Tag: #CampgroundCooking

Posted in Rice Bowls

Harvest Vegetable Fried Rice

Posted on by simplegoodfood

Saturday is a good day to look around the refrigerator and ask one very important question:

What needs to be used?

Maybe there’s a little roasted squash left from Thursday’s Autumn Harvest Rice Bowl. Maybe you’ve got some carrots, zucchini, corn, peppers, or onions hanging around from earlier in the week.

And maybe there’s some cooked rice waiting in the refrigerator.

That’s dinner.

This Harvest Vegetable Fried Rice is designed for exactly those moments. It doesn’t require a specific collection of vegetables. It simply gives all those little leftovers somewhere to go.

The result is a quick, colorful skillet meal that’s inexpensive, filling, and a whole lot better than throwing good food away.

It’s Waste Not, Want Not in a bowl—or, in this case, a skillet. 🍚🌾

simplegoodfood's avatarsimplegoodfood

Harvest Vegetable Fried Rice

Give leftover vegetables and cooked rice a delicious second life with this easy one-skillet fried rice.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 315
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups cold cooked rice
  • 2 cups mixed leftover vegetables chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 small onion diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley optional
Good vegetables to use:
  • Roasted carrots
  • Corn
  • Zucchini
  • Peppers
  • Green beans
  • Peas
  • Mushrooms
  • Roasted squash or sweet potatoes
  • Cooked broccoli

Method
 

Prepare the rice.
  1. Break up any clumps in the cold cooked rice with your fingers or a fork. Cold rice works particularly well because it is less likely to become mushy in the skillet.
Cook the eggs.
  1. Heat a large skillet or electric skillet over medium heat. Add about half of the olive oil. Beat the eggs lightly, add them to the skillet, and gently scramble until just cooked. Transfer them to a plate.
Sauté the onion.
  1. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Add the diced onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened.
Add the vegetables.
  1. Stir in the leftover vegetables and cook for 2–4 minutes, depending on how firm they are. Since most of the vegetables are already cooked, you’re simply heating and lightly browning them.
Add the rice.
  1. Add the cold rice to the skillet. Stir and toss everything together. Cook for about 4–5 minutes, allowing the rice to heat through and pick up a little color.
Season.
  1. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Return the eggs.
  1. Add the cooked eggs back to the skillet and gently stir them into the rice and vegetables.
Finish.
  1. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and fresh parsley, if using. Taste and add a little more soy sauce if needed.

Notes

🌾 The Beauty of Leftovers
This recipe doesn’t have a “correct” vegetable list.
That’s intentional.
If you have a cup of leftover roasted vegetables and half a cup of something else, use them.
If your vegetables are already seasoned, that’s fine.
If they’re a little soft, that’s okay, too. Fried rice is an excellent place for vegetables that aren’t quite at their fresh-from-the-garden best anymore.
The goal is to use them while they’re still good, not wait until they’re perfect.

🥢 Make It Your Own

Want more protein?

Add:

  • Leftover cooked chicken
  • Cooked ground beef
  • Cooked pork
  • Shrimp

Want more vegetables?

Add frozen peas, corn, or carrots straight from the freezer.

Want to keep it meatless?

The eggs provide protein and make this a satisfying meatless meal.

For a little extra flavor, add fresh ginger or a small amount of minced garlic if you have it.

🏕️ Campground Kitchen Tip

This is an especially good recipe for an electric skillet because you have plenty of surface area for the rice to brown without having to juggle several pans.

It’s also a great campground meal because it turns leftovers into something that feels completely different.

Nobody needs to know that Thursday’s roasted vegetables are making a return appearance. 😉

🧊 Meal Prep Tip

If you’re intentionally making fried rice for leftovers, cool the finished rice promptly and refrigerate it in a shallow container.

When reheating, heat the portion thoroughly until steaming hot.

And remember that cooked rice should be handled just like other perishable cooked foods—don’t leave it sitting at room temperature for hours.

Posted in Recipe Roundup

Five Easy Ways to Stretch One Package of Chicken

Posted on by simplegoodfood

One package of chicken. Four completely different dinners. A week’s worth of practical cooking ideas.

