7 Easy Camping Meals for Families in 2023

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These campsite dinner ideas are delicious and fun to make with your family

Tasty Camping Recipes to Please a Crowd in 2023

We’re here to show you that camp food can be so delicious, you’ll want to try these recipes at home too!

In fact, these five easy camping meals for families show up on our dinner table year round.

Fuel up for the next day’s outdoor adventure with these delicious, healthy, and easy campsite dinners.

BONUS: When you download our free PDF, you get two extra favorite recipes in addition to the five recipes below.

5 Fabulous Easy Camping Recipes

Table of Contents:

1. Greek Chicken Kabobs

2. Flank Steak Fajitas

3. Easy Mini Pizzas

4. Rad Food Truck Tacos (Beef or Chicken)

5. Quick Sausage Pasta with Basil

6. Camp Pantry Staples

7. Camp Kitchen Essential Gear

8. Tips for Cooking Over a Campfire

If you’re the planning type, a lot of the prep for these easy campsite dinners can be done before the camping trip, leaving you more time for outdoor adventures.

Greek Chicken Kabobs

This easy campsite meal is a winner on the road and at home.

Serve these dynamite Greek Chicken Kabobs with toasted / grilled Naan bread, tzatziki sauce, Greek salad and hummus for a nourishing, filling easy camp meal.

Greek Chicken Kabobs are a great campsite dinner idea for your family

The best part? The chicken in this make ahead camping meal can be marinaded and frozen and placed in your camping cooler before you get off the grid.

Don’t feel like threading skewers? You can marinade chicken tenders instead and grill those. Put all of the veggies in a foil pack and cook them over the grill on the side.

At the campsite, cut up your peppers and onions to skewer once at the campsite.

Serve up this meal with Downshiftology’s easy, authentic homemade Tzatziki or hummus, Naan break, and a quick greek salad and you’ll have quite the feast!

Here’s what you’ll need for this campsite dinner idea, adapted from Downshiftology:

Greek Marinade ingredients:

Make the marinade ahead and store in a small, tight container

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp Honey Dijon mustard

• 3 tsp minced or crushed garlic cloves

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Chicken Kabobs ingredients:

You could cut up the chicken and marinade it ahead of your camping trip, then freeze until ready to use. Or just make the marinade ahead of time and store it in a sealed container in your cooler.

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken tenders cut into 1 1/2” size chunks

• 1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1 1/2” pieces

• 1 yellow or green pepper, seeded and cut into 1 1/2” pieces

• 1 red onion cut into 1 1/2” pieces

• Optional: 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash, sliced 1/2” wide pieces

• 2-3 dozen skewers

Kabobs are an easy make ahead camping meal for your family

Instructions for the Chicken Kabobs

1. Mix the Greek marinade by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.

2. Place your cut chicken pieces in a big bowl or plastic bag; pour the marinade over the chicken, allowing it to soak up the yumminess for at least one hour.

3. Light a grill or camp fire to medium-high heat. (Read Tips for Cooking over Camp Fire at the end of this post)

4. Kabob time: Thread the skewers*, alternating chicken, red onion, peppers, and optional zucchini.

5. Cook the skewers about 5-7 minutes on each side, taking about 15 minutes total. The kabobs are done when the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are lightly charred.

6. Alternatively, cook the chicken and veggies in a foil packet for 15-20 minutes.

7. Warm your Naan bread slightly over the fire.

Greek Salad adds to your healthy campsite meal

*We like using stainless steel skewers or disposable bamboo skewers. Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading them so they don’t burn over your camp fire.

Serve Greek Chicken Kabobs with easy homemade Tzatziki sauce (or store-bought if short on time), hummus, grilled Naan bread, and this easy Greek salad…

Easy Greek Salad: Throw together, diced cucumber, halved grape tomatoes, sliced or diced red onion, Kalamata olives, Feta cheese crumbles and some salt and pepper to your taste. Toss with your favorite Greek vinaigrette. We like Ken’s Greek Simply Vinaigrette.

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Flank Steak Fajitas

At home, we slow cook our flank steak fajitas in a crock pot.

For an easy camping meal for family, we just grill the steak instead and serve the sliced fajita meat with sauted onions and peppers with tortillas, fresh toppings and a quick salad.

Adapted from 100 Days of Real Food.

Fajita Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 pounds flank steak

• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce

• Splash of lime juice

• Soft flour or corn shells

• Saute at the campsite just before serving:

  • 1 onion, sliced

  • 5 bell peppers, sliced and seeded

Fajita Rub:

Mix this ahead of time and keep in a small dry container. Great on beef or chicken.

• 1 1⁄2 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1⁄2 tsp salt

• 1⁄4 tsp pepper

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Steak Fajitas are another easy camping meal for families

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a small bowl, combine the 6 rub seasonings. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the flank steak.

