33 Super Easy Camping Recipes

If you want to go on a holiday but do not want to break the bank, one of the best trips to go on is a camping trip.

There are many campsites all around the country, and you may not even know how close a nice campsite is to you.

Staying in a campsite is often far cheaper than staying in a hotel, and you get a completely unique experience from staying in a different type of accommodation.

Especially with how technology obsessed life has become in recent years, going on a camping trip is the perfect way to have a digital detox and have a fun time as well.

There is one caveat which stops many people from camping, however, and this is having to do outdoor cooking. If you’re seeking some culinary adventure, consider exploring pie iron recipes to elevate your camping meals.

There are some campsites which have cafés and restaurants on-site, but for the most part, you will have to rely on your own abilities to feed yourself on these trips.

A lot of people assume it is incredibly difficult to cook outdoors and make food you can actually enjoy, but we are here to show you that there are plenty of options for delicious foods for you to enjoy on a camping trip. In fact, you can even indulge in classic camping desserts that will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Sometimes the food you make on a camping trip can actually end up more delicious than the food you make at home!

You may need to invest some money into getting proper camping cooking equipment, but this equipment tends to last significantly longer than standard cooking equipment, so you do not have to worry about it going to waste, especially if you camp quite often!

These recipes will cover camping classics, as well as recipes which you probably had not ever considered being possible to recreate while camping. So if you think that there are limited options for food while camping, read on to be proven wrong!

If you are planning a camping trip or just want some inspiration, this guide will cover all the information you need to be confident in your campfire cooking and let you know there is a massive variety of recipes for you to make while you are camping!

1.Campfire Skillet Breakfast

If you want one of the best available camping breakfasts, look no further than this skillet breakfast.

This is the perfect way to start off a day of outdoors activities and the best thing is the recipe is super easy and simple and can be customized to perfectly fit your tastes.

If the best meal of your day is breakfast, you have to try this recipe!

2.Cheese And Bacon Pull Apart Loaf

This recipe makes a perfect filling side which can easily be made while camping.

The combination of warm filling bread with molten cheese and crispy bacon is the perfect comfort food for a camping trip!

3.Chicken Tzatziki Skewers

This is a Greek-inspired recipe and if you love flavorful chicken, especially if it has been cooked over flames, this recipe will be perfect for you.

Making chicken skewers is super simple making this recipe easy for camping, and even better this recipe goes great with any sides!

4.Campfire French Toast

If you have never made French toast yourself, you will probably be surprised at how easy it is to make, but this recipe will make the process as simple as possible, simple enough that you can make it while camping. Just be sure to bring along some suitable breads for French toast.

For a great breakfast or snack which can easily be made while camping outdoors, you have to try this recipe!

5.Campfire Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast sandwiches (see also ‘23 Amazing Breakfast Sandwich Recipes‘) are a great way to enjoy all of your favorite breakfast snacks in one simple to prepare sandwich.

This recipe is super easy to customize and will make campfire breakfasts simple, especially if you are cooking for a group!

6.Foil Packed Shrimp Boil

Shrimp boil is not the kind of meal which people would expect to be able to cook when camping, but this recipe proves this is possible.

All the flavors combined in foil means that nothing escapes, and also makes it, so this is super easy to prepare!

You also do not get any dishes messy so the only thing you will have to clean is your hands!

7.Dutch Oven Dutch Baby

While this recipe is slightly more complicated and needs a few more ingredients than some of the others on this list, it is definitely worth the extra effort!

If you want a super filling and fruity breakfast cooked in a Dutch oven, you have to try this recipe!

8.Dutch Oven Campfire Nachos

Nachos are the perfect meal to make for a crowd and are perfect for customizing with your perfect toppings.

They are also super easy to prepare and cook over a campfire, so you do not have to worry about spending your whole day cooking at the fire!

9.Campfire Easy Chickpea Curry

Making a curry over a campfire is surprisingly easy and can still be full of flavor.

Chickpeas are the perfect key ingredient since they are super easy to pack for a camping trip and are also super nutritional!

If you want to show off your camping cooking skills, this is a great way to do so!

10.Campfire Grilled Cheese

While grilled cheese does not seem like the most impressive recipe, this simple classic is really easy to make while camping and of course does not need that many ingredients as well.

