So I asked on Facebook who would like to see a post about healthy meal options for camping. Well, the response was great, so here I am writing a post on it!
Tomorrow we’re heading out for our first camping trip of the year. Thinking about what to pack, food-wise is always a challenge. That’s why I wanted to create a list of healthy food options and meal ideas for camping. Sure the hot dogs and s’mores are always fun, but after days of that, I feel “blah”, and I definitely don’t want to feel like when I’m camping. So I’m always on the lookout for ideas and recipes that would be good for adults & kids, and some that don’t require refrigeration.
When we camp, its in a trailer, so basically an RV. These options are best if you have a fridge or cooler. I’ve never backpacked (or have much of a desire to! ha!) so I’d always be very careful with what you bring if you don’t have any sort of fridge or cooler. There is great risk of food poisoning if meats (aside from jerky), dairy products, and many other food items aren’t kept at a certain temperature, so keep that in mind.
A Couple Tips:
– Anything that would need to be kept cold, that you could potentially freeze beforehand at home, I recommend doing that. Eg. pre-cooked packaged turkey burgers, bacon, any other meat.. Cheese can also be frozen. Then as you’re driving to where you’re camping, it will thaw out, and once its thawed, you just have to keep it cold in a fridge (if you have an RV) or a cooler with ice (if you’re tenting).
– Wash, cut and pre-pack fruits and veggies in ziplock bags. If you’re storing in a cooler you don’t want them to get waterlogged and also cross-contaminate with raw meats.
Healthy Food Options for Camping
Breakfast
– individual oatmeal packets (just add hot water)
– fresh fruit (depending on what, may not need a cooler)
– eggs & liquid egg whites (*cooler item)
– bacon (regular or turkey *cooler item)
– greek yogurt (*cooler item)
– grilled grapefruit
– cereal and granola
– pancakes (great idea via Pinterest – can’t find the original source). Make your favorite pancake batter. Freeze it, pack it, and just cut the tip off when you are ready to cook!
Recipes
Breakfast In a Jar (make ahead)
Banana Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies (make ahead)
Breakfast Sandwiches (Buffalo Chicken Breast or Mediterranean)
Mini Frittata’s (make ahead)
Snacks
– protein bars (Quest or Premier Protein bars or any low sugar, high protein bar)
– beef or turkey jerky
– nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc)
– protein powder and shaker cup for protein shakes (just add ice/water)
– trail mix or any nuts/dried fruits
– rice cakes (flavored or regular)
– jarred salsa with baked tortilla chips or pita chips
– cheese (*cooler needed)
– popcorn snack packs
– Snapea Crisps. I like these, and they are lower carb than other snacks (12g carbs per bag, 100 cals)
– Lower cal dip. Serve with tortilla chips/pita chips.
Recipes
Homemade Quest Protein Bars (make ahead)
Like-Larabars (make ahead)
Trail Mix Protein Granola Bars (make ahead)
Coconut Bliss Balls (make ahead, keep cool)
Homemade Fruit Rollups (make ahead)
Lunch
– bagged salad with dressing (*cooler needed)
– sandwiches (peanut butter won’t need cooler, jams (once open) & lunch-meat will)
– hard boiled eggs (boil and peel at home and store on container, *cooler needed)
– bagged baby carrots, cucumber, snap peas (*keep cool)
– canned tuna or salmon
– bread and/or buns for above
Recipes
Black Bean Summer Salad (make ahead, keep cool)
Healthy Creamy Macaroni Salad (make ahead, keep cool)
Goji Berry Chickpea Salad (make ahead, keep cool)
Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans
Dinner
– homemade chili
– lean beef, chicken, turkey or veggie burgers
– nitrate free hot dogs
– pre-cooked rice or rice packs (I made up some short grain brown rice, and put in a tupperware container)
– veggies – corn on the cob, fresh green beans, carrots, etc.
– bagged salad with toppings and dressing (*cooler needed)
Recipes
BBQ’d Salmon with Orange Dijon Ginger Glaze
Chicken, Pesto & Cranberry Quesadillas (could be made ahead)
Dessert
– s’mores (cause really, what’s camping without them!)
– banana’s and chocolate chips wrapped in tin foil and warmed over the fire
– mountain pie (like sweet grilled sandwiches)
– roasted sugared apples
Recipes
Oatmeal Turtle Bars (make ahead)
Hope this list makes your camping trips easier to plan and more enjoyable! Would love to hear your healthy camping tips and go-to products and recipes…share them in the comments below!
