Meal Planning For Camping + Printable Camping Meal Planner

This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure

Camping is a great way to get outside and enjoy nature. It can also be a fun and affordable way to travel. One of the most important things when camping is planning your meals. This can be tricky, especially if you’re not used to cooking outdoors.

That’s why we’ve created a printable camping meal planner! We’ll give you great tips on how to plan your meals for your next camping trip, as well as how to use our camp menu planner.

Meal Planning For Camping: How To Plan Your Camping Menu

When you’re heading off the grid for a few days, as is often the case with a weekend camping trip, having your camping meals and snacks organised is essential!

It’s not only about having enough food to feed everyone but also about making sure you have the right food and equipment.

After all, when you’re camping, you’ll likely be doing a lot of physical activity, so you’ll need foods that will give you energy and help you stay hydrated.

Preparing For Your Camping Trip

When planning your camping menu, there are a few important things to consider.

First, you’ll need to think about the types of food that are easy and convenient to cook outdoors.

This is where it is great to have a balance of easy cook meals and no-cook meals, along with a few options that you can make ahead before you leave and simply reheat.

These types of meals are an easy way to save time during your camping trip. The last thing you want to do after a long day is to spend hours camp cooking over the open fire instead of relaxing with a simple, delicious meal.

You’ll also want to make sure that you have enough food for everyone in your group. Meal planning for group camping requires even more planning than a couple or small family weekend camping menu!

Consider the time of year you are camping when putting together your camping menu plan. Typically, people eat more in cooler weather compared to hot, summer weather.

The level of physical activity you have planned will also contribute to your camping group eating more or less too.

Even an unexpected rainy day while camping can impact your cooking plans!

And lastly, you’ll need to take into account any dietary restrictions or allergies that your large group may have. This is especially important if you’re camping with friends or family who you don’t know very well.

For more camping tips, check out our camping essentials packing list guide and winter camping list, plus get the best hacks for camping with kids! And don’t forget the entertainment – camping games for around the campfire and camping toys and activities for the kids.

Creating A Master List Of Camping Meals

Once you’ve considered all of the above, it’s time to start making a list of meals.

A great way to do this is by creating a master list of camping meals that you can refer to each time you go camping. This will save you from having to brainstorm every time you want to go on a camping trip!

Your camping meal list can include anything from simple sandwiches and salads to pasta dishes, burgers and BBQs, or dutch oven dump recipes.

As you’re creating your list, think about the following:

• What meals are easy to cook outdoors?
• Do I have the equipment to cook these recipes?
• Do I have the space to keep all of the perishable foods chilled?
• What are our favourite meals when we are camping?

These questions will help you brainstorm some ideas. It’s also helpful to ask the family for any of their own favourites so you can work together to put together your camping meal master list.

Think about easy meals you cook at home on the BBQ outdoors or no-cook meals you enjoy when you need a break from cooking at home too. These will all help you to put together your list.

Stumped on ideas? That’s okay because we have loads of camping recipe ideas to share below!

Camping Recipe Ideas

If you aren’t a seasoned camper or if you are looking for new delicious and easy camping recipes to add to your master list or try out for your next family camping trip, we have plenty of inspiration for you.

There isn’t much you can’t cook on a camping trip these days, however, since your goal is to enjoy time in the great outdoors and recharge in nature, there’s a good chance you want your meals to be quick, easy and taste great.

You might also like to add some of these non-perishable camping foods to your camping food list. Especially if you’re doing a longer camping trip.

Camp Kitchen Packing List Essentials

Now that you have your list of camping recipes, it’s time to start packing for your trip.

If you are car camping, this will be much easier than if you are backpacking or canoe camping where space and weight are limited.

Now that you have your list of camping recipes and a packing list of camp kitchen essentials, you’re ready to start planning your next camping menu plan!

Meal Planning For Camping

Now that you have your list of camping recipes and a packing list of camp kitchen essentials, you’re ready to start planning your next camping menu plan!

The best way to create your camping menu plan is by writing it down.

Having a list of meals you will be having for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a list of snacks you plan to take with you will help you ensure you aren’t skipping any meals or forgetting anything you need.

This will also make it easier to write down a camping shopping list of foods you need to buy from the grocery store before you go on your outdoor adventures.

You can do this by writing your camping meal plan and shopping list in a notebook, or using our free printable camping meal planner template instead.

Printable  Camping Meal Planner Template

We’ve created a printable camping meal planner that you can use to help you plan your meals. This includes a list of breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack ideas, as well as a packing list for all the food and equipment you’ll need.

It’s important to plan your meals before you go camping and take the necessary equipment with you.

Meal planning for camping can be challenging, but it becomes much easier when you have a visual camping meal planner to keep track of your entire camping trip menu. This also makes the process much easier for future camping trips as well! We hope you find our free camping meal planning kit a huge help in getting organised for your next camping adventure!

What is your favourite camping meal? Share it in the comments below!

---