These make ahead camping meals are a must-have for your camping trip! With a little prepping ahead of time, mealtime at camp will be a breeze.
Camp days can often be jam-packed with adventures–and very little time for much else. When we finally have time to relax around the fire, it can be a bummer to have to prep and cook an entire meal instead. Make-ahead camping food to the rescue!
These make-ahead camping meals are such a lifeline for the weary (and hungry!) camper. You’ll be so glad you added them to your camping menu!
Types of Make Ahead Camping Meals
- Some camping meals can be entirely made beforehand—just reheat and eat. Those meals are especially nice for your first day at camp when much of the day has been spent traveling and setting up. You’re likely going to be hungry, tired, and/or short on time–and these make ahead meals for camping deliver!
- Another make-ahead camping food solution is to prep some or all of the ingredients beforehand. Once you’re at camp, just complete any remaining prep and cook your meal on your grill or over the fire for way less effort.
No matter how you approach it, you’ll love how easy make-ahead camping food make breakfasts, lunches, and dinners when you’re on your camping trip! These make-ahead camping meals give you more time to enjoy the great outdoors—that’s what it’s about, after all!
Pack your cooler like a pro.
Knowing how to properly pack your camp cooler is essential when you’re bringing made-ahead meals. Lucky for you, we have a guide to help you master the art of packing a cooler to maximize ice retention and keep your food safe (oh, and it doesn’t require a super expensive cooler, either!)
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
BBQ pork is so tender and delicious, with irresistible barbecue flavors and serious crowd-pleaser status. Make it ahead of time and reheat at camp for easy Pulled Pork Sliders, saucy nachos, and so much more.
Instant Pot Carnitas
Full of flavor with crispy edges, this shredded pork is endlessly versatile, which it the perfect make ahead camping food. Whip up a batch before you head out camping and store them in your cooler for quick and easy tacos, bowls, burritos, nachos, and more!
Coleslaw
With fresh, crisp cabbage in a creamy and tangy dressing, this coleslaw recipe is the perfect side for BBQ style meals. Serve with (or on!) pulled pork sandwiches, with hamburgers, alongside hot dogs, or on grilled chicken tacos! Make this one ahead of time and store in your cooler until you’re ready to eat.
Sloppy Joes
With warm and saucy ground beef served over soft rolls, this classic dinner is the perfect make ahead camping food.
Just make the sloppy joe filling ahead of time, place it in an airtight container, and pack it in your cooler.
At camp, just warm the filling back up and serve over rolls and one of these great sides for sloppy joes to make a complete rib-sticking dinner everyone will love!
Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls
Soft homemade dough stuffed with cinnamon and sugar, then drizzled with sweet icing … these cinnamon rolls are incredible for enjoying at camp and are super easy to make ahead of time.
You have a couple of options for making these: 1) Premake the dough and assemble the rolls and cook at camp, or 2) Bake them at home and place them in a foil pan or Dutch oven to reheat over the campfire.
Either way, don’t forget to finish them with the delicious buttery glaze!
Dutch Oven Red Beans and Rice
With hearty beans simmered in savory Creole spices and served over tender long-grain rice, this beans and rice recipe is going to hit the spot.
You can either prep your ingredients at home and make it easily at camp, or make it completely ahead of time and reheat.
Maple Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches
Homemade apple-maple sausage patties are juicy and delicious and can be made ahead of time! Cook them on your skillet or griddle along with fried eggs and layer them into toasted English muffins along with a slice of melty Swiss cheese. They’re definitely an excellent way to start the day!
White Bean Chili
Whip up a batch of this hearty white bean chili, then pack it up and bring it with you for a reheat-and-eat dinner.
Bonus: This chili tastes best a day or two after it’s made so the spices can really mingle together, making it extra perfect as a make-ahead camping meal!
Coconut Chocolate Granola
Rib-sticking granola is an awesome make-ahead camping food! This decadent-tasting granola features protein-packed nuts, coconut, cacao powder, and more plus freeze-dried raspberries for a sweet berry touch. Just add milk!
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers
With hearty grated sweet potatoes, tender black beans, and Tex-Mex spices, these veggie burgers can’t be beat!
Make your patties ahead of time and store them in a large airtight container with waxed paper or parchment between the patties to prevent sticking.
Pull them out of your cooler when it’s time to grill and enjoy them on golden buns with spicy mayo and creamy avocado.
Potato Salad
You’ll love having this classic potato salad at the ready for an easy side that goes so well with hot dogs, hamburgers, and more. Just assemble the salad at home and tuck it safely into your cooler for creamy, hearty potato salad bliss whenever you’re craving it.
