Our easy camping meals use hearty, rustic ingredients (and a few fun ones—we didn't forget s'mores!).
33 Easy Camping Meals You Can Actually Make Outdoors
Updated on Sep. 01, 2024
Just cause you’re spending a few days in the great outdoors doesn’t mean you have to go on a steady diet of trail mix or forage for your food. Fill your camping meal plan with these easy camping recipes meant to be cooked over a fire or camp stove.
This list is chock-full of breakfasts, lunches and dinners with low-lift prep methods and simple ingredients, but we’re sure you’ll look forward to them year after year. (Camping is hard work, so don’t forget to make room for campsite-friendly desserts!)
Camping with the whole gang? These are our best group camping meals.
Bratwurst Supper
Here’s an easy camping meal that grills to perfection in a heavy-duty foil bag. Loaded with chunks of bratwurst, red potatoes, mushrooms and carrots, it’s easy to season with onion soup mix and a little soy sauce. —Janice Meyer, Medford, Wisconsin
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Ham & Jack Pudgy Pie
Total Time
10 min
Servings
1 serving
From the Recipe Creator:
Pepper jack cheese adds spicy flavor to these warm, melty pudgy pies. —Terri McKitrick, Delafield, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 sandwich: 268 calories, 9g fat (4g saturated fat), 33mg cholesterol, 823mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 15g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 medium-fat meat.
3/33
Grilled Corn in Husks
Total Time
40 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you’re new to grilling corn in the husk, season the ears with butter, Parmesan cheese and parsley. It’s especially good! Be sure to give the corn a long soak before putting it on the grill. Hot off the grate, the kernels are moist and tender with a wonderful, sweet flavor. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Nutrition Facts:
1 ear grilled corn: 196 calories, 9g fat (5g saturated fat), 24mg cholesterol, 186mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 4g fiber), 8g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat.
4/33
Blueberry-Cinnamon Campfire Bread
Total Time
40 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A neighboring camper made a bread so tempting, I had to ask for the details. Here’s my version, best enjoyed with a steaming cup of coffee by the campfire. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Nutrition Facts:
2 pieces: 266 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated fat), 142mg cholesterol, 185mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 5g fiber), 12g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 medium-fat meat, 1/2 fruit, 1/2 fat.
Use your trusty pot in these other Dutch oven camping recipes.
5/33
Camper’s Breakfast Hash
Total Time
25 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When we go camping with family and friends, I’m always asked to make this hearty breakfast. This camping breakfast is a favorite at home, too. —Linda Krivanek, Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 376 calories, 27g fat (12g saturated fat), 364mg cholesterol, 520mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 18g protein.
6/33
Foil-Packet Potatoes and Sausage
Total Time
50 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My family enjoys camping and cooking over a fire. These easy foil-packet potatoes turn out beautifully over a campfire, on the grill or in the oven at home. —Julie Koets, Elkhart, Indiana
Nutrition Facts:
1 packet: 414 calories, 25g fat (10g saturated fat), 61mg cholesterol, 1181mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 17g protein.
7/33
Skillet Herb Bread
Total Time
45 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My mom created this recipe more than 40 years ago. Thanks to the trusty cast-iron skillet, you can make it at home or over a campfire. —Shirley Smith, Yorba Linda, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 275 calories, 9g fat (2g saturated fat), 57mg cholesterol, 598mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 2g fiber), 7g protein.
8/33
Pizza Mountain Pies
Total Time
10 min
Servings
1 serving
From the Recipe Creator:
Because we liked this pudgy pie recipe as an easy camping meal, I started making them for my daughter on our stove at home. —Pam Weik, West Lawn, Pennsylvania
Nutrition Facts:
1 sandwich: 388 calories, 23g fat (12g saturated fat), 56mg cholesterol, 745mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 14g protein.
9/33
Cheesy Ham & Potato Packet
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I found the technique for grilling ham, potatoes and cheese in foil and changed the recipe for our tastes. —Molly Bishop, McClure, Pennsylvania
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/2 cups: 341 calories, 13 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 70 mg cholesterol, 1040 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate (4 g sugars, 4 g fiber), 26 g protein.
10/33
Easy Grilled Corn with Chipotle-Lime Butter
Total Time
30 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Grilling corn in the husks is so easy. There's no need to remove the silk and tie the husk closed before grilling. Just soak, grill and add your favorite flavored butter. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 ear of corn with 2 tablespoons butter: 225 calories, 13g fat (8g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 265mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 3g fiber), 5g protein.
