Camp Cooking
Feeding a multi-generational family in the wilderness.
Table of Contents
- The Philosophy
- Altitude Cooking Adjustments
- Meal Planning: The 7-Day Framework
- Breakfast Recipes
- Lunch Ideas
- Dinner Recipes
- Snacks & Sides
- S’mores: The Definitive Guide
- Cooking with Kids
- Shopping List Generator
- Food Storage Wisdom
The Philosophy
Camp cooking isn’t restaurant cooking. The goal isn’t Instagram perfection—it’s hot food that brings people together after a day outside. Simple recipes, quality ingredients, and the magic of eating under open sky.
That said, camp food doesn’t have to be boring. With the right planning, you can eat remarkably well.
Altitude Cooking Adjustments
At 8,600 feet, physics works differently.
Boiling
Water boils at approximately 196°F instead of 212°F. This means:
- Pasta takes 25–50% longer to cook
- Hard-boiled eggs need extra time
- Rice requires more water and longer simmer
- Potatoes cook slower
- Coffee/tea water isn’t as hot
Baking
If attempting camp baking:
- Reduce leavening by 25%
- Increase liquid slightly
- Expect longer cook times
- Check early and often
General Rules
- Build in extra cooking time to meal schedules
- Test doneness, don’t trust timers
- Liquids evaporate faster—add more, cover when possible
Meal Planning: The 7-Day Framework
Strategy Overview
Freshest food first: Eat the most perishable items in the first 2–3 days. Hearty midweek: By Day 4–5, rely on preserved, canned, and frozen items. Final days: Simple, shelf-stable meals, or plan to resupply.
Sample Meal Schedule
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Road snacks/fast food | Sandwiches (arrival) | Burgers & brats (grill) |
| 2 | Pancakes, bacon | Packed lunches for hike | Tacos (fresh meat) |
| 3 | Eggs & toast | PB&J, fruit | Spaghetti (cooler meat) |
| 4 | Oatmeal bar | Wraps, chips | Foil packet dinners |
| 5 | Breakfast burritos | Leftover tacos | Fresh fish (if caught!) or hot dogs |
| 6 | French toast | Sandwiches | Dutch oven stew |
| 7 | Cereal/yogurt | Pizza (in town) | Kabobs over fire |
| 8 | Quick cleanup breakfast | Depart | - |
Breakfast Recipes
Easy Pancakes (Serves 8)
At Home Prep: Combine in a gallon zip-lock: 4 cups flour, 4 tbsp sugar, 4 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda.
At Camp: Add 4 cups buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp vinegar), 4 eggs, ½ cup melted butter. Mix just until combined. Cook on greased griddle.
Toppings: Maple syrup, fresh berries, peanut butter, chocolate chips
Breakfast Burritos (Serves 8)
Prep ahead: Chop peppers and onions. Store in zip-lock.
At camp:
- Scramble 12 eggs with salt, pepper, the chopped veggies
- Warm tortillas on griddle
- Fry pre-cooked breakfast sausage or bacon
- Assembly line: tortilla, eggs, meat, cheese, salsa, sour cream
- Roll and eat
Pro tip: Make extras, wrap in foil, reheat for next-day lunch.
Campfire French Toast (Serves 8)
At camp:
- Beat 6 eggs with 1 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon
- Dip thick bread slices (Texas toast works great)
- Cook on buttered griddle until golden each side
- Top with powdered sugar, syrup, fruit
Oatmeal Bar
Setup:
- Large pot of cooked oatmeal (use more water than usual for altitude)
- Individual bowls
- Toppings in small containers: brown sugar, honey, raisins, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, fresh banana, cinnamon
Everyone customizes their own. Easy, filling, clean.
Lunch Ideas
Lunch at camp is usually minimal—people are out doing activities, eating on trails, or grazing.
Packed Lunch Essentials
- Sandwiches made morning-of (PB&J holds best)
- Trail mix portions
- Fresh fruit (apples travel well)
- Cheese sticks
- Crackers
- Granola bars
- Water bottles (frozen the night before = ice packs that become water)
Quick Camp Lunch
When the group is at camp:
- Deli meat & cheese sandwiches
- Hot dogs (everyone cooks their own over fire)
- Quesadillas (quick on griddle)
- Leftover dinner reheated
- Snack spread: crackers, cheese, hummus, veggies
Dinner Recipes
Night 1: Burgers & Brats (Easy After Travel)
Prep ahead: Form burger patties, store between wax paper. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder.
At camp:
- Light charcoal or propane grill (or use fire ring grate)
- Grill burgers 4–5 min per side
- Grill brats until done (165°F internal)
- Toast buns on grill edge
- Fixings: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, condiments
Sides: Chips, coleslaw (buy pre-made), baked beans (canned)
Night 2: Taco Night
Prep ahead: Season ground beef at home with taco seasoning, pack in zip-lock.
At camp:
- Brown 2 lbs seasoned beef in large skillet
- Heat taco shells on grill or in foil
- Warm beans in pot
- Setup toppings: cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, jalapeños
For kids: Soft tacos fall apart less. Quesadillas for picky eaters.
Night 3: Spaghetti
Simple, fills everyone, hard to mess up.
At camp:
- Boil pasta in large pot (remember: extra time at altitude)
- Heat jarred marinara in separate pot
- Brown ground beef or Italian sausage, add to sauce
- Serve with garlic bread (foil-wrapped, heated on grill)
Salad: Bag salad mix with bottled dressing (use Day 2–3 while greens are fresh)
Night 4: Foil Packet Dinners
Everyone makes their own. Great for mixed preferences.