That was our goal this week as we kicked off the Stretching the Camping Dollar series.

Whether you’re cooking at a campground, in an RV, or in your kitchen at home, preparing one simple meal starter can save time, reduce food waste, and make your grocery budget go much farther.

If you missed any of this week’s recipes, here’s everything in one convenient place.

🍗 Start Here: Simple Campground Herb Chicken

Every good meal plan begins with a solid foundation.

Our Simple Campground Herb Chicken is easy to prepare, lightly seasoned, and versatile enough to become several completely different meals throughout the week.

Instead of cooking chicken every night, cook it once and let it work for you all week long.

🥗 Garden Vegetable Rice Bowl

Fresh vegetables, fluffy rice, and tender herb chicken come together for a light, colorful meal that’s perfect after a busy day outdoors.

It’s a simple reminder that healthy meals don’t have to be complicated—or expensive.

🍲 Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Skillet

Need a little comfort food?

This one-pan skillet combines chicken and vegetables in a light, creamy Greek yogurt sauce for a hearty meal that’s ready in about 25 minutes.

Serve it over rice, noodles, mashed potatoes, or enjoy it all by itself.

🌮 Southwest Chicken Rice Bowl

The same herb chicken gets an entirely new personality with black beans, corn, tomatoes, peppers, warm spices, and a squeeze of fresh lime.

It’s colorful, filling, and proof that leftovers don’t have to taste like leftovers.

🥔 Campground Loaded Baked Potato Bowls

A simple baked potato becomes the foundation for a satisfying dinner topped with herb chicken, vegetables, cheese, and creamy Greek yogurt.

It’s inexpensive, filling, and another great example of making simple ingredients shine.

💵 Stretch This Week’s Groceries Even Farther

Recipes are only part of saving money.

This week’s practical article shares easy ways to reduce food waste, make ingredients work harder, and build meals around what you already have instead of constantly buying more.

Sometimes the biggest savings come from changing the way we think about leftovers.

What We Learned This Week

This week’s meals all started with the same cooked chicken, but each one felt completely different because we changed the flavors, textures, and meal base.

One ingredient became:

  • A fresh rice bowl
  • A creamy skillet supper
  • A Southwest-inspired dinner
  • A loaded baked potato meal

That’s the heart of meal planning.

Cook once.

Create several meals.

Waste less.

Enjoy more.

Coming Next Week

Next week we’re building our meals around another budget-friendly favorite:

🍝 Turkey Meatballs!

We’ll show you how one batch of homemade turkey meatballs can become:

  • Pasta Night
  • Hearty Soup
  • Meatball Subs
  • Rice Bowls

…plus plenty of practical tips for stretching your grocery budget without sacrificing flavor.

We hope you’ll join us for another week of simple, practical meals made for real life.

Happy cooking!

Simple Campground Herb Chicken
Simple Campground Herb Chicken is an easy, budget-friendly recipe that's perfect for camping, RV trips, and weeknight dinners.
Check out this recipe
Garden Vegetable Rice Bowls with Herb Chicken
Garden Vegetable Rice Bowls with Herb Chicken are a quick, colorful way to transform leftover chicken into a healthy, budget-friendly meal.
Check out this recipe
Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Skillet
Leftovers shouldn't taste like leftovers.
Check out this recipe
Southwest Chicken Rice Bowl
Turn leftover herb chicken into a colorful Southwest Chicken Rice Bowl!
Check out this recipe
Campground Loaded Baked Potato Bowls
Sometimes the simplest ingredients make the most satisfying suppers
Check out this recipe
Campground Fried Rice
Sometimes the best meals are the ones you never planned.
Check out this recipe
Saturday Soup
Every pot of Saturday Soup will be a little different—that's part of its charm.
Check out this recipe
Posted in Soups & Stews

Saturday Soup

Posted on by simplegoodfood

By Saturday, the refrigerator often tells the story of the week. There’s a little cooked chicken left, a handful of vegetables, perhaps some rice or potatoes, and just enough odds and ends that aren’t quite enough for another full meal.

