53 Incredibly Delicious Camping Food Ideas
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Camping food doesn’t need to be complicated or boring! Include some of these tasty camp recipes on your camping menu, and you will look forward to every meal.
Let’s face it: planning camping meals can feel overwhelming. Between keeping food fresh in a cooler, limited cooking equipment, and the challenge of preparing meals outdoors, it’s tempting to fall back on hot dogs and s’mores for every meal! But your camping menu doesn’t have to be bland, boring, or stressful to prepare.
These camping food ideas include creative and delicious meals that are actually doable at your campsite. From make-ahead breakfast options to impressive dinner recipes you can cook over the campfire, these camping recipes feel “gourmet” but don’t require you to spend your entire trip cooking.
We’ve gathered 53 of our favorite food ideas for camping (plus, we’ve organized them by meal type to make your planning easier). You’ll find plenty of options to keep everyone at your campsite well-fed and happy!
And, all of our meals have been tested and perfected at real campgrounds, using standard camp cooking equipment you probably already own, so you can feel confident that these will actually work in camp.
Breakfast Ideas
A great day outdoors starts with a great breakfast. Here are a few of our favorite camping breakfast ideas. Oh, and don’t forget about the camp coffee!!
Mountain Breakfast Skillet
This breakfast skillet (often known as the “Mountain Man Breakfast”) is loaded with eggs, potatoes, bell peppers, onions, and cheese. It’s a power packed skillet that’s a great way for hungry campers to start the day.
Apple Sausage Breakfast Sandwich
Few things are as satisfying on a camping trip as a good breakfast sandwich. It has all the hit ingredients of an all-American breakfast, assembled together in a convenient grab-and-go package. This recipe features homemade maple and apple sausage patties, melty cheese, and is topped with a fried egg.
Banana Bread Pancakes
Who would settle for regular old pancakes when you could start your morning with banana bread pancakes?! Just add walnuts, banana, and a scoop of brown sugar, and you’ll start the day with a real treat.
Cast Iron Frittata
If you’re looking for a hearty car camping breakfast, look no further than this cast iron frittata! Blistered cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and shallots all layered together with cheese and eggs, a frittata is a wonderful way to start your morning.
Halloumi Breakfast Sandwich
Four words: FRIED CHEESE AND EGGS. This halloumi breakfast sandwich is one of the first recipes we ever shared, and it’s still one of our favorite camping breakfasts!
French Toast
French toast is a camp classic. In this recipe, we break down the basics so you can make perfect French toast every time!
Cinnamon Apple Pancakes
Light, fluffy, and layered with incredible apple flavor, cinnamon apple pancakes are perfect for those crisp mornings in camp. If you like spiced apple cider, you’re going to LOVE these pancakes!
Chorizo Sweet Potato Hash
Sweet potato breakfast hash with crumbled chorizo sausage and diced scallions—this super satisfying one skillet breakfast is a perfect way to start the day.
French Toast Sticks
These French Toast Sticks are on the table quickly and are fun for kids and adults.
Super Seed Apple Oatmeal
When we need a quick, no-fuss breakfast that isn’t boring, we cook up a pot of this apple oatmeal. It’s loaded with chia, flax, and hemp seeds for an extra nutritional boost and sweetened with cinnamon apples.
Camp Stove Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles is an easy camping breakfast – crispy tortillas simmered in a spicy tomato sauce and topped with a few eggs. It takes less than 30 minutes to make, and it’s vegetarian, too!
Stuffed French Toast
Filled with fresh strawberries and sweet mascarpone cheese, this stuffed French toast recipe is an easy way to upgrade a classic camping breakfast.
Chickpea Hash
For an extra protein punch, we swapped out traditional potatoes with chickpeas in this simple breakfast hash recipe.
Shakshuka
This easy shakshuka recipe is loaded with flavor. Eggs poached in a slightly spicy pepper & tomato sauce, then topped with feta cheese—perfect for enjoying with a slice of crusty bread.
Dinner Ideas
After a day full of outdoor adventures, nothing beats returning to camp and enjoying a great meal while relaxing around the campfire.
Dutch Oven Chili
An entire meal that cooks in one pot, this Dutch oven chili and cornbread recipe is perfect for cool-weather camping.
