9 Family Camping Meals: Camping Recipes for Families, by Families

Camping season is in full swing, and sometimes it is so hard to come up with family camping meal ideas. We've asked our families what their favourite camping meals are, and have some great ideas for your next family camping trip! Here are our favourite family camping meals - camping recipes by families, for families. *Products below are clickable, and they will direct you to our favourite products, which means this blog contains affiliate links. We have made sure to add links to both US and Canadian retailers, if applicable. We make a small commission when you purchase a product using our affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. These funds help Kids Who Explore continue to put out educational content just like this and keep our community running* 

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Family Camping Meals

Camp Kitchen Gear

Any good meal starts with good camp kitchen gear. You do have a few options - you can cook over your fire, over a portable stove or grill, or if you have a trailer you have a few additional options. Here are some of our favourite grills and stoves:

Eureka Camp Stove

• Shop MEC

• Shop REI

JetBoil Genesis 2 Burner Stove

• Shop MEC

• Shop REI
  

Coleman Camp Stove

• Shop MEC

• Shop REI

Family Camping Recipes

Wild Pancakes

Ingredients:

1. 200g Self Raising Flour

2. 1 Egg

3. 30g Sugar

4. 1 tsp Baking Powder

5. 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional)

6. 300ml  Milk (works well with coconut milk too)

Instructions:

Whisk all together. It should have a custard-like consistency. Sometimes, I don’t add all the milk. Pop in a flask and cook in the hills or while camping! Serve with freshly picked blackberries or other fruit you can take from home, plus yogurt, honey/syrup, or simply enjoy by themselves. Submitted by @kippdee.family. Why do you like this meal? "It can be prepped at home, it's super simple, and who doesn't like pancakes?!"

Baby-Friendly Pancakes

Ingredients:

1. 1 Banana, mashed

2. 2 Eggs, whisked

3. 2 Tablespoons Rolled Oats (better if they are ground in a blender a little)

Instructions:

Mix all of the above together then pop in a flask and cook while on the trail or while camping. Submitted by @kippdee.family Why do you like this meal? "Baby-friendly, healthy, easy, and quick."

Almond Joy Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1. Oatmeal-1/2 cup

2. 1 Cup Water or Milk of choice (I use almond milk or oat milk) (but for backpacking powdered milk works great to have it pre-made just add water)

3. Pinch of Salt (optional)

4. 1 Tbsp. Shredded Coconut

5. 1 Tbsp of Nutella. Mix and enjoy. I use the small Nutella packs that come with pretzels for on the trail.

6. You can add almond flakes, chia seeds, and ground flax for added nutrition.

Submitted by @stonefieldstables Why do you like this meal? "Easy to pre-mix and pack for backpacking and packs a punch of extra calories (you can add a lot to it without changing the amazing creamy taste) for long trail days-tastes like a dessert."

Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients:

1. Bacon

2. Eggs

3. Milk

4. Tomatoes (or salsa)

5. Shredded Cheese

6. Tortillas

Instructions:

Cook bacon over fire, set aside Make scrambled eggs, add diced tomatoes and shredded cheese. Build your wrap with a tortilla, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Voila! Quick easy camp breakfast. Submitted by @just.jesii  Why do you like this meal? "Quick, easy, kids love it! And you can eat it with your hands!"

Camp Nachos

Ingredients:

1. Nacho chips

2. Shredded cheese

3. Black beans, canned

4. Diced tomatoes or salsa

5. Guacamole or avocado

6. Onions optional

Instructions:

Line the pan with foil for easy cleanup. Lay a generous covering of chips down. Next, pour black beans on (strain the juice out of the can) followed by cheese and tomatoes. Cover with a lid and cook for just a few minutes over a camp stove or fire. Bottom chips may get a little toasty so try to prevent burning! Add avocado after and eat right off the foil! Submitted by @rachelandroamin Why do you like this meal?  "Almost no clean up required, minimal ingredients that can be pre-prepped, and quick cook time!"

Bushman Pizza

Ingredients:

1. Two slices of bread

2. Butter

3. Pizza sauce

4. cheese

5. Your favourite pizza toppings

Instructions: Butter bread and place one piece butter-side down in a Bushman pie maker. Add pizza sauce, cheese, and your pizza toppings. Place the other slice of bread on top and use a knife to hold it in place to close the pie maker. Cook until the bread is nicely toasted and comes off the pie maker easily. Cut off any burnt edges and allow to cool before eating. Submitted by @jes.at.her.best Why do you like meal? "We always made it as kids, and it brings back great memories. Plus everyone can make it their own way.

Tacos In A Bag

Ingredients:

1. Small bag of chips (we prefer sun chips)

2. Ground burger cooked in Taco seasoning

3. Any cut-up veggies you prefer (peppers, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, basically anything you'd put in taco salad)

4. Shredded cheese

5. Zesty Italian salad dressing

Instructions: Open the chip bag and crush it slightly. Add the salad ingredients, meat and cheese mix, and dressing. Mix again, and enjoy. Submitted by @kailacourt Why do you like this meal? "Super easy hardly any dishes and super easy to prep everything ahead of time."

Pizza Pies

Ingredients:

1. Bread

2. Butter

3. Pizza Sauce

4. Pizza Toppings/Fillings (pepperoni, ham, pineapple, cheese, tomatoes…)

5. Campfire Pie Iron

Instructions: 1. Butter the outside of two pieces of bread

2. Place the one piece of bread butter side down against each side of the cast iron pie maker.

3. Place fillings onto one piece of bread.

4. Carefully close the pie iron, being sure that the other piece of bread covers the fillings too.

5. Cook over the campfire, rotating to cook both sides.

6. Carefully open up the pie iron on a rock or solid surface and use a butter knife to get the pizza pie out!

7. The pizza pie will be very hot inside, so be careful when eating: cut it in half to open and let out steam, or let it cool for a bit first. Enjoy! Submitted by @methodsofamountainmom @aliphoto11 Why do you like this meal? "We love these because you can modify them in so many ways! Fill with pie filling instead and have dessert! Use different cheeses and have a supreme grilled cheese sandwich. You can even use chocolate and marshmallows for a bread s’more!"

Baked S'mores Banana Boats

Click here for the original recipe link. Ingredients:

1. 1 Banana

2. 1 Tbsp Milk Chocolate Chips

3. 1 Tbsp Miniature Marshmallows

4. 1 Tbsp Graham Crackers, crushed

Instructions: Start fire. Make a deep lengthwise slit in each banana to within 1/2 inch of the ends. Place banana in heavy foil, slit side up. Open slit; fill with chocolate chips, marshmallows, and graham crackers. Wrap banana with foil; fold foil ends to seal. Place on warm coals or racks of fire (or BBQ racks). Bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until toppings are slightly melted. Carefully open the packet; cool slightly.

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Happy Camping with Your Kids!

We can't wait for you to try these family camping meals on your next family camping trip! We hope these recipes become some of your family's favourites, like they've become our explorer families! Happy Camping!