Camping is one of the best ways to get out and explore the great outdoors with your family. But with all the camping trip planning, it’s easy to forget about the food.
Sure, you can stop by a fast food place on the way or buy some hot dogs to roast over the fire, but why not make your camping trip a little more special with some fun, tasty, and easy-to-make meals?
Here are five must-have foods for your next camping trip.
S’mores
S’mores are the reason anyone goes camping. Roasting marshmallows over the fire and sandwiching them between two graham crackers with a piece of chocolate is the perfect way to end a long day of hiking and exploring.
Plus, they’re super easy to make so you don’t have to worry about having a lot of ingredients or cooking utensils. Just be sure to pack extra marshmallows and chocolate because everyone will want seconds (or thirds).
Campfire Pizza
Store-bought frozen pizza is OK in a pinch, but why not make your own campfire pizza?
It’s really easy to do and only requires a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. All you need is some pre-made dough (you can even use biscuits), pizza sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings.
Then just Roll out the dough, spread on the sauce and toppings, and wrap it in tinfoil. Place it on hot coals for 10-15 minutes and voila!
You’ve got yourself a delicious campfire pizza.
Burritos
There’s nothing like starting your day with a hearty breakfast before hitting the trails. And what could be better than a burrito?
These are super easy to make ahead of time, so all you have to do is heat them in the morning. Just some camping scrambled eggs, add some diced ham or bacon (optional), shredded cheese, diced potatoes, and whatever other toppings you like (salsa, sour cream, etc.), then roll it all up in a flour tortilla.
Wrap each burrito individually in foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge or cooler until you’re ready to eat them.
To reheat, place on hot coals for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
Dutch Oven Meals
Dutch ovens are great for making one-pot meals while camping because they can be placed directly on hot coals without any special cooking equipment needed. And there are so many different recipes you can make in them!
Stews, chili, pasta dishes — really anything that can be made in an oven at home can be made in a Dutch oven over a campfire With minimal effort required on your part!
Just toss all your ingredients into the pot before you head out for the day and let it do its thing while you’re gone exploring.
When you come back tired and hungry from a long day of hiking, you’ll have a delicious meal waiting for you that just needs to be served up!
Foil Packet Meals
Foil packet meals are my personal favorite when it comes to camping food because they’re so easy to make and clean up. Plus, there are endless possibilities when it comes to what you can put in them.
My go-to foil packet meal is usually some protein (chicken, fish, steak), vegetables, and potatoes. I mix everything together in a bowl with some seasoning, then divide it into equal portions on squares of foil. I then fold up the foil packets, sealing them well so that no steam escapes while they’re cooking.
To cook them, just place them on hot coals for 20-30 minutes (depending on how thick your protein is). When they’re done, carefully open them up and enjoy!
Best Breakfast Ideas For Camping
Not only is breakfast an excellent opportunity to use good nutrition, but it is also a good way to start your outdoor day’s activities.
Breakfast Ideas When Camping involves cereals, oatmeal, and others that tend to be lighter for those camping outdoors.
Here are 21 easy Best Breakfast Food For Camping
Eggs and Green Veggies
If you can’t use a grill, make a simple omelet with hard-boiled eggs, green vegetables, and cheese.
Hot Cereal
Add oatmeal or quinoa for more protein without adding extra calories.
Oatmeal
Rinse the oats if they are not organic. Add cups of water for each cup of oats. Stir occasionally to ensure that the oatmeal does not stick or burn.
Pancakes
Follow your favorite recipe to make pancakes, even if you are camping. If you use pancake mixes, make sure you only use mixes without trans fats and preservatives, even when camping. Add fruit like banana slices or berries for added fiber and nutrients.
Burritos
Tuck scrambled eggs, cheese, salsa, and any other ingredients of your choice inside of a tortilla. Roll up the burrito and eat it hot or cold.
Breakfast on the Grill
Make hash browns with potatoes, peppers, and onions over low heat on your grill when camping. Put green peppers, onions, or tomatoes in with the potatoes when cooking for additional nutrients.
Breakfast Jam
Cook jam or marmalade using various combinations of fruit. Some ideas include plain applesauce with white sugar, raspberry jam on toast with butter, and dark chocolate on graham crackers with milk.
Use low-fat yogurt or non-fat milk with sugar-free jam or fruit spreads for a low-calorie option.
Pancakes in a Bag
Take advantage of the many conveniences of home when camping by making pancakes in a bag. Following the basic pancake recipe, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a Ziploc baggie.
Add milk, egg whites, and oil. Seal the Ziploc baggie and attach notes with cooking instructions to the outside of the sealed bag.
Leave it on the grill or campfire grates until thoroughly cooked then enjoy!
Foil Burritos
Cook over low heat on the grill when camping.
Fresh Fruit
Fill a bowl full of fresh fruit when camping for nutritious food. Ensure you wash all fruit before you eat it, even if you are camping on your property.
Wash just-cut produce with cold water using a soft scrub brush.
Fruit Salad
Make a fruit salad with fresh fruit. Not only is the fresh fruit filling delicious, but it also makes for a gorgeous presentation when camping.
Wash all produce with cold water using a soft scrub brush.
Omelet
Create simple omelets that are healthy and tasty, even when camping. You can use your regular no-egg omelet recipe or substitute real eggs in scrambled eggs with real cheese.
Leftovers
If you enjoy cooking, but don’t have time for a full meal, cook leftovers the night before so you have the ingredients ready to go in the morning.
Cook the whole meal and cut the leftovers into smaller pieces while still warm. Put the pieces into one or more containers and label them for easy preparation in the morning.
Biscuits and Gravy
Mix your favorite gravy with a small bowl of milk to create a gravy that will work well on hot biscuits or Texas toast. Serve with sausage links or bacon for added protein.
Burritos
Tuck scrambled eggs, cheese, and any other ingredients of your choice in a tortilla. Roll up the burrito and eat it hot or cold.
Oatmeal and Eggs
Breakfast can be a mix of proteins and carbohydrates, so try oatmeal with hard-boiled eggs for breakfast when camping.
You can also take advantage of dutch oven recipes that use syrup as a sweetener to create oatmeal dishes that are perfect for camping.
Tacos
Use a tortilla around a small bowl of scrambled eggs and salsa for a yummy taco that’s an easy meal to take along for camping.
Add more salsa or chili sauce if you want more heat in your taco.
Casserole
You can easily make a fast casserole from leftover baked goods from the night before. Any kind of casserole dish will work, but be sure to pre-cook the entire casserole dish before you pack it.
You can also put baked goods in individual containers to make your casserole meal even easier to take along for camping.
Eggs and Toast
Breakfast is often served with toast, so why not take advantage of the bread already at your campground’s station?
Have butter for added nutrition or use margarine. Add small pieces of cheese or mushrooms for extra protein.
Barbecue Burritos
Roll up the burrito and eat hot or cold.
Scrambled Eggs
You can use a plain scramble recipe or a yolk-only one that will be low in fat and high in nutrition.
See also: How to Smoke Kangaroo Meat?