a campsite dinner, having a reliable easy-to-prepare side dish can elevate your meal from simple sustenance to an enjoyable and indulgent feast. Potatoes, with their versatility and hearty nature, fit the bill perfectly. They are a great source of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals — important components of a healthy diet, especially if you're hiking or engaging in other energy-draining activities. So, how do you transform these humble spuds into a delicious accompaniment for your outdoor meals? Read on to find out. 

Potatoes are a great choice for campfire food from the get-go because they are incredibly durable. They have a long shelf life and don't need to be refrigerated, making them perfect for those long trips to your campsite and overnight storage for multi-day excursions. 

They are also incredibly versatile. You can prepare them in numerous ways, from roasting to boiling or frying. For the perfect campsite side dish that requires the fewest amount of cooking steps, simply wrap your potatoes in foil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and roast them over your campfire or a grill. A little under an hour later, they'll be golden brown and ready to eat (or sooner if you cut them up). The great part about this method is that you can simultaneously prep and cook the other parts of your meal, since the fire does the bulk of the work. The only thing you have to do is turn the potatoes over a few times to ensure they are roasted evenly. 

If you really want to take your campsite meal to the next level, these roasted potatoes make it really easy to do so. You can add virtually anything to your foil-roasted potatoes to take them from plain carb to a delicious side dish. For one, you can sprinkle some olive oil and herbs like rosemary or thyme before roasting. The foil will trap all the flavors in with the steam, giving you an aromatic side dish. For those with a richer palette, smear some butter and garlic on your potatoes. This can be done before or after roasting. For some zest, spices like paprika or chili powder make for great flavor additions while adding some color to your plate. 

For something a little heartier, go the extra mile and sprinkle some shredded cheese on your potatoes after they are done roasting. The warmth of the potatoes will melt the cheese, giving you a creamy, indulgent finish. You can even hit all your macros with this one if you top it off with some crumbled bacon. 

Anytime you cook over an open flame, it is incredibly important to handle the fire with care. Make sure you only build a fire in designated campfire spots, according to local campsite regulations. Never leave the fire unattended as this is a massive campfire mistake campers commonly overlook, assuming a flame will stay tame. A quick change of winds can lead to disaster.  

While cooking, never touch the aluminum foil directly with your hands. Aluminum foil is an amazing cooking tool for camping because it is malleable and conducts heat well, but that very characteristic means that mishandling it can cause burns. Use long-handled tools or spokes to handle the foil packets. 

Lastly, even though potatoes are durable before they are cooked, they become prone to foodborne illnesses after cooking. Make sure to store any cooked leftovers correctly — after they have cooled, in an airtight container, and away from potential wildlife that may be looking for a snack.