I have to admit we are not huge camping experts in our family, so when we do venture out for a camping trip overnight, the meals have to be super easy too – usually because we’ll be spending all our time setting up camp and remembering how to put the tent back up! Here are some easy camping meals that the kids will love to help make – and they taste great too!
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Camping offers so many opportunities to create lifelong memories and spend some real quality time together. Too often the thought of food on your camping trip revolves around sandwiches and convenience foods, but it is possible to cook some easy camping meals without a huge amount of effort. Check out our ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner – and even snacks! – to make your camping trip an all-round success.
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Easy Camping Meals: Breakfast Ideas
Campfire Skillet Breakfast
Get ready for a day of activities with a hearty breakfast, thanks to this campfire skillet breakfast on All Recipes.
Bacon, potatoes and eggs are all cooked together for a very filling and satisfying camping breakfast.
Breakfast Foil Wraps
I love this idea from Delish.com for Breakfast Foil Wraps because you just mix up your ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag then make up foil packets to go on the campfire or grill.
Campfire French Toast
French Toast is an ideal breakfast for camping, because it requires very little in terms of ingredients, prep or cooking space. Fresh Off the Grid’s tips for campfire French toast will help you create a yummy camping breakfast too!
Banana Bread
Make up a batch of banana bread before you head off camping. It stores easily and doesn’t need to be refrigerated which can help if you have limited cool space.
Then just slice off a piece and toast it on some tinfoil on your campfire grate.
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a really handy breakfast option for camping because you just mix up your oats with the topping or flavour of preference, leave overnight and it’s ready for the next morning.
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Easy Camping Meals: Lunch Options
Camping Hot Dogs
Sausages and hot dogs are really easy camping meals, and great for cooking over an open fire, but why not take it up a gear?
I love this idea from Frugal Coupon Living for camping hot dogs, which is super simple but looks yum.
You just need hot dogs or precooked sausages and some roll dough. Pop your sausage/hot dog onto the stick, wrap dough around and then into the tin foil to cook over the campfire.
Turkey Ranch Wraps
Wraps are a really versatile lunch option when you are camping, and I love this recipe for Turkey Ranch Wraps from Life in the Lofthouse, combining turkey, bacon, cheese and ranch dressing for flavour.
Ham and Cheese Foil Sandwiches
Toasted sandwiches with a camping flair – perfect!
Ingredients
1 loaf white or country bread
1 tomato, sliced thin
1lb sliced mozzarella cheese
1lb sliced deli ham
Mayonnaise
Method
- Spread a thick layer of mayonnaise on one slice of bread.
- Add a slice of tomato, two slices of ham, a slice of cheese and top with another slice of bread.
- Wrap the sandwich tightly in tin foil, pressing it down.
- Place the sandwiches in tinfoil near campfire coals or on grill grate for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
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Easy Camping Meals: Dinner Ideas
Tasty Tacos
The great thing about tacos is you can prep everything ahead of time.
I like to make up a batch of Mexican-flavoured meat, using minced beef, some ground cumin, ground coriander, ground paprika, and some dried oregano. Cook with a little water and you can add tinned tomatoes too if you like.
Other toppings to enjoy with the tacos:
- grated cheese
- refried beans heated up
- salsa
- guacamole
- sour cream
- salad (shredded iceberg lettuce is the handiest I find for using with tacos)
Then warm up your tacos quickly in your bbq frying pan for a couple of minutes. Put all the toppings out and everyone can put their own tacos together.
Campfire Pizza
To make campfire pizza you just need a few simple ingredients:
- Pre-made pizza bases
- Pizza sauce
- Toppings e.g. sliced pepperoni
- Grated mozzarella cheese
You can use either a grill rack or a frying pan large enough to fit the pizza base, then cook it over the campfire. Start by heating up the crust for a couple of minutes, then add on your sauce, the topping(s) and then the cheese.
Campfire Macaroni and Cheese
This recipe from Nelliebellie.com for Campfire Macaroni and Cheese is sure to go down well with the kids! Take a favourite meal from home and bring it camping with you – it’s sure to be a hit.
You can also make this campfire mac ‘n’ cheese in advance, and then keep it until you want to cook it.
When it comes time for dinner, cook it on your campfire until it is all melty and delicious – just be careful not to put it on too high a direct heat.
One-Pot Pasta
This recipe for one-pot pasta from Fresh Off the Grid is a good one, not only because you can make it all in one pot, but also because it’s a good way to sneak in some veg. They’ve used kale, but you could also put spinach in or grated courgette.
If you don’t want to use lentil pasta, then just use regular or whole wheat pasta.
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Burgers
Who doesn’t love a burger? They are always a great standby meal for camping, but if you’re looking for something a little more child-friendly, what about making these mini burgers from Clodagh McKenna?
Not only are they easier (and more fun!) for kids to eat, but the smaller burgers are also quicker to cook on the BBQ.
Don’t forget to pack the ketchup!
Garlic Steak and Cheesy Bacon Potato in Foil
This garlic steak & cheesy bacon potato hash foil packs recipe from Cafe Delites can be cooked on the grill.
Tip: it’s best to choose better cuts of steak as they will be more tender.
Campfire Cheesy Garlic Potatoes
You could opt for jacket potatoes wrapped in foil for a comforting classic – or you could turn those jacket potatoes into delicious cheesy garlic hasselback potatoes, like these ones from Mountain Cravings, with just a tiny bit of extra preparation. Then all you have to do is sit back and let the fire do all the work. They are sure to be a hit with the whole family!
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Easy Camping Meals: Desserts and Snacks
Baked Bananas with Chocolate
The all-classic camping dessert of course is s’mores, but have you tried baked bananas with chocolate? They are DIVINE!
All you need for this easy camping dessert are:
- Bananas sliced down the middle lengthways but with peel left on
- Some squares of chocolate
- Tinfoil
Put the banana onto the tinfoil, stuff some chocolate squares along where you sliced lengthways, wrap in foil and put onto the BBQ or campfire for about ten minutes. The banana will gently cook and the chocolate will melt in the middle, a delicious and gooey dessert.
For an extra treat why not add in some mini marshmallows like this recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking?
Campfire Apple Crisp
This recipe for campfire apple crisp from Cooking With Jax is very easy to put together.
Core and slice your apples, then mix them with the crumble mix and make tin foil parcels.
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Have you any other ideas for easy camping meals that your family has enjoyed? Leave a comment below and let us know – we’d love to hear from you!
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