Camping is a classic summer vacation. Nothing pulls people out of the hustle and bustle of daily life than communing with nature and gathering around a campfire. It’s important to be prepared especially with your food. Today you’ll learn how to prepare food ahead of time by creating camping food lists, how to prepare food safely, and keep it safe while camping. Here you will find recipes that can be prepared ahead of time and cooked easily while camping.

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Food Preparation

 It’s a great idea to prep your food ahead of time.  When cooking outdoors a general rule of thumb is the less time your food spends exposed to the elements the better which is why chopping, cutting and prepping food before leaving makes so much sense. There’s less exposure to warm temperatures and bugs. In addition, making a list, meal plan and prepping food beforehand will save a lot of time. using these methods you’ll be sure to have the best camping trip this summer.

Meat Prep

Full Disclosure:  After two training courses in food safety I am extra cautious when handling meat.

Its not recommend to travel with a lot of raw meat.  You may want to grill on the BBQ or campfire but unless you have access to a grocery store or a fridge/freezer then I would keep the raw meats to a minimum.  If you do decide to travel with raw meat then I would suggest the following:

-Have a separate cooler for meat.

-Keep different meats separate from each other- you can do this by storing the already wrapped meat in sealed in freezer-safe containers. Beef should be stored with beef, pork with pork and so on.  Each should be stored in its own layer of ice and tightly sealed.  If the juices leak it could cross contaminate the meat which could potentially ruin all the meat in the cooler.  I recommend keeping a thermometer in your coolers so you can keep track of the temperature. Should the temperature start to rise you can add more ice or cook it right away.

-Do not store fish in the same cooler as meat.  If you do, store it in the very bottom of the cooler wrapped very well.

-If you plan on having homemade burgers, make them ahead of time. 

-Bacon holds up very well.  Highly recommend cooking ahead of time and taking it with you to add to meals or a quick breakfast. It will still need to be kept cool though. Deli meats and processed meats can be kept on the top( sealed and in a Ziploc bag or container)

If you do no have access to a freezer ( RV or Cabin) and depending on the length of your trip you may decide to cook any raw meat in the first 24 hours to ensure the safety. Or you can cook the meat ahead of time and use it as a topping for salads or use it in foil packet meals as you’ll see below. You will still need to keep it cool( even cooked meats can be left out for no more than 2 hours without being cooled) but the temperature for cooked meats is no higher than 4 degrees Celsius or 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit; by cooking the meat you can decrease the risk of spoiled food.

If you are camping you have a couple of options for cooking: you can get a propane grill ( which may be the way to go with the rise in forest fires.) Or you can get a grill for cooking over your campfire.

Vegetable and Berry Prep

  You can save yourself so much time by prepping your vegetables before you leave, plus it’s less likely that you are going to forget integral items if you are prepping ahead of time. I suggest cutting and storing veg according to your meal plan while having some cut for snacks, (ie. Carrot sticks, cucumber, celery sticks).  Berries can be saved in mason jars and kept cold in the cooler.  Fruit like apples and pears should be kept whole as they brown easily.

Pancakes and waffles

  Pancakes and waffle travel well and are great to take on camping trips!  They are versatile and can be used for a quick breakfast, snacks, and dessert. The most time-consuming part is making them in the first place which is why it’s advisable to make them ahead and pack them in your cooler. You can heat them quickly and serve them.  Get creative!

Overview

 Prepping out ingredients ahead of time has a ton of benefits and can make for an easy and fun camping trip. 

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THE RECIPES

 I have included some recipes that use some of the prep techniques listed above. I’ve also tried to use recipes that use the same ingredients in different ways so camping meals don’t break the bank. The possibilities are endless; I’ve included some selections for each meal as well as some snack items, but I encourage you to be creative. 

 Breakfast

 English muffin breakfast sandwiches

NOTE:  You can make these ahead of time and store them in a cooler. Just make sure they are individually wrapped in foil and then stored in a large Ziploc bag. These will keep for about 2 days in the cooler as long as the temperature is 4 degrees or lower. Do not use mayo or butter if you want to add a spread do so either just before cooking or just after.  Cool in foil wrap till heated through. 

Breakfast potatoes

In a large Ziploc bag add 2 cups of diced potatoes, with enough olive oil to coat potatoes ( approx. ¼ of a cup), 1 TBSP of oregano and 2 TSP of sea salt. Seal the bag and shake ingredients to mix. Wrap Ziploc bag in tin foil.