You can add any extras if you want to make it more interesting but even with just cheese you know it will be delicious!

11.Campfire Pizza

It is surprisingly easy to make a pizza over a campfire as this recipe proves, and the results are much better than most homemade pizza efforts because of the heat a campfire can reach gets close to mimicking a pizza oven.

If you are craving pizza while camping, this is the best recipe to try!

12.Chicken Pad Thai

Pad Thai is a takeout favorite, but making a filling chicken pad thai is actually easier than many would expect, so easy that it can be done while camping.

Craving takeout but do not want to order to the campsite? You have got to try this recipe!

13.Caramelized Onions On The Grill

This dish makes a great side to go with other meals, and if you follow the recipe, these will be some of the most flavorful caramelized onions you will have tried in your life!

14.Dutch Oven Cornbread

Cornbread is another side which goes great with campfire meals, but many people do not know how easy it is to make while camping.

If you want fresh hot cornbread, this recipe will not take too much time cooking in a Dutch oven!

15.Dutch Oven Mac And Cheese

Mac and cheese is a staple meal, and this recipe will talk you through how to make it perfect for camping!

You can also add any leftover meat you might have from your trip to make the meal even more filling!

16.Dutch Oven Roast Chicken

Making a whole roast chicken is not everyones first thought for a camping meal, but this recipe will walk you through the process to make it easy!

17.Campfire Chili Cheese Fries

Chili cheese fries are super filling and a great way to use up extra meat! You have to make the fries for a side or for a snack if you are craving something comforting!

18.One Pot Pasta Primavera

Pasta primavera is a super creamy pasta recipe which is a great way to get vegetables into your camping diet, so if you want something nice and fresh, try this recipe!

19.Dutch Oven Sausage

Preparing sausages in a Dutch oven is pretty easy and a great way to get a snack so follow this recipe to learn how to make it!

20.Bacon Barbecue Baked Beans

Beans are the classic campfire meal for how convenient and easy they are to prepare, but this recipe will make them the most delicious campfire beans you have ever tasted!

21.Super Simple Trail Mix

Trail mix does not require much cooking, but is a necessity if you are camping so if you want a simple snack, you got to try this mix!

22.Campfire Corn On The Cob

Corn is surprisingly easy to prepare on a campfire so if you want a simple easy way to prepare it while camping, follow this recipe!

23.Campfire Cowboy Stew Using Sausage And Beans

This cowboy stew does not need much prep and is full of flavor! If you want something easy but filling this is the recipe to try!

24.Sweet Potato And Chili

This is one of the most comforting and simple recipes to try on this list and sweet potatoes are a great way to fill up after a busy day!

25.BBQ Chicken And Bean Nachos In A Foil Packet

Cooking this chicken and nacho recipe in foil makes it simple and easy after a long day.

26.Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kebabs

These kebabs are super quick and easy to make and are full of flavor!

27.Campfire Apple Crisp

Apple crisp (see also ‘28 Super Simple Leftover Apple Recipes‘) is a classic dessert which is easy to make while camping if you follow this recipe!

28.Dutch Oven Enchiladas

Enchiladas made in a Dutch oven are even more delicious after a long day camping!

29.Foil Pack Cooked French Dip Sandwich

This sandwich is full of flavor and easy to make while camping!

30.Campfire Grilled Fish Tacos

If you have never tried grilled fish tacos, you have to try them next time you are camping!

31.Campfire Taco In A Bag

This taco in a bag is an easy and quick campfire meal to prepare.

32.Camping Garlic Bread

Garlic bread is a delicious side which this recipe makes simple to prepare while camping.

33.Campfire Potatoes

Making potatoes is a classic for camping and this recipe makes the process simple!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Food Is The Best For Camping?

The best foods to invest in for camping trips are those which are easy to transport and will keep without needing refrigeration or freezing.

If you have a food which you are not constantly worrying about going off or getting damaged while travelling, you will be able to have a much less stressful trip and be able to have a much better time!

Also make sure to plan in advance how often you will be able to buy new supplies, and how often you will be close to a shop where you can buy new foods to stock up.

Aim to get dry foods which are easy to cook with minimal supplies like pasta, rice, crackers, bread, or cereal, and even powdered milk, so you do not have to worry about keeping milk fresh!

