I remember seeing something like this when I was a young boy many years ago, and was surprised to see them back (or still around maybe?).

The way I remember these were in pouches come to think of it. You pressed a “button” in the corner of the pouch and the food was heated up for you. I had no idea how they worked then.

HotCans are available (as far as I can see) in three varieties:

• Beef Casserole
• Sausage and beans
• Vegetable Chilli

A great selection if you’re planning on going away for the weekend camping and don’t want to carry a barbecue or cooking stove with you. You don’t even have to wash up after yourself. Simply pop the empty can in a bag and recycle it when you get home.

So how do the HotCans work? Well, it’s as simple as heating them up on the stove at home, but not the same method obviously. Firstly you take the plastic lid from the top of the HotCan and place it on the bottom. Secondly, you use the supplied key to pierce the outer jacket of the can. Thirdly, you peel back the lid and wait for 12 minutes whilst your meal heats up. How simple is that! They work by exothermic reaction which is super safe.

I’ve been caught out on (although I don’t like to admit it) a number of occasions when I’ve forgotten the igniter for the stove or it’s started to rain and these HotCans would have been the ideal solution. Obviously, do remember to pack the knife, fork and spoon so that you can actually eat the delicious contents of the HotCans.

These simple, delicious and quite frankly ingenious foody gadgets are a must for any camping trip and, as always, they’re available through PriceGrabber for as little as £4.50 - great value!!