15 Fun and Easy Camping Food Ideas for Families

There is something about camping that makes everyone hungry. Maybe it is the fresh air, a full day outdoors or simply the novelty of eating around the campsite instead of at the kitchen table.

If you are camping with the kids for a weekend or during the school holidays, it is also a good excuse to enjoy a few foods and treats you might not normally have at home. Breakfast wraps, campfire waffles, build-your-own tacos and warm, chocolatey desserts all feel more exciting when you are eating them outside.

Camping food does not need to be complicated. The best ideas are easy to pack, simple to prepare and flexible enough for children to help make. Here are 15 fun and easy camping food ideas for family trips.

Once the menu is sorted, the next challenge is packing everything so the family can actually find it. CamPaq clear camping bags let you see packaged food, snacks and camp-kitchen supplies without opening every bag. That means the kids can spot their own snacks and adults can quickly see what needs restocking.

What makes good camping food?

Good camping food should be easy to pack, simple to prepare and suitable for the cooking equipment you are taking. It also helps to choose ingredients that can be used in more than one meal.

Before planning your menu, consider:

• How many people you need to feed
• How many breakfasts, lunches and dinners you need
• Whether you will have a fridge, freezer or esky
• What cooking equipment is available
• Whether fires or barbecues are permitted
• How much preparation you can do at home

A simple meal plan can prevent overpacking, reduce food waste and make it easier to find what you need at camp.

Easy camping breakfast ideas

1. Bacon and egg wraps

Bacon and eggs are camping favourites, but serving them in wraps makes breakfast easier to eat and cuts down on plates. Add cheese, spinach, tomato or barbecue sauce, depending on what your family enjoys.

2. Campfire waffles

A cast-iron campfire waffle iron turns breakfast into part of the camping fun. Prepare an easy waffle batter, or use pancake mix to keep things simple, then cook it in the heated iron over the fire. Turn the iron carefully so both sides cook evenly.

To save time, measure the flour, sugar and milk powder into a clean, wide-mouthed bottle at home. At camp, add the eggs, water and oil, secure the lid and shake well. You can then pour the batter straight into the waffle iron without needing a mixing bowl.

Once the waffles are ready, let the kids add their own toppings. Try sliced banana, berries, maple syrup, jam, sprinkles or a few chocolate chips. It is exactly the sort of breakfast that feels like a special holiday treat.

An adult should operate the waffle iron because the metal and handles become extremely hot. Always check local fire restrictions and campground rules before relying on a campfire.

3. Pancake topping bar

Measure the flour, sugar and milk powder into a clean, wide-mouthed bottle at home. At camp, add the eggs, water and oil, secure the lid and shake well. The batter can then be poured straight from the bottle onto the barbecue plate or frying pan, saving time and washing-up.

Then put out a few toppings and let everyone decorate their own. Fruit, yoghurt, maple syrup, jam, sprinkles and a small handful of chocolate chips can turn an ordinary breakfast into a school-holiday favourite.

Easy shake-in-the-bottle pancake and waffle mix

This simple mixture can be used for pancakes or in a cast-iron campfire waffle iron.

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• Enough milk powder to make 1½ cups of milk, measured according to the packet directions
• 2 eggs
• 1½ cups water
• ¼ cup neutral-flavoured cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Method

1. At home, use a funnel to place the flour, sugar and milk powder into a clean, dry, wide-mouthed bottle with a secure lid.
2. At camp, add the eggs, water, oil and vanilla.
3. Secure the lid tightly and shake until the ingredients are combined. A few small lumps are fine.
4. If the batter looks too thick to pour, add a small splash of water and shake again.
5. Pour the batter straight from the bottle onto a greased barbecue plate or frying pan, or into your campfire waffle iron.

Keep the eggs properly chilled until you are ready to add them. Once the wet ingredients have been mixed in, use the batter promptly and do not leave it sitting in the heat.

This makes approximately 10 to 12 medium pancakes. The number of waffles will depend on the size of your campfire waffle iron. Lightly grease the cooking surface before adding the batter, and have an adult handle the hot iron and fire.

