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.
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.
Get the recipe: Make-Ahead Camping Burritos
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!
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.
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.
Get the recipe: Cajun Chicken Foil Packets
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.
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.
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.
Get the recipe: Italian Sausage Sliders
Get the recipe: Camping Pasta Salad
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.
Get the recipe: Cast Iron Skillet Pancakes
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.
Get the recipe: Skillet Beer Cheese Dip
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!
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