If you want to rough it when you venture into the wilderness but still love a good camping hack, consider the convenience of make-ahead meals. Sure, glamping is all the rage at the moment, but sometimes we miss cracking open a can of beans and warming them on the open fire. Luckily, there's an in-between option. Combined with your camping trip DIYs and your fully stocked bag of campfire cooking supplies, all that's left is getting crafty about your meals. Keep reading for recipes that can be made ahead of time or prepped for easy cooking at the campsite.
Bacon Sheet Pan Pancakes: Bake up a tray of these sheet-pan bacon pancakes, then toast them in squares over the grill in the morning for a breakfast that'll make you feel like you're at home in the wild. (via Brit + Co)
Roasted Vegetable Breakfast Muffins: If you're eager to hit the trail, you don't want to fuss over breakfast. Bring a batch of homemade roasted vegetable breakfast muffins in an airtight container, and let everyone help themselves in the morning. (via Show Me The Yummy)
PB & J Snack Bars: Chewy, nutty, and sweet, these peanut butter and jelly bars have all the protein and good-for-you carbs you need to set up the tent and set off on your first hike. (via Brit + Co)
Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers: What's more comforting than chicken pot pie? If you tend to get homesick in the wilderness, prep these individual pies beforehand and take a little piece of home with you. (via Spicy Southern Kitchen)
Club Sandwich Pasta Salad: All the flavors of a club sandwich combine to make a refreshing side salad, without having to worry about your bread getting soggy. Pair it with barbecue chicken foil packs. (via Averie Cooks)
Ham and Cheese Sliders: Make a big foil tray of ham and cheese sliders before your trip, then let them get all melty by the fire and serve to the whole family for dinner. (via The Cookie Rookie)
Homemade Naan: Bring along some homemade naan on your next trip into the wilderness. Heat it up over the fiery coals and serve as-is for breakfast or a quick snack; use it to scoop up some hearty beans; or top with sauce and cheese to make grilled pizzas. (via by Asha Shivakumar)
Italian Hero Subs: This Italian hero can be assembled ahead of time (it actually gets better as the flavors have time to meld), kept in the cooler, and then heated quickly by the flames for a meal that'll warm you from the inside. (via The Creative Bite)
Pull-Apart BBQ Chicken Bread: Doing any sort of elaborate food prep on a dusty old picnic table is a "no" if you plan on having a relaxing time in the woods. Instead, slice and stuff a loaf of bread with chicken, cheese, and barbecue house at home, wrap it in foil, and warm it up over your fire for a cheesy, casual meal. (via Girl Carnivore)
Shrimp Boil Foil Packets: Shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes sound like one *epic* camping combo. There's zero cleanup too, meaning more time for ghost stories and boxed wine. (via Damn Delicious)
Slow-Cooker Baked Beans: Cracking open some baked beans to cook over the fire is a true camping tradition. Do yourself one better by swapping the can for a batch of these slow-cooker baked beans, which can be heated up at your campsite when it's time for dinner. (via Brit + Co)
Spicy Honey Fish in Foil: Camping trips often come with lots of fishing. If you were lucky enough to reel in your dinner, foil packet recipes like this one are essential. Just make the marinade at home, swap in whatever your catch of the day is, and add some veggies for freshness. (via Rasa Malaysia)
Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole: If a family-style casserole is more your breakfast speed, then this easily-prepped meal is for you. It's complete with sausages, eggs, and tater tots, so you'll have everything you need to feed your whole squad. You can prep and cook it ahead of time, keep in the cooker, and then pop it over the campfire in the morning to heat everything through. (via Plain Chicken)
Veggie Foil Packets: Open-fire cooking usually calls to mind juicy cuts of meat, but for the veg-heads in your group, there's this recipe. Chop your veggies and meatless sausages at home, then fold them into foil packets, and cook in the fire or on the grill until steaming hot. (via Brit + Co)
Baked Cinnamon Banana Chips: When you're craving something sweet at the top of the mountain, reach for these simple cinnamon banana chips. Unlike chocolate or candy, they can't melt in the heat, so you'll never be left without a treat. (via Brit + Co)
Meal Prep Bistro Snack Boxes: Stave off hunger before you even get to your campsite by packing a few bistro snackboxes for the road. Protein-rich thanks to cheese and nuts and loaded with fruit and veggies, they'll give you the strength you need to erect a tent and unpack the car. (via No. 2 Pencil)
DIY Trail Mix: Hiking means lots of walking *and* the inevitable hungry bellies that come afterward. Bring a custom trail mix customized to your liking to keep everyone climbing. For extra protein, include your go-to jerky, lots of seeds, and nuts for major muscle recovery. (via Brit + Co)
Watermelon Jerky: Fruit snacks are full of added sugars that could make you crash when you need your energy the most in the great outdoors. Opt for homemade watermelon jerky instead, which will give you the chewy fruit flavor you desire but with the natural goodness of real fruit. (via Brit + Co)
Make Ahead S'mores Cones: Pack sugar cones full of chocolate, mini marshmallows, and nuts, then wrap them in foil and head into the wilderness. When you're ready for dessert, pop the foil-wrapped cones on the grill for a few minutes, then enjoy the melted goodness inside. (via Jelly Toast)
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Follow us on Pinterest for more fun camping hacks.
Additional reporting by Justina Huddleston
Paige Johnson
Paige is a blogger, food writer and culinary master from Louisville, Ky. She's a newlywed who's obsessed with dogs and renovating her 117 year old home. When she's not working on her blog — My Modern Cookery — you can find her binge watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S with a triple shot latte in-hand.
