Finding delicious ideas for camping food makes for fun memories. At camp, you cook together, enjoy a meal and tidy up. Relax, play a game, swim, hike, or fish. Then repeat. Cook together, enjoy a meal and tidy up, so you can do it all again. That’s the thing about family camping – somehow cooking becomes part of the entertainment and everyone pitches in to help. (If they only would do that at home, right? But that’s a different story.) At least when you are all together enjoying the great outdoors, you can cook up scrumptious memories. So, be sure you make unique food at camp so it can become part of your family’s camping traditions.
Breakfast Ideas for Camping Food
Just the Basics: Campfire Bacon and Eggs
Keep it simple with Bacon and Eggs. There is nothing better than the smell of fresh coffee and bacon sizzling on a crisp, quiet morning at camp. If there is going to be a meal that you cook by yourself without help, this is it. You can sip the first cup of coffee as the sun wakes up, the dew glistens and the birds chirp.
After a cup of coffee, you can fry up the bacon in a skillet on a propane camp stove. It’s as easy as your stove at home. Then you can make one big pot of scrambled eggs for the whole family or make over-easy eggs to order as each weary family camper crawls out of bed to snag a piece of crunchy bacon.
Bulls-Eye Eggs
Feeling a bit more creative at camp, you might want to try Bulls-Eye-Eggs also known as Eggs in a Hole or Eggs in a Basket, depending on who teaches you to make this “gourmet breakfast,” which is simply Eggs in Toast. (I first learned to make them at a Scout leader training years ago.) It’s an in-expensive breakfast that kids love.
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You simply butter both sides of your bread and tear a hole in the center. Turn your propane camp stove to medium, and gently crack your egg in the center of the bread’s hole. Cook for about two minutes. When the egg white starts to turn opaque, carefully, flip the toast and egg over. Nicky Omohundro of Little Family Adventure recommends making Eggs in a Basket with whole wheat, brioche, or cinnamon raisin bread to change up this classic camp food. She also suggests adding a spoonful of honey or maple syrup to the bread when you serve it.
Bulls-Eye-Eggs are a great way to get the early risers to help with breakfast. You can have them butter the bread slices, tear holes in the bread, or use a cookie-cutter. Serve with bacon and fruit.
Eggs in a Bag
This is one of those ideas for camping food that you simply must try. You won’t believe how easy and delicious it is until you do it yourself. Yes, you literally make omelets in heavy duty Ziploc® Freezer bags. Eggs in a Bag, also known as omelets in a bag, is a way everyone can prepare their omelets with their favorite fixings. (My sister taught me to make this camping favorite last summer when we were RV camping in the panhandle of Florida.)
Grab a Sharpie and write everyone’s name on a freezer bag. Simply have each family member crack two eggs and put a teaspoon of water into their freezer bag. Then add up to 1/4 cup of fixings – shredded cheese, diced ham, cooked and crumbled bacon, diced green onions, etc… Seal the bag (be sure to remove excess air) and squeeze the bag to mix the ingredients.
Place the sealed Ziploc freezer bags into a large boiling pot of water. It helps to hold the zippered part with tongs up out of the water. Be sure to move the bags around every now and then if they linger to close to the sides of the pot. The eggs will cook in about 10 to 12 minutes. You will be delighted to see how the omelets slides right out of the bag and onto your plate. The omelets truly cook up fluffy and delicious whether cooking on a camp stove or on Saturday morning at home on a traditional stove. Serve with sliced avocado, salsa, or fresh fruit.
Lunch and Dinner Ideas for Camping Food
Pocket Stew
One of the best ideas for camping food to get everyone involved is Pocket Stew. Pocket Stew is another way for everyone to make their own meal after you layout the Pocket Stew Building station. Pocket Stew is a foil packet meal with a hamburger patty or your favorite sausage, combined with your favorite vegetables like potatoes, carrots, corn, green beans, and onions.