That’s where Saturday Soup comes in.

Rather than letting those ingredients go to waste, gather them into one comforting pot of soup. There’s no need to follow this recipe exactly—it’s meant to be flexible. Use what you have, adjust the seasonings to your taste, and enjoy one last hearty meal before restocking your kitchen. Whether you’re breaking camp, preparing for next week’s grocery trip, or simply trying to waste less food, Saturday Soup is a delicious reminder that some of the best meals come from making the most of what you already have.

simplegoodfood's avatarsimplegoodfood

Saturday Soup

Every pot of Saturday Soup will be a little different—that's part of its charm.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 275
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1½ cups cooked Simple Campground Herb Chicken diced
  • 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup diced potatoes or cooked rice
  • 1 cup mixed vegetables carrots, celery, peas, corn, green beans, broccoli, or whatever is left from the week
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
Optional additions:
  • A handful of spinach
  • Leftover mushrooms
  • Cooked pasta
  • Barley
  • Corn
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
  2. Cook the onion until softened, about 4 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in the chicken broth.
  5. Add the chicken, potatoes (or rice), vegetables, parsley, thyme, and Italian seasoning.
  6. Bring the soup to a gentle boil.
  7. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  8. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
  9. Stir in spinach or a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving, if desired.

Notes

I can tell you from personal experience, this soup makes a great lunch the next day!
Notes
  • Every pot of Saturday Soup will be a little different—that’s part of its charm.
  • This recipe is perfect for using small amounts of leftover vegetables that might otherwise be discarded.
  • If you have leftover gravy, add a spoonful for extra richness.
  • A little cooked barley or orzo also works beautifully.

Leftover & Meal Prep Tips

Saturday Soup isn’t just a recipe—it’s a habit.

Instead of asking, “What should I throw away?”

Ask yourself,

“What could go into today’s soup?”

Chicken, turkey, pork, beef, vegetables, rice, potatoes, barley, pasta, and beans can all find a home in the soup pot.

It’s one of the easiest ways to reduce food waste while stretching your grocery budget.

Food Storage & Preservation

Cool leftover soup promptly and refrigerate within two hours.

If you’re freezing soup or preserving ingredients by canning, freezing, or dehydrating, always check the latest USDA recommendations for safe food preservation methods.

Posted in Kitchen Tips

Stretch This Week’s Groceries Even Farther

Posted on by simplegoodfood

One of the biggest myths about saving money on groceries is that you have to give up the foods you enjoy. In reality, stretching your grocery budget is less about buying different foods and more about using the food you buy wisely.

This week, we’ve shown how one package of chicken can become several completely different meals. None of those meals felt like eating leftovers because each recipe changed the flavors, the textures, or even the way the food was served.

That same approach works whether you’re cooking at a campground, in an RV, or in your kitchen at home.

Start With a Meal Starter

Instead of thinking about leftovers, think about meal starters.

Cook a larger batch of one versatile ingredient at the beginning of the week, then build different meals from it over the next several days.

Meal starters can include:

  • Cooked chicken
  • Turkey meatballs
  • Taco-seasoned ground beef
  • Pulled pork
  • Brown rice
  • Roasted vegetables
  • Baked potatoes

Preparing these ingredients once saves time and makes weeknight meals much easier.

Change the Base

One simple way to keep meals from becoming repetitive is to change what goes underneath your protein.

This week we used:

  • Rice
  • A creamy skillet sauce
  • Another rice bowl with completely different flavors
  • A baked potato

Next week the same idea might include pasta, tortillas, salads, or soup.

Changing the base changes the entire meal.

Use What You Already Have

Many of the week’s recipes can be adapted using whatever vegetables are already in your refrigerator.

Instead of shopping for one specific ingredient, ask yourself:

  • What needs to be used first?
  • What vegetables are already chopped?
  • What can I combine before it spoils?

Learning to cook this way helps reduce food waste while saving money.

Cook Once, Clean Once

One of the biggest advantages of meal prep is reducing cleanup.

When you’re already cooking chicken, bake a few potatoes.

While vegetables are roasting, cook extra rice.

