What kind of camp cook are you? Would you rather get big meals over with earlier in the trip, then have leftovers or let camping buddies take over while you relax? Have you met the preppers who make it all ahead and just reheat at the site? Then there are those who get a bit competitive about their camp cook skills (no one we know of course) and go full gourmet. 

Here are a few camping meal ideas for any pace and style.

Breakfasts

Junk cereal and Pop Tarts–especially if not allowed at home—are a staple of camping with kids (or adults—we don’t judge). But sometimes that only suffices for “first breakfast.” Here are some slightly heartier options.

EZPZ-est

• Cereal

• Instant oatmeal

• Yogurt parfaits

• Bagels and fixins

Camp favorites

• Challah french toast: you can mix up the eggs and/or slice the bread in advance to make things a bit easier at camp

• Banana pancakes: use your favorite mix, then mash and/or slice some bananas in

• Breakfast burritos: be sure to add in any leftover dinner meat

• Pre-cooked bacon is a great side that you can heat up with minimal time and grease
  

Lunches

Portable is the name of the game for camping lunches, whether you’re headed to the beach or on a hike or bike ride. 

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• Eat a late breakfast and then a good afternoon snack like chips and dips, veggies and hummus, or ants on a log (in other words, no lunch at all!)

• Uncrustables from the store will do great in your cooler and be thrown in a backpack for off-site adventures

. Camp favorites

• Hawaiian roll party sandwiches: just slice the whole loaf open and load up with your favorite meats, cheeses, and condiments

• Pinwheel sandwiches: tightly roll meat, cheese, pickles, and condiments in a tortilla, then slice into rounds

• Deli platter, charcuterie, or DIY “lunchables”

• Any dinner leftovers on bread or lettuce

• Watermelon and grapes are summer favorites that go with any lunch

Dinners

When the day is winding down and you’re ready to fill your belly for a long camper’s nap, there are lots of ways to go. Most of these do require a camping stove to get going quickly. Read on below for more ideas about cooking over the fire, in advance, or for a crowd.

EZPZ-est

• Spaghetti with jarred sauce–you can make it a bit more nutritious with a bag salad or some broccoli thrown into the sauce 

• Boil-in-bag rice and pouches of Indian food (such as those made by Tasty Bite)

• Packaged ramen, with or without add-ons like a boiled egg, sliced green onions, sliced mushrooms, and/or chopped meat (last night’s leftovers, anyone?)

• Rotisserie chicken from the store with pre-packaged sides and rolls; this is probably best for day one

Camp favorites:

• Taco bar! Tortillas with your choice of meat, beans, rice, shredded lettuce and cheese, chopped tomatoes and onions, sour cream (we buy the squeezy kind for camping–even though it’s kinda gross), salsa, and hot sauce

• Baked potato bar! Potatoes wrapped in foil and tossed in the fire, or made ahead and reheated, with your choice of bacon, shredded cheese, chives, sour cream, butter, and leftover meat

• Mini pizzas made in a pan over the fire or on the stove with a lid using English muffins or naan, plus sauce, cheese, and any other pizza topping

• Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Prep Ahead

If you have time before you go, making select components or a whole meal ahead of time with your fully stocked kitchen can make time at the campsite easier and more relaxing. It can also minimize bulky packaging—but may also require a spot in the cooler once prepped. Word to the wise, don’t put too much faith in zip-top bags—we double up or use other containers for anything prone to leaking.

Have you tried any of these make-ahead camping tips?

• Chili: just make the whole darn thing ahead and reheat at camp, served with sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped onions

• Corn bread or corn muffins: make in a disposable pan or transport in a freezer bag; great with chili or soup

• Hard boiled eggs: great for a quick, protein-rich breakfast or snack

• Raw eggs: crack into a jar or Tupperware before transporting to reduce risk of breakage

• Side salads: potato salad, bean salads, and similar cold dishes often benefit from spending an extra day or two in the cooler

• Meat: trim and season ahead; transport in marinade

• Scrubbing potatoes and washing fruit/veggies

• Dressings and rubs

Cook over the Fire

Cooking over the fire really feels like camping. But it can take more preparation than we want or expect. Some things (like hot dogs and s’mores) can be cooked right in the flames, but others require time for the fire to turn to coals. Plan accordingly for these yummy foods:

• Hot dogs or fully cooked sausages on a skewer (you can zhuzh them up with some sliced onions and peppers grilled in a foil packet

• Kebabs on the grate with some foil underneath, using your choice of cubed meats and veggies; if using wooden skewers, soak them in water first to avoid burning your dinner in the fire

• Corn on the cob right on the coals! Wrap shucked corn in foil, or soak with husks on for about 30 minutes and then pull back the tops; cook for 15 minutes, turning 4-5 times

• Baked potatoes on coals: poke potato all around with a fork, oil or butter it, wrap in foil, and cook 45 minutes to an hour, turning every 10 minutes

• Foil packets (sometimes called “hobo pouches”) can go on the grate or in the fire and include just about anything you want; get the ingredients ready and let folks assemble their own tightly sealed pouch with their favorite cubed meats, veggies, and potatoes—or make a pouch for each “course” and serve yourselves from the cooked packets

• Banana boats: if the fire wasn’t ready in time for dinner, try this gooey, delicious dessert: slice open a banana longways while still in the peel and load it up with chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, nuts, or whatever you choose, then seal and throw over the fire 

Cook for a Crowd

If you roll deep when you camp, you know the proportions are at a whole new level. Hopefully that also means you’re cooking fewer meals. Here are our top tips for pleasing everyone all of the time.

• Keep ingredients separate: check out the taco and baked potato bar ideas above, make the chili meat on the side, or keep spicy/super flavorful things like hot sauce or peppers available just for those who want them

• Bring single servings: chips, trail mix, and other snacks and drinks may be a bit more wasteful this way, but no one wants 20 grubby hands in the cookie jar

• Communicate expectations: let your group know about any dietary restrictions, or bring yourself a backup meal or two; set up camp rules like “if we cook, you clean” or BYO plates and utensils–whatever works for you

• Plan together: more than divvying up responsibilities, it helps to know what others are cooking and who will be there for each meal; this shareable camping meal spreadsheet has saved us many times

 

S’mores!

A camping tradition for generations, s’mores are a must-do for at least one night with a campfire. Whether you like them burned to a crisp or slowly turned to a golden brown, we recommend placing the bottom graham crackers and chocolate near the fire to get a bit melty while you roast your marshmallows.

Here are our favorite s’more variations:

• The classic: two graham cracker squares, square of a Hershey bar, and one roasted marshmallow

• The simple swap: use a Reese’s peanut butter cup or Ghirardelli square in place of the plain chocolate

• The extra-sticky: schmear some peanut butter on the graham cracker

• The s’moreo: put your roasted marshmallow between two halves of an Oreo, YUM!

Whether eating is your favorite camping activity or you just want to fuel up and go, we hope you found some great ideas for your next trip here. Let us know!