Tear a large piece of heavy-duty foil (about 12 by 12 inches) for everyone. The foil will be your cook pot, and dinner plate, which makes cleaning up after dinner a breeze. Make hamburger patties for everyone or have smoked sausage sliced and ready. Of course, you can use fresh vegetables, but canned vegetables make it nice and easy for camping.
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Each camper places a hamburger or sausage in the middle of the foil and then spoons in their favorite vegetables. Be sure to have your family’s favorite seasonings on hand to elevate your Pocket Stew from simple camp food to gourmet – oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, etc…
You can use a Sharpie to write names on each foil packet so everyone ends up with the one they prepared. Or, you can use yellow mustard to write names or initials on the foil, too (The mustard burns into the foil). Place the foil packets directly onto the coals of the fire. Use tongs to flip them. It usually takes about 20 minutes on each side. Be sure to have your fire of hot coals ready to go. You can place your foil packets directly on the coals or on a grate.
Pie Irons: Pizza, Pies, Sandwiches, and More
When it comes to lunch and dinner ideas for camping food, stick with the unique fun menu items that are sure to create more delicious memories. If you camp regularly or have a backyard firepit, invest in a set of pie irons. (We have one for each family member.) Pie irons or sandwich makers let you make personal pizzas, pies, grilled cheese, and more. We prefer the cast iron ones because they cook evenly and last for years. They do come in round and square shapes.
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For Personal Pizzas, you simply butter your bread (Yes, you can even use gluten-free bread. We know this from experience.) and place it butter side down. You scoop your favorite pizza ingredients on one side of the bread – sauce, mushrooms, bacon, and cheese. Hook the two pie irons closed with the clasp and cook over the coals of your campfire. You can use a charcoal fire or you can build a wood fire and let it die down to the coals. Each side takes about 5 to 10 minutes depending on your fire temperature.
The bread transforms into a golden crust. The pizza pockets are delicious. Pie irons are great because even your little campers can pick their own pizza toppings. And they can cook their own pizzas with just a bit of help, too.
Ideas for Camping Food Should Include Pies!
Pie irons make dessert ideas for camping food simple. You can make a variety of pies in the same manner except for the filling, you put two spoonfuls of canned pie filling – apple, blueberry, peach, or cherry. You can even add a small piece of chocolate for chocolate cherry pie or a few small marshmallows to sweeten it a bit more. You can make grilled cheese, ham-and-cheese, or any variety of sandwiches with pie irons.
Tuna Noodle Salad
When trying to think of ideas for camping food that are easy to make and inexpensive – Tuna Noodle Salad certainly fits the bill. It is a great make-ahead lunch or dinner for a busy day at camp. Simply cook a box of macaroni noodles at breakfast time. Rinse with cold water and place them in your cooler or camp fridge, while you eat breakfast.
After breakfast, add two cans of tuna (canned chicken can be used if you prefer), 1 can of peas, and enough mayonnaise until it tastes good. Mix together. Place the Tuna Noodle Salad back in the cooler or camp fridge in a bowl with a lid to chill. Serve with potato chips, celery, and carrots. This is one of those easy camping meals for large groups that can be enjoyed back at camp after swimming, hiking, or exploring. Just double or triple the recipe as needed for your family. (If you like raw onion, diced onion on top gives the Tuna Noodle Salad a bit of a kick.)
Enjoy Traditional Camp Food, Too
Ideas for camping food can come from anywhere. You can adapt any of your favorite foods you make at home and make them on the propane camp stove or the campfire. However, it’s fun to try new recipes. You will soon discover your favorite camp meals based on your top priorities: best flavor, ease of transport, quick to make, and ones where everyone gets to be an outdoor cook. Don’t forget: On the list of easy camping meals for family is the simplest camp staple – hotdogs roasted on a stick over a campfire.
Sources: Favorite Family Recipes, Little Family Adventure, and TOGO RV.
Photo Credits: Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay, Little Family Adventure, Favorite Family Recipes, and TOGO RV.
WANT TO READ MORE?
Check out Daily Mom’s article, Goosewing Ranch, Wyoming {A Review with Photos}, for more family vacation ideas.
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