GO CAMPING with KIDS

Family Camping Resource

Family Camping

Cooking While Camping

Remember that while you are camping, this is your opportunity to sit back, enjoy nature, and enjoy cooking your food over an open fire.  Cooking dinner can be FUN and an enjoyable process for the whole family, providing many opportunities for conversations and spending quality time together.  Choose food that everyone likes and is simple to prepare yet delicious.  We have found that fresh food with simple ingredients works best for a family.

Supplies and Utensils

A simple pot and pan set with cooking utensils is all that you need.  But don’t forget the most important cooking tool of all – aluminum foil!  Non-stick spray is useful, too.

A Tupperware tub can be used as a “pantry” to keep snacks such as chips, animal crackers, trail mix, etc.

Bringing along a cooler with ice, when possible, can help with keeping food chilled for a couple of days so some nice touches of “home” can be had, such as milk, butter, cheese, etc.  Be careful to keep it cold enough so that the food does not spoil.

Instead of complicated and elaborate recipes, we recommend taking fewer items and preparing simpler meals so that you bring fewer items with you and food does not spoil.

Breakfast Ideas   

  • Eggs (Yes, you can cook eggs over a fire in a pan!) – scrambled, sunny-side up, etc.

  • Oatmeal – instant or regular variety – and don’t forget the brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon, or whatever else you prefer in your oatmeal!

  • Pancakes (easiest are the kind that you only need to add water) – simply cook with a pan over the fire.  You can toss in small fruit (blueberries, cut up strawberries or apples) while the batter is cooking for an even tastier treat.

  • Frozen or refrigerated sausage (pre-cooked is best) – link or patties

  • Bacon or ham

Lunch Ideas

  • Macaroni & cheese (just boil the macaroni in water over the fire)

  • Sandwiches – peanut butter & jelly are great for camping

  • Hot dogs

  • Hamburgers (you can purchase the frozen hamburger patties which make cooking easier)

  • Canned fruit

  • Snacks from your Tupperware tub pantry, such as chips, etc.

  • Fruit that does not require refrigeration, such as apples, oranges, etc – apples can also be cut up and spread with peanut butter for a healthy and quick snack. 

Dinner / Side Dish Ideas

  • Fish or Steak – simply flavor with a marinade or spices and cook directly on the fire grate on aluminum foil

  • Baked potatoes – wrap in tin foil and place directly on the edge of the fire

  • Corn on the cob – cook on tin foil over the fire and use a small amount of butter/margarine for flavoring if desired

  • Vegetables – pick your favorite and cook either in a pan over the fire or on tin foil.

  • Bread – The frozen Texas toast works great and can simply be heated up on tin foil over the fire. 

  • Canned goods can be heated up simply and enjoyed, such as

    • baked beans

    • beef stew, chicken noodle soup, or your favorite soup

    • canned pasta, such as ravioli

    • canned vegetables

  • Campfire pizza – with bread, canned pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, and any pizza toppings of your choice can be assembled and cooked over the fire on tin foil.