Camp Cooking Conversion Card
Volume conversions
| 1 cup | 8 fl oz |
| 1 cup | 240 ml |
| 1 tbsp | 3 tsp |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml |
| 1 fl oz | 30 ml |
| 1 quart | 4 cups |
| 1 gallon | 16 cups |
Water-to-grain
| White rice | 1 : 2 |
| Brown rice | 1 : 2.5 |
| Quinoa | 1 : 2 |
| Couscous | 1 : 1.25 |
| Oatmeal (rolled) | 1 : 2 |
| Pasta | 1 : 4 |
| Polenta | 1 : 4 |
Salt: 1 tsp per cup of water for pasta.
Boil time at altitude
| Sea level | baseline |
| 2,000 ft | +1 min |
| 4,000 ft | +3 min |
| 6,000 ft | +6 min |
| 8,000 ft | +10 min |
| 10,000 ft | +15 min |
Water boils at lower temperatures with elevation, so things take longer to cook.
Foil-pack cook times
| Food | Hot coals | Hot grate |
|---|---|---|
| Cubed potatoes | 20 min | 30 min |
| Sliced onions / peppers | 10 min | 15 min |
| Salmon fillet (1 in) | 10 min | 14 min |
| Chicken thigh, boneless | 15 min | 20 min |
| Sausage, pre-cooked | 8 min | 10 min |
| Banana boats | 5 min | 7 min |
Flip halfway. Heavy-duty foil only; double-wrap for coals.
Daily calories per active camper
| Activity level | Calories / day |
|---|---|
| Basecamp / kids 5–10 | 1,800–2,200 |
| Light hiking adult | 2,500–2,800 |
| Active adult, full days | 3,000–3,500 |
| Backpacking, miles + elevation | 3,500–4,500 |
Cold weather adds ~200–400 cal/day. Pack snacks aggressively — running a calorie deficit at camp turns into a kid meltdown by 4pm.