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    Home » Recipe Index » Articles

    Published: May 4, 2024 by Angie Zoobkoff · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. · Leave a Comment

    Stress-Free Long Weekend Camping Menu Plan

    If you're a seasoned camper, you likely have a long list of things you love about camping that keeps you returning to it year after year. For me, it's the fresh air, quiet early morning walks with my dog, listening to music around the campfire, and most of all, the food, which always seems to taste better when enjoyed outside.

    However, when it comes to cooking and cleaning on a camping trip, I often think it seems kind of like regular life with less convenience and more dirt. In other words, not exactly a holiday.

    Jump to:
    • Long Weekend Menu Plan
    • Get Ahead Tips
    • Equipment You'll Need

    Over the years, I've learned to do two things that changed that entirely. The first is to keep meals simple. No one is expecting a gourmet feast, but it doesn't have to be hot dogs all weekend, either. The second is to do as much as possible before heading out. This results in less stress and more relaxing.

    This stress-free camping menu plan offers recipes and meal ideas for a long weekend with no hot dogs and no repeats! There are tips on what to do ahead of time so that you can spend your weekend enjoying the great outdoors and still enjoy amazing meals.

    Long Weekend Menu Plan

    Friday Dinner

    You've arrived, unpacked, and are set up. Whether the kids are begging you to take them to the park, or you want to sit and relax with a cold drink, this is the moment that you'll be incredibly grateful you took the time to make burritos prior to the trip. Purchase a veggie tray or pack along your favorite cut vegetables for an easy side to the dinner. Campfire banana boats make for a fun end to the meal, especially when everyone can customize their own.

    Two halves of a burrito on a plate with hot sauce drizzled over them.

    Get the recipe: Make-Ahead Camping Burritos

    Nine banana boats on a wooden table.

    Get the recipe: Campfire Banana Boats (recipe and photo credit: Fresh Off The Grid)

    Saturday Breakfast

    Start your day off with a hearty breakfast of French toast that's prepared in your cast iron skillet. Offer some sliced berries or a purchased fruit tray on the side. Don't forget to bring coffee!

    A skillet with three slices of French toast topped with strawberries and whipped cream.

    Get the recipe: Skillet French Toast (recipe and photo credit: Homemade Heather)

    Saturday Lunch

    Thankfully, when you prepped your make-ahead burritos, you cooked a double batch of the ground beef mixture. This just needs to be warmed up in your skillet and then everyone can assemble their own camping walking tacos.

    A walking taco with Doritos and cheese with lettuce, sour cream, and tomato surrounding it.

    Get the recipe: Camping Walking Tacos

    Saturday Dinner

    If you prepped your chicken and veggies in advance, these chicken foil packets come together in no time at all. Even if you need to do a little slicing and dicing at camp, the effort is pretty minimal. Serve some campfire garlic bread on the side and s'mores for dessert.

    Two Cajun chicken foil packets on plates with forks on the side.

    Get the recipe: Cajun Chicken Foil Packets

    Four pieces of toasted garlic bread on a wooden cutting board.

    Get the recipe: Campfire Garlic Bread

    Sunday Breakfast

    Whether you choose to top it with a few fried eggs or eat it as-is, this chorizo and sweet potato hash is hearty and satisfying, and will keep you full until lunch.

    A cast iron skillet filled with chorizo and sweet potato hash with sliced avocado and cilantro on top.

    Get the recipe: Chorizo Sweet Potato Hash

    Sunday Lunch

    This ciabatta turkey sandwich feels fancy, but is easy to throw together. You can serve it warm or cold, so if you're heading out on a hike or picnic, feel free to make them up and toss them in your bag early in the day.

    Two halves of a turkey ciabatta sandwich with tomatoes, pesto, and mozzarella, stacked on top of each other on a cutting board.

    Get the recipe: Turkey Ciabatta Sandwich

    Sunday Dinner

    These Italian sausage sliders require little more than shaping some Italian sausage patties and cooking them in a skillet. Serve an Italian pasta salad (that you can make before you go) on the side. Campfire baked apples are a sweet end to the day.

    An Italian sausage slider topped with marinara on a plate with potato chips on the side.

    Get the recipe: Italian Sausage Sliders

    A white bowl filled with pasta salad.

    Get the recipe: Camping Pasta Salad

    A campfire apple on a plate, filled with granola and topped with whipped cream.

    Get the recipe: Campfire Baked Apples (recipe and photo credit: Fresh Off The Grid)

    Monday Breakfast

    Fill everyone's bellies up before the packing and trip home begins. Skillet pancakes and crispy bacon are the perfect end to the trip.

    A stack of pancakes, maple syrup, and blueberries on a plate with blueberries and bacon in the background.

    Get the recipe: Cast Iron Skillet Pancakes

    Several slices of maple sriracha bacon on a plate with maple syrup and sriracha in the background.

    Get the recipe: Maple Sriracha Griddle Bacon

    Bonus: Snacks!

    No camping trip is complete without snacks, and while I think a few bags of chips make a perfectly acceptable snack to nosh on all weekend, if you want to branch out, try this skillet beer cheese, or if you're looking for something fun for the kiddos, mix up a batch of s'mores trail mix.

    A small skillet filled with beer cheese dip, topped with shredded cheese, tomatoes, and scallions with chips on the side.

    Get the recipe: Skillet Beer Cheese Dip

    Two jars filled with Golden Grahams, chocolate cookies, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips.

    Get the recipe: S'mores Trail Mix

    Get Ahead Tips

    There are a few things I recommend doing before heading out. Trust me on this. Your weekend self will love you for it.

    • Up to 1 month before your trip, make the camping burritos and freeze them. While you're at it, make a double batch of the meat and freeze that to use in your walking tacos.
    • Up to a week before the trip, mix up the dry ingredients for your pancakes and store them in a resealable plastic bag.
    • A few days before the trip, mix up the filling (without the butter) for your campfire apples and store it in resealable plastic bag.
    • The day before or the day of your trip, make the pasta salad. Store it in a sealed container.
    • The day of your trip, slice up the onions and peppers and cube the chicken thighs for your Cajun chicken foil packets. Store the chicken and vegetables in separate sealed containers.
    • The day of your trip, prepare the garlic bread (but don't cook it) and wrap it in foil.

    Equipment You'll Need

    All of these recipes are designed to be made with minimal equipment and can be prepared over a campfire using a cast iron skillet or griddle. You will need to pack the following few items (in addition to regular utensils and plates/cups):

    • Cast iron skillet or griddle
    • Long handled tongs
    • A roll of aluminum foil
    • Heat resistant gloves or a pot holder

    Happy camping and bon appétit!

    More Outdoor Cooking Tips

    • A cast iron Dutch oven suspended over a fire.
      How to Cook with a Cast Iron Dutch Oven
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    • A cast iron skillet filled with stuffing and a carved turkey on a wooden board.
      How To Cook Thanksgiving Dinner on the Grill
    • Several dishes on a checkered tablecloth with a vintage camper in the background.
      A Simple Thanksgiving Camping Dinner

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