Setup station with:
- Heavy-duty foil squares (doubled)
- Sliced potatoes
- Sliced carrots
- Onion slices
- Protein choices: chicken pieces, sausage coins, ground beef patties
- Seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning
- Butter pats
- Cheese slices (optional, add last 5 min)
Instructions:
- Layer: potatoes, carrots, onion, protein, seasonings, butter
- Seal foil tightly (no leaks)
- Cook on coals or grill, 25–30 minutes
- Flip halfway through
- Check for doneness (carefully—steam is hot)
Night 5: Fish Fry (If You Caught Fish!)
If fishing was successful:
- Clean and fillet fish (see Fishing Guide)
- Dredge in seasoned flour or cornmeal
- Fry in oil (cast iron works great)
- Serve with lemon, tartar sauce, coleslaw
Backup plan: Hot dogs and chili. Always have backup protein.
Night 6: Dutch Oven Stew
Prep ahead: Cut stew beef into cubes, store in zip-lock.
At camp:
- Brown beef in Dutch oven over coals
- Add diced onion, cook until soft
- Add: 4 cups beef broth, 4 diced potatoes, 4 sliced carrots, 1 can diced tomatoes
- Season: salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf
- Cover, cook over coals 2 hours, stirring occasionally
- Serve with crusty bread
Pro tip: Start this mid-afternoon while the group plays cards.
Night 7: Kabobs
Use up the last of the fresh(ish) ingredients.
At camp:
- Cut remaining veggies and meat into chunks
- Soak wooden skewers (or use metal)
- Thread: meat, pepper, onion, meat, zucchini, etc.
- Brush with oil, season
- Grill over fire or on grate, turning often
- Serve with rice (instant rice is fine)
Snacks & Sides
Keep on Hand
- Chips and salsa
- Hummus and veggies (first 3 days)
- Trail mix
- Popcorn (stove-top or fire-popped)
- S’mores ingredients (obviously)
- Fresh fruit (apples, oranges last longest)
- String cheese
- Crackers and peanut butter
Quick Sides
- Canned baked beans (doctor with brown sugar, mustard)
- Instant mashed potatoes (add real butter and cream)
- Bagged salad
- Coleslaw
- Corn on the cob (foil-wrapped, on coals)
- Canned vegetables (fine for camping)
S’mores: The Definitive Guide
Classic S’more
- Graham cracker
- Hershey’s chocolate
- Toasted marshmallow
Technique: Toast marshmallow until golden and gooey (not flaming). Place on chocolate atop graham. Top with second graham. Press gently. Wait 30 seconds for chocolate to melt. Consume.
Variations
| Name | Swap |
|---|---|
| Reese’s S’more | Replace chocolate with Reese’s cup |
| Strawberry | Add sliced strawberry |
| Cookie S’more | Use chocolate chip cookies instead of graham |
| Nutella S’more | Spread Nutella on graham instead of chocolate bar |
| Grown-up S’more | Dark chocolate, sea salt, artisan marshmallow |
For Kids Who Can’t Toast
Pre-toast the marshmallow for them. No burned fingers, no tears.
Cooking with Kids
Jobs by Age
Ages 3–5:
- Washing vegetables (in basin)
- Stirring (cold items)
- Adding pre-measured ingredients
- Setting out napkins/plates
Ages 6–9:
- Cracking eggs (with supervision)
- Stirring (warm items with adult nearby)
- Assembling (tacos, sandwiches)
- Measuring ingredients
- Turning food on grill (long tongs, with adult)
Ages 10–12:
- Chopping soft vegetables (butter knife or supervised sharp)
- Managing a recipe with guidance
- Monitoring cook times
- Flipping pancakes, burgers
- Fire tending (with training)
Ages 13+:
- Full meal prep with oversight
- Fire management
- Leading a dish start to finish
Safety Rules for All
- No running near cooking areas
- Long hair tied back
- Closed-toe shoes near fire
- Announce when carrying hot items
- Ask before touching—always
Shopping List Generator
Proteins (Estimate Per Meal, Per Person)
| Protein | Amount/Person | 7-Night Trip (8 people) |
|---|---|---|
| Ground beef | ¼ lb | 4 lbs (for 2 meals) |
| Stew beef | ¼ lb | 2 lbs |
| Chicken | 1 breast or thigh | 8 pieces |
| Sausage/brats | 1–2 | 16 |
| Hot dogs | 2 | 16 |
| Bacon | 2 strips | 1.5 lbs |
| Eggs | 2/meal | 4 dozen |
Staples Checklist
- Cooking oil
- Butter (2 lbs)
- Salt, pepper
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Taco seasoning
- Flour
- Sugar
- Maple syrup
- Ketchup, mustard, mayo
- Salsa
- Soy sauce
- Hot sauce
- Coffee
- Tea
- Milk (shelf-stable or cooler)
- Bread (2 loaves, freeze one)
- Tortillas
- Pasta (2 boxes)
- Rice
- Oatmeal
- Cereal
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
Food Storage Wisdom
What Goes Where
In RV refrigerator:
- Dairy (milk, butter, cheese)
- Eggs
- Condiments (after opening)
- Leftovers
In coolers:
- Raw meat (sealed, bottom of cooler)
- Drinks
- Fresh produce
- Items that won’t fit in RV fridge
In dry storage:
- Canned goods
- Snacks
- Bread
- Pantry staples
Food Safety Temperatures
- Keep cold food below 40°F
- Keep hot food above 140°F
- When in doubt, throw it out
- Cooler temp rises every time it’s opened
Altitude Appetite: Many people experience increased hunger at altitude. The body burns more calories adjusting to elevation. Plan for larger portions and more snacks than at sea level.