Eggs are also a good choice since they are very nutritional, but make sure to store them in a way they will not break, or pre cook them.

When it comes to food you would usually buy fresh, getting tinned versions is usually preferable as these will last a lot longer and be easier to look after!

What Is The Most Popular Food For Camping?

The most popular foods for camping are different in every culture, but the consistent factor between all of these is that they are long-lasting and do not need specific storage conditions.

This usually consists of dried or dehydrated foods (a lot of avid campers have started buying dehydrators, so they can bring different liquid foods on trips and then rehydrate them when they are needed).

Tinned foods are of course popular because they are in functional and practical packaging which is not fragile.

They are also often easy to heat up without too much equipment.

Best Tools For Campfire Cooking?

When going out camping you can make a lot with very limited equipment, but the more you camp, the more options you will want for foods you can make, and the way you can do this is by getting more camping cooking equipment.

There are some essentials you should get depending on the type of cooking you want to do, and the best way to work this out is to know some key dishes you want to make (choose a couple from this list) and then work out what you will need to make them.

You could also go and talk to a professional at a camp supply store and get recommendations on what you should buy.

If you are a coffee fan, getting an outdoors percolator is a great idea for getting a great coffee while in the outdoors.

A cast iron skillet is a great choice for cooking in a specific way over a campfire. A lot of the recipes on this list work a lot better, or only work, if you have a Dutch oven.

There are whole companies dedicated to campfire cooking equipment, so looking at their catalogs will give you a great idea of what will suit your needs best.

Also do not forget to buy utensils and tools to make using these cookers simpler and safer!

What Food Can You Make Ahead For Camping?

There are plenty of ideas for foods and meals you can make ahead for a camping trip, and if you know something does not need specific storage conditions, and will travel well, these are the perfect ideas for meals you can make ahead. If you’re looking for convenient options, consider preparing some party mini sandwiches recipes.

For breakfast dishes like oats, pancakes, or muffins are great. For lunch, you can make noodles, sandwiches, or salads.

For dinner there are plenty of hot meals which work great, but remember the less liquid or sauce, the better as this goes bad quicker and is more likely to make a mess.

For sweets and desserts there are plenty of choices as most of these dishes do not need to be stored in a specific way!

How To Plan A Camping Menu?

If you are anxious about not knowing what to eat while you are camping and running out of ideas.

Or maybe not packing the right ingredients, or not packing enough ingredients, the best thing you can do is make a camping menu or a meal plan.

This sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is.

All you need to do is come up with a few meals you would be able to prepare with the equipment you have and preparing for how you will make them.

While you can do this quite free form, there is some advice worth following if you want more guidance on this!

Firstly you should make sure to make your meal plan in conjunction with a shopping list, so you do not forget any key ingredients you will need.

Also do not be too extreme with your planning and instead take a more minimal approach, especially if this is your first time.

This gives you more wiggle room for if there are mistakes or if you want to be more flexible. 

Take this approach when choosing meals, you will want to choose dishes which will not make too much mess and are not too complex to make.

And finally do not forget about how you will eat the food. Try not to make meals which need specific utensils to eat and can not just use standard camping equipment.

How To Keep Food Cold While Camping?

While most of this list has advised against using foods which need to stay cool, sometimes it is a preference to keep some things cool, or to bring dishes which should stay cool.

The best way to do this is to use a cooler but even with this (depending on the length of your trip) you might need to keep dishes cooler for longer.

The best advice is to plan to use your cooled products first and use the dry dishes after the cooler can not be used.

The best way to keep food and drink cold in the cooler is to freeze it before you arrive, so it will slowly defrost throughout your trip.

Also making sure your coolers are as cold as possible before leaving, so they will not defrost prematurely.

It is also best to use reusable ice packs as if you have access to a camp freezer they are easy to reuse as well as costing less in the long run. Make sure to also pack your freezer tightly, so no warm air can invade. 

Using frozen water bottles is a great way to keep stuff cool and also gives you access to cold water when it has defrosted.

Also make sure to keep your cooler closed as often as possible and when it is open, do not leave it open, Also choose the coldest spot possible to store your cooler, and make sure it is in shade instead of in direct sunlight!