We’re relatively new to the camping game. We didn’t start camping until COVID forced us to delay an international trip we had planned in 2020. Since we both had the time off we decided to take the two weeks and do a camping trip in Colorado instead. Gutsy, I know. We did one trial run camp before we left just to make sure we didn’t hate it and turns out — we LOVE camping. On our first trip though, I remember being really stressed about the food. I didn’t know what we should make and although I wanted some interesting meals I didn’t have the inspiration and felt easily frazzled at the prospect of cooking at a campsite without my usual resources. We repeated a lot of the same meals that trip and it got a bit repetitive.
Fortunately, We’ve learned a lot since that first camping trip and I’m happy to report that our meals have gotten better! We’re not always eating the most exotic things while camping, but we learned to bring a little more variety and have a lot more fun with it. Most importantly, I feel a lot less stressed about it!
When we camp I try to strike a balance between practical and fun. I absolutely love being creative when cooking — it brings me a lot of joy — BUT when we’re getting back from a long hike I might feel a little less ambitious about what I feel like making. In that moment I might be totally okay with a box of mac and cheese for dinner. In those moments I try to think of ways I can make that simple meal a bit more exciting. My favorite way to elevate that mac and cheese is to add a can of tuna or chicken to make it feel a bit more filling (or even some frozen broccoli!). My goal with our food is to make meals that make us feel good, but are also still fun.
This list isn’t necessarily meant to be a step-by-step, but rather a collection of ideas that will inspire your own camping menu. Enjoy!
Our camp kitchen setup
I want to first give you insight into what we have to cook with while camping. Spoiler, it’s not fancy. Like I said, we’re still pretty new to camping so our setup is relatively basic. I hope that encourages you that some fun and filling camping meals are within reach — no matter how minimal your setup.
Coleman One Burner Stove - We paid $30 for this stove and have used the heck out of it! It’s very basic, but does the trick. The biggest drawback to it is that the fuel can be kind of difficult to find. We just stock up whenever we see some. We actually even use this on roadtrips sometimes just to whip up a quick meal in the back of the car.
Cast Iron Skillet - We use this all the time at home so it was a no brainer to bring it camping — It’s so versatile! I have yet to purchase one, but I do think a lid for the skillet would come in handy.
Enamel Dutch Oven - This is perfect for making soups!
JetBoil Stove - Admittedly this was a recent upgrade and its ability to boil water at an incredibly fast rate is remarkable, but all these meals can be made without it.
Cooking Utensil set - This set has everything you would need and it includes a bag to store everything in. Note that the knives in this set are not great so we usually bring one of our regular kitchen knives.
Barebones Enamelware Set - This was another splurge that you 100% don’t need, BUT gives an asthetic that makes me very happy.
Eatin’ tool - This deserves a shoutout because we use it all the time and they’re fun.
AeroPress Coffee Maker - We used to bring our Chemex and then decided something less breakable was maybe a better option.
BREAKFAST
Oats with freeze dried berries from Trader Joe’s with maple syrup, peanut butter, and whatever other toppings we are feeling (coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, etc.). I like these oats the best.
Breakfast burritos - I like to roast the potatoes, onions, peppers, and bacon ahead of time and then roll them individually into tortillas with cheese at the campsite. I then wrap them in foil and place them on the grate over the fire until the cheese is melted and they are warm. You can also make them fully ahead of time and just throw them on the grate to heat up if you prefer.
Pancakes - For convenience, I gravitate more toward the mixes that only require water. I love this brand and this brand.
Baked Oatmeal - This is a nice option if you don’t want to dirty a pan in the morning. The flavor combinations are endless too.
Chia puddings with fruit and nut butters - Make a batch of chia pudding ahead of time and put them in individual jars to grab on the go.
Eggs - Scrambled, fried — however you fancy them! You could also make some hard boiled eggs ahead of time and bring those.
Potato Hash over the campfire (or on your camp stove if you don’t want to get a fire going) - There really are few things better than onions, peppers, and potatoes cooked on the fire. Once those potatoes are tender feel free to scramble in some eggs to make it a full breakfast.
Lunch / Dinner
For us these meals are pretty interchangeable depending on what time we are coming back from a hike. Sometimes we need something quick and sometimes we feel like lingering around the campsite and making something that takes a bit longer. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but here are some of the meals we’ve had that we find ourselves making again.
Cheese and crackers - Basic, I know, but this has become our number one lunch for when we roll in from a hike and are ravenous. We like to also serve it with veggies and hummus or ranch to round it out. My favorite cracker options: pretzel crisps, Simple Mill’s Crackers, and Mary’s Gone Crackers.
Sautéed cabbage with chicken sausage and chickpeas - This is a super simple one that provides protein, fiber, and veggies but comes together in 10 minutes. I buy shredded cabbage to save myself from even having to chop it at the campsite. I heat the cast iron and just cook everything in one pan.
Mac and cheese - This might sound childish, but adding some canned chicken, canned tuna, frozen broccoli, or frozen peas can elevate this dish and make it feel like a more nutritious meal that can be ready in 10 minutes. This and this are our two favorite mac and cheese brands.
Salad kits - These were a great, fresh addition to a lot of our meals. It’s so nice to just have everything in a convenient package ready to go. Trader Joe’s has some really great salad kit options.
Curry - I don’t have a specific recipe to share for this, but curry of any kind with rice or naan is a great cozy campfire meal idea.
Charcuterie dinner - This is one of my favorites because it feels fancy, but it’s for sure not. Literally just bring all the meats, cheese, fruits, veggies, and fixin’s that you want and have a feast — no cooking required.
Foil packet dinners - My usual combo is potatoes, onions, peppers, squash, and chicken sausage, but the possibilities are really endless. All you do is chop up the ingredients, drizzle some olive oil, salt and garlic on them and wrap them up individually (use more foil than you think you need to make sure they are really seeled). Then stick them in the fire and let them cook until the potatoes are tender.
Soups - When the temperatures are just right soup is the perfect camping meal. It only requires one pot and has a lot of flexibility.
Campfire pizza - This one is super fun. When I did this most recently I just used a pre-made dough from Trader Joe’s, but if you’re feeling ambitious you could make it homemade.
Campfire Nachos - I like to use an 8x8 disposable pan, place a bunch of chips with cheese and beans (or whatever your protein of choice is), cover the top with foil, and place it on the fire grate until the cheese is melted (be careful the bottom can burn if it’s too close to the fire so check on it periodically). Once the cheese is melted pull it off and top it with sour cream, salsa, cilantro, avocado, etc.
Snacks
Trail mix - Costco has great options or feel free to make your own.
Popcorn - This is my all time favorite store-bought popcorn brand.
Meat sticks - This brand is great!
Nuts - Costco has great deals on a wide variety of nuts. I usually reach for pistachios and almonds!
Fruits
Veggies - Carrots and celery are great for dipping in peanut butter or hummus.
Beverages
Coffee - When we’re backpacking we do instant coffee (this brand does the trick). For car camping we usually use our aeropress or just make cold brew ahead of time and heat it up.
Sparkling Waters - We love our sparkling water so it would be a shame to head off on a camping trip without at least a few in tow.
Kombucha - It’s nice to have variety and since we aren’t huge alcohol drinkers, kombucha is a really nice option. This is our favorite brand.
Tea - Sometimes it’s nice to have a little tea nightcap so I like to bring a variety of options.
