Every single time we camp, I spend so much time getting ready the day before we leave that I always end up questioning the entire effort. But summer means camping! And as soon as we get the tent set up and I plop down in a camping chair surrounded by huge beautiful trees, I know why we’re there.
Inevitably, once you’re done with set up, though, one of the kids is already asking if it’s time for s’mores yet. Which means it’s time to get dinner rolling (first dinner, then s’mores!). Over the years, I’ve put together a list of easy camping recipes to make sure I do not spend the whole time cooking and cleaning. The whole point of going off-grid is to have real quality time with my favorite people in nature, not spend all day doing dishes.
Proper prep and gear are essential for making it easy to eat well when camping. I love these little egg storage things. I always have a roll of foil, paper towels, a colander, a good knife and a medium-sized cutting board in my camping gear. An easy to use camp stove and a small set of camping pots is pretty necessary, too. I always make French Press coffee when camping, so even if I’m not cooking a lot, I usually need to boil water.
Beyond that, though, I really do keep it simple. I especially love camping recipes that can be made ahead and simply warmed in the fire (helloooo breakfast burritos!).
Breakfast Egg Muffins
High in protein to fuel your camping crew for whatever summer adventures the day holds, egg muffins are perfect for making ahead. I cook them at home, let them cool, and fill a big zip-top bag with them. Store near the top of the cooler so they don’t get smushed.
Oat Scones
Another camping recipe I make ahead and bring. I usually bring a jar of jam to put out with these scones, and sometimes some fresh fruit. Camping breakfasts don’t have to be complicated! Scones and jam are always a hit.
Breakfast Burritos
I always, always always make breakfast burritos ahead of time. Wrap them up in foil, stash them in the cooler, and warm them in the campfire while you sip your coffee. Best camping breakfast ever.
Hot Dogs
Pop a pack of hot dogs in your cooler, and use the s’mores sticks to cook them over the campfire. There is no easier camping dinner. You don’t even need plates!
Corn on The Cob
You can actually cook it right in the campfire (wrapped in foil, it takes about 15 minutes) but it’s also pretty easy to just boil it on a camp stove. No huge mess, major payoff!
Coffee Cake
Everyone will be thrilled when it’s your morning to do breakfast and instead of firing up the stove you pull out a slab of homemade coffee cake! As long as the coffee is hot, camp breakfast can be no-cook, and I swear you’ll get no complaints.
Compound Butters
OK, this is for the folks who want delicious AND easy camp food. Make a compound herb butter ahead of time, and wrap it tightly in foil. Keep it in your cooler and then use it on everything while you’re camping. In eggs, on steak, on corn, even just slathered on bread.
Waldorf Salad
Another salad recipe that’s perfect for camping because it actually NEEDS to chill for about 24 hours. Make it the day you leave, and you’ve got most of your dinner for night #2 all ready to serve.
Bacon Cheddar Biscuits
These are both a great camping dinner side dish or a great grab-and-hike camping breakfast. Make ahead camping magic!
The Perfect Cheese Board
Hear me out! A cheese board is the ultimate camping food, because it requires zero cooking, and you can set it up around 5 pm when your fellow campers get fussy and folks can snack on it all the way through. Picky kids will usually find something to nosh on here, too.
Breakfast Quesadilla
Bring cooked bacon with you, and just warm it up in this simple quesadilla! Washing ONE pan is acceptable to me, and that’s all this terrific, filling camping breakfast asks of you.
Banana Bread
So obvious, right? Make a loaf of banana bread before you head out of town, and you’ve got snacks or light breakfasts already done.
Pesto Pasta Salad
I love to make a big batch of pasta salad and toss it in the cooler in a sturdy tupperware. I serve it for lunch, or easy dinners at the end of long days by the lake when I truly cannot imagine even turning on the camp stove.
Overnight Oats
Sometimes it’s fun to indulge when camping, but by day two of an all-Doritos diet, my body is usually screaming for healthier food. It’s so easy to stash a jar of overnight oats in the cooler, and I am always thrilled to have something healthy and easy ready to go.
Hard Boiled Eggs
I bring TONS of hard-boiled eggs. They’re great for breakfast, snacks, or even to round out dinner for a picky kid. I usually hard boil a whole dozen and just pack them in their carton.
The Kale Salad
Fruit and veggies are tricky when camping. I often bring a big kale salad because it actually gets better as it sits (for a few days, at least). You’ll be so glad to have easy greens!
DIY Hot Pockets
Make them at home, wrap them tightly in foil. Then pop those foil-wrapped hot pockets in a zip top bag and you’ve got at least one meal done. Like the breakfast burritos, I’d warm them, wrapped in foil, directly in the camp fire.
Shrimp Cocktail
This is favorite camping party trick of mine! I serve this one one the first night for sure, but I do all the prep at home, and break out chilled shrimp and cocktail sauce after the last tent has been set up and everyone’s ready for their first beer.
Spinach Feta Wrap
A healthy camping breakfast that most people will actually eat? Yes please. Like the breakfast burritos, make them ahead, wrap them up and warm them in the fire.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
With no mayo in the mix, this salad really lasts in a well-iced cooler. It’s a great meal for the last night of camping when you simply cannot even turn on that stove and might even skip the campfire. You just want to sit back and watch the stars.
