Hey guys! Sorry I have been MIA for the last little while – life just got crazy busy all of a sudden and I needed some time to catch up. I’ve also been spending a ton of time working on getting our yard ready for the summer and the weather really hasn’t been helping me out.
Anyways… we just had our Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada so I kind of feel like summer has unofficially started – even though we still have over a month left of school. Camping season is here and, whether or not you actually had off to a campsite or just enjoy a campfire out in your backyard, cooking up some good ol’ camping food is a fun way to celebrate summer. For some reason, everything just tastes better when it is cooked over the fire!
With a little prep work, you can plan some yummy meals for your next camping trip AND save more time for fun while you are away! Here are some of the best camping recipes and easy prep ideas around…
First off, if you don’t have a pie iron you really need to get one {grab a double one instead of the single}. There are so many fun and delicious recipes that you can whip up with these, I could really devote a whole post to them. I was a little leary of these spaghetti sandwiches at first, but they were SO good. It’s basically just combining your garlic bread with the spaghetti but a lot easier to eat when you’re camping!
Pizza pockets are another favorite of ours for the pie iron and can easily be customized with whatever filling you would like – the ham and pineapple pizza pockets are one of my favs.
These tacos in a bag are another easy idea and a big hit with the kids. As an added bonus, they also really cut down on the dish washing required!
Campfire potatoes make a great side dish for either dinner or breakfast.
Foil packets are another fun way to eat during camping trips and, with minimal dishes and no grill to clean, you can’t really go wrong! To cut down on prep time, many of the foil pack recipes can always be prepared prior to leaving so you have one less thing to worry about while you are away. Breakfast burritos are always a hit with everyone and can be easily cooked in large batches {and can be used up at home if you happen to have any left overs!}
If you like to make your breakfast fresh, these lumbarjack foil packs are another way to go and just as delicious!
For the fancy camper, you can even make french toast on the campfire– just add some fresh fruit and syrup.
Cheesy fries are a fun treat to add with sandwiches for lunch. Have a few toppings pre-chopped on hand and everyone can customize their own packets.
There are tons of foil pack options for dinner too such as this BBQ chicken with potatoes…
… or these yummy potato boats.
The aluminum pie trays are another good option if you like to prepare your food ahead of time. You can either make things in the large pie trays or use the smaller ones for individual serving dishes so you don’t have to use plates. You can even enjoy homemade mac and cheese!
Of course, the best part of campfire cooking is the desserts! There are so many yummy treats to pick from – it’s so hard to decide. You can never go wrong with s’mores though and I love mixing up the cookies and chocolate layers {the fudge striped cookies are also really good!}.
If you are looking to take your s’mores to the next level, try these samoa s’mores. These are definitely on my list for our next camping trip!
The kids always go crazy with campfire cones and they love picking out what treats to put inside. {And I must say that I love them too!}
For something a little bit different, try this Chocolate Pie Iron Monkey Bread. It’s the best ooey gooey goodness ever!
What about you? Any favorite camping recipes I should try?
For more camping ideas, check out these posts…
Printable Kids Camping Checklist
Printable Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
Happy Camping Season!
Helen says
Some yummy foods – and the little guy sitting on the rock seems to be thoroughly enjoy it!! Thanks for sharing on the Whats for Dinner Linky!
Susan says
Thanks for the great ideas, we are going on a summer beach vacation and thes ideas are great.
Jenn Lifford says
Love the beach!! Have fun and enjoy the food! 😉
Morgan says
I found you through the Bloom Designs link party. 🙂
This post is very timely for me as my husband and I have been planning a camping trip1 I have been trying to plan our meals, but have a hard time as I have never been camping before (I’m hanging my head in shame)… I’m going to have to plan for the macaroni and cheese for sure – it looks amazing!
Jenn Lifford says
I hope you enjoy your first camping trip- they’re always fun but good food makes it so much better! 😉
Nikki says
Ok. I am SSSSSSSSOOOOOO hungry now! But I need to know, exactly what IS a pie iron??
🙂 gwingal
Jenn Lifford says
A pie iron is basically like a cast iron sandwich maker but you can totally adapt it to so much more. It just cooks in the coals of a campfire and is SO good!!
Julie Briggs says
Hi Jenn! These recipes look terrific – especially the camping cones! Thanks for linking up to #HomeMattersParty this week.
Jenn Lifford says
Yes – we have done those cones a few times and they are always a hit!
Theresa @DearCreatives says
Nice roundup of recipes. Shared. Thanks for joining the Inspiration Spotlight party.
Sarah says
These recipes all look so delicious! Thank you so much for participating in the Get It Together Link Party this week. We hope to see you again on Monday! 🙂
Jenn Lifford says
Thanks Sarah! I appreciate you hosting!
Tracy G says
These look good…but why can’t I save it as a Pin? The only option seems to be sharing on Facebook….thanks!
Jenn Lifford says
Thanks for letting me know – you should be able to pin! Are you trying on mobile or desktop?
Jenn Lifford says
If you were trying from mobile I think I fixed it. Thanks again for letting me know!