If the grill is already hot, cook tomorrow’s protein today.

A little extra work now often saves an hour later in the week.

Think Beyond Leftovers

The word “leftovers” sometimes gets a bad reputation.

Instead, think of each cooked ingredient as the beginning of another meal.

Chicken becomes soup.

Rice becomes fried rice.

A baked potato becomes tomorrow’s breakfast hash.

Roasted vegetables become omelets or pasta.

The goal isn’t to eat the same dinner several nights in a row.

The goal is to give each ingredient a new purpose.

Don’t Forget Your Freezer

If you realize you won’t use something within a few days, freeze it before it goes bad.

Cooked chicken, rice, soups, sauces, and many vegetables freeze well, making future meals even easier.

Always label containers with the contents and the date so they’re easy to identify later.

If you’re preserving food by freezing, canning, or dehydrating, always check the latest USDA recommendations for safe food handling and storage.

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

Stretching your grocery budget isn’t about complicated meal plans or expensive equipment.

It’s about looking at the ingredients you already have and asking one simple question:

“What else can I make with this?”

That one question can help you waste less, save more, and make dinner a little easier every day.

Whether you’re cooking over a campfire, in a tiny RV kitchen, or in your own home, good meals don’t have to be expensive. With a little planning and a little creativity, the groceries you buy today can become delicious meals all week long.

🏕️ This Week’s Camp Menu

✅ Sunday: Simple Campground Herb Chicken
✅ Monday: Garden Vegetable Rice Bowl
✅ Tuesday: Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Skillet
✅ Wednesday: Southwest Chicken Rice Bowl
✅ Thursday: Campground Loaded Baked Potato Bowls
💵 Friday: Stretch This Week’s Groceries Even Farther

Coming Tomorrow:

🍗 Five Easy Ways to Stretch One Package of Chicken — a roundup that brings together the week’s recipes and offers even more ideas readers can try on their own.

Posted in Rice Bowls

Campground Fried Rice

Posted on by simplegoodfood

Sometimes the best meals are the ones you never planned.

Campground Fried Rice is the perfect example of turning leftovers into something completely new. A little cooked chicken, yesterday’s rice, a handful of vegetables, and a few pantry staples come together in one skillet for a quick, satisfying meal that’s ready in less than 20 minutes.

This is one of those recipes that’s meant to be flexible. Use the vegetables you have, swap in whatever protein is left from the week, and don’t worry about making it exactly the same every time. It’s a delicious way to clean out the refrigerator before your next grocery trip.

simplegoodfood's avatarsimplegoodfood

Campground Fried Rice

Sometimes the best meals are the ones you never planned.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups cooked rice day-old rice works best
  • 1½ cups cooked Simple Campground Herb Chicken diced
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 cup mixed vegetables peas, carrots, corn, green beans, or whatever you have on hand
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil optional, but adds great flavor
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger optional
  • Black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or electric skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Scramble the eggs until just set. Remove them to a plate.
  3. Add the garlic and mixed vegetables. Cook for 3–4 minutes until tender.
  4. Stir in the cooked chicken and rice, breaking up any clumps.
  5. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and ground ginger, stirring until everything is evenly coated and heated through.
  6. Return the scrambled eggs to the skillet and gently fold them into the rice.
  7. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and serve immediately.

Notes

Notes
  • Day-old rice makes the best fried rice because it stays fluffy instead of becoming sticky.
  • This recipe is perfect for using up small amounts of leftover vegetables.
  • No chicken left? Try turkey, pork, beef, ham, shrimp, or make it completely vegetarian.
    Do not be afraid to try a new addition to your rice. I’ve even added a handful of grapes one time, which my husband declared “Delicious!”

Leftover & Meal Prep Tips

This recipe is less about following exact measurements and more about using what you already have.

Some great additions include:

  • Leftover broccoli
  • Mushrooms
  • Bell peppers
  • Spinach
  • Cabbage
  • Zucchini
  • Water chestnuts
  • Bean sprouts

If it’s sitting in the refrigerator waiting to be used, chances are it’ll be delicious in fried rice.