11/33
Really Good Snack Mix
Total Time
55 min
Servings
about 7 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
I grew tired of my family picking through a snack mix for their favorite ingredients and leaving the rest. So I experimented using only their most-loved mix-ins and came up with this recipe. Now there's never any left! —Lori Genske, Waldo, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1/2 cup: 180 calories, 11g fat (3g saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 269mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 fat, 1 starch.
Stay cool with these no-cook camping food ideas.
12/33
Lemon-Dill Salmon Packets
Total Time
25 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Grilling in foil is an easy technique I use with foods that cook quickly, such as fish, shrimp, bite-sized meats and fresh veggies. The options are endless—and the cleanup is easy. —A.J. Weinhold, McArthur, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 fillet: 305 calories, 19g fat (5g saturated fat), 93mg cholesterol, 405mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 29g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 5 lean meat, 1 fat.
Camping in an RV? Try these camper meals!
13/33
Dutch Oven Cheesy Bacon & Eggs
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For campouts, my sister and I escape on horseback into the woods. We make bacon and eggs the first morning, then love the leftovers for the rest of the trip. —Mary Burris, Okeechobee, Florida
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 393 calories, 25g fat (12g saturated fat), 242mg cholesterol, 907mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 21g protein.
14/33
Campers Favorite Dip
Total Time
15 min
Servings
3-1/2 cups
From the Recipe Creator:
Our family craves this cheesy chili dip so much we make two batches—one especially for the guys. If you’re not grilling out, bake it in the oven. —Valorie Ebie, Bel Aire, Kansas
Nutrition Facts:
1/4 cup: 250 calories, 17g fat (7g saturated fat), 32mg cholesterol, 403mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 9g protein.
15/33
Campfire Pancakes with Peanut Maple Syrup
Total Time
20 min
Servings
8 pancakes (1/4 cup syrup)
From the Recipe Creator:
My family loves eating s'mores around the campfire when we vacation at the lake. Campfire pancakes are my tribute to those happy times. —Cheryl Snavely, Hagerstown, Maryland
Nutrition Facts:
2 pancakes with 1 tablespoon syrup mixture: 407 calories, 13g fat (7g saturated fat), 50mg cholesterol, 386mg sodium, 63g carbohydrate (43g sugars, 2g fiber), 8g protein.
16/33
Campfire Peach Cobbler
Total Time
55 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This dutch oven peach cobbler recipe has been a family classic for 60 years. We prefer peaches, but fresh cherries and berries are fun too. Almost any fruit would work. Mix and match! —Jackie Wilson, Wellsville, Utah
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 455 calories, 12g fat (8g saturated fat), 33mg cholesterol, 505mg sodium, 82g carbohydrate (57g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.
17/33
Sweet Horseradish Glazed Ribs
Total Time
2 hours 25 min
Servings
8 servings.
From the Recipe Creator:
If you like to prep ahead of camping, roast these ribs, wrap them and finish with a sweet, savory sauce at your campfire or grill. —Ralph Jones, San Diego, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 690 calories, 42g fat (15g saturated fat), 163mg cholesterol, 674mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 0 fiber), 45g protein.
18/33
Campfire Cheese Hash Brown Packets
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Dining by the campfire? This easy packet of potatoes, bacon and cheese makes a terrific hash. We like to serve it with eggs and fresh pico de gallo. —Gina Nistico, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 329 calories, 15g fat (9g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 708mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 5g fiber), 14g protein.
19/33
Root Beer Apple Baked Beans
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
All nine men in our family love roughing it outdoors. My beans with bacon and apples is a "must " to keep their outdoor energy going. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 255 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 16mg cholesterol, 778mg sodium, 47g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 9g fiber), 10g protein.
20/33
Eclairs on the Grill
Total Time
35 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My best camping treat is an easy eclair on a stick. This is the one that makes people watch what you’re doing and beg to be included. —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 eclair: 293 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 418mg sodium, 43g carbohydrate (27g sugars, 0 fiber), 4g protein.
21/33
Egg & Spinach Breakfast Burritos
Total Time
30 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When we camp out, we want our meals ready in a hurry. We make these hearty burritos at home, freeze them and reheat them over the campfire. —Kristen Stecklein, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 burrito: 333 calories, 15g fat (5g saturated fat), 166mg cholesterol, 882mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 6g fiber), 22g protein.
22/33
Pot of S’mores
Total Time
25 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Mom’s easy Dutch oven version of the popular campout treat is so good and gooey. The hardest part is waiting for this to cool so you can devour it. Yum! —June Dress, Meridian, Idaho
Nutrition Facts:
1 each: 584 calories, 28g fat (17g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 326mg sodium, 83g carbohydrate (47g sugars, 3g fiber), 8g protein.
