Heading to the campsite and need some easy camping food ideas for your family that everyone will love (yes, kids included!)? We’ve rounded up the best simple camping meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and of course, dessert!
Planning your next camping trip and wondering how to simplify meal-making without sacrificing delicious, hot meals? We’re here to help!
These easy camping meals cover all your bases – from recipes for breakfast (easy pancakes and burritos), to lunch (hello crescent roll hot dogs!), and dinner (think foil packet over the camp stove) – we’ve scoured the web to find only the best, easy camping recipes.
We’ve even included easy recipes for side dishes/appetizers, and the most important camping meal of all: dessert! All of which can be easily heated or cooked while at your campsite.
You’ll end up eating better at the campground than you do at home!
PIN for when you want to plan easy camping meals for your family in the great outdoors:
Easy Camping Breakfast Ideas
A good, filling breakfast is the best way to start your day at the campground. These easy camping breakfast recipes are not only hot and delicious, but the fresh food will fuel you for a full day of adventure with your family.
1.) Pancake Breakfast Hack: Check out this simple cooking hack to easily make a delicious pancake breakfast while camping. Don’t forget the maple syrup! (via Califf Creations)
2.) Campfire Cinnamon Rolls: Family camping is all about the fun. Make it a trip to remember by starting your morning with cinnamon rolls cooked over the fire. Yum! (via Dessert Now, Dinner Later)
3.) Campfire French Toast: This low maintenance French Toast recipe is great for feeding large groups. (via This Little Piglet)
4.) Grilled French Toast Skewers: Ever thought about making French Toast over a grill? Merry About Town can show you the secret…it’s all about the skewer!
5.) Campfire Cinnamon Roll-Ups: Kids love cinnamon rolls, and this genius idea from Almost Supermom will have you creating them in a flash using Crescent Rolls, a stick, and an open fire.
6.) Cinnamon Monkey Bread Foil Packets: This warm, sticky breakfast is sure to be a hit at camp! (via Gimme Some Grilling)
7.) Camping Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a non-perishable option that provides a healthy, balanced meal to give you the energy you need for a day camping. Find tips on how to cook oatmeal while camping from A Side of Sweet.
8.) Chunky Monkey Overnight Oats: Dark chocolate and bananas make for a delicious overnight oats recipe and an easy morning meal. You can keep oats in the cooler when camping in lieu of a refrigerator. (via The Weary Chef)
9.) Blueberry Cinnamon Campfire Bread: The yummy smells from this campfire bread will wake up any still-sleeping campers! (via A Taste of Home)
10.) French Toast Foil Packets: French Toast with cinnamon, strawberries, and walnuts combine for a flavor explosion when grilled or heated over a campfire. (via Little Sunny Kitchen)
11.) Blueberry & Peach French Toast: You can cook almost anything over a campfire in a foil packet, including this delicious fruit-filled French Toast from Echoes of Laughter.
12.) Apple Sweet Potato Hash: One of the best skillet breakfasts for camping – a sweet and savory hash with sweet potatoes and granny smith apples. (via Fresh off the Grid)
13.) Sausage Breakfast Sandwich: Wake up your senses with a sweet and spicy breakfast sandwich served on warm, toasted english muffins. (via Fresh off the Grid)
14.) Breakfast Burrito: These breakfast burritos are easy to make fresh or prep ahead for a filling breakfast you can eat with your hands. They’re sure to lure even your most lazy campers out of their sleeping bag! (via The Adventure Bite)
15.) Campfire Breakfast Scrambler: This is campfire cooking at its finest! An egg based, one pan, easy meal filled with ham and hashbrowns that you easily heat on a grill over an open flame. (via My Organized Chaos)
16.) Dutch Oven Scrambled Eggs and Biscuits: Once you try this easy camping breakfast from What’s Cooking America, you’ll want it every time you camp!
17.) Make Ahead Breakfast Tacos: Save a lot of time at the campsite by cooking and assembling these customizable breakfast tacos at home. Then you can simply wrap them in tin foil to reheat over your campfire. (via Bowl of Delicious)
18.) Toad in the Hole: An Americanized version of a British classic, your family will love this one pan sausage and pancake breakfast from Chowhound.