Food Storage & Preservation

Cool cooked rice quickly and refrigerate it promptly. Fried rice should always be reheated until steaming hot before serving. If you’re freezing cooked rice or preserving ingredients for future meals, be sure to follow the latest USDA recommendations for safe food storage and preservation practices.

Posted in Potato Meals

Campground Loaded Baked Potato Bowls

Posted on by simplegoodfood

Introduction

A baked potato may be one of the most budget-friendly ingredients you can keep on hand. It’s filling, inexpensive, and incredibly versatile. Today’s Campground Loaded Baked Potato Bowls show just how easy it is to transform a simple potato into a complete meal.

Using our Simple Campground Herb Chicken from earlier this week, plus a handful of vegetables and a light, creamy topping, these loaded potato bowls are comforting enough for cool evenings at the campground and quick enough for busy weeknights at home.

This recipe is another reminder that stretching your grocery budget doesn’t mean settling for boring meals. Sometimes the simplest ingredients make the most satisfying suppers.

simplegoodfood's avatarsimplegoodfood

Campground Loaded Baked Potato Bowls

Sometimes the simplest ingredients make the most satisfying suppers
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 465
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium baked potatoes
  • 2 cups cooked Simple Campground Herb Chicken diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup broccoli florets lightly steamed
  • ½ cup corn kernels
  • ½ cup diced bell pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 green onions sliced

Method
 

  1. Warm the baked potatoes if needed.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add the chicken, broccoli, corn, and bell pepper.
  4. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
  5. Cook for 5–6 minutes until everything is hot.
  6. Split each baked potato open and fluff the inside with a fork.
  7. Spoon the chicken and vegetable mixture over each potato.
  8. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
  9. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and garnish with sliced green onions.
  10. Serve immediately.

Notes

Notes
  • Bake several potatoes at the beginning of the week to make quick meals even easier.
  • Sweet potatoes make an excellent variation.
  • Leftover roasted vegetables work beautifully in this recipe.
  • Add a sprinkle of bacon bits if you have them, but the recipe is plenty satisfying without them.
Leftover & Meal Prep Tips
If you have an extra baked potato or two, don’t let them go to waste!
Try them in:
  • Breakfast Home Fries
  • Campground Potato Hash
  • Potato & Vegetable Soup
  • Crispy Air Fryer Potato Cubes
  • Saturday Soup using this week’s leftover vegetables and chicken
Making a few extra baked potatoes while the grill or oven is already hot is an easy way to save time later in the week.
Food Storage & Preservation
Leftover baked potatoes should be refrigerated promptly after cooling. Reheat thoroughly before serving.
If you’re freezing cooked chicken or preserving vegetables through canning, freezing, or dehydrating, always check the latest USDA recommendations for safe food handling and preservation methods.

🏕️ This Week’s Camp Menu

✅ Sunday: Simple Campground Herb Chicken

✅ Monday: Garden Vegetable Rice Bowl

✅ Tuesday: Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Skillet

✅ Wednesday: Southwest Chicken Rice Bowl

🥔 Thursday: Campground Loaded Baked Potato Bowls

Coming Up Next:

  • Friday: 💵 Stretch This Week’s Groceries Even Further
  • Saturday: 🍗 Five Easy Ways to Stretch One Package of Chicken

⭐ Bonus Recipes

  • Campground Fried Rice
  • Saturday Soup

Looking Back at the Week

One batch of Simple Campground Herb Chicken has now become:

  • 🥗 Garden Vegetable Rice Bowl
  • 🍗 Creamy Chicken & Vegetable Skillet
  • 🌮 Southwest Chicken Rice Bowl
  • 🥔 Campground Loaded Baked Potato Bowls

Four distinct dinners from one simple meal starter—that’s the heart of this week’s “Stretching the Camping Dollar” theme. It shows readers that with a little planning, they can save time, reduce food waste, and still enjoy meals that feel fresh and different every night.

Tomorrow we’ll shift from recipes to strategy with “Stretch This Week’s Groceries Even Further,” sharing practical tips for making ingredients go farther and building confidence in the kitchen—whether you’re cooking at a campsite or around your own kitchen table. 🌿