Easy Camping Recipes (2024)

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Make your camping trips delicious with these Easy Camping Recipes that are simple and satisfying!

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Well summer here is officially over. The kids are back to school this week, the sun has changed and it already has that crispness of fall in the air. But we’re not sad. We love fall, the routine and the weather. All of it.

And just because it’s fall doesn’t mean that the fun of summer has to end. In fact, we plan on camping right into October. It’s actually the perfect time to camp, because the campgrounds are empty and quiet, and the air in the mountains smells ah-mazing this time of year!

Maybe you camp into the fall & winter too? I draw the line at winter camping. You won’t ever catch me in a tent in one of our winters. No. Way. Anyway, I wanted to share with you some of our fun and food from our last camping trip…I hope you enjoy it. 🙂

On our last camping trip we headed out to beautiful Kananaskis country. This gorgeous mountain park is an hour and half from our home, and it is one of the nicest places to camp. The air smells like trees and sunshine. The only noises you hear are the wind, the trees and ravens in the sky. Kananaskis is truly breathtaking! Buuuuut, there are bears. Yep. Bears. And we sleep in a tent. #crazy

Another great thing about camping here? There is no cell service. None. No texts. No e-mails. No checking the phone for anything. Which is very liberating (and very awful all at the same time!). But I do still take a lot of pictures with my phone and post them to Instagram later. I just really love to do this. It’s kind of like journaling for me.

I mean how can you not want to take pictures of everything?! Just look at that sky. Glorious and so worth the no cell service, the outhouses, the cheeky birds and the lack of sleep. No really, it is. 🙂

And the lakes. Oh my the lakes. They’re turquoise. And cold. SO so so cold. But how pretty! We like to spend a lot of our time at the lakes…we pack lunches and eat on the beach, skip rocks and just soak all this beauty in.

And what is it about kids and not feeling the cold?! They would have been right in there if I’d have packed their swimsuits…next time I guess! #toocoldforme! We spent hours at this spot.

In fact, we made the most delicious lunch right at this spot. Who can beat eating that yumminess with all that beauty in the background?

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We always try to make sure we eat really well on our camping trips! So I’m going to share with you some of what we munched on on this recent trip.

Starting with this yummy lunch…

This is a really simple lunch we whipped up in about 15 minutes with just a cutting board, a can opener and a knife. I like to bring all my veggies pre-washed too, so you don’t have to worry about doing that while camping.

Here’s the easiest recipe ever:
Chopped Mexican Bean & Corn Salad

1 can of sweet kernel corn, 1 can of black beans, 1 red bell pepper chopped, 3 green onions chopped, 1 handful of cilantro chopped, 2 avocados chopped, 2 large tomatoes chopped, the juice from 2 limes, salt & pepper to taste. You can even add cheese if you like.

Serve with tortilla chips. Yum.

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Did I mention we eat like kings while camping?! 🙂 For dinner one night we had Orange Ginger Chicken.

Camping food doesn’t have to be unhealthy or boring! I actually think camp-cooking is the easiest, because most of the dishes are one-pot meals, and you can’t beat that! This Orange Ginger Chicken dish was prepped at home, and we just brought it marinading & ready to go in a zip lock bag! Major deliciousness!

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Orange Ginger Chicken

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  • Author: Jo-Anna Rooney

Ingredients

Scale

The Marinade

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tbsp sweet rice wine
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 clove of garlic (minced)
  • 2 tbsp minced gingeroot
  • orange zest

Stir Fry

  • 4 chicken breasts (cut into bite sized chunks)
  • 1 red bell pepper (chopped into bite sized chunks)
  • 2 carrots (chopped into bite sized chunks)
  • 2 celery sticks (chopped into bite sized chunks)
  • 1 can pineapple chunks (including the juice)

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a saucepan, and cook on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
  2. Prep the chicken and the vegetables, and put them into a ziplock bag or some other container. (I like to use ziplock bags so you can just throw the bag out after, without having to worry about cleaning up after raw chicken.)
  3. Once the marinade has cooled, add it to the chicken/veggie mix. Combine. Refrigerate until you are ready to cook it. To transfer it for camping, just make sure to keep it in a cooler with ice.
  4. Cook over the fire in a skillet (or if you are at home, just cook it on the stove in a frying pan)

Notes

Serve over rice, which you can also cook over the fire!

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And for dinner the next night we had a ham dinner. Ham & potatoes. For reals.

We cooked a spiral ham over the fire! Oh yes we did!

Campfire Ham
I just placed it in a tin container, added a bit of water to the pan, and covered it with tin foil. It took about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to heat through. It was so easy to make, and was so delicious. And we had leftovers which were great for lunch the next day!

We served the ham with campfire potatoes. So easy.

Campfire Roasted Potatoes
1 lb of potatoes cut into bite sized chunks, 1 onion chopped, 2-3 tbsp butter, salt & pepper to taste. Just wrap them up in tin foil and place it on the grill over the fire. They take about 20 – 30 minutes to cook.

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But the best part of camping are the nights.

There is just nothing like having a campfire in the great outdoors. S’mores, stargazing and spending good, quality time with your family. I love this part SO much! We even managed to sneak in some craft time while we were there and assembled this cute lantern from Kiwi Cratethat came in our monthly craft box. The kids loved putting this lantern together and hanging it in our campsite! So fun!