19.) Cheesy Bacon and Egg Hash: This savory hash is easy to make, and ready in 30 minutes! (via Cafe Delights)
20.) Bacon and Cheese Pull Apart Loaf: A simple prep option that everyone will be happy to see heating over the fire when they wake up. Super easy cleanup too! (via The Kitchen Magpie)
21.) Breakfast Quesadilla: Filled with bacon, peppers, eggs and cheese, this breakfast quesadilla is a perfect complement to your morning coffee. (via Amanda Outside)
22.) Cast Iron Frittata: A hearty, customizable egg breakfast makes a great meal to start your family’s day. (via Fresh off the Grid)
23.) Campfire Bacon: Zestuous shares our favorite way to cook bacon over a campfire using nothing but foil and a skewer!
24.) Campfire Hashbrowns: A classic breakfast side dish takes center stage when made crispy and delicious over an open flame or camping stove. (via Foodjimoto)
25.) Campfire Southwest Scrambled Eggs: Eggs are full of protein and a great way to start a day outside. Read these tips to make an easy and delicious egg scramble while camp cooking from Spaceships and Laser Beams.
More easy breakfast ideas (no recipe required!)
For those mornings when you just want a quick bite to start your day and don’t want to start up the campfire, try these easy breakfast ideas instead:
- Bagel with butter or cream cheese
- Cereal with milk
- Yogurt + granola
- Toast with spread (try nut butter for an added protein boost!)
Easy Camping Lunch Ideas
After a busy morning of camping adventures, we find a satisfying lunch can energize our family for the second part of the day. Preparing food ahead of time makes it easy to have a quick but delicious lunch before heading back out. We’ve pulled together the best easy camping lunch recipes for everything from hot sandwiches, to salads, and even tacos you can walk around with!
1.) Camping Hot Dogs: Take your BBQ hot dog to the next level with this recipe for hotdogs cooked over the fire. The most genius part…they’re wrapped in crescent rolls! (via Frugal Coupon Living)
2.) Grilled Cheese Dog: Can’t decide between a grilled cheese and a hot dog? Why not combine them with this easy camping lunch from Delish.
3.) Foil Pack French Dip Sandwiches: Chelsea’s Messy Apron shares a great make ahead, easy prep option for French Dip Sandwiches in a convenient foil packet to simply heat up and devour!
4.) Grilled Italian Sandwich: A loaf of bread stuffed with Italian meats, cheese, and peppers that you can wrap up and grill or cook over a fire for a tangy bite. (via Neighborhood Food Blog)
5.) Ham and Cheese Campfire Sandwiches: Assemble quickly, wrap in aluminum foil, and throw these Ham and Cheese sandwiches right on the coals to enjoy a delicious hot lunch. (via Taste and Tell Blog)
6.) Pizza Pocket: An easy recipe that will have kids begging to go camping again just to eat pizza in the woods! (via Happy Money Saver)
7.) Campfire Chili Cheese Fries: Combine 2 favorites and save on the dishes by cooking these chili fries over the campfire. (via the Kitchen Magpie)
8.) Camping Mac and Cheese: This recipe from Lauren’s Latest shows you how to prep the ubiquitous kid-favorite mac and cheese lunch for camping.
9.) Easy Meatball Sliders: Prep ahead and assemble at the campsite, heating these delicious meatball sliders over the campfire instead of the oven. (via Home Made Interest)
10.) Campfire Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich: Another foil wrapped adaptation of a favorite sandwich to cook over the fire. This filling recipe from Homemade Heather can feed the whole family!
11.) Campfire Pizza: Want a more traditional pizza while camping? Try this easy cooking method from The Kitchen Magpie.
12.) Campfire Nachos: Always a hit with kids, nachos are a great lunch option for camping, especially when you make this recipe in one pan right over the campfire. You can even make the ground beef ahead of time, and sprinkle right onto the tortilla chips along with the cheddar cheese, green onions and more of your favorite fresh ingredients. The whole family can dig right in! (via Pip and Eddy)
13.) Walking Tacos: Ever want to walk around with mess free tacos? Mix everything right in the bag, eat and roam the campsite, then just throw it out when you are done. The perfect easy camping lunch from The Girl Who Ate Everything.
