Planning camping food doesn’t have to be complicated.
For your first few camping trips, the goal isn’t to recreate a restaurant-quality dinner in the middle of the woods.
The goal is to bring food that’s easy to transport, simple to cook, filling, and easy to clean up afterward.
A good camping meal plan can make the entire trip easier.
Start by planning meals around the number of people and nights you’ll be camping.
For a simple weekend camping trip, you might need:
Think about what can be prepared at home before you leave.
The more preparation you do at home, the less work you’ll have at the campsite.
Breakfast should be simple, especially if you’re planning to hike or start driving early.
Some beginner-friendly options include:
A classic camping breakfast.
Cook bacon first, then use the same skillet for eggs.
Prepare them at home and wrap them individually.
At camp, you can simply heat them in a skillet.
Oatmeal requires very little cooking equipment.
All you need is hot water and a bowl.
Add:
Pancake mix can be convenient for car camping.
Bring the dry mix in a sealed container and add water when you’re ready to cook.
Lunch doesn’t always need to involve cooking.
Some easy options include:
If you’re going hiking during the day, sandwiches, wraps, and snacks are especially convenient.
Dinner is where your camping stove becomes useful.
A two-burner camping stove can give you enough flexibility to cook multiple parts of a meal at the same time.
Some easy options include:
Bring tortillas, cooked or pre-prepared meat, cheese, lettuce, salsa, and your favorite toppings.
You can prepare much of the meal at home.
One-pot meals are excellent for camping because they reduce cleanup.
Cook pasta, sauce, vegetables, and protein in one pot.
Prepare chili at home and simply heat it at the campsite.
This is one of the easiest options for a cold evening.
Bring pre-formed patties and simple toppings.
They’re easy to cook on a camping stove or suitable outdoor grill.
Combine meat, vegetables, and seasoning in foil packets and cook them according to the appropriate food-safety and cooking instructions.
Camping can make you surprisingly hungry, especially if you’re hiking.
Bring easy snacks such as:
Keep snacks accessible during the day.
Water should be your primary drink.
For morning and evening, you may also want:
Remember that drinks also take up space in your cooler or vehicle.
Plan them as part of your total water and food supply.
For beginner camping trips, avoid foods that require complicated preparation.
You may want to skip:
The campsite isn’t the best place to discover that your recipe requires three pans and 45 minutes of preparation.
Keep it simple.
One of the best camping food hacks is doing the work before you leave.
You can:
Then you can spend more time enjoying the campsite.
If you’re bringing meat, dairy products, eggs, or other perishable foods, you’ll need reliable cold storage.
That’s where your cooler becomes one of the most important pieces of camping equipment.
For more information, see our next guide:
How to Keep Food Cold While Camping Without a Fridge
A simple rule is to plan slightly more than you think you’ll need.
Camping plans can change.
You might hike longer than expected or decide to stay at the campsite instead of going into town.
At the same time, don’t bring an enormous amount of food that will create unnecessary waste.
Plan meals first, then add a small amount of extra food for snacks or unexpected situations.
Here’s an easy example for beginners.
Friday dinner:
Tacos + fruit
Saturday breakfast:
Eggs + bacon + coffee
Saturday lunch:
Sandwiches + snacks
Saturday dinner:
One-pot pasta
Sunday breakfast:
Oatmeal + fruit
Sunday lunch:
Sandwiches or wraps
This is simple, flexible, and doesn’t require a huge amount of cooking equipment.
The best camping food isn’t necessarily the most impressive.
It’s food that’s easy to transport, easy to cook, and enjoyable after a long day outdoors.
For your first camping trip, start with simple meals and prepare as much as possible at home.
Once you’re comfortable cooking at camp, you can experiment with more complicated recipes.
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