Actually, our Kiwi Crate for July was perfect for camping, so we brought the whole thing with us! Our 3 year old especially loved this little scavenger hunt. It was so easy and fun for him to scour our campsite for treasures!

We have the best time camping…it can be hard with little ones, but the experience is really worth all the effort! We’re making memories with our kids and we just can’t beat that! Crossing our fingers that our fall weather cooperates so we can continue our fun for a few more weeks!

Have an inspired day!

For even more easy camping recipes, see my other post here.

Easy Camping Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What food to take camping for 3 days? ›

A good assortment of salamis, crackers, cheese, berries, apples, jam/honey, nuts and dried fruit are sure to make everyone happy. Cost Plus World Market is my favorite place for picking up packaged meats and cheeses that don't have to be refrigerated.

What is your favorite food to cook while camping? ›

Cooking fresh meats and vegetables can be a delicious and healthy option when camping. Bringing along a portable grill or a cast iron pan allows you to cook a variety of dishes such as grilled chicken, steak, or roasted vegetables directly over the campfire or on a camp stove.

What canned food is easy to eat camping? ›

Some of the top shelf-stable food items to bring on a camping trip include canned fruits, vegetables, and meats, as well as dried fruits, nuts, and beef jerky. These foods are easy to pack and don't require refrigeration, making them ideal for camping trips.

What's a good camping menu? ›

Best Camping Dinner Ideas
  • Sausage and Tortellini Soup. ...
  • Dutch Oven Red Beans and Rice. ...
  • Chipotle Grilled Chicken Tacos. ...
  • Chicken Pineapple Kabobs. ...
  • One Pot Chili Mac. ...
  • Cilantro & Lime Grilled Chicken Tacos. ...
  • Tzatziki Chicken Skewers. ...
  • Shrimp Boil Foil Packets.
May 28, 2022

What is easy camping food for a week? ›

For some alternative easy camping recipes, consider peanut butter and banana wraps, grilled cheese sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, deli wraps, and quesadillas. Or bring veggies like corn, peas, and peppers. Sausage and pepper foil packets make a great easy lunch too, just don't forget the olive oil!

What food to take camping without fridge? ›

Non-Refrigerated Camping Food To Consider
  • Bagels with cream cheese.
  • Cereal with powdered milk.
  • Instant oatmeal.
  • Honey or syrup.
  • Toast with peanut butter.
  • Homemade or store-bought muffins.
  • Tortillas.
  • Breakfast-style potatoes.

What to pack for a 2 day 1 night camping trip? ›

Essential Camping Gear
  • Appropriately sized backpack (50-65 liters is a good size for 2-3 nights in the backcountry)
  • Shelter (i.e. tent, bivvy sack, hammock, and tarp)
  • Sleeping bag.
  • Sleeping pad.
  • Water bottle or reservoir, water treatment system (i.e. a water filter or purifying tablets)
  • Cookware.
Jun 1, 2023

What to make for dinner when camping? ›

27 Easy Camping Meals to Make Camp Cooking a Breeze
  • Campfire nachos. ...
  • Chicken tzatziki skewers. ...
  • Shrimp boil foil packets. ...
  • Easy chickpea curry. ...
  • Sausage breakfast sandwiches. ...
  • Chicken Pad Thai. ...
  • Dutch oven mac & cheese. ...
  • One pot pasta primavera.
Aug 12, 2021

What are side dishes to bring camping? ›

Top 8 Camping Side Dishes
  • Avocado.
  • Sliced Tomato.
  • Frozen or Canned Veggies.
  • Instant Mashed Potatoes.
  • Precooked Rice.
  • Quinoa Packets.
  • Tortellini.
  • Cold Pasta Salad.

What is the best long life food for camping? ›

Protein
  • processed salami-type meat products, jerky.
  • eggs (fresh, unwashed, home-laid eggs last longest)
  • Tinned (or pre-cooked and dehydrated) Chickpeas, Lentils, Kidney Beans, etc.
  • Single-serve tins or sachets of tuna or other fish.
  • Tinned meats, e.g. braised steak in single serve packs.
  • nuts and seeds.
  • protein powders.
Feb 13, 2022

What meat can you take camping? ›

If I am car camping I will bring a cooler with frozen milk jugs, this way I can bring most refrigerated meat, I will often freeze it before leaving to have an extra margin of safety. If I am not car camping I will bring summer sausage, jerky and canned beef or chicken.

Where do you put food at night when camping? ›

At night, place any loose food, plus a cooler if you have one, inside a metal bear box if there is one.

What are easy cheap snacks for camping? ›

No-Cook, Grab 'n' Go Camping Snacks:
  • Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit.
  • Freeze-dried fruits and veggies with roasted bean or chickpea snacks.
  • Cheese stick + single serving whole grain cracker packs.
  • Snack bars like CLIF Kid Zbar® Protein for the kids and CLIF® Nut Butter Bar for adults.
  • Squeezable yogurt + mandarin orange.

What food doesn't need to be cooked or refrigerated? ›

Fresh apples, oranges, kiwi, mangoes, watermelon, pineapple, and even avocado can be enjoyed without a fridge. Just ensure you finish eating them after slicing them up as soon as possible. This will help you keep bugs away. You can also opt for dry/dehydrated fruits or canned varieties.

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