Dutch Oven Chicken Marbella
How about a gourmet meal on your next camping trip? This elegant chicken dish with juicy thighs, olives, garlic, and bits of sweet chopped prunes can be mixed together at home, stored in your ice chest, and then cooked within 48 hours at your campsite.
Chipotle Grilled Chicken Tacos
Assemble the marinade at home for these easy chicken tacos with spicy chipotle and smoky cumin. Add the chicken to the marinade a couple of hours before mealtime, then cook the chicken and serve it up in warm corn tortillas with assorted toppings. Easy and delicious!
Chicken Pineapple Kabobs
With savory chicken, juicy sweet pineapple, and perfectly cooked red onion, these kabobs are a delicious make-ahead camping meal!
Just cut up the chicken and pineapple at home and store it in separate bags. Marinate the chicken a few hours before mealtime, build your kabobs, and grill!
Grilled Chicken Skewers with Veggies
Juicy chicken lined up with tender veggies makes an excellent camp dinner!
Prep ahead of time by cutting up the chicken and veggies at home and storing them in separate bags. Stir up the marinade and place it in a separate container.
Tuck it all in your ice chest, then marinate your chicken a few hours before mealtime. You can even make it a family affair when everyone laces their own kebabs exactly how they want them before grilling them to perfection.
Mountain Breakfast Skillet
When you use frozen potato cubes and chop up your veggies before you leave home, this mountain breakfast skillet comes together quickly at camp–just scramble it up with eggs and, if you like, sausage and cheese.
One Pot Red Lentil Sloppy Joes
Vegetarians and vegans, come hither! These savory sloppy joes are entirely plant-based, made with protein-packed red lentils in a saucy base, served over golden toasted buns.
The filling is perfect for making ahead of time and reheating at camp, but it’s also super easy to prep the ingredients and the sauce at home, and then cook them at camp.
Campfire Mac and Cheese
Make your sauce and cook your pasta ahead of time, then pour it into a pan, smother with cheese, cover with foil, and place it in your cooler.
When it’s almost time for lunch or dinner, it’s time to warm your perfectly creamy and cheesy mac and cheese right over the fire! Who says you can’t have comfort food at the campsite?
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats is an amazing camping breakfast hack! Just make these peanut butter oats the night before and store in your cooler for a super easy and hearty breakfast.
Cowboy Pasta Salad
This one’s truly a meal in a salad! With ground beef, bacon, corn, black beans, and pasta in a creamy southwestern-style sauce, this Tex-Mex-inspired pasta salad is the perfect make-ahead camping meal. Just store it in your cooler for a quick and easy no-cook lunch or dinner.
BBQ Tofu
Another protein-packed option for meatless folk are these tangy tofu cutlets. A double dose of flavor in the form of spice rub + barbecue sauce makes these tofu hunks so tasty!
Prep the tofu by threading it onto skewers and brushing it with the dry rub ahead of time, then storing in your cooler until it’s time to grill them.
Egg Salad
Make this egg salad ahead of time and store in your cooler for easy sandwiches, wraps, or lettuce cups. This one’s a great protein-packed option for the vegetarians in the family, too.
Chicken Salad
Tangy Greek yogurt lightens up this creamy chicken salad. This is a great make-ahead camping recipe for easy lunches and light dinners–just add a scoop to sandwiches or wraps for a satisfying meal.
Tuna Salad
Creamy classic tuna salad is a great make ahead camping food, especially for simple and hearty lunches! Assemble this tuna salad ahead of time and pack in your cooler for easy sandwiches or wraps at camp.
Black Bean & Corn Salad
Black beans, corn, and crisp veggies mingle with creamy avocado and a zesty lime salad dressing for the perfect accompaniment to Tex-Mex meals or a light lunch all on its own. Make this one ahead of time, then just add the avocado right before serving.
Breakfast Burritos
These make-ahead breakfast burritos have it all! Eggs, sausage, turkey bacon, hash browns–a full meal deal wrapped in a tortilla! Make them ahead of time and wrap them in foil for quick reheating at your campsite when it’s time for breakfast.
BBQ Chicken
This saucy BBQ chicken recipe is perfect for making ahead of time! It cooks up in less than 30 minutes, and can be packed away in your cooler until you’re ready to eat. Warm it back up at camp and use it in wraps, on sandwiches, or over an epic batch of nachos.
