Eat Well While Camping Near Portland

When you rent a camper van from GoCamp, everything you’ll need to cook up a feast will already be in the van. The camper van will come stocked with plates, bowls, cups, pots, pans and more. All you’ll need to do is stop for groceries on your way out of town. So where should you stop for those groceries if you are picking up your van in Portland, Oregon?

Portland is home to a thriving local food scene. You could make your trip through the Beaver state even more special by loading up on a few local delights. Below we share some of our favorites.

Groceries

Portland is blessed with several grocers that feature seasonal produce and a wide variety of staples. Chocolate, cheese, and coffee made by local food manufacturers are a must. For one-stop shopping, we recommend any of the New Seasons Markets in town.

As you are loading up your shopping cart, here are a few of the Northwest items we’ve been loving lately.

Jacobsen Black Garlic Sea Salt: Hand-harvested salt in Netarts, Oregon. A little of this over your eggs in the morning starts any day off on the right foot. We call it magic in a little glass jar.

Red Duck Ketchup: Chances are, one night you’ll be sitting around the camp fire grilling up some hot dogs. May we suggest some locally made ketchup for that dog? This stuff is crazy good.

Olympia Provisions: Declared “the best charcuterie in America” by Bon Appetit magazine and, well, we agree. For camping and hiking, the pepperettes are our favorite. Any of the salamis and pickled items are also great for a quick, no-cook dinner by a majestic lake. Like we said, you can eat well while camping and chill out too!

Ground Up PDX: Ground Up PDX is a “not-just-for-profit” business that makes healthy + delicious nut butters. It’s also a means to provide employment opportunities to women in the Portland area overcoming adversity. We spread this stuff on everything in sight when we are camping.

Farmers Markets

During the summer the Portland Farmers Market operates seven different farmers’ markets for you to choose from, with the biggest one taking place on Saturday at the PSU campus downtown from 8:30 am – 2:00 pm. There are another 43 farmers’ markets in the Portland metro area alone, and chances are you’ll be able to find a farmers market in one of the many small rural towns you pass through as well. There is just no better place to load up on Northwest deliciousness than a farmers’ market.

Specialty Items

We love Providore Fine Foods for specialty items like chutneys and preserves of all kinds, olive oil, beautiful kinds of vinegar, cured meats, and cheeses. There are also lots of prepared foods available here to guarantee you eat well while camping. So this is a great place to go both for a meal and for provisioning before you head off on your adventure.

Farm Cafes

If the timing works when you are traveling south down I-5 from Portland, plan to stop at Gathering Together Farm for lunch. The Farmstand Restaurant, located on the grounds of this picturesque organic farm, is a family favorite for us. Everything is made from scratch on-site using only the best, straight-from-the-farm ingredients.

After your fantastic meal you can load up on fresh produce from the on-site produce stand, then continue on down the road, thinking about your next meal.