23/33
Cherry-Chocolate Pudgy Pie
Total Time
10 min
Servings
1 serving
From the Recipe Creator:
Here’s an ooey-gooey treat that’s just right for campfires and cookouts. —Josh Carter, Birmingham, Alabama
Nutrition Facts:
1 sandwich: 309 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 294mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.
24/33
BBQ Hot Dog & Potato Packs
Total Time
20 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For these nifty foil packs, small hands make quick work of topping potato wedges with a hot dog, onions and cheese. — Kelly Westphal, Wind Lake, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 293 calories, 16g fat (7g saturated fat), 33mg cholesterol, 1227mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 4g fiber), 11g protein.
25/33
Walking Tacos
Total Time
40 min
Servings
5 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
These Walking Tacos are perfect for an on-the-go dinner, a campfire meal or an easy game-night supper. The ingredients go right into the chip bags! —Beverly Matthews, Richland, Washington
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving (calculated without toppings): 530 calories, 28g fat (6g saturated fat), 56mg cholesterol, 1017mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 6g fiber), 24g protein.
26/33
Grilled Sausages with Summer Vegetables
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
After 30 years of camping, we've come up with an arsenal of surefire recipes. Our grilled sausage with veggies would be a superstar at a potluck. —Nancy Daugherty, Cortland, Ohio
Nutrition Facts:
1 sausage with 1 cup vegetables: 362 calories, 22g fat (9g saturated fat), 60mg cholesterol, 1099mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (18g sugars, 3g fiber), 17g protein.
27/33
Campfire Cinnamon Twists
Total Time
25 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Cinnamon rolls get the toasty treatment when wrapped around skewers and warmed over a fire. Brush with butter, then sprinkle with sugar and spice. —Lauren Knoelke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 twist: 98 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 4mg cholesterol, 183mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.
28/33
Campfire Hash
Total Time
55 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
In our area we are able to camp almost all year-round. My family invented this easy camping meal. It tastes so good after a full day of family camping activities. —Janet Danilow, Winkleman, Arizona
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 535 calories, 26g fat (8g saturated fat), 51mg cholesterol, 1097mg sodium, 57g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 6g fiber), 17g protein.
29/33
S'mOreos
Total Time
15 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My son introduced us to this twist on classic s'mores when we were camping. Have a jar of Nutella around? Slather on the inside of the graham cracker halves before you build this one-of-a-kind treat. —Christina Smith, Santa Rosa, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 271 calories, 13g fat (4g saturated fat), 3mg cholesterol, 223mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (19g sugars, 2g fiber), 5g protein.
30/33
Fluffy Scrambled Eggs
Total Time
15 min
Servings
3 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When our son, Chris, wants something other than cold cereal in the morning, he whips up these eggs. Cheese and evaporated milk make them especially good. They're easy to make when you're camping too. —Chris Pfleghaar, Elk River, Minnesota
Nutrition Facts:
1/2 cup: 246 calories, 18g fat (6g saturated fat), 438mg cholesterol, 523mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 0 fiber), 15g protein.
31/33
Campfire Bundles
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I created this recipe on a family camping trip. I'd brought along a hodgepodge of ingredients, so I just threw them all together in a foil packet. Everyone said that the bundles were delicious. Ever since, I've grilled them at home with equally good results. —Lauri Krause, Jackson, Nebraska
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 582 calories, 36g fat (18g saturated fat), 95mg cholesterol, 1247mg sodium, 50g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 9g fiber), 16g protein.
32/33
Sheepherder’s Breakfast
Total Time
30 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My sister-in-law always made this delicious breakfast dish when we were camping and had to come up with good, easy breakfast ideas. Served with toast, juice and milk or coffee, it's a sure hit with the breakfast crowd! One-dish casseroles like this were a big help while I was raising my nine children. Now I've passed this recipe on to them. —Pauletta Bushnell, Albany, Oregon
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 354 calories, 22g fat (9g saturated fat), 222mg cholesterol, 617mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 17g protein.
33/33
Grilled Campfire Trout Dinner
Total Time
40 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Your fresh catch will taste even better with this simple treatment that keeps the fish moist. Carrots are an excellent accompaniment; cook up in a separate foil packet. —Wendy McGowan, Fontana, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 362 calories, 16g fat (6g saturated fat), 136mg cholesterol, 530mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 44g protein.
