Whether it’s a backyard fire pit or a remote campsite, cooking on a campfire is a fun, adventurous way to bring family and friends together. We’ve collected some of our favorite outdoor cooking ideas to make your next fireside dish delicious, starting with the best foods to bring camping – it doesn’t get more convenient than this!
Get your grocery list ready and hit the woods with confidence!
The Best Food to Bring Camping
Packing for a camping trip is all about maximizing utility. Storing food while camping isn’t easy, and every ingredient needs to earn its space in the cooler. The key is to make sure everything you pack plays a role in multiple meals throughout the day.
Nut butter: Pack peanut butter, almond butter, or another spread to pack a protein punch at breakfast and lunch. It’s perfect for toast, PB&Js, or to level up s’mores – just make sure you eat your veggies first!
Soups and prepared foods: Some dishes are already done – they just need to be heated. Toss in a few packets of prepared dal, madras lentils, chickpeas and veggies, or a good ol’ fashioned can of soup for convenient and delicious meals when you’re in a rush.
Deli meat and hot dogs: There’s only so much room in the cooler, so pack pre-cooked meats that are less likely to spoil and that may have more than one use.
Bread or tortillas: You can pile on the flavor with a ready-made base! Add your prepared foods, meat, and cheese, and you’ve got a meal going, including burgers, tacos, or sandwiches.
You might notice the best foods to cook over a campfire share a few common traits; they are pre-cooked, which reduces the risk of spoilage, and they’re easy to combine into breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They’re triple-treats!
Three Easy Camping Recipes Ideas
After you stop by your favorite grocery store for camping food (that’s us, right?), you’re ready to prepare any meal over an open flame.
Blueberry Campfire Bread
All you need is bread, blueberries, eggs, and tinfoil! Blueberry Campfire Bread cooks in tinfoil, which makes clean-up a bit easier. Plus, this campfire-ready recipe is endlessly adaptable to suit any preferences; we recommend topping it off with a little honey or powdered sugar!
Campfire Quesadillas
There are a few ways to make these, including preparing them ahead of your trip. Making them at your campsite is easy, too, and quesadillas are a nice way to use up other ingredients from breakfast or dinner.
One overlooked ingredient to include: mushrooms! With enough fresh or canned mushrooms, cheese, and veggies, you may not even need beef or chicken!
Check out the full recipe here.
One-Pot Rice and Curry
Who says Indian food is too complicated for camping? Combine your favorite rice, pre-packaged curry packets, and water for a convenient yet exotic meal. Don’t forget to pack naan!
How to Store Food While Camping
Storing your food safely prevents spoilage, waste, and unanticipated encounters with nature.
- If you’re camping with a car, store your food in a cooler in your vehicle to prevent bears, raccoons, and other critters from causing trouble.
- Always store non-perishables in airtight tubs. This will keep animals and insects from getting in.
- If you’re backpacking, most national parks require bear-resistant canisters and recommend odor-proof bags.
- Remember that nearly anything with a scent may smell like food to animals. Keep toothpaste, sunscreen, and any scented item secure when not in use.
The Best Camping Adventures Start at Oryana Community Co-op
Start your next excursion with a trip to Oryana. We are committed to supporting local, organic farmers and makers to meet the needs of our owners and community. From local beef and produce to sustainably sourced pre-packaged camping foods, your next adventure begins here! Become an owner and subscribe to our weekly newsletter today.