2. Drizzle the steak with soy sauce and lime juice.

3. Grill the steak over a camp fire until desired doneness.

4. Meanwhile, saute the peppers and onions.

5. Slice the meat across the grain and serve with fajita toppings and tortillas of your choice.

Use this foldable and lightweight campfire grill made entirely of stainless steel. Quick to set up and use.

More Fajita Toppings:

• Monterey Jack cheese, grated

• Sliced avocado

• Lettuce, chopped

• Greek yogurt or sour cream

• Lime wedges

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Another option: Sliced Flank Steak served with salad, corn on the cob, and roasted sweet potatoes.

Naan mini pizzas are a quick and easy campfire meal for families

Easy Mini Pizzas OVER THE CAMP FIRE

Serve this easy camp meal with a veggie tray and veggie dip.

INGREDIENTS:

• Naan bread (find in bakery section)* or bagel halves

• RAO’S Homemade Tomato and Basil Marinara

• Mozzarella cheese, shredded

• Pepperonis (we like turkey pepperoni)

• Canned sliced olives

• Red onion, sliced thin

• Thinly sliced peppers

• Cooking spray

• Aluminum foil

Naan bread can be used many ways for family camping meals, lunch or dinner

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Get your campfire going and let it “simmer” for 30 minutes. (Learn more about campfire prep below)

2. Place Naan bread on a sheet of aluminum foil, prepped with cooking spray.

3. Top Naan bread with sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice.

4. Cover loosely, making a tent of aluminum foil over the tops.

5. Set the individual pizzas on the fire grate 5-7” above the fire for 5-10 minutes until heated through. Check doneness halfway through.

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Rad Food Truck Tacos

This easy camp meal for families is fun with helpers of all ages! We like to serve these with sweet corn and pepper spears if we’re going all out.

Use your camp skillet and 2-Burner camp stove to brown your beef for this easy camp meal.

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Use the code “ANNIV23” at REI.com between 5/19-5/29 to redeem!

Ingredients For this family camping meal:

• 2 lbs browned ground beef*

• 1 cup water

• 5 tbsp homemade taco seasoning (*see below)

• 1-2 cups Spinach

• 1⁄2 bunch of Cilantro

• 8-16 oz Monterey jack, shredded

• Halved grape tomatoes*

• Avocado, sliced

• Corn tortillas

• Coconut oil

• Salt

• Sour cream / greek yogurt

• Lime juice or fresh limes, quartered

These rad tacos are one of the best dinner ideas when camping

Instructions:

1. Brown the ground beef. While you are browning the beef, you can also...

2. Warm up the corn tortillas on a hot skillet (2-3 minutes each side).

3. Add taco seasoning and water to your ground beef and simmer.

4. Invite an older child slice and dice up spinach and cilantro together and place it in a bowl.

5. Ask another to halve the grape tomatoes.

6. Shred the cheese if need be.

7. Slice your avocados and toss with a little lime juice.

8. Add a bowl of sour cream to the line up of fixings.

9. Enjoy your taco bar! My entire family gobbles up this meal.

*Homemade Taco Seasoning

by Lisa Leake from 100 Days of Real Food

• 1 Tbsp chili powder

• 1 1⁄2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 1⁄2 tsp dried oregano

• 1 1⁄2 tsp salt

• Use 2 1/2 tsp taco seasoning per 1 pound ground meat.

* Camping and you don’t want to deal with raw meat? Substitute canned chicken or black beans instead of ground beef.

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Quick Sausage Pasta Skillet

A perfect, quick one pot meal when you’re short on time and money, making it one of our top five dinner ideas when camping with your family.

Substitute Ground Turkey if you don’t care for pork sausage, but be sure to add these seasonings by Taste of Lizzy.

Use your camp skillet and 2-Burner camp stove for quick prep of this easy camping meal.

Pasta Skillet is an easy camp meal for family

Ingredients for this family camping meal:

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil

• 1 Red Pepper, chopped

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 tsp Garlic powder

• Salt and pepper

• 1 pound Italian mild sausage

• 1/4 cup Red Wine

• 24 oz Rao’s Marinara Sauce

• 1/4 cup Half and Half

• 8 oz Penne Pasta

• 1 cup water

• 1/4 grated Parmesan cheese, more for serving

• 1/4 cup fresh chopped Basil

• Optional: One cup Spinach to add to Pasta dish

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the red pepper and onion until softened. Stir in the garlic and a good pinch of salt and pepper. 

2. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook with the peppers and onions until the sausage is browned. 

3. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan.

4. Pour the marinara sauce and 1 cup water into the skillet. Turn on low heat. 

5. Cook the Penne pasta according to the box. Drain. Add to the skillet with the other ingredients.

6. Stir in the half and half, parmesan cheese, and chopped basil. Or add fresh spinach if desired.

7. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

8. Serve with salad if desired. 

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BONUS: Alternative Easy camp Meal seasoning mix for fish and chicken Tacos

An alternative to taco seasoning is this fabulous quick homemade seasoning mix, great to rub on fish or chicken for grilling. Store in an airtight container.

