Food for a Hobo Hike

This isn’t really a recipe. It’s an adventure wrapped in a bandana. Each kid gets a can of tuna, a can of baked beans, an orange, and a fork, all tied up in a cloth and slung over a stick or clipped to a belt loop. Then you head out the door and walk until everyone’s hungry enough to sit down and eat straight from the cans.

The beauty of this “recipe” is in the experience, not the cooking. There is no cooking. Everything is eaten cold, right out of the can. The orange gets a hole poked in one end so kids can suck out the juice first, then open it up and eat the segments. It’s a drink and dessert in one piece of fruit.

A Scout knife with a can opener attachment is part of the fun. Struggling with a manual opener is half the adventure for kids, and it’s a practical skill they’ll actually remember. The bandana becomes a tablecloth for the meal, a napkin during, and a kerchief for the walk home.

Pro Tips

• Make sure the can opener actually works before heading out. A broken opener and two sealed cans is a recipe for disappointment, not lunch.
• Pack along some water bottles too. An orange is refreshing but won’t fully hydrate active kids on a warm day.
• Let the kids pack their own bundles. Part of the appeal is the independence and the ritual of tying the bandana just right.
• Bring a bag for trash. Leave no trace applies to hobo hikes too.

Variations

• Swap tuna for canned chicken or sardines depending on what your kids will actually eat.
• Add a small bag of crackers or a granola bar to each bundle for extra fuel.
• For a backyard version, set up a “campfire” ring with flashlights and tell stories while eating.