Easy Camping Meals for Families

Camp Nachos

Nachos are pure joy for hungry campers and won’t cause the cook much stress either. Simply place half a bag of tortilla crisps in the bottom of a large pan, with half a can of refried beans, grated cheese, chopped tomato and onion, salsa and any other toppings you desire. Add a second layer of crisps on top and all remaining ingredients. Top with cheese and cover with tin foil. Pop the pan on the heat for around 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve with homemade guacamole, which can simply be mashed avocado when out in the wild.

To make the meal a little more nutritious and indulgent, serve chilli con carne over your camp nachos.  To make the chilli, fry off the minced beef with the diced onions. Add chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, cumin, chilli powder and even fresh chillies if you have them. Leave the mixture to bubble, thicken and cook through completely before serving. Add a sprinkle of cheese to each bowl.

All-Day Breakfast

Whether you’re using a camping stove or a portable BBQ, you can knock up a quick and delicious all-day breakfast whenever you’re in the mood. Cook off the sausages and bacon, fry up some eggs and mushrooms and even warm some beans in a pan for a hearty meal. If you don’t fancy cooking meat, then a cheese omelette with beans is a great alternative. Simply whisk up a couple of eggs with a splash of milk. Add some seasoning if you have it, and pop it in a pan before placing it on the stove. Cook until the egg is firm.

Tomato and Basil Pasta 

If your kids are fussy eaters, then plain pasta with grated cheese is an easy camping staple. But if you fancy adding a little more flavour, then cook the pasta until it’s al dente and then add some chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, cheese, fresh basil and half of a crumbled vegetable stock cube. This is a one-pan wonder that’ll fill your tummies and give you a much-needed carbohydrate boost. Another easy alternative is to mix the pasta with a tin of tomato, mushroom or chicken soup. It’s surprisingly yummy and will be ready in a flash. Plus there’s minimal washing up, which is always a winner when camping.

One Pot Mac ‘n’ Cheese 

Mac ‘n’ cheese is often a hit with little ones. And believe it or not you can make this scrumptious treat in just one pan. Firstly, add three cups of macaroni to a pan and cover with four cups of milk. Pop on the heat, and when the pasta has softened, remove from the heat and add three cups of grated cheese, one ball of mozzarella (optional), half a cup of cream cheese, two tablespoons of butter and a dash of mustard according to taste. Stir over the heat until thick, creamy and all the cheese has melted in nicely. This will serve about six hungry campers.

S'mores

What would a camping trip be without s’mores for dessert? They’re the ultimate indulgence, easy to make, and the kids will go mad for them. All you need is any biscuit or cookie, a few bars of milk chocolate and some marshmallows. To make the s’mores, simply wedge some chocolate in between two biscuits. Once that’s done, toast marshmallows over the fire (the kids can join in here for the ultimate camping experience) and then pop these between the biscuits with the chocolate for a sugary snack like no other. This is a gooey, tactile, interactive, lovely, messy food idea that’s sure to be a highlight of the trip.