The joys of camping include being surrounded by nature and eating plenty of good food. Everything tastes more delicious when grilled over an open fire and eaten outside. There’s something about the great outdoors that increases everyone’s appetite.
With all the planning for your camping trip, it can be challenging to think of unique, delicious meals to take with you. The best options also depend on the kind of trip you’re taking. If you’d like to try something new, check out these seven summer camping cookout ideas!
What Kind of Camping Trip Is This?
When people say “camping,” they could mean many different things. The type of camping trip you go on directly impacts the kind of food you can pack and cook along the way. For example, backpackers are limited in how much weight they can carry.
Here are a few things to consider when planning your summer camping meals:
- How heavy can the food be?
- How many calories do you need to eat?
- How long can you take to cook?
Another important consideration is the way you cook. If you have a camp stove, cooking meals may be faster. However, cooking over a fire puts a delicious smoky taste into your food — and it’s cozy if the weather turns wet or chilly at night.
1. Foil Packets
Foil packets are one of the easiest and most delicious ways to cook while camping. You assemble the ingredients together in foil packets, keep them in a portable fridge and then cook the foil packets on the grill until the meat and veggies inside are done.
The amount of recipes and substitutions you can make with foil packets is incredible. Because you prepare most of this meal before leaving for your trip, it’s also fast. You can cook these foil-packet meals right on hot coals or put them on a grill above the fire. All you need is a roll of tin foil, a sharp knife and a cutting board, and you’ll be set.
Here are a few ideas for foil packet camping recipes.
Crab Legs and Sausage
Chop up red potatoes, corn on the cob and red hot dogs. Wrap them in double aluminum foil with a pound of cooked crab legs and a quartered lemon. For enhanced flavor, add butter, salt and a pack of Old Bay seasoning. Switch out the veggies or seafood for other similar meals.
Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
Combine chopped sweet potatoes, peaches, red pepper and chicken in foil packs. Carefully seal the foil packs and cook over a grill or hot coals. Flip the packets every few minutes to ensure even cooking and be careful not to burn your fingers.
Don’t like red pepper? Switch it out for broccoli, carrots, onions or another favorite. The options for foil-pack meals are as limitless as they are delicious!
2. Skillet Meals
Another classic, skillet meals work well if you can pack a skillet for your trip. Cast iron is the best option because it adds flavor to your dishes and is easy to clean. However, a stainless steel skillet also works well if you’re backpacking and need to carry less weight.
Here are a few options for making a delicious, one-pot skillet meal over a campfire.
Egg and Veggie Skillet
This dish works well for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Chop up some potatoes and cook them in the skillet until soft. Add eggs and cook them either scrambled or fried over low heat. Add green onions, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper for amazing flavor.
Chicken and Rice Skillet
For this meal, you can either use pre-cooked rice or cook the rice in a separate pot while you make the meat in your skillet. Cook marinated or seasoned chicken in your skillet, flipping often to cook each side evenly. Add carrots, peas, broccoli or other veggies of your choice.
To spice up these skillet meals, consider purchasing premixed spice packs to take with you. There are so many different kinds of skillet meals to consider — simply switch out the protein, veggies and spices for a thousand different delicious dishes.
3. Camping Burgers
Burgers are another fantastic summer camping cookout option. You can grill them over a fire or cook them in a pan on a camp stove. You could even wrap them in foil and cook them over a bed of coals.
When you cook a burger over a fire, it gets a delicious smoky flavor that’s unparalleled by other options. However, it’s the fixings that really make a campfire burger stand out. For the best burgers, take along these ingredients:
- Hamburger buns
- Pickles
- Ketchup
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Shredded carrots
- Onions
- Beets
- Pineapple
Grill the onions and pineapple along with the burgers, then stack everything up into a tasty, filling, and nutritious burger. You can make sweet potato fries to go along with it. For a shish kabob version of this burger, chop the veggies and fruit up and grill them on a stick with sirloin steak.
4. Campfire Desserts
Of course, no camping trip is complete without a sweet dessert around the fire in the evening. In addition to the traditional campfire desserts, there are many fun options to consider for your next camping adventure.
S’mores
Cooking s’mores is the perfect way to use up the last embers of the fire after dinner. If traditional s’mores aren’t your favorite, try dressing them up with Oreos, Nutella or peanut butter. Experiment with different sizes of marshmallows and different flavors of chocolate.
Baked Apples
For a healthier campfire dessert, bring along a few apples. Cut them into thin slices, then bake them in a skillet over the fire. Stir them frequently to avoid burning and cook until they’re soft. You can add cinnamon and a drizzle of honey, then enjoy.
Baked apples are also a great side for dinner or breakfast — and who’s to say you won’t want s’mores at breakfast, too? These two desserts are simple and timeless but offer a lot of variety for campers with more adventurous taste buds.
Plan Meals to Enjoy in the Great Outdoors
When you plan delicious camping food, your next trip will be even more enjoyable. Use these ideas to create simple, nutritious and filling meals that can fuel your next camping adventure. While you’re gathered around the campfire eating these delicious meals, you’ll be making lifelong memories.
Whether you’re cooking for yourself on a solo adventure or feeding a bunch of hungry kids, these meals can make your next camping trip more fun and relaxing. Bon appétit!
Happy cooking, friends!
Guest Contributor: Jack Shaw