15 Delicious Make Ahead Camping Recipes (Stress Less!) (2024)

by Stacy Bressler

Camping is supposed to be a chance to get away for awhile and relax. Yet every time someone gets hungry, you have to whip something up! Whether you need breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack, I have a ton of great make ahead options for your next camping trip. You can make these ahead of time to heat up over the fire or to snack on while you’re camping. Some of these don’t require any prep work once they’re made! Here are the best make ahead camping recipes for your next camping trip. These work for nearly any campground you might be visiting too!

Don’t forget to check out my top 25 best foil packet camping meals too!

15 Delicious Make Ahead Camping Recipes (Stress Less!) (1)

Spend less time cooking and more time enjoying your next camp trip by making these meals at home!

We ALL eventually get tired of hotdogs, burgers and s'mores, so here are some other options that are delicious but still easy to eat while camping!

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Gooey S'mores Cookie Bars

Photo Credit:www.inthekidskitchen.com

These s'more cookie bars are perfect if there are no campfires allowed wherever you plan to go, but you don't want to miss out on s'mores! They can be made ahead of time and frozen till you're ready to use them!

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Easy, Peasy Stove-top Chicken Chimichangas

Photo Credit:pintsizedtreasures.com

This filling meal is great if you plan on hiking around or heck... just don't want to cook at camp! These chimichanges taste amazing, are easy to make, and you can just put them in a bag in your cooler and eat whenever you're hungry!

3

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Make Ahead Breakfast Sausage Hand Pies

Photo Credit:freezermeals101.com

Who else loves lazy camp mornings? While I love making special pancakes for the kiddos at camp, I get kind of bored of eating pancakes everyday... so make some of these for yourself! They have meat in them so they should be fill you up for a full day of camp fun!

4

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Homemade Trail Mix for Kids

Photo Credit:happyhooligans.ca

Some sort of trail mix is a must, especially if you're going out with kids! Buying trail mix everytime you go (especially if you forget and end up buying some at the gas station) can get expensive, so why not make your own! I love that it is encouraged to throw in whatever you have in the pantry... so it might be a great way to use up those bits of cereal that no one else does since it's not enough for a bowl of cereal!

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Broccoli Salad

Photo Credit:bunnyswarmoven.net

With a delicious sauce/dressing, bacon and cheese this broccoli salad just keeps sounding better and better! Put this salad in a container at home and it'll be ready to serve while you're out!

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Summer Veggie Pasta Salad

Photo Credit:strengthandsunshine.com

Gluten, allergen free and vegan never looked so good! The noodles are a bit more filling than the typical lettuce or romaine salad, so this might be a perfect meal for active campers!

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Home-made Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Granola Bars

Photo Credit:pintsizedtreasures.com

These granola bars are full of the energy you need at camp, especially for kids who seem to be ALWAYS hungry! I also love the versatility of granola bars - grab one before a hike, or crumble it over yogurt.

8

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

Photo Credit:girlwiththeironcast.com

A cool, refreshing greek salad just seems perfect during the summer! It's also pretty darn healthy - you gotta balance out the s'mores and "cool beverages" you may consume at camp, right?

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Chutney Sandwiches

Photo Credit:indianambrosia.com

These refreshing sandwiches (cilantra, mint, green chili and tomato chutney!) are a burst of flavor and easy to prep at home and eat at camp with no additional cooking!

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Homemade Pot Noodles

Photo Credit:crunchandcream.com

These noodles only need hot water and they are ready! Put them in mason jars (or the adorable jars the creator used) and just take them out of the cooler and add the boiling water! I love that the creator tried to mimic the flavor of those microwave noodles we all love (but feel terrible after looking at the label!)

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Slow Cooker Beef Chili

Photo Credit:girlwiththeironcast.com

Chili sounds absolutely amazing for early and late season camping when the mornings and evenings are chilly (HAH, see what I did there? =P) This one is packed full of smoky flavor, and can be made ahead and stored in a container until you're ready to heat it up again and enjoy!

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Make Ahead Breakfast Tacos

Photo Credit:www.bowlofdelicious.com

I LOVE foil meals, and this is a great breakfast foil meal! You can prep it all at home, then put it on the campfire each morning for a warm, melty breakfast taco! MMM!

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Summer Kale Salad

Photo Credit:strengthandsunshine.com

You might convert a kale hater into a kale lover with this one! I really like to have healthy options while camping, and this is on my list!

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The Best Make Ahead Pancake Mini Muffins

Photo Credit:freezermeals101.com

I mentioned earlier how after we get done making the kids special camp pancakes in the morning that we're too pooped to make our own food... well here's a solution! Make some of these pancakes muffins ahead of time and dole them out when everyone wakes up! You'll have a more relaxed morning and the energy to start the day right!

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Best Beef Kabob Marinade Recipe EVER!

Photo Credit:musthavemom.com

If you love the taste of food cooked over the fire or the grill, these guys are for you! Healthy and easy to cook, you'll be already looking forward to making these for the next camp trip!

What’s your go to make ahead meal?

We are pretty simple people, so honestly we often times do a cold cut sandwich and pack a pickle!

However, there are certainly times that we camp for extended periods that would make some of these yummy meals seem appealing (especially after eating sandwiches for days on end!)

Here are some more camping articles you’ll love!

