Maybe it's the fact that no one has a lot of money right now, or maybe it's the trendy thing to do, but it seems like everyone I know is planning a camping trip this summer. I'm hearing so much about the joys of the great outdoors that I'm tempted to give it a try myself, even though my idea of roughing it is a shared bathroom at a B&B.

For me, the best part of camping wouldn't be the rugged hiking trails, swimming in a pristine lake or sleeping under the stars — it would be, of course, the food. I have visions of flapjacks toasted over the fire, salmon steaks grilled to perfection and maybe some less-processed version of s'mores.

In fact, my family is in Santa Fe at the moment, visiting my mom, and we decided to give at least the cookout portion of camping a test run, packing up goodies for lunch and heading to the beautiful Hyde Memorial State Park. Our lunch was a simple affair: we used Match-Lite charcoal to grill turkey dogs and toast buns from a local bakery, and we toasted marshmallows over the dying fire to make s'mores.

It was delicious — what is it about food cooked outdoors that makes it taste so much better? And it inspired me to plan a longer trip, with a menu that's healthy, delicious and environmentally responsible. Planning campfire meals that are better for you (and the environment) is easy. Here are the rules I'll follow:

Think Repsonsibly

I'll pack natural lump charcoal briquettes and a chimney (a fire-starting tool that concentrates the coals so that you can get a hot fire without using lighter fluid), and I'll also gather dry wood to burn in my fire. I'll bring a versatile cooking vessel, like a Lodge cast iron camp oven. (Of course these are pretty heavy, so they're really only good if you're car camping.) And of course, I'll bring plenty of reusable tote bags to gather garbage up until we can dispose of it properly.

Think Unrefined and Homemade

It's easy to get caught up in a junk-food rut when packing for a camping trip — potato chips, overprocessed hot dogs, and preservative-laden foods packaged foods. But with a little planning and some careful storing (to prevent spoilage and possible food poisoning), it's easy to come up with ideas for some delicious foods that will be much more satisfying and filling.

For breakfast I'll mix up a whole-wheat pancake mix before I leave, using dried egg and dried buttermilk, so all I'll need to add is water. The wheat fiber will keep us full and energized for an active day of hiking.

Veggie dogs or turkey dogs are better for you than regular hot dogs, and another great campfire option is grilled-cheese sandwiches or panini, toasted over the hot fire. Packed in ice for the first night, salmon or tilapia will make a luscious dinner cooked over the fire. I even read recently about a recipe for nan made over an open fire.

And for dessert, grilled fruit like peaches or pineapple is a sweet finish. And if you really feel like no camping trip is complete without s'mores, try them with fair-trade chocolate and homemade graham crackers.

Image courtesy Nina Hale.