Breakfast Egg Muffins
Egg muffins are such a great meal-prep breakfast option, and they’re great for camping too! Make them ahead of time and serve them cold or reheated at camp–they’re delicious either way. This egg muffin recipe features tomatoes, bell pepper, spinach, and feta for loads of flavor and nutrients, too.
Granola
With oats, plenty of nuts, dried fruit, and several ways to customize it, this granola recipe is a great make-ahead camping food. Store it in an airtight container and serve it with yogurt or milk and plenty of fresh fruit for a satiating breakfast.
Chinese Chicken Salad
Colorful veggies, hearty chicken and a tangy dressing make up this delicious salad with an Asian spin.
To make it ahead of time, prep the ingredients by cooking and chopping the chicken and salad ingredients and whipping up a batch of the dressing at home. Store the salad and dressing separately in your cooler, then toss it all together at camp when you’re ready to eat!
Italian Tortellini Salad
Make this one ahead of time and store it in the cooler for fresh, easy pasta salad whenever you want it! This one features cheese tortellini with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, salami, artichokes, and more to bring a little Mediterranean flavor to your trip.
Grillable Tofu Burgers
It can be difficult to find grillable veggie burgers, but this burger recipe solves that problem. These sturdy patties can be shaped and marinated ahead of time so all you have to do at camp is throw them on the grill!
Morning Glory Muffins
Some muffins seem more like cupcakes than muffins, but these morning glory muffins are NOT an example of that. They’re super hearty and packed with fiber, protein, and nutrients from whole wheat flour, flax, carrots, apples, and more! These muffins are absolutely still tender and delicious, though (and excellent with a cup of camp coffee!)
Avocado Toast with Hard Boiled Eggs
For a hearty and delicious breakfast, top your usual avocado toast with sliced hard-boiled eggs! Hard-boiled eggs are protein-packed and perfectly portable, which makes them the ideal make ahead camping food.
Lentil Chili
Lentils and beans bulk up this full-of-flavor chili that makes the best make-ahead camping meal! Just cook it ahead of time and reheat at camp for a hearty meatless meal.
Burgers
These juicy, perfectly formed hamburger patties can be made ahead of time for a convenient and delicious camping meal. Just store them in an airtight container with parchment or waxed paper between the patties to prevent sticking while stored. Then cook them up at camp and serve them with soft buns and assorted toppings for a crowd-pleasing and easy camp meal!
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
These cheesy chicken enchiladas are super easy to prep at home. Layer them into a foil pan and pack it in your cooler, then just heat them up at your campsite on your grill!
Pineapple Tofu Skewers
Juicy pineapple and spicy tofu are a perfect match! This one’s perfect for prepping at home, too. Just marinate the tofu at home, pack it in your cooler, then assemble and grill at camp!
Grilled Banh Mi Sandwich
Whip up the marinade for these Bahn Mi sandwiches at home, prep the pork and the pickled veggies, and make the chili mayo. Store all of the elements separately in your cooler, then, the morning of the meal, add the marinade to the pork. Marinate for 6-8 hours, then grill and assemble your incredible (and incredibly easy) camping-friendly Bahn Mi sandwiches!
Grilled Lamb Kofta
These juicy kabobs are so delicious and it’s easy to prep them at home! Just make the meat mixture at home and form it into shapes. Once you’re at camp, thread the meat onto your skewers and grill to perfection!
Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Juicy chicken served up in tortillas with a sweet and spicy pineapple salsa? Yes, please! These tacos are fast, easy, and delicious.
To make them ahead of time, make the salsa and the marinade without the lime juice, then add the chicken and store it that way. About 20 minutes before mealtime, add the lime juice so it can do its thing. Cook up your tacos and enjoy!
Dutch Oven Blondies
This sweet treat is so fun to bake at camp! To make them ahead of time, mix up the batter at home and place it in your ice chest. At camp, build your fire, line your Dutch oven with parchment paper, and spread the batter in the pot. Bake until caramelly, melty perfection!
Make ahead cocktails
Mix up a big batch of your favorite cocktail at home and leave all the bottles behind! Negonis are our favorite make-ahead camping cocktail. Premix the cocktail and keep it in a mason jar, then when it’s cocktail hour, just pour over ice, garnish with an orange slice, and sip away!
Hot Cocoa Mix
Hot cocoa is a camping must, and it’s even better when you bring homemade hot cocoa mix! This hot cocoa mix whisks together with hot water for fast, chocolatey camp warm-ups. Top with dehydrated marshmallows for the full hot cocoa experience!