14.) Pizza Pasta Salad: A staple for picnics that is also perfect for camping. Simply make a large batch while at home and keep in the cooler for an easy lunch option. (via Caramel Potatoes)
15.) Three Bean Salad in a Jar: Packing this three bean salad in a mason jar makes it easy to pack in the cooler and grab for lunch at the campsite. (via Real Housemoms)
16.) Camping Quesadillas: A childhood classic lunch adapted to cook over a campfire – use a pie iron or foil to get nice and crispy! (via Cupcake Diaries)
17.) Campfire Bean ‘n Ham Soup: Cooked in a dutch oven over the fire, this is a hearty lunch option to warm your insides, perfect for fall camping. (via Taste of Home)
Easy No Cook Camping Lunch Ideas:
Want some quick lunch options that don’t require cooking? These easy camping meals can be made with just a few supplies brought from the grocery store – no campfire needed!
- Peanut Butter Jelly Sandwiches
- Crackers and Cheese
- Veggie Sticks + Hummus
- Cold Cut Sandwiches
- Antipasto Salad
Easy Camping Dinner Ideas
If you thought camping dinners were all grilled burgers and hot dogs, you haven’t seen these recipes! From pizza and pasta, to enchiladas and shrimp boils, you’ll feel like you’re eating gourmet style meals in the woods. These camping dinner recipes are simple to prep and can be heated/cooked at your campsite. (Also make sure you check out the lunch recipes above, as many of them are just as good for dinner!)
Foil Packet Meals
These camping dinners have one thing in common: they’re all cooked in a foil packet. Wrapped in aluminum foil, the heat circulates and cooks your meal, while allowing all the yummy juices and flavors to stay in your food. And our favorite thing of all: no pots or pans to clean up afterwards!
1.) Shrimp Scampi Foil Packets: Looking for something a little different? Try eating seafood in the woods! With this prep ahead foil packet recipe you can enjoy shrimp scampi at your campsite. (via Damn Delicious)
2.) Shrimp Boil Packet: A full meal without the cleanup! Shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes fill your plate from this delicious foil packet recipe. (via Damn Delicious)
3.) Shrimp Boil Packet: Another version of the camping favorite, this Shrimp Boil packet recipe includes a summertime veggie, zucchini! (via Fresh Off the Grid)
4.) Foil Pack Italian Chicken and Veggies: Chicken, veggies and delicious Italian herbs sets this foil packet apart from the rest. (via Chelsea’s Messy Apron)
5.) Southwestern Chicken Packet: This no-fuss southwestern chicken includes black beans and corn and can be cooked over a campfire or on a grill. (via Dessert Now, Dinner Later)
6.) BBQ Chicken Foil Packs: Tangy BBQ sauce makes this chicken moist and flavorful. Add in some colorful veggies which cook up beautifully in foil packs. (via Life in the Lofthouse)
7.) Steak Fajita Packet: Line up ingredients, cook the foil packet, and enjoy delicious steak fajitas while camping! Ready in less than 30 minutes. (via Happy Money Saver)
8.) Chicken Fajita Packet: A 5-ingredient chicken fajita packet that is prepped and cooked quickly from Budget Delicious.
9.) One Pot Tacos: From the outdoor experts at REI, this easy camping meal is cooked in a cast-iron skillet over the fire and can be enjoyed by large groups. Serve with tortilla chips and a squeeze of lime juice.
10.) Dutch Oven Enchiladas: Veggie stuffed enchiladas cooked in a dutch oven are a spicy, cheesy, and delicious campfire dinner. (via Fresh off the Grid)
11.) Spicy Teriyaki Grilled Steak Kabobs: Kabobs are perfect for camping since you can easily cook them over a grill or a campfire! Plus, they are easy to eat without utensils, making cleanup a breeze. Try this Teriyaki steak kabob recipe from Butter Your Biscuit on your next trip.
12.) Easy Campfire Spaghetti Bake: Prep at home and layer in one pan for an easy campfire spaghetti and meatballs dinner! A meal that will surely be a hit with your family. (via Campfire Foodie)
13.) Dutch Oven Campfire Lasagna: Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food. With a camping dutch oven and this recipe from Fresh off the Grid, you can enjoy this delicious Italian meal anywhere you can build a fire.
