20+ Make Ahead Meals for Camping


Prepare delicious camping meals in advance with these make ahead meals for camping. Simplify your outdoor adventures with easy recipes for any trip!

make ahead camping meals

Today I am sharing my ultimate list of make-ahead meals for camping. These easy camping meals are perfect for taking on your next camping trip!

You guys know by now that we absolutely love camping. I spend at least 30 nights a year camping in the great outdoors with the whole family. 

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Whether it be dirt biking and glamping in the travel trailer or hiking and backpacking with a two person tent, there is a very good chance that I will be making delicious food surrounded by wilderness. You could say that I am a bit of a camp food connoisseur.

I want to provide healthy meals for my family, no matter where we are eating. Cooking over a fire pit can pose a bit of a challenge though.

When it comes to camping, I like to choose recipes that use simple ingredients and that come together quickly. That’s where these easy make ahead recipes come in!

Looking for more easy & delicious camping recipes? Be sure to check out….

Teriyaki chicken and vegetables in a foil packet.
Foil Packet Teriyaki Chicken

Make Ahead Recipes

Prepare these camping meals at home and one day of cooking can carry you through the entire summer!

These recipes are ones that are personal favorites and that I have served to friends and family with rave reviews. Making food ahead of time is a great way to prepare the best camping recipes with easy clean-up, which is a major requirement in menu planning whenever I go camping. 

I want to spend less time cooking and more time dirt biking or hiking. Are you with me?! 

Breakfast

Three white tortilla breakfast burritos on a white paper plate on a picnic table with checkered table cloth.

Breakfast Burritos – I love a good camping breakfast burrito! It is such an easy breakfast. Make them all the same or put together a few different varieties. They are perfect for a family camping trip and are a great make-ahead option for feeding large groups.

foil packet breakfast bake

This foil packet breakfast bake is the perfect meal for camping. It’s super easy to make, totally yummy and simple to prepare ahead of time.

Dutch Oven Cinnamon Bun Recipe

These dutch oven cinnamon buns are beyond delicious and easy to make. This recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd while camping!

homemade breakfast sandwiches freezer

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so get things started with these delicious breakfast sandwiches. They are the perfect make-ahead meal for your next camping trip!

dutch oven breakfast bake

Wake up to a hearty delight with this dutch oven breakfast bake! Eggs, ham, veggies, tater tots and cheese baked to golden perfection.

Lunch

Campfire Philly Cheesecake Sandwich

This Campfire Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich is one of our most requested recipes for camping.  It is beyond easy to make and a delicious crowd pleaser!!

Vegetable Campfire Dip

This delicious cheesy vegetable campfire dip recipe is perfect for camping! Wrap it in a foil packet to make an easy camping dip in minutes.

campfire pizza bake

Gather around the flames for a tantalizing campfire pizza bake! Layered with gooey cheese, pizza sauce, pepperoni slices, and a crispy crust, it’s outdoor cooking at it’s finest.

Campfire Spinach Dip and the Ultimate List of Camping Ideas

Campfire spinach dip cooked over a crackling campfire, blending fresh spinach, creamy cheese, and a hint of smoky flavor for the perfect outdoor snack.

Dinner

campfire spaghetti bake recipe

This Campfire Spaghetti Bake Recipe is the easiest camping meal that you will ever make!  It’s delicious, filling and feeds a crowd.

Steak, sliced mushrooms and baby yellow potatoes cooked in a foil packet with garlic butter and fresh parsley garnish.

Indulge in the flavors of these garlic butter steak & mushroom foil packs. Juicy steak, savory mushrooms and potatoes all sealed in foil and cooked to perfection!

dutch oven nacho recipe

Crispy tortilla chips layered with gooey cheese, savory meat and zesty salsa, cooked to perfection over the hot coals of a campfire in a cast iron dutch oven. These dutch oven nachos are easy to throw together with a bit of preparation!

Chicken on a bed of sliced bell peppers and zucchini topped with melted shredded cheese and jalapeno slices with a lime wedge garnish in a foil packet.

This salsa chicken foil pack recipe is a dinner time staple. Juicy chicken, vibrant salsa, fresh veggies, and cheese, foil wrapped and baked to perfection!

While hot dogs and peanut butter are camping staples, these easy camping recipes take things to the next level. It’s amazing the easy recipes that you can make with just a camping stove!

Foil packs and overnight oats are easy meals that everyone can enjoy!

Tips for camping meal preparation

  • Do your meal prep in advance at home whenever possible. Leave most of the mess at home where running water is more accessible and clean up is easier. Trust me on this one!
  • Create “one pot” family style meals for quick dinners that don’t require a lot of thought. 
  • Use tin foil packets, foil pie pans, or camp cookers. These tools help to make for easy cleanup!
  • Pack ingredients into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag for flexible storage in small fridges and coolers.
  • Plan meals that use similar ingredients to help make packing and planning easy. These Campfire Pizza Bake, Sausage Foil Packet, and Skillet Campfire French Toast recipes are some of our favorites.
  • Use my blank printable meal plan or camping meal plans to help organize your next trip.

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Our camp cooking essentials

Over the years, I have experimented and tried out pretty much every camping tool known to woman. I love to cook and make delicious food while we are camping in the wilderness.

In my opinion, aluminum foil and a cast-iron skillet are both absolute musts for your packing list. Here are some more of my favorite products to use for a taste of home while camping.

If you love these make-ahead meals for camping, please give this post a five star review and help me share it on Facebook and Pinterest so that others can enjoy them too!

More great camping recipes

about heather

Hello, I’m Heather!

I'm an active mom of twin boys who is always looking for opportunities to inspire creativity through fun crafts, do-it-yourself projects and delicious recipes. This blog has been an integral part of supporting my little family and I am so grateful to have you become a part of our journey! Let's create together... Read more...

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Thank you for some different ideas. I am a “glamper” and former cook. After 10+ years as camp cook for 4 couples (after working all week), my camping style has evolved lol. Now just the 2 of us, retired and casual camping, so I always try to do some prep and cooking prior to heading out. More time to just kick back and relax at the campsite.