Shimp Boil Foil Packets
These Shrimp Boil Foil Packets are quick to prepare, easy to clean up, and can be cooked directly over a campfire or BBQ. Just assemble your ingredients, seal them inside using aluminum foil and parchment paper, and place them over your campfire or grill!
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger
We set out to make a better veggie burger, and this sweet potato and black bean burger checked all the right boxes! You can make the patties before your camping trip and then cook them up over your camp stove or on a grill.
Brats with Peppers and Onions
Onions and peppers are the perfect accompaniment for brats! This is a great meal to cook in one skillet.
Dutch Oven Enchiladas
Cheesy, spicy, and oh so filling—these veggie-stuffed Dutch Oven Enchiladas are a campfire favorite.
Sloppy Joes
Sloppy joes can be made at camp or before your trip for easy prep, and perfect for filling sandwiches or sliders. Want a meatless option? Try our red lentil sloppy joes instead!
Campfire Grilled Fish Tacos
These campfire grilled fish tacos couldn’t be easier to make! Season the fish with lime, chili, and cumin, then grill it over the fire. Stuff it into a tortilla with a scoop of the spicy corn salsa and dig in!
Gyro Kebabs
Grilled lamb, tomatoes, and halloumi cheese served with a yogurt sauce—these gyro-inspired kebabs are bursting with flavor!
Grilled Chicken and Veggie Skewers
A simple marinade and fresh vegetables make these grilled chicken kabobs are a fresh option for your next camping trip.
Kielbasa and Potato Foil Packets
Grilled kielbasa, potatoes, and onions all tossed together in a honey mustard sauce and grilled to perfection! This foil packet recipe is such a satisfying camping meal, and it is an absolute cinch to make!
Chipotle Grilled Chicken Tacos
Smoky and slightly spicy, these chipotle grilled chicken tacos start out in a marinade you can prep at home, and then are grilled to perfection over the campfire or on your grill.
Seafood Paella
We camp a lot on the coast, so we always pick up some fresh shellfish on our way to the campsite so we can make this simple but stunning campfire paella! Don’t want to deal with seafood on your trip? Try this mushroom paella instead.
One Pan Pasta
Why settle for a bowl of carbs, when it could be packed full of protein, too?! We use lentil pasta in this one-pot pasta to up the nutritional profile.
BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
Combining BBQ sauce, pan-fried chicken, melty Colby Jack cheese, and tangy pickled red onions, these “gourmet” quesadillas are the perfect camping lunch or dinner!
One Pan Beef Stroganoff
Our take on one of our favorite comfort foods, this beef stroganoff is simple to make in one skillet.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
These sweet potato tacos are loaded with plant-based goodness—roasty sweet potatoes, charred peppers, and smoky black beans.
Dutch Oven Lasagna
This Dutch oven lasagna requires a bit more prep work than the other recipes in this list, but it is a real showstopper and SO satisfying.
Sweet Potato Peanut Stew
This hearty sweet potato peanut stew is loaded with flavor and will warm you from the inside out – perfect for early or late-season camping trips!
Chili Mac
This One Pot Chili Mac is a tasty and satisfying camping meal! Cheesy noodles with perfectly browned ground beef and protein packed beans, everyone will love this nostalgic one pot meal.
Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken Tacos
Using a quick citrus marinade, these cilantro lime grilled chicken tacos offer a blast of summer flavor.
Chicken Souvlaki Kabobs
These Greek-inspired grilled chicken souvlaki kabobs with tzatziki sauce are perfect for servings with rice pilaf and pita bread.
Dutch Oven Red Beans and Rice
Smoky, spicy, and deeply satisfying, this hearty one-pot meal is a camp-friendly adaptation of red beans and rice.
Dutch Oven Vegetable Stew
This Vegetable Stew is an awesome Dutch oven camping meal that is hearty and full of flavor.
Pineapple Chicken Kabobs
With bright, tropical flavors, these Pineapple Chicken Kabobs are an easy, fuss-free camping meal perfect for summertime grilling!
Blackened Shrimp Tacos
Bold, spicy, and incredibly quick-cooking, these Cajun-spiced blackened shrimp tacos deliver a robust flavor that can easily be pulled off in a matter of minutes.
