Editor Note:
Campfire bans are in effect in many popular areas. In these areas, liquid-fuel camp stoves are generally allowed but wood or briquette fires of any kind are prohibited. We recommend calling your campground or destination directly to verify if campfires are allowed.
Dutch oven stuffed peppers
The Dutch oven: single-handedly making camping food into true cuisine. This recipe for stuffed peppers by The Dirty Gourmet takes basic ingredients such as bell peppers, ground meat (or vegetarian substitute), rice, tomato sauce and cheddar to make a meal hearty enough to hold the family over until the a.m.
Walking campfire tacos
This idea for a camp version of family taco night by Dine and Dish is so simple that it may sneak its way into the weeknight dinner lineup. Single-serving chip bags topped with the usual taco fixings make it easy to walk about the campsite or huddle around a fire. We love the addition of fresh avocados and a chipotle or southwestern-flavored dressing.
Campfire banana boats
We're soooo on board with this idea for campfire banana boats by Classy Clutter. It's just a split banana, stuffed with your favorite chocolate delights and mini marshmallows, wrapped in some foil and thrown on the coals.
Campfire pizza
Picky palates don’t disappear on a camping vacation. Let everyone choose their own pizza toppings using this idea for campfire pizzas by The Dirty Gourmet. Pre-made flatbread and toppings packed ahead of time make this pizza party a cinch to plan and prepare.
Campfire lasagna
The Dutch oven, part deux: still the hero of the family camping trip. Bring your crew’s favorite homecooked meal on the road with this campfire lasagna recipe by Fresh Off the Grid. More than just a delicious take on lasagna, the post gives you a breakdown of how to layer the coals just right so that you’ll be a master campfire engineer.
Hot diggity (waffle) dog
Yep, there’s something special in this edition of the waffle breakfast by Perry’s Plate. Hot dog pieces are chopped up and put right in the mix — bacon, ham or sausage would work, too. If you’ve got a camping waffle maker, this is an all-in-one, protein-packed brekky. Bonus: This recipe is gluten-free!
Campfire cones
S’mores will always be classic, but these campfire cones by The Girl Who Ate Everything are sweeter (more candy toppings), gooier (filled cones thrown right into the fire) and just as fun to make (mini mallows!). Forget foil dinners — it’s all about the foil desserts.
Zip-and-squish omelets
For the nibblers and hungry men alike, A Thrifty Mom has a quick way to feed everyone a made-to-order breakfast. Each camper gets two eggs in their own Ziploc bag and squishes them up. Then add desired ingredients, squeeze all the air out of the bag, zip and place in boiling water for exactly 12–14 minutes. Serve with your favorite brunch sidekicks — ta-da! Who needs a frying pan and all that mess, anyway?
Foil paella
Setting out to make camp meals with only an open flame, foil and skewers, chef Christie of Zestuous nails this chorizo and chicken paella recipe and gives us critical tips for mastering the foil dinner. Prepping ahead of time, doubling up on the foil layers and shaping the pouches using a bowl are some of her time-saving techniques.
Ice cream in a bag
Homemade ice cream at your campsite? Who would have thought this would work, let alone be tasty or fun to make! The Pleasantest Thing gives us the rundown on how to do it. Heavy cream and hot chocolate mix comprise the base, while zip-top bags, ice and salt provide the science to make the mix nice and frosty. Head over to the full post for a step-by-step tutorial.
Editor's note: This story originally published in April 2014 and was updated in July 2021.
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