Cooking, eating and cleaning up is a never-ending cycle that’s known to get boring. When you’re working with limited supplies, things can get even worse. Repetitive meals are no fun. But we got your back! Bring some freshness to your weekly menus with these camper-friendly meals for the whole family.
- 1. Overnight Oats
- 2. English Breakfast
- 3. Breakfast Burritos
- 4. Yogurt & Granola
- 5. Campfire French Toast
- 6. Egg & Sausage Breakfast Taquitos
- 7. Omelettes
- 8. Pizza Quesadillas
- 9. Campfire Beef Stew
- 10. Veggie & Hummus Wrap
- 11. Black Beans Burgers
- 12. Loaded Potatoes
- 13. Spaghetti Bolognese
- 14. Stir Fry
- 15. Parmesan Chicken Packed in Tin Foil
- 16. Kielbasa Tinfoil Dinner
- 17. Stuffed Peppers
- 18. Cheese Platter
- 19. Fish & Chips
- 20. Skillet Smores Dip
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1. Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a nutritious, straightforward breakfast you can take with you or prepare several days in advance. It can’t get dull since you can add different toppings each day. Add your oats, milk of choice, chia seeds, flax, or even protein powder and sweetener in a jar. Shake the jar and leave it overnight. Add seasonal fruit, granola or nut butter before consuming. Yum!
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2. English Breakfast
If you plan on exploring the whole day, an English breakfast will have you satiated longer and give you sufficient energy. In a frying pan, add two eggs sunny side up, rasher or two of bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, open a can of white beans, add mushrooms and some bread. It’s hearty, fast and delicious.
3. Breakfast Burritos
The best thing about burritos is you can do them with any leftovers! Take a tortilla, fry some eggs with sausage, and add any veggies from avocado to tomato, peppers, onions, cilantro and even black beans for extra protein. Wrap them to go or eat them in your camper.
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4. Yogurt & Granola
Homemade granola is easy to make, cost-effective and stores well. You don’t even need an oven! Mix oats, buckwheat, almonds, coconut shreds, a tablespoon of coconut oil and maple syrup or honey. Cook on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, mixing well every few minutes. Let it cool, add some raisins and store it in an airtight container. All you need for a good breakfast is some yogurt or kefir in a bowl and your granola. You have breakfast ready for a week!
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5. Campfire French Toast
Get any bread lingering around your camper, slice it thick and dip it in an egg, milk, vanilla and cinnamon mixture. For the perfect dipping mixture, use a cup of milk for every three eggs. Presliced bread is too thin, so use a loaf when you can. Butter a pan and heat it well, dip the bread no longer than 10 seconds and fry it no more than 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or smother it in jam and enjoy!
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6. Egg & Sausage Breakfast Taquitos
Taquitos are a staple breakfast, fast and delicious. For a pack of 10 to 12 tortillas, scramble 3 eggs and fry 6 sliced sausages. Place filling in the middle of each tortilla, top with sliced tomato, avocado and shredded cheese. Roll all tortillas, place them in a pan, seam down and in the oven for 10-15 minutes. If you don’t have an oven, put them on the stove over medium heat until the cheese is melted.
7. Omelettes
Omelettes are nutritious, easy to make and can taste different every day. Whisk three eggs, tablespoon of water, salt, pepper, and place them in a heated, buttered pan. When the eggs are set, cover half of the omelette with the toppings – mushrooms, chives, cheese, smoked bacon, and flip the other half to seal it. In a minute, your omelette is ready!
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8. Pizza Quesadillas
Longing for your favourite pepperoni pizza? Now you get to recreate it within minutes! Well, sort off. All you need is 4 large tortillas, warmed up tomato sauce, sliced pepperoni and hard salami, a cup of shredded mozzarella and a teaspoon of oregano. Butter each side of the tortillas, sprinkle with oregano, mozzarella and layer the pepperoni and salami. Top with the other two tortillas, buttered side up and cook on a griddle for a few minutes. Slice, serve with the warm tomato sauce and enjoy!
9. Campfire Beef Stew
Chilly nights will have you longing for a portion of warm comfort food, and what’s better than a stew? Having a Dutch oven makes all the difference, so consider investing in one if you’re a full-time caravaner. Sizzle a little bit of onion and garlic over a teaspoon of oil, and add 1kg of beef stew meat, cut in chunks. Season with salt, pepper and add two heaping teaspoons of tomato paste. Stir in broth, enough to cover the meat and come 2cm over it. Cook for an hour, then add the veggies of choice, carrots, potatoes, and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Ultimate comfort food!
