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40 Simple Make Ahead Camping Meals

By Karrie on | Updated | 10 Comments

Take the stress out of your next camping trip with these delicious make ahead camping meals. Plan and prep the yummiest breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert options before you even leave your house.

A white plastic basket full of tortillas filled with steak fajitas and limes on the side is being held up with two boots out of focus below. The words Best Make Ahead Camping Meals are in white and underlined in left lower corner.

I have a few rules when it comes to camping meals. Any meal I pack has to:

  1. Be affordable
  2. Easy to prepare
  3. Easy to clean up

Oh, and it also has to taste AMAZING!

But that doesn’t mean anyone has to slave over a hot fire for hours making a meal. With a little preparation before you leave on your trip, all of your meals will be planned and ready to cook for the entire camp out.

From breakfasts of cornmeal pancakes and savory breakfast burritos to dinners of steak fajitas and pineapple chicken kabobs, these make ahead camping meals will make the camping trip stress-free! End the night around the fire indulging on warm apple crisp foil packets or cherry hand pies! This will be a camping trip to remember!

Meals are not the only things that I prepare before I go on a camping trip. Here are some of my favorite camping tips and resources to help you get ready for the big camp out!

CAMPING RESOURCES

So if you are planning to sleep under the stars or in an air-conditioned RV, leave the prep work for meals at home and get ready to camp!

BREAKFAST CAMPING RECIPES

3 foil-wrapped burritos cut in half stacked on top of each other and on top of a wooden board.

1. Breakfast Burritos: Filled with eggs, cheese, sausage, and potatoes wrapped in a tortilla, this breakfast recipe will satisfy even the biggest appetites. (via Happy Money Saver)

A flowered plate on a picnic table with one pancake with blueberries on it with a fork on the plate and a cup of coffee on the side.

2. Homemade Cornmeal Griddle Pancakes: Waking up to a hearty breakfast of rich homemade cornmeal pancakes is a great start to a camping day! (via Chez Us)

A dutch oven filled with a sausage, eggs and potatoes topped with biscuits.

3. 5 Layer Dutch Oven Country Breakfast: Sausage, eggs, and potatoes topped with biscuits cooked in a Dutch oven large enough to feed the whole family. (via Happy Money Saver)

A cookie sheet holds four sausage mcmuffin breakfast sandwiches.

4. Sausage McMuffin Freezer Sandwiches: Toasted English muffin, fluffy eggs, melted cheese and savory sausage packed in a sandwich your family’ll love! (via Happy Money Saver)

CAMPING LUNCH RECIPES

5 bags of walking tacos on a white platter with white bowls filled with lettuce, tomatoes, green onions around it with an open bag of Fritos next to it.

5. Frito Bandito: Easy camping meals for family start with a bag of Fritos with chili and topped with fresh taco ingredients. (via Happy Money Saver)

A tinfoil pan filled with noodles and melty cheese with a fork taking a spoonful out of it with strings of cheese down to the pan.

6. Campfire Mac and Cheese: The ultimate comfort food just became our favorite camping meal featuring pasta with cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. (via Lauren’s Latest)

On top of a white plate with a blue rim is holding 5 pita pizza pockets with a small white bowl with cut up pepperoni pieces and a red and black checked towel at the bottom.

7. Pizza Pockets: One of the best easy camping meals for family is pizza pockets with crispy crust, melty mozzarella, and yummy toppings! (via Happy Money Saver)

A hot dogs in buns wrapped in bacon sit atop a red and white checked paper with potato chips around it. This is from a list of make ahead camping meals.

8. Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs: Hot dogs taken to the next level! Wrapped in bacon and cooked over the campfire, you’ll never want plain hot dogs again! (via Happy Money Saver)

Nachos in a foil packet with a blue and white checked towel with small white bowls full of salsa, jalapenos and cilantro. This is from a list of make ahead camping meals.

9. Foil Packet Nachos: Didn’t think I’d suggest nachos for a camping trip, did ya? These beefy cheesy nachos are my go-to for a quick and yummy camping lunch. (via Happy Money Saver)

CAMPING DINNER RECIPES

There is a foil packet with fajita toppings under a pink and white towel and cut up limes and tortillas around them.

10. Steak Fajita Foil Packets: Juicy steak with peppers and onions make the BEST camping meal that is full of flavor! (via Happy Money Saver)

A blue plate with four chicken and pineapple skewers on it with a bowl of onions, herbs and drink on the side.

11. Pineapple Chicken Kabobs: Easy make ahead camping meal filled with charred pineapple and marinated chicken, perfect for campfire grilling! (via Fresh off the Grid)

A wooden cutting board holds two Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. This is from a list of make ahead camping meals.

12. Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich: Melted cheesy goodness on top of tender meat loaded with peppers and onions on toasted bread for great camping meal! (via Happy Money Saver)

A blue plate with four charred corn on the cob sprinkled with cheese and herbs and one hand reach out and grabbing one. Lime and herbs are on the side.

13. Grilled Mexican Street Corn: The combination of the sweet char-grilled corn with the salty cheese and spicy chili powder for the perfect side dish. (via Fresh off the Grid)

Two wooden bowls of chili with metal spoons in it and a piece of cornbread on the side for a good make ahead camping meals.