  • Make sure you have the tools you need to fix almost anything in your camper for your next trip (so you don’t have to go back home!)
  • And even if you have to get something big fixed, check out this Guide to Mobile RV Repair.
  • Ready to indulge? Check out the best indoor RV items that you don’t need.. but will thoroughly enjoy!!
  • Patio mats are a great addition to your RV camping kit. Check out the top 5 RV Patio Mats here.
  • Check out these top RV Backup Cameras. Avoid a messy accident!
  • Bake some decadent dutch oven chocolate cupcakes at camp (it’s not as hard as you think!)
  • If you’re freaked out at how easy it is to clutter small spaces, then you gotta read my interview with a professional organizer… turned full-time RVer! She gives 41+ tips on how to organize the clutter in your camper!
  • Make camp life easier with your travel trailer with these awesome outdoor RV products!!
15 Delicious Make Ahead Camping Recipes (Stress Less!) (17)
  • About
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Stacy Bressler

Stacy Bressler is an avid outdoorswoman, wife, and mother of three who lives in Jackson, Wyoming. She loves all things camping and enjoys sharing helpful tips, fun activities and laughable learning experiences she finds along the way! Navigating the outdoor life through the lens of humor and positivity, she chronicles it all on her website "The Crazy Outdoor Mama"

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15 Delicious Make Ahead Camping Recipes (Stress Less!) (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular food for camping? ›

Top 20 Foods to Take on Your Camping Trip
  1. Bread. As the basis of so many easy meals, bread is a must for any camping trip. ...
  2. Tortillas. Just like bread, tortillas are versatile and can be the foundation of handheld meals. ...
  3. Sausage. Sausage is the ultimate campfire meat. ...
  4. Cheese. ...
  5. Nut Butter. ...
  6. Crackers. ...
  7. Lunchmeat. ...
  8. Beef Jerky.

What are some easy camping dinners? ›

Dinner
  • Chicken and Veggie Shish Kabobs. These shish kabobs are an easy camping meal - just roast them over a fire or a grill and you're ready to go! ...
  • Shrimp and Summer Veggie Foil Packets. ...
  • Crockpot Chicken BBQ Sandwiches. ...
  • S'mores Brownies. ...
  • No-Bake Camping Cookies. ...
  • Dirt Pudding Cups.

How to meal prep for camping? ›

How to prep food for camping
  1. Frozen food is perfect for camping, and it'll keep your cooler colder longer, so you always have a place to keep food and drinks cold.
  2. Chop and pre-prep food and meals at home before you head out. ...
  3. Wrap food in foil to cook on the grill or over hot coals.
Jun 5, 2023

Can you make foil packets ahead of time for camping? ›

The beauty of foil-pack meals for camping is that they can usually be assembled at home before your trip. At the very least, you can wash and chop your veggies and meat, and mix up the marinade ahead of time.

What food to take on a 3 day camping trip? ›

Example 3-day menu plan using these recipes
DayBreakfastDinner
1Peanut butter oatmealHot dogs or veggie dogs
2Breakfast burrito in a bagCampfire nachos
3Homemade granola with oat milkGrain bowl
Sep 16, 2021

What food to take camping without a fridge? ›

For camping, food that keeps well includes dehydrated meals, canned foods, whole grain cereals, dried fruits, nuts, and hard cheeses. These options are durable, non-perishable, and don't require refrigeration, making them ideal for sustaining energy levels and nutrition while enjoying the great outdoors.

What food to take camping for 2 nights? ›

The Weekend Camping Grocery List
  • Fruit, such as apples, bananas, oranges, nectarines, grapes.
  • Vegetables for snacking, such as carrots, cucumbers, peas, celery, bell peppers.
  • Bagged salad mix.
  • Lettuce or spinach.
  • Potatoes.
  • Onions.
  • Corn on the cob or other seasonal vegetables.
Aug 26, 2022

What food can I freeze for camping? ›

8 Freezer Meal Prep Ideas for Your Next Camping Trip
  • Fajita Packets. Choose your flavour for these frozen fajita packets. ...
  • Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken. ...
  • Breakfast Burritos. ...
  • Sloppy Joes. ...
  • Sausage and Peppers. ...
  • Black Bean and Corn Salsa Chicken. ...
  • Twice-Baked Potatoes. ...
  • Beef Pot Pie.

How to cook chicken nuggets when camping? ›

On a square piece of foil, place the thawed chicken nuggets. Pour the spaghetti sauce on top of the nuggets. Spread cheese on top of nuggets and sprinkle with parmesan and season to taste. Cook over campfire until cheese is melted and nuggets heated through (about 10-15 minutes).

How to make foul packs? ›

Place the food in the center of each piece of foil. Make sure to place even amounts of the prepared food into each foil pack so they can cook evenly and in the same amount of time. Bring up two sides of foil over the filling so the edges of the foil meet. Seal the edges, making a tight 1/2-inch fold.

How long can you leave food in aluminum foil? ›

Don't use aluminum foil to store leftovers.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for three to four days, but aluminum foil isn't ideal for storing them. Foil is not airtight, meaning no matter how tightly you wrap it, some air will get in. This allows bacteria to grow faster.

What are good foods to bring to camp? ›

The Ultimate List of Essential Foods to Take Camping
  • Bread. This could be anything from a freshly baked wholemeal loaf to a packet of flatbreads Anything versatile you can make a quick meal with is excellent to have on hand.
  • Eggs. ...
  • Fruit. ...
  • Vegetables. ...
  • Potatoes. ...
  • Cereal. ...
  • Oats. ...
  • Pasta.

What food do campers eat? ›

What are the essential food items for your RV camping trip?
  • dried beans.
  • dried fruits and nuts.
  • dark chocolate.
  • canned chicken.
  • canned corned beef.
  • canned tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms and other vegetables.
  • cereals and other whole grains.
  • macaroni and cheese mix.

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