RELATED: Looking for some exciting camping activities to do in between meals? Check out all the creative ideas in 100 Super Fun Camping Games & Activities For Kids Or The Whole Family
Easy Camping Side Dishes
Complete your main meals with these delicious side dishes, or make them as appetizers or easy snacks. They don’t take much time to make, and will soon have your campsite smelling like home.
1.) Grilled Corn: Learn how to cook this easy side dish, the perfect grilled corn from The Classy Chapter.
2.) Mexican Street Corn: Elevate grilled corn to the next level by making Mexican street corn, a dish that is all about the toppings! (via Fresh Off the Grid)
3.) Fiery Campfire Veggies: Swap your usual frying pan for a cast iron skillet to crisp these sweet and spicy veggies to perfection! (via Bless her Heart Y’all)
4.) Campfire Potatoes: Another dish cooked in a foil packet, these potato packs makes the perfect complement to a grilled steak or chicken dinner. (via The Splendid Table)
5.) Grilled Baked Potatoes: Cook a baked potato on a grill or straight over hot coals with this easy method from Olga’s Flavor Factory.
6.) Cast Iron Beans: These cast iron beans from Country Living take about 30 minutes to cook and are perfect as a side dish for hot dogs and hamburgers.
7.) Campfire Breadsticks: Cooking with a long stick over a fire is always fun, but did you know you could make breadsticks this way? Check out this ingenious method from Shock Munch.
8.) Campfire Spinach Dip: Mix all the ingredients for this spinach dip into a foil packet to easily cook on the campfire. Enjoy as a delicious, warm appetizer or sharable side dish. (via Homemade Heather)
Easy Camping Dessert Ideas
What’s a camping vacation without dessert? While there is always the classic roasted marshmallow and s’mores, dessert at the campground can be so much more. Check out these camping dessert recipes for a super sweet ending to your day.
1.) Grilled S’more Dip: Perfect for quickly feeding a large group – simply scoop graham crackers into this insanely delicious grilled s’more dip for that classic marshmallow and melted chocolate taste. (via Dad with a Pan)
2.) S’mores Campfire Cones: This s’mores twist swaps the graham crackers for a sugar or waffle cone! Fill with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips then wrap in tin foil and place over a grill to get ooey gooey good. (via Frugal Coupon Living)
3.) Campfire Banana Boats: A dessert that is part banana split, part s’more and fully customizable! (via Fresh Off the Grid)
4.) Campfire Dessert Pizza: After a long day outside, this dessert pizza hits the spot! We love that it’s so easy to customize – each family member can choose their favorite toppings for endless flavor combinations. (via Spaceships and Laser Beams)
5.) Cherry-Chocolate Pudgy Pie: Your kids may just think these are the best part of their day: dessert sandwiches! These pudgy pies are easy to make and a super gooey camping treat. (via Taste of Home)
6.) Grilled Shortcake Skewers: Break out the skewers and make these fun kabobs with shortcake, fresh fruit, pound cake, and some whipped cream to top it off. (via Betsy Life)
7.) Pound Cake and Berry Campfire Skillet Dessert: A few simple ingredients tossed into a cast iron skillet and heated over a fire make for a quick and easy campfire dessert. (via Taste and Tell Blog)
8.) Campfire Popcorn: Dessert doesn’t have to be sweet. Delish shares how to make a bowl of popcorn to enjoy outside around a campfire.
9.) Campfire Cakes: Fill a hollowed orange with brownie mix for a unique treat cooked on the campfire. (via Tablespoon)
10.) Campfire Apple Crisp: Learn how to make a yummy foil packet apple crisp from Happy Money Saver.
11.) Campfire Cinnamon Rolls: Dessert now, Dinner Later shares an easy recipe to make cinnamon rolls over a grill or roasted on a stick over a campfire.
Camp food can be so much more than you ever imagined. All your family’s favorite meals that you cook at home can be adapted to be a camping recipe with a little forethought and meal planning. We hope these easy camping meals have sparked your tastebuds and can help make your next camping trip a delicious success!
And if you need some ideas for fun games and activities to entertain your kids while at the campsite – don’t miss our popular post, 100 Super Fun Camping Games & Activities For Kids Or The Whole Family.
