Summer is here, and that means camping! Are you looking for camping meal ideas with kids? It can be difficult to get kids to eat when there is so much going on! With the help of our Explorer Families, we've shared a few camping meal ideas with kids for you to try on your next family camping trip.
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Breakfast Camping Meal Ideas with Kids
Cereal and milk—this one always wins! You can bring fresh or powdered milk and mix it with water.
Pre-made breakfast sandwiches or burritos -- you can make these at home beforehand, and even include your children in the process. This way they will be more motivated to eat something they put the effort into making! Wrap them in tinfoil and heat them over the fire.
Scrambled eggs -- another winner!
Fruit platter -- fresh fruit in the summer doesn't get any better!
Pancakes are such an easy and fast option. Pack along an instant pancake mix and any added ingredients, and you're good to go!
Breakfast Pizza - Spread yogurt over a piece of naan or pita bread, then slice it like a pizza. Let each person “decorate” their own piece of breakfast pizza with a variety of pre-cut fruit (cut the fruit up at home!). Tip: Much easier to slice BEFORE the fruit is added.
Apple McMuffins: Toast an English muffin over your fire, spread some butter, sprinkle cinnamon, and top with green apples!
Banana Pops: Peel the banana and cut it in half. Coat the end of the banana in the nut butter of your choice before rolling/sprinkling it in whatever toppings your kiddo likes—granola, oats, dried fruit, chocolate chips, raisins, shredded coconut. Add a popsicle stick as a handle.
Snack Ideas
Trail mix—You can head to your nearest bulk store and make your own trail mix! The kids can pick exactly what they want, so you know they won't be picking anything out.
Muffins -- pre-make muffins at home. They are super easy around the campsite and on adventures.
Ants on a log: Wash and cut the celery into 2-3 inch pieces at home. Then, at camp, fill each piece with peanut butter and top with raisins.
Sliced veggies & dip -- sliced coloured peppers, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, celery sticks, sugar snap peas. Ranch, hummus, whatever specific sauce your children cover everything with. Wash and slice ahead of time at home, this camping snack for kids will be so colourful and full of choice that there’ll be something for everyone.
More fruit! -- strawberries, kiwi, banana, cantaloupe, apple, watermelon, grapes, clementine, mango - wash and cut before leaving for camp if you have fruit that’ll keep after being cut (dip cut apple pieces in pineapple or orange juice to prevent browning). Then, at camp, rather than a typical fruit bowl or plate, spruce it up by giving each kiddo a waffle cone to fill or a wooden skewer to create a colorful fruit kabob.
Lunch Camping Meal Ideas with Kids
Sandwiches -- you can never go wrong with an easy PB & J sandwich, or whatever flavour your little one is feeling! Pre-make these at home so you can eat them on demand at the campsite.
Quesadillas -- pre-cut your veggies, pre-shred your cheese, and pre-cook your meat. All you will need to do is assemble these when you are ready to eat!
Hot Dogs -- these are an easy one to whip up over the fire! Don't forget the favourite condiments.
Crackers and cheese—you can also add pickles, ham, hummus, and other types of dip!
Macaroni & Cheese -- whether you are the boxed kind or the homemade kind, this is an easy meal to pack for!
Apples! We take a bag of apples, and it’s gone before the trip is over! - @hannahalwaysmac
PB sandwiches are so easy, and everyone in our family loves them! - @becca_outdoors
Dinner Camping Meal Ideas with Kids
Campfire Pizza -- prepare all the toppings at home, and bring what you know your kids will enjoy! Don't forget the cast iron pan.
Campfire Nachos are such an easy and fun meal to have while camping. Pack along your favourite nacho toppings and cook them over the fire.
Foil Packet Meals -- Potatoes, onions, a veggie, and meat of some sort with spices, all wrapped in foil and cooked over the fire! - @tam_neidich
Hamburgers -- Nothing beats hamburgers cooked over the fire! Make sure to pre-cut the toppings at home and don't forget the condiments!
Chicken Strip Wraps -- cook and season chicken strips at home. Some kiddos might just like chicken strips reheated with a choice of dipping sauces, while others might like them wrapped in tortillas with added sauce, cheese, chopped tomato, lettuce, and whatever else each individual prefers!
Tacos In A Bag: Chop all the veggies and cook/season the meat at home. Then, at camp, let each person start with their bag of fun-sized chips and top with all their favorite ingredients. For your younger kiddos, you might want to dump their concoction into an actual bowl for ease of eating.
Freshly cooked pasta out of the gas backcountry stove - @jeremybaridon
Charcuterie is our favorite first-night meal. It's easy to put together, and the kids and grown-ups get to eat whatever they like best! - @StrongerThanFire
Dehydrated/Freeze Dried Backpacker Meals -- Because no matter how hectic the backcountry trips gets, you know you'll get fed.
Dessert Ideas
Banana Boats -- Make a slit in the center of the banana, making sure to not cut all the way through. Pack the slit with mini marshmallows, chocolate pieces, and broken-up graham crackers. Wrap the banana with tin foil and place it on the fire grates or in the warm ashes. Wait until the marshmallow and chocolate become melted and gooey, about 10 minutes! Be careful -- they'll be hot. Dig in and enjoy.
S'mores are a classic, but try switching it up by adding white or mint chocolate, using Oreo cookies for the sandwich, or spreading Nutella instead of chocolate. If you forget your roasting sticks, just wrap the sandwiches in tin foil and place them on the fire!
Baked Apples -- Slice some apples, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, wrap in foil, and heat in the fire for 10 minutes or so.
S'mores Nachos -- Use either a cast iron pan or, for easy clean up, a disposable aluminum pan. First, layer broken-up pieces of graham cracker, then top with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. Make it snazzy by adding other favorite candy, too! Heat the pan over your campfire or camping stove for about 10 minutes or until everything has turned into melty goodness. Tip: You can initially heat this in an oven at home, cool it in the fridge, and pack it in your cooler as a chilled dessert - so yummy!
Dessert Cones—Grab some ice cream sugar cones and fill them with whatever sweet toppings you want: mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, nuts, sprinkles. These are fun for kids to assemble themselves, buffet style. Wrap tightly with foil and heat upright over the campfire for 5 or 10 minutes, allowing everything to become a melty mess before enjoying.
Have Fun Camping with Your Kids!
We hope you have fun trying some of these camping meal ideas with kids! Make sure to tag us using @KidsWhoExplore and #KWEGoesCamping so we can see your camping meal ideas and summer adventures!
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