4. Toasted breakfast sandwiches

Fill bread with cheese, ham, tomato or a cooked egg, then toast it in a sandwich press, jaffle iron or frying pan. These are warm, filling and easy to adapt for different tastes.

Simple camping lunch ideas

5. Make-your-own wraps and rolls

Lay out wraps or bread rolls with a selection of fillings and let everyone make their own lunch. Chicken, cheese, salad, tuna, grated carrot and sliced meats all work well when kept properly chilled.

Children can choose their own fillings and roll their own wraps, which makes lunch feel more like an activity and helps avoid complaints about unwanted ingredients.

6. Make-your-own camping snack boxes

Give each child a container and let them create a personal snack box using crackers, cheese, fruit, vegetable sticks, pretzels, boiled eggs and a small sweet treat.

These are handy for day trips, long drives or afternoons when everyone is too busy exploring to sit down for a formal lunch.

For reusable container ideas, Spixal has Silicone Mini Snack Boxes in a five-pack, along with its leakproof three-packs of Silicone Midi Snack Boxes in Brights or Silicone Midi Snack Boxes in Bolds.

If you have limited space, I like the larger 5 Compartment Bento Lunch Box for snacks and can be shared. Also good to have pre-prepared snacks in the fridge for happy hour drinks - olives, cheese, dips without having to put out 5 different bowls/plate. Equipment and space all counts when you are camping.

7. Pizza jaffles

Spread a little pizza sauce over bread and add cheese with simple toppings such as ham, pineapple, capsicum or salami. Cook in a jaffle iron until the bread is golden and the cheese has melted.

Children can assemble their own combinations before an adult takes over the cooking. Somehow, a pizza made in a jaffle iron always feels more exciting than an ordinary sandwich.

8. Sausage sandwiches

Cook sausages on the barbecue and serve them in bread or rolls with fried onion and sauce. They require very little preparation and work equally well for lunch or dinner.

Easy camping dinner ideas

9. One-pan pasta

Cook pasta with a simple tomato-based sauce, vegetables and cooked meat if desired. Using one pan keeps the washing-up manageable and makes this a practical meal for busy evenings.

10. Build-your-own tacos

Prepare taco filling at home or cook it at camp, then serve it with tortillas, grated cheese, lettuce, tomato, corn and salsa. Put everything out in small bowls and let the kids take charge of assembling dinner. Each person can make a different version from the same ingredients.

11. Barbecue skewers

Prepare skewers at home using meat and vegetables, then keep them chilled until it is time to cook. Serve with bread, salad or microwave rice if you have suitable facilities.

12. Foil packet meals

Place chopped vegetables with seasoned meat or fish in foil and cook the packets using an appropriate barbecue or camp cooking setup. Check that everything is cooked thoroughly before serving.

13. Campfire baked potatoes

Wrap potatoes securely in foil and cook them until soft using a safe and permitted heat source. Add cheese, baked beans, coleslaw or leftover taco filling for an easy dinner.

Always check local fire restrictions and campground rules before planning meals that rely on a campfire.

Camping snacks and treats

14. Make-your-own trail mix

Set out ingredients your family likes, such as dried fruit, cereal, pretzels, popcorn, seeds, mini marshmallows or a few chocolate pieces. Let each child create their own mixture, then pack individual portions for walks, day trips and car travel.

Small reusable containers are useful for keeping everyone's trail mix separate. Spixal's Silicone Mini Snack Boxes in a five-pack are a practical size for preparing individual portions.

Be mindful of allergies and avoid including nuts when they are unsuitable for your family or campground group.

15. Campfire banana boats

Slice a banana lengthways while leaving the peel on, add a few chocolate pieces or mini marshmallows, then wrap it in foil and warm it carefully. Allow it to cool before giving it to children.

If fires are not permitted, fruit with a small sweet treat is an easy alternative.

Let the kids help with the camp food

Children are often more willing to eat something they helped prepare. Camping is a good opportunity to give them simple, age-appropriate jobs without worrying about producing a perfect meal.