• 1 Tbsp Chili Powder

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 3/4 tsp salt

• Dash or two of cayenne pepper

• 1 1/2 tsp paprika

We like to use the above seasonings on grilled Mahi Mahi Fish and chicken. Great for fish tacos.

Full recipe for Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos in our downloadable PDF of Easy Camping Meals for Families.

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Easy Camping Meal Staples

• Olive Oil

• Salt

• Pepper

• Chili Powder

• Cumin

• Oregano

• Paprika

• Aluminum Foil

• Cooking Spray

Camp Food Made easy - PACKING Suggestions

Before you hit the road, make all of the marinades and seasonings ahead of your trip and place them in storage containers, ready to use for multiple recipes.

Consider cooking your taco beef ahead of time and freeze before placing in your camp cooler. It will help keep other items cold.

Also, cook your sausage up ahead of time and freeze it before placing in your camp cooler. Less mess and more time for outdoorsy fun!

Camp Kitchen Essentials

Most everything listed here is linked to REI so you can get your 10% Member Reward Dividends at the end of the year.

• Eureka 2 Burner Camp Stove OR

• Jet Boil Genesis Basecamp Stove ideal for car camping AND backpacking

• Wolf and Grizzly Lightweight Foldable Grill

• Fire / Grilling Gloves

• BBQ Grill Utensils

• Camp Cooking Set

• 12” All-in-One Cast Iron Skillet

• Dutch Oven

• Knife Set

• Frisbee - makes an ideal cutting board

• Alpine Nesting Bowls for cooking and eating

• Camp Dishes Set of 2

• 5 Gallon collapsible water jug

• Collapsible 16L Sink

• YETI Tundra Cooler

• Solo Stove Portable Fire Pit

HEY REI Members! This year's Big Memorial Day Sale includes a 20% off one full price item AND a 20% off one outlet item coupon, meaning you save lots of dough on that piece of gear you've been wanting. 

Use the code “ANNIV23” at REI.com between 5/19-5/29 to redeem!

See our full checklist of Family Camping Gear Essentials:

Read our Solo Stove Yukon Fire Pit Review

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Learning camping recipes is a great way to learn how to safely do new things, like cooking over fire

Tips for Cooking Over a Campfire

You actually don't want to cook over an open flame, but over hot embers or coals instead.

Give your fire at least 30 minutes to create those hot embers ideal for cooking over.

Some folks like to create two fires… removing hot embers from the first fire to create the second cooking fire, if that makes sense.

How to check the heat level of a camp fire

To check on the heat level of your camp fire, Fotheringham of GreenMoxie.com suggests holding your hand 4” away from the coals until your hand feels too hot.

Depending on how soon your hand feels too hot will indicate the degree of heat and therefore what would be best to cook. (Do this at your own risk.)

So, if your hand feels too hot after 2–3 from 4” away, this is a hot fire. You can cook steak on this perfectly.

If it takes 5–7 seconds for your hand to feel hot from 4” away, this is medium-hot. You can cook breads and veggies at this temp. Learn about campfire cooking.

Find this bonus recipe for Hearty Vegetable Beef Chili and all the tips in our Easy Camp Meal Recipes Freebie

7 Quick Tips for Becoming a Campfire Cooking Master

1. Use a cast iron skillet. Barebones makes stellar cast iron skillets and dutch ovens.

2. Try foil packet meals, like this Shrimp Boil Recipe.

3. Invest in good grilling utensils and stainless steel skewers.

4. Don't cook over an open flame, but over hot embers / coals instead. Give your fire at least 30 minutes to create those hot embers ideal for cooking over.

5. Invest in a campfire grill grate, like this lightweight, compact grill from Wolf and Grizzly — perfect for camping and backpacking.

6. Turn food over often when cooking over a campfire.

7. Use olive oil to cook easy camping meals.

How to stay warm around Camp

Besides a good, hearty meal back at your campsite, here are our favorite ways to stay warm as the sun goes down:

• Portable Bonfire Fire Pit - you’ll never need to build your own fire pit on the go again. Easy to clean and easy to pack up with free carry case

• Rumpl Fire Resistant Blanket or the Classic Down Puffy Blanket

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Stay warm around the campsite with this rad Down Puffy Blanket

These seven delicious and easy camping meals for families will save you money and have your people coming back for more. Recipes for Greek Chicken Kabobs, Food Truck Style Tacos, Flank Steak Fajitas, Easy Mini Pizzas, and Sausage Pasta Skillet are yummy easy camp meals your friends and fam will ask you to dish up at home. We've taken the guesswork out of what to cook while camping and camp cooking essentials. Dig in!