Walking Tacos are the fun FAIR FOOD that you can enjoy on camping trips!
Part of the fun of going to fairs and carnivals is sampling food that you don’t serve at home. One favorite is “walking tacos”. Instead of filling a taco shell with meat and fixings, you add the fixings to a bag of crushed Fritos or Doritos.
At the fair, you can eat a “walking taco” as you stroll down the midway.
But walking tacos are an easy meal to include in your menus at home, too.
The recipe is simply ground beef*, browned and then combined with taco seasonings. Add shredded lettuce, cheese, diced tomatoes, peppers, and your other toppings. The fact that everyone makes their own – in an open bag of chips - adds to the novelty. (If you prefer, you can spoon the taco fixings over tortilla chips, but this is just another version of nachos.)
I want to tell you that “walking tacos” are also PERFECT for a fast, tasty, and filling meal at camp.
For #bikepacking and #MotorBikePacking trips, I prepare my walking taco mix ahead with lightweight and compact freeze-dried ingredients*. The mix of freeze-dried ingredients is sealed in vacuum bags and does NOT require refrigeration.
Make up the required number of food sealer bags. I am going to add crushed chips to this bag full of hot ingredients, rather than spoon the taco filling into the chip bags. I like to make the bags about 6-inches deep to allow space for the chips.
I enjoy both Thrive Ground Beef and Diced Chicken in my walking tacos.
1. I start with 1/3 of a cup of freeze-dried meat per bag. (That equals just over 1/4-pound of cooked meat. This is FINISHED weight, not pre-cooked weight, and is enough for a hungry camper.)
2. I also like freeze-dried black beans for added taste, calories, and protein so I add 1 or 2 tablespoons.
3. Then I add 2 tablespoons of a mix of FD veggies: red and/or green peppers, chopped onions, tomato dices, jalapenos – whatever combination you prefer.
4. Finally, add a teaspoon of taco seasoning. You can use a premix packet or make your own if you have a special recipe.
That’s it! Now seal the vacuum bag at the upper edge.
When you get to camp, you will cut off this upper sealed edge and add a cup of boiling water. My recommendation is to place the plastic bag in a “cozy” (that is, an insulated foil envelope - which also works for meal packets) to retain the heat while the food reconstitutes. Some campers use a cap or jacket.
After 5 minutes or so, give the contents of the freezer bag a good stir, then let it sit for another 10 minutes or so. Choose your favorite flavor of Doritos or Fritos and crush the chips slightly.
When the meat and veggies are soft the meal is done. (The freeze-dried meat has been precooked before freeze-drying.) Now top with the crushed chips and enjoy. Add more chips as you work your way down into the bag. Pack a tiny, travel-size of Tabasco for added spice!
By adding chips to the vacuum bag of meat and veggies, you don’t need to transfer the hot mix. When you have eaten the bag of taco fixings, you can toss the vacuum bag, save it as a trash bag, or stuff it with burnables (i.e.: toilet paper, wrappers) for a fire starter.
Between various freeze-dried meats and the wide range of freeze-dried vegetables, there are endless combinations to making FAST and TASTY walking tacos!
You can also pack along an envelope of shredded cheese for a few days without refrigeration. Supplement the pre-packaged walking taco packets with fresh ingredients if you are passing through a town or a roadside stand, like an onion, chilis, or fresh sweet corn.
Whenever I make walking tacos in advance of a camping trip, I always make a few extras. The sealed bags take up little space and I have a meal ready to go for any time that I can squeeze in a spur of the moment Sub 24-hour Overnight camping trip. You can keep a few on hand for a quick meal at home, too.
Follow the links above to learn more about the individual Thrive freeze-dried food ingredients. Also, check out the freeze-dried whole milk that I love for granola and overnight oats on the trail!
*The FASTEST way to make walking tacos:
Combine Thrive FREEZE-DRIED ingredients: Ground Beef or Chicken Dices, Red and/or Green Chili Peppers, Black Beans, Chopped Onions, and a packet of taco seasoning. Cover with water and simmer for about 15 minutes until the ingredients are hot and thoroughly rehydrated.
Lightly crush your favorite variety of Doritos or Fritos, then spoon the meat mixture into the bag. Add shredded cheese, sour cream, Guacamole, salsa, and other toppings to taste.
How is this faster?
• You don’t need to brown the hamburger and drain the grease.
• You don’t need to chop lettuce or the other vegetables.
• There is NO waste from either trimming the vegetables or spoiled produce that is past its prime.
• Because both the beef (or chicken) and vegetables are shelf-stable, there are no last-minute trips to the grocery. Simply take a can off the shelf and measure the ingredients.
• When you consider your time, the savings of shopping and food prep, and the total elimination of food waste, Thrive freeze-dried foods cost LESS.
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