Poll: Would you rather do group meals or cook your own?

Always preferred group meals since I cook almost nothing. My lifelong tradeoff has been I always do all post meal cleanup. It has worked for me living off-base in the military, while a college student, at home with the wife of 50+ years and on all of my canoe trips. Almost no one would want to eat as I do on solos - off the shelf heat/serve meals with maybe some added chicken/meat etc. And I have found I don't even need to heat some meals, just open and consume.

I don't like to cook, don't want to cook, and hence don't cook. For anyone. Including myself. At home or in camp.

At home, I eat cold or microwave. In camp, I just boil water or open the wrapper of a low-carb bar. Also, I'm often on a specialized diet of my own creation. Group meal planning, cooking and cleanup are for the birds—at least for this bird.

Even when on a group trip, I've always made it clear that I'm solo for all meals. Usually, no one cares.

None of the above prevents me from sitting at the same table or around the same campfire as the food groupies.

jdeerfoot said:

My lifelong tradeoff has been I always do all post meal cleanup.

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Don't worry @jdeerfoot, if you ever make it to the northeast and come on a trip with us we won't expect you to always do the dishes. Everyone gets their turn. No doubt about it, group meals can be a lot of work, but there are lots of ways for people to do their part.

First there is the cost - not that it is more expensive than doing your own, but the cost does have to get allocated out.

Then you have to get it there and keep it safely stored. Less of an issue if you are using dehydrated, but most of the trips that we do are less than a week (no portages), so we bring coolers. And you need animal safe storage (barrels) for the non refrigerated stuff.

Then you need all the cooking gear - pots, pans utensils. Between the coolers, barrels and wannigan box, you are taking up a lot of space in the boats. When you set up and take it down camp all that stuff needs to get lugged around.

Then you need to cook it. Not a big deal on stove, but we tend to cook on the fire, which means gathering a lot more fire wood.

And of course you need to clean up after. Someone needs to do the dishes, and there is a lot more trash to deal with. Some if it can be burned, but a lot of it needs to be lugged out.

I guess I have made a pretty good case for just boiling water, but working together as a group is part of the fun and satisfaction of the trip. To me, every meal tastes better when it is cooled like this.

Glenn MacGrady said:

Even when on a group trip, I've always made it clear that I'm solo for all meals. Usually, no one cares.

None of the above prevents me from sitting at the same table or around the same campfire as the food groupies.

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@Glenn MacGrady - you would also be very welcome on our trips. We have had some folks come along and do their own thing, but to be honest, they usually don't repeat. It is just a different pace and tempo if you are cooking like this. The paddling days are shorter, and everything in camp takes longer. Eventually, they just get sick of waiting around - especially in the morning as we are packing up camp and getting on the river. It can become a source of friction. Best if everyone is on the same page. Works both ways. I've been on trips with folks who are less interesting in cooking, more interested in paddling and do their own thing, so that's what I do.

I'm ready. I usually do what the person who planned the trip wants to do.

eckilson said:

We have had some folks come along and do their own thing, but to be honest, they usually don't repeat. It is just a different pace and tempo if you are cooking like this. The paddling days are shorter, and everything in camp takes longer. Eventually, they just get sick of waiting around - especially in the morning as we are packing up camp and getting on the river. It can become a source of friction. Best if everyone is on the same page.

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I've done trips with both types of paddlers and although I prefer the groups that cook solo, I can deal with shared group cooking if that's what they want to do. I do stress over my meal responsibilities (which is why I don't like it) but then enjoy the rest of the meals on the trip. And I've been accepted by group-cooking paddlers if I want to cook solo, though they think I'm a bit nuts for eating cold soup out of a can or eating freeze dried while they dine on meals that could be served in a three-star restaurant. I don't mind hanging out with them as they cook and eat, especially if there's a cocktail hour vibe going on. Or, I'll read a book, sit and observe wildlife, do some fishing, or just go paddling by myself. And there were times when a couple of them quietly mentioned to me that they're kind of envious of my camping style.

eckilson - great photo!

eckilson said:

which means gathering a lot more fire wood

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Or toting bundles of pre-cut wood?

tketcham said:

I don't mind hanging out with them as they cook and eat, especially if there's a cocktail hour vibe going on.

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Boozing is a related issue on which we've had a poll in the past. Teetotalers (like me) have little patience with sitting around increasingly inebriated and loud companions at night, and with early morning procrastination because of hangovers.

eckilson said:

We have had some folks come along and do their own thing, but to be honest, they usually don't repeat. It is just a different pace and tempo if you are cooking like this. The paddling days are shorter, and everything in camp takes longer. Eventually, they just get sick of waiting around - especially in the morning as we are packing up camp and getting on the river. It can become a source of friction.

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Yes, this sort of impatience would be likely. I eat meals every day. Hence, it's repetitively mundane and has never been something I wanted to spend a lot of time on during my limited opportunities to go on a canoe trip. I mainly like to paddle, which means paddling long days and spending as little time in camp as possible.

Some group trips I've been on have been structured so each paddler is independent not only in camp but also on the water. That is, if someone wants to hit the water at 7 am and someone else likes to wait until 11, or someone wants to paddle up a side creek and others don't, that's all fine. We'd just plan to meet up in the evening, or every other evening, at some designated campsite. It's sort of like paddling solo (i.e., alone), except with the understanding that the group would meet up occasionally at pre-designated times at pre-designated places, including the take-out. The "group" aspect was essentially limited to transportation, periodic safety checks, and however much socializing anyone wanted or didn't. This was before cell phones and satellite communication devices.

I paddle solo on camping trips, so there's only one option.

Glenn MacGrady said:

Or toting bundles of pre-cut wood?

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We sometimes buy wood locally and carry it in. If you have room in the boat it is a lot easier - especially on shorter trips or on well-used sites where the wood gets picked over. On longer trips we always gather. For us, the routine pulling into camp is always the same - unload the boats, set up the tarp/tents, gather wood, cocktails, dinner, relax, bed. Everybody knows the drill and we make pretty quick work of it.


Between cooking dinner, the evening fire and cooking breakfast you need a pretty good pile of wood.


Personally, I like the time in camp. I can paddle at home, but I don't camp at home. @Glenn MacGrady - you would probably go crazy on a trip with us. That is why everyone needs to be on the same page before you start out.

Glenn MacGrady said:

Teetotalers (like me) have little patience with sitting around increasingly inebriated and loud companions at night, and with early morning procrastination because of hangovers.

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Maybe that was your experience but mine has been a responsible indulgence in a glass or two of wine, beer or even a cocktail. I enjoy the conversation and comradery of sitting with friends. And even if I'm not drinking alcohol, I still like to join in. That's not the same as camping trips that are basically an exercise in drunkenness. I participated in a few of those when I was younger but I never considered them canoe trips and no longer bother with them.