Meal Planning Ideas for Camping

Our Facebook leaders shared their favorite meals for camping.

We’ve included some patch suggestions to give to participants. See all our fun patches.

Doria shared: Our troop had meatball sliders and chicken Caesar salad and it was a big hit. We have also cooked the frozen meatballs in a Dutch oven over a fire. Or you can just cook them in a pot over a camp stove. It depends how your cooking, in a lodge, on a camp stove or in a fire pit.

Shelley’s suggestion: We had the girls plan for their different levels. We did walking tacos our first night and we just did all the chicken in the crockpot so it was easy. The girls made chicken noodle soup and sandwiches on the second night.

Terri writes: Our girls have enjoyed lasagna and spaghetti. We had breakfast burritos for breakfast. For dinner you can also try a salad bar, potato bar, chili, beef stew, meatballs, tin foil dinners or hot dogs on a stick.

Shayne’s experience: We are having a Camporee with about 200 scouts, leaders and volunteers and we are having a picnic. In the past we have done spaghetti and tacos in a bag. Good luck and have fun.

Lana shares some traditional camping meal ideas: Foil dinners are usually a hit. You can also try pork chops in a gravy in a Dutch Oven and make hash brown casserole in a box oven to go along with the pork chops.

Deb’s ideas: We have made burgers and hot dogs, baked potato bar and spaghetti.

Kathy’s favorite camping dishes include Silver Turtles and Pie Iron Quesadillas!

Lisa’s girls also like spaghetti on camping trips.

Marie’s troop also has had success making foil meals and spaghetti.

Kate suggests Shepherd’s Pie.

Elizabeth: Our girls love foil packet chicken. Each girl has her own packet and can add ingredients of her choice. Typically chicken breast, potatoes, onions, seasons, and veggies of your choice. There are also a lot of recipe options on Pinterest.

Courtney’s idea: Nachos: use a cast iron skillet. Line with two large heavy duty sheets of foil. Add tortilla chips, prepared seasoned taco meat (ground beef or turkey) and cheese. Wrap and set in cast iron skillet on top of metal grate over fire. Flip foil with a pair of long tongs, take off fire once cheese melts. Pull off fire, plate and have girls add toppings… Salsa, guacamole, sour cream, olives, etc.

Tracey’s troop: Our girls like macaroni and cheese and hot dogs most. S’mores of course. One time we did a banana with chocolate chips and marshmallows in foil which they loved. For breakfast you can do ‘donuts’. (Grands biscuits with cinnamon & sugar)

Kathleen’s help: If it’s your first time, do something simple like hot dogs or pigs in a blanket on sticks, or a one-pot meal like a simple stew or chili. This is an old link, but it’s pretty much what I was taught for outdoor cooking progression (I might have to look up my old camp staff manual when I get home). https://www.reocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9385/cooktip.html

Anna wrote: Skip the kitchen and do it all outdoors. Breakfast burritos accommodate for a variety of tastes as well as the foil packet meals. Tacos too. Banana boats for dessert.

Lizet’s recipe: CAMP DOUGHNUTS: We took biscuit (like Pillsbury, but the store brand works fine) and the girls mixed sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Heated oil in a pan, enough to fry doughnuts. Then grabbed a biscuit dough, cut it in half, rolled it out in a “circle” and pulled it to make a hole in the middle. Then fried their own doughnuts. The girls asked to make these again next camp time.