The Neverending Trip Down the Camping Rabbit Hole - Easy, Enjoyable Camping Meals

It’s already been three years since I fell down the camping rabbit hole at Sound House…
Before I knew it, my number of tents had grown to four, and I’ve come to enjoy choosing my style depending on the weather and my mood—ranging from wild, rugged solo camping to relaxed, luxurious solo camping in a larger tent.

Among those, there are quite a few days when I think, “I’m a bit tired lately, so this time I’ll go with a low-effort style!”—what I call “energy-saving camping” (laughs).

I think this will be easy to enjoy even for those just starting out with camping, so this time I’ll show all of you some gear that’s perfect for energy-saving camping♪

A Simple Tabletop Grill

• I want to enjoy the soothing time of watching a fire, so I still want to have a campfire!
• But I don’t want to go through any major setup! I want something that’s easy to carry and easy to clean up!
• I don’t want the hassle of preparing a separate burner either—I just want to cook directly on it!

…The item that fulfills all of these selfish wishes is this one!

LOGOS / Grill Attaché mini

This stylish tabletop mini grill transforms into a grill when you open the attaché case. The grilling net and fire bed are stored inside the case, so you can enjoy BBQ easily just by opening and setting it up. The case has a handle and locks, making it easy to carry even when traveling by train or on foot. Its mini size fits easily into a bag and is also convenient for transporting by motorcycle or bicycle.

This product is originally meant for enjoying BBQ over charcoal, but since I really wanted to have a campfire, I went ahead and used small kindling logs to make a fire as well (^-^;
*Since the flames become larger than with charcoal, please be extremely careful of your surroundings and do this at your own risk!
By the way, before this I had been trying “minimal campfires” by modifying oil pots or pocket stoves from 100-yen shops (laughs).

Small logs don’t burn for very long, so you need to keep adding wood frequently, which actually makes them not very suitable for cooking. If you want to enjoy cooking as well, charcoal is definitely essential!
That said, if you put charcoal in together with the firewood, the charcoal will ignite properly while you’re enjoying the campfire, making the preparation nice and easy♪

Camping Meals with a Tabletop Grill

Since this product comes with a grilling net, you can enjoy BBQ right away♪
Replacement grilling nets are also sold, but mini nets from 100-yen shops actually work surprisingly well, so I grill things like sauce-coated yakitori without worrying too much about the mess (laughs).

You can also place a griddle instead of a net and enjoy steaks or teppanyaki-style dishes♪
*This griddle is a “rust-proof griddle” I found at an outdoor festival. It’s the perfect size for solo use and one of my favorites (^-^)♪

(From the LOGOS official website)

If you place a mess tin on it, you can even make simmered dishes or mixed rice!
Since this is for energy-saving camping, I have only used it for grilling so far, though…

Easy Cleanup

One thing that often makes you think “this is a bit of a hassle” when packing up a fire pit is dealing with the ashes, right?
With large fire pits, it’s tough to carry the whole thing to the ash disposal area, and transferring the ashes into a fire-extinguishing pot or container with a shovel is also a pain.

But! This grill is small and lightweight, and the fire bed (the part that holds the ashes) can be removed, so you can just take that part to the ash disposal area and dump it with a quick “plop,” and you’re done!
Cleanup becomes super easy♪
* Just be careful not to throw away the grate (the bottom mesh) along with the ashes! I almost did (^-^;

How about trying some “no-effort, energy-saving camping” as a little break on your day off?