Easy Camping Meals for a Weekend Camping Trip

Feeling stuck with packing hotdogs and cereal every time you head out camping? Switch up your usual camping menu with some new, fun, and easy camping recipe ideas.  

There are many components that go into planning for a camping trip. Probably first and foremost would be deciding where to go and what activities you want to do while there. Second, is gathering the appropriate gear and deciding what food to bring. Many of us probably have our go-to camping meals, like hot dogs, cereal, or canned soup. These are great staples to rely on but may lose their appeal after eating them on repeat every time we head out. Just like meal planning at home, planning food for camping takes a little time and preparation. If we live busy lives and have little time to plan or are heading out on a spontaneous trip last minute, planning a gourmet camping menu may just seem unrealistic. In this post, you’ll find quick, easy, and delicious camping meal ideas that can add variety and fun into your camping menu without adding stress to your planning. 

Tips for Meal Planning for Camping 

1. Simple is best. No need to plan extravagant meals with a long list of ingredients (unless, of course, you enjoy that!). You can easily create flavourful and fun camping recipes using simple ingredients or utilizing some pre-made/convenience foods like canned soups, instant rice packages, bagged salads, tortellini/ravioli noodles, pre-made spice mixes like taco seasoning, etc.  
2. Consider what type of activities you’ll be doing and whether you’ll be at camp for meals or on-the-go. If it’s a more relaxed, sit-around-the-campfire type of trip, planning more involved meals may be something fun to include. If you know you’ll be busy fishing, hiking, biking, swimming, etc., opt for quick and easier type of meals. The best food to take for camping is that which works around your schedule.  
3. Plan meals that won’t spoil quickly. Unless you have a refrigerator in your trailer, many of us are relying on a cooler with ice to keep our perishable foods cool. Plan to eat any meals with perishable items, like fresh meat, at the beginning of your camping trip and plan to have meals using non-perishable items, like pasta with canned sauce, near the end.  
4. Assess what ingredients may be able to be prepped ahead of time to save on cooking time while you’re out there. Wash and cut vegetables, prep a cold pasta salad, or pre-cook dishes that won’t spoil easily.  
5. Don’t forget the snacks! Especially if we know we’re going to be on-the-go or away from camp during the day, snacks are important to keep ourselves energized for all the days adventures 

Quick & Easy Meal Ideas 

Breakfast Ideas  

• Hot oatmeal or other hot cereal  
• Cereal and milk 
• Yogurt, granola, and fruit salad   
• Pancakes with fresh fruit, whipped cream, peanut butter, nuts, maple syrup, etc.  
• French toast with fresh fruit, whipped cream, peanut butter, nuts, maple syrup, etc.  
• Scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast  
• Breakfast tacos (using tortilla wraps, scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese, salsa) 
• Breakfast skillet scramble (using eggs, leftover potatoes, leftover BBQ meat, cheese, onion, corn)  
• Breakfast sandwiches  

Lunch Ideas  

• Quesadillas with cheese and leftover meat or vegetables  
• Grilled cheese sandwiches and canned tomato soup 
• Sandwiches with deli meat  
• Wraps using leftover BBQ meat or deli meat  
• Bagged salad with leftover grilled meat and buns 
• Canned tuna/cheese and crackers  
• Instant noodles with boiled egg and added veg (like bok choy, spinach, or green onions) 

Dinner Ideas 

• Burritos with precooked meat (kept in cooler until needed) 
• Chili with buns. Could be prepped at home, frozen and stored in cooler, then reheated over camp stove/campfire. 
• Tortellini pasta with pre-made pasta sauce  
• Burgers (homemade or store-bought patties) with bagged salad mix and/or foil packet potatoes  
• BBQ meat and vegetables with bagged salad  
• Hot dogs/smokies
• Tin foil packet meal with chopped smokies, potatoes, onion, corn  
• Chicken and vegetable skewers  
• Pie iron sandwiches or pizzas 
• Sloppy joes. Filling could be prepped at home, frozen and stored in cooler, then reheated over camp stove/campfire. 

Snacks 

• Trail mix  
• Granola bars  
• Muffins/homemade cookies 
• Chips/popcorn/pretzels  
• Chocolate  
• Beef jerky or pepperoni sticks  
• Fresh fruit or fruit cups  
• Fresh vegetables cut up 

Now that you have some new meal ideas to add to your camping menu, you’re one step closer to an enjoyable and delicious camping trip! If you’re looking for more inspiration for camping food, check out Camp Kitchen  and Fresh Off the Grid for easy and delicious camping recipes. Remember to always practice leave no trace principles and dispose of food waste and garbage properly.