Totrtellini Soup
Plump tortellini and spicy Italian sausage floating in a rich, luxurious broth, this quick and easy tortellini soup is one of the coziest meals we’ve ever made!
Dutch Oven Chicken Marbella
Sweet, savory, and saucy, this Dutch oven recipe for Chicken Marbella delivers a “gourmet” campfire experience but without any of the fussy work.
Side Dishes
Summer Corn Salad
Fun, bright, and vibrant, this easy to make grilled corn salad is a perfect side to make for a camping trip!
Grilled Potatoes in Foil
These rosemary and garlic grilled potatoes are one of the most delicious side dishes you can make over a campfire or on your grill. They’re also incredibly simple to make, but let’s keep that our little secret.
Cornbread
Cornbread is perfect for pairing with camping food–chilis, stews, steaks… it’s super versitile! We have two recipes for you: Skillet cornbread and Dutch oven cornbread with cheddar and chiles.
Grilled Asparagus
This simple grilled asparagus recipe is the perfect side dish for all kinds of main dishes.
Grilled Mexican Street Corn
Grilled Mexican street corn (aka elotes) are perfect for pairing with grilled steak, chicken, or tacos.
Panzanella Salad with Peaches and Tomatoes
This panzanella bread salad is like the greatest hits album of summer flavors with sliced peaches, tomatoes, and basil. We made this as a side at our campground wedding dinner and it was a favorite.
Campfire Popcorn
This DIY version of the Jiffy Pop popcorn we all loved as kids uses a few simple spices to make things interesting.
Campfire Nachos
Great as an appetizer or as an indulgent dinner, this campfire nacho recipe is super easy to put together and would be great with any of your favorite nacho toppings. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, make these foil packet nachos instead.
Camping Desserts
What better way to end a meal than with dessert? Try one of these recipes out on your next camping trip.
Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
Use your Dutch oven to bake this simple peach cobbler over your campsite. You can prepare the cobbler topping at home before your trip, so this dessert comes together with little effort!
Banana Boats
A favorite of kids and adults alike, banana boats are a camping classic. Check out this post with 9 different topping ideas!
Campfire Baked Appples
Soft apples, brown sugar, oats, and butter—campfire baked apples are one of our favorite desserts memories from camp when we were kids.
Ice Cream in a Bag
Add a cool twist to your camping desserts with this Ice Cream in a Bag recipe! With just a few simple ingredients, you can enjoy freshly made ice cream on your next camping trip.
Top Camp Cooking Tips
Pack a good camping stove. You can cook just about anything on a two-burner camping stove that you could cook on your stovetop at home. The trick is making sure that your stove offers decent wind protection and simmer control. We recommend this camping stove, or check out our full review on the best camping stoves here!
Prep what you can ahead of time. Make your life easier once you are at the campsite by doing some of the work ahead of time. Chop vegetables, pre-cut meat for kabobs, make your marinades and sauces. You’ll thank yourself when you have a little extra time to relax in camp before you have to start cooking!
Start with meals and techniques you’re familiar with. If you are new to camp cooking, set yourself up for success by choosing camp meals and cooking techniques that you already use at home. Remember, there’s no ordering take out for plan B, so this might not be the time to attempt a soufflé for the first time 😉 Luckily, most of the meals we’re sharing with you are easy enough to try on your next camping trip!
Brush up on some of your camp skills. Learn about how to pack a cooler properly, how to wash dishes at a campsite, and how to use a camping Dutch oven.
This post was first published on February 13, 2018 and updated in 2025 with new recipes.
I found so many great recipes to try. And look so tasty for camping meals.
Thanks for your suggestions. Can’t wait to try some.
I was dreading our upcoming camping trip until I found this list – thank you!
Hope you find a new favorite meal! Have a great trip 🙂
What a great website! Can’t wait to try some of your recipes when we go camping this summer.
So many yummy sounding and unique ideas!
This site is AMAZING. Takes camping to a new level – – gourmet level! Sharing it with my camping friends.
Camping? I think these recipes will be in my home kitchen too! YUM!
i’m glad I’ll be able to take my fridge with me /s
Exactly my thought, dan.
Next level glamping
There’s a revolutionary product you should check out. It’s called a “cooler”. Go look it up, it’s going to blow your mind!