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10. Veggie & Hummus Wrap
Seasonal farmer’s market veggies are the healthiest addition to any meal. And camping is no reason to skip Meatless Mondays. Get the tortillas out and spread hummus over them. Cut some veggies of choice, like avocado, peppers, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, onions, tomatoes, olives, fill the tortillas and wrap them with stretch foil for lunch on the go!
11. Black Beans Burgers
Canned food doesn’t have to be boring. If you end up with a can of black beans, drain, rinse and pat dry them. Then, mash them with a fork. Sauté some onion, pepper, and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add them to the mashed beans and season with salt, pepper, cumin, chilli powder, smoked paprika. Add bread crumbs, shredded cheese and an egg. Stir everything together and form patties the size of 1/3 of a cup. You can either fry or bake them, put them in burgers or eat them individually.
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12. Loaded Potatoes
Loaded potatoes are the ultimate camping food. Wash and prick the potatoes with a knife or fork, and smother them in butter. Wrap each potato individually in tin foil and place it in the hot campfire ashes. It takes them more than an hour to get soft. Once soft, cut them in half, scoop out the flesh and mix it with grated cheese, sour cream, bacon and spring onions. Fill the potatoes, season and enjoy by the campfire!
13. Spaghetti Bolognese
Spaghetti bolognese is one of the most straightforward camp meals, ideal when you’re tired from the day. Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, celery, a rasher of bacon and add 500gr minced meat. Cook until beef is halfway cooked. Add two cans of tomatoes, 125ml of red wine and cook until you have a rich, thick sauce, stirring occasionally. Season with oregano, basil and optional parmesan. Boil your spaghetti al dente, serve them in bowls and cover with the bolognese. Easy as 1,2,3!
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14. Stir Fry
Are you missing your favourite Asian restaurant? You can recreate any stirfry in just 15 minutes, all while camping. The base of every stir fry is protein, veggies and extras. Pick your protein: chicken, beef or tofu; pick veggies and any additions like nuts, beans or noodles. Heat a little oil in your pan and add garlic, ginger and onion. Add the protein and stir. Add veggies by the time they require to cook from longer to quicker cooking. Once everything’s cooked, add your sauce or use prebought, add any extras and serve with green onions on top!
15. Parmesan Chicken Packed in Tin Foil
No-mess meals are the best meals. Make some mouth-watering chicken without the fuss. Cut 4, 30x45cm tin foil pockets and spray them with cooking spray. Slice zucchini and layer them on the tin foil, season with salt and pepper and add some tomato sauce on top. Place one chicken breast over each pocket and season with olive oil, oregano and a hefty amount of parmesan. Seal the pockets and put them on the BBQ, chicken-side down. Cook each side for about 8 minutes.
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16. Kielbasa Tinfoil Dinner
Make use of the free BBQs around the camps and make these delicious tinfoil pockets. Heat the BBQ, and prepare 4 packets of 20x20cm tin foil. In a large bowl, combine cut kielbasa, baby potatoes ( or regular, just diced) and green beans. Add melted butter and seasoning of choice- Cajun works fantastic. Toss to cover and transfer to the tin foil packets. Place the tightly sealed packs on the BBQ for about 20 minutes. Use caution when opening. Fast, easy, and so yummy!
17. Stuffed Peppers
Get your hands on some fresh bell peppers to make this recipe. Sauté onion, garlic and add 500gr of minced meat – turkey or beef. When halfway cooked, add the rice – white, brown or even cauliflower rice. Season with paprika, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Cut the top of your bell peppers, fill them with the mixture, seal with the cut off top, and place them in a high pan. Add a cup of water, cover and cook on low heat 40 minutes to an hour – in an oven or on the stove. It makes a delightful dinner!
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18. Cheese Platter
Cheese platter is a fast and satiating dinner for when you can’t be bothered to cook. All you need is your prefered cheeses – a hard, soft and creamy one, a handful of nuts and fruits, some crackers and great wine. Dinner, relaxation and self-care in one!
19. Fish & Chips
Got a nice catch? Why not make it a fresh and delicious meal the whole family will love, like fish and chips! Fillet your fish, beat some eggs, and crush some leftover potato chips. Heat your oil, dip the fish into the eggs and then in the potato chips. It’s best to use a skillet for this recipe, but a regular pan will work too. When the fish is done, fry some potatoes and enjoy your fish dinner!
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20. Skillet Smores Dip
There’s no camping without smores. If you can’t be bothered to hold sticks over the fire (or you always get your marshmallows burned), try the skillet dip. Heat the skillet over the fire for a couple of minutes. Remove and brush it with butter. Add the chocolate chips until the bottom is fully covered. Layer the marshmallows to cover the chocolate completely and put it back on the heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Use Graham crackers to scoop the dip. Best camp dessert ever!
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