Depending on their age, children can:

• Choose wrap, taco or jaffle fillings
• Wash fruit and vegetables
• Build snack boxes and trail mix
• Mix pancake or waffle batter
• Add their own pancake and waffle toppings
• Fill banana boats before cooking
• Set out plates, cups and serviettes
• Help check ingredients off the meal plan

An adult should always handle knives, raw meat, hot cookware and campfires unless an older child is capable of the task and is being closely supervised.

How to organise camping food

Planning the meals is only half the job. A simple packing system saves time at camp and helps stop packets and cooking supplies from disappearing into different corners of the car or caravan.

Try grouping your food and supplies into categories such as:

• Breakfast ingredients
• Snacks and drinks
• Bread, wraps and crackers
• Tins, packets and dry ingredients
• Cooking utensils and barbecue supplies
• Tea, coffee and condiments

A CamPaq Medium Camping Bag works well for packaged dry pantry items such as bread, wraps, cereal, crackers, tins, packets and condiments. Its clear design means you can see what is running low, while the separate zipped pockets help keep smaller packets and everyday supplies from disappearing underneath everything else.

Cold and frozen food must still travel in a suitable fridge or esky. CamPaq bags are best used for sealed dry food and non-food kitchen supplies. Avoid packing sharp utensils directly against the clear material, clean spills promptly and remember that the bags are water-resistant rather than waterproof.

A few camping food packing tips

• Write a meal plan before making your shopping list.
• Prepare and portion ingredients at home where practical.
• Choose ingredients that can be used across several meals.
• Label containers when the contents are not obvious.
• Pack the first meal where it is easy to reach.
• Keep raw and cooked foods separate.
• Follow the storage instructions on food packaging.
• Take enough drinking water, particularly when camping remotely.
• Bring rubbish bags and leave your campsite clean.
  

Pans, reusable plates, bowls and other camp-kitchen equipment can be kept together in either a CamPaq Large Camping Bag or Caravan Under Bed Storage Bag. The Large is useful when you want an easy-to-carry bag with separate zipped pockets, while the low-profile Under Bed Bag works well under caravan beds or in other low spaces. Place sharp utensils in a protective container before packing them so they cannot damage the bag.

Make the meals part of the holiday

Camping meals do not have to be perfectly balanced masterpieces. A weekend away or a school-holiday camping trip is allowed to include pancake toppings, pizza jaffles and a few toasted marshmallows.

Choose ideas that suit your family, your equipment and the facilities at your destination. 

Let the children join in and enjoy the occasional treat. Often, the slightly messy meal everyone made together becomes one of the parts of the trip they remember most.

Packing the food into clear CamPaq camping bags also makes camp life easier. Instead of asking where the snacks, breakfast supplies or paper plates have gone, everyone can see them. Pack it. See it. Find it.

Frequently asked questions

What food is easy to take camping?

Easy camping food includes wraps, bread rolls, pasta, rice, tinned ingredients, cereal, oats, crackers and pre-portioned snacks. Choose food that suits your available refrigeration and cooking facilities.

What camping food can children help make?

Depending on their age, children can make snack boxes, trail mix and wraps, choose taco or jaffle fillings, mix batter and decorate pancakes or waffles. Adults should take over whenever knives, raw meat, hot equipment or fire are involved.

What camping food can I prepare beforehand?

You can chop suitable vegetables, portion dry ingredients, prepare some sauces and marinades, boil eggs and organise snack serves before leaving home. Store everything safely and keep perishable food properly chilled.

What are some easy camping meals for families?

Bacon and egg wraps, toasted sandwiches, quesadillas, sausage sandwiches, tacos, one-pan pasta and baked potatoes are simple options that can be adjusted for different ages and tastes.

How do I keep camping food organised?

Create a meal plan and group supplies by category. Keep cold food in a suitable fridge or esky and store sealed dry ingredients separately. Clear camping bags make it easier to see packaged pantry items and kitchen supplies.

What food should I pack for a weekend camping trip?

Plan the exact number of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks you will need. For a short trip, choose versatile ingredients that work in more than one meal so you do not take unnecessary extras.