14. Chili with Smoked Sausage: No camping trip is complete without a dutch oven full of chili bubbling over the fire! (via Happy Money Saver)

A metal grate with fire underneath it has a tinfoil packet full of potatoes sprinkled with herbs. Perfect make ahead camping meals!
Photographer: Rocky Luten

15. Campfire Potatoes: When you’re out in the woods and craving something homey, these garlic-and-herb infused campfire potatoes are a classic summertime side dish. (via Food 52)

A cast iron skillet with veggies like corn, zucchini, peppers, and onions sprinkled with spices and grilled to perfection for a make ahead camping meal!

16. Campfire Veggies: The perfect side dish when camping is fresh sweet veggies in a cast iron skillet drizzled with olive oil, sriracha and red pepper. (via Bless Her Heart Y’All)

3 meatballs subs next to each other in a white dish on a white cutting board and blue napkin with a bowl of Parmesan cheese in one corner and a bowl of marinara sauce in the other corner.

17. Meatball Subs: Meatballs in marinara sauce topped with cheese on toasty bread. It’s kid-friendly and takes less than 20 minutes to make over the campfire! (via Happy Money Saver)

CAMPING DESSERT RECIPES

A white oval dish holding 4 pineapple upside down cake kabobs with a striped towel and a pineapple on the side with a small white bowl of cut pineapple on the side. This is from a list of make ahead camping meals.

18. Pineapple Upside Down Cake Kabobs: Every great meal deserves a sweet ending! These fruit and cake skewers might replace s’mores on your trip. (via Happy Money Saver)

3 whole hand pies on top of each other on a blue plate with one cherry pie split in half on the top of the stack.

19. Cherry Hand Pies: Cherry pie filling wrapped in a flaky pie crust – sign me up? Made on top of the fire in a heavy skillet, you can beat this camping dessert! (via The Kitchen Magpie)

A foil packet filled with warm apples and a cinnamon crumb topping with a scoop of ice cream on it with 2 other foil packets of warm apples and a cinnamon crumb topping above and below it. There is a green apple and cinnamon sticks laying beside it too.

20. Apple Crisp Foil Packets: Loaded with tender apples topped with oatmeal streusel, making it the perfect finishing touch to any summer camping night. (via Happy Money Saver)

Here are More Great Camping Recipes You’ll Love!

Breakfast Camping Recipes

21. Campfire French Toast
22. Mason Jar Campfire Pancakes
23. Campfire Skillet
24. Campfire Breakfast Toad in the Hole
25. Hot Ham and Cheese Croissants

Lunch Camping Recipes

26. Grilled Hot Pastrami Sandwich
27. Dutch Oven Cheesy Garlic Bites
28. Camping Quesadillas
29. Campfire Pizza
30. Foil Pack French Dip Sandwiches

Dinner Camping Recipes

31. Shrimp Boil Foil Packet
32. Dutch Oven Thai Campfire Chicken
33. Grilled Pineapple Chicken Foil Packets
34. Bacon Ranch Grilled Potatoes
35. Campfire Beef Stew

Dessert Camping Recipes

36. Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
37. Campfire Cones
38. Eclairs on the Grill
39. Campfire Popcorn
40. Pound Cake and Berry Skillet Dessert

Don’t forget to comment below if you try these recipes on your next trip – I would love to hear what you think! Happy Camping!

karrie selfie

About Karrie

Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Epk says

    Awesome great for get togethers while the monsoon season is here in AZ. Thanks so much

    Reply

  2. ED Cappis says

    Many of these recipes are not heard of in Canada. Nothing knew here

    Reply

  3. Adrienne says

    I can’t believe you didn’t have campfire orange cakes! Unfortunately, here in the California Sierras, we seldom get to have actual campfires.

    Slice the very top of 3-4 large oranges & carefully scoop out the orange flesh (try to avoid navals, as it’s harder to get the flesh out.) Use the meat in a fruit salad. Fill the hollowed out skins with prepared cake batter, (I like to use triple chocolate fudge brownie mix, sometimes secretly adding a large marshmallow & a squeeze of caramel in the center! 🤯) replace the sliced off tops, wrap tightly with foil and place in the coals of the campfire. 15-30 minutes later, (depending on size & heat of fire/coals) unwrap & peel the orange skin for personal sized, orange scented yummy goodness! 🥰

    Reply

    • Happy-Money-Saver says

      Sooo good! Thanks, Adrienne!

      Reply

  4. Jen says

    How would you re heat those breakfast sandwiches while camping. Recipes seemed to be for at home

    Reply

    • Happy-Money-Saver says

      Wrap them in foil and place them in the coals or on the grate until warm! They taste incredible!

      Reply

  5. Bec says

    Great ideas, we are camping soon and I was stuck for luck ideas, so these are a great help!

    Reply

  6. clarified butter says

    thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  7. Shanya kapoor says

    Great information and facts are often located on this web web site. Thanks For Post

    Reply

  8. Helen says

    Those are such great ideas but since we don’t go camping I will use them while bbqing. I also just made your honey oat bread again and it is the most amazing smelling and tasting bread there is. I will probably have it for dinner and leave the chili I made for everyone else to eat. Lol
    Have a great day ?

    Reply

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