Remove foil from potatoes and pour diced potatoes into the foil. Wrap and cook until potatoes are softened.  (15-20 minutes)

Pancake/Waffle Breakfast Sandwiches

Warm Pancakes or Waffles

Assemble sandwich with the pancakes or waffles acting as your bread.  You can either drizzle syrup over the top or in the middle.  Enjoy!

 Lunch/Dinner

English Muffin Pizzas

This recipe is so simple and uses English muffins.  If you are camping with little ones this is a great activity to include them in the cooking process.

Foil Meals

 

Foil meals are fantastic because the foil keeps the heat sealed in without searing the food inside while allowing for a more consistent heat. I never combine raw meat and vegetables so I would suggest you cook your meat first and then add it to the veggies in the foil or cook the meat separately and serve the vegetables as a side.

BBQ chicken and veg foil

If grilling on the campsite, cook chicken with a little more BBQ sauce than usual. Once cooked remove and dice. You can also make the chicken beforehand in which case you can add it to the vegetables once they are about half way cooked. Place vegetables and seasoning in the foil packet or foil container, seal and place on grill.

Cheesy Beef Foil

Combine green peppers, red peppers, onion and beef in foil, coat in olive oil and seal. Cook until the vegetables are soft and the beef is warm.  Sprinkle cheese and cover loosely  until cheese is melted. You can serve this over rice, as a sandwich or wrap. 

 Snacks and Desserts

Trail Mix

  Trail mix is the perfect on the go snack: the possible combinations are endless. I would however, suggest that if you are adding chocolate to your mix that you keep the mix cool other wise the chocolate will melt.  Nuts are great to add protein to the mix, if you have allergies you can look into alternatives such as roasted chickpeas.

Chocolate Berry Waffle Dessert

Once the waffles are warmed spread the hazelnut spread and berries.

Baked apple foil dessert

I recommend a sweeter apple for this dessert like a pink lady or a gala apple.  I tried it with pink lady then with granny smith and while I love granny smith apples I found the sweeter apple made the better dessert than the tart.

Coat apples in cinnamon and brown sugar

Add to foil packet or container.  Add granola and drizzle in syrup or honey.  ( Real maple syrup is best but if you have table syrup that will be fine, there is more sugar in table syrup so I might suggest using a little less syrup and using some butter or olive oil.  ½ tbsp. 

Cover the apples and cook until apples are soft (15 -20 minutes)

S’Mores

Honestly, are you even camping if you don’t have s’mores?

Smoothies

There are endless combinations for smoothies! If you are camping I might avoid dairy if you are not able to keep it cold. Juice would be fine or even water would work. If you are able to add ice or frozen berries you could combine your smoothie and trail mix for a morning smoothie bowl. There are plenty of rechargeable, portable blenders which are great for taking camping. There are plenty of e-books and online resources you can take with you on your phone to give you smoothie ideas you can add to your camping food list!

Tips for Food Safety and Campground safety

Camping is a great way to get away and reconnect with nature.  Here are a few tips to ensure that your trip is fun and safe!

• Check with the campsite ahead of time to see what amenities they offer.  Do they have Ice?  Wood for campfires?  Is there a store nearby? 
• Get a couple of thermometers to keep in your coolers so you can ensure the temperature is safe, you can also take one to check the temperature of cooked food as well.
• Make sure you have multiple freezer packs for your coolers as well as ice.  Another idea is to freeze water bottles, juice boxes etc, not only will this keep your drinks cold but it will also help keep the temperature of your cooler down as well ( avoid drinking anything that was kept in the meat cooler).
• Invest in good coolers and equipment that you use specifically for camping. 
• Fun Fact: They do make portable mini-fridges that plug into your car. I’ve never used one, but here is a link to check one out.
• Have a plan for washing dishes on your campsite and make sure you clean your grills.  Any and all food will attract wildlife to your campsite. 
• On that note, make sure you store all food when you are done with it, especially at night. You don’t want to attract a bear, but squirrels and chipmunks are crafty little creatures and will chew through your tent to get to your food.  (Guess how I know) 
• Creating a meal plan can help take the guess work out of meal time when on the road.  Be sure to include some fun snacks as well, you are on vacation after all.  
• Pack lots of water and have extra in your car just in case. Collapsible water jugs are easy and save space when not in use.

Have Fun!

Camping is all about getting away and relaxing. No matter how much you plan, things will always veer off the beaten path. Having a meal plan in place can help you take the guess work out of what to eat. That doesn’t mean you can’t be inventive around the campfire, so go ahead and create something new to add to your camping cookbook Most of all have fun!

This website may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. Please note that I only recommend products or services that I believe will  help my readers.