The aroma of freshly cooked meals mingling with the crisp outdoor air is one of the many joys of RV camping. As I set off on an adventure, the thought of what we’ll be eating at our next stop is both exciting and a bit daunting. Because I like camping to be simple and stress free, I focus on meals that are both straightforward and yummy enough that the whole family will love them! Plus, they have to be easy enough to make in our small RV kitchen or outside on the picnic table.
RV Camping Breakfast ideas: The Right Start to Your Day
There’s nothing wrong with choosing simple meals to start the day: less clean-up mess so you can get on with your day’s adventure instead of cleaning up!
Egg Scramble: Kickstart your morning with a quick scramble. Beat eggs, toss in pre-chopped veggies, and you have a nutritious meal in minutes.
Overnight Oats: If I’m craving something sweet, overnight oats save the day. Prepared the night before, they’re a no-cook wonder that gets us on the trail faster.
Instant Oats: Make up some healthier instant oatmeal mixes before the trip. You can even make them into small mason jars for a healthy, ready-just-add-water breakfast already customed to everyone’s flavour preferences.
Here’s a list of our favourite homemade instant oatmeal mixes.
Pancakes: For the family, pancake batter mixed beforehand makes for a delightful, hot breakfast with minimal fuss. I like to make up large batches of homemade pancake mix into ziplock bags. Then, when I need a quick breakfast I just add in the oil, eggs, water/milk and they’re ready to cook.
Peanut Butter Toast: And when you’re really in a hurry, peanut butter and banana on whole-grain bread offers a speedy, energy-packed bite.
Cereal: No prep needed, kids can serve themselves, and easy to clean up afterwards! Bring along your family’s favourite cereal and a carton of milk and you’re all set!
Breakfast burritos: If you’re looking to save time in the morning, it’s a good idea to make these ahead of time. Just scramble up some eggs, add black beans, some chopped pepper and onion and cheese. Wrap these up in a flour tortilla, then wrap the whole thing in foil. At the campground, just warm in the over, grill over the stove, or heat on the campfire and enjoy! A dollop of sour cream makes them even more special!
Easy Camping Lunch Ideas: Fueling up Midday
Lunch on an RV trip should be a breeze, and again, I’ve found that simplicity reigns supreme.
Camping Charcuterie: Crackers with cheese, hummus and fresh veggies are my go-to for a swift and nutritious midday meal. We’ll pull out a random collection of various finger foods and the family can pick and choose.
Here’s a great post full of camping charcuterie ideas!
Pre-made mixed salads: To keep the energy levels up, grain salads like quinoa mixed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese serve as a refreshing option. My kids really enjoy the classic ‘Greek salad pasta salad too’… chopped peppers, cucumber, feta, olives, cooked pasta all mixed with some greek salad dressing.
Packaged Salads: As much as I love the fresh ingredients of a home made salad and dressing, nothing beats the ease of using a bagged salad! The variety of salad mixes these days really is fantastic! I particularly like that using a bag salad means we won’t have salad dressing that will need to be refrigerated for the rest of the trip (as we don’t always have electricity for the refrigerator)
Sandwiches: So much variety… tuna or chicken salad; ham and cheese; avocado, cream cheese, sprouts, and cucumber; whatever you like best!
Peanut Butter and banana: When we’re pressed for time, but looking for something a bit more substantial, we love to make banana wraps. Basically, grab a wrap and cover that with a thin layer of peanut butter (we like the natural sugar-free varieties), then sprinkle on some granola or healthy seeds like chia, hemp, shredded coconut, pecan pieces – you get the idea… Now, lay the peeled banana in the middle of the wrap. And, if we’re feeling gourmet, we might even drizzle a bit of honey. Roll that wrap up around the banana and slice into bite size pieces. Yum!
Yogurt, fruit, and granola: A good quality Greek yogurt has a big serving of protein and makes the perfect base for a sliced banana, some berries, and granola.
I also love to include snacks like trail mix or fresh fruits to munch on after lunch. With these meals, you’ll have plenty of time left to spend on adventures rather than meal prep.
RV Dinners for camping: Ending Your Day on a High Note
Picture this, you’ve reveled in nature’s splendor all day, and now the sun dips beyond the horizon. It’s time for dinner—simple, yet hearty meals are my go-to after a long day of adventures… because, really, the family is probably tired, getting cranky, and I’d much rather sit and enjoy a tea than labour over a campfire or grill. BUT, I do recognize that many campers do enjoy the art of camping cooking! But, regardless, I’m going to list off some of our quick RV dinner ideas:
One-pot meals: Think chilis, curries, soups, and stews… these are even easier if you’ve prepared them at home! Depending on when you made them and when you’ll be eating them, bring them frozen or thawed. Either way, warm these up, add some fresh buns or naan, some carrot sticks or salad and you’ve a hearty, healthy, and easy RV dinner idea!
Chili: a hearty blend of beans, ground meat, chopped carrots, onion, and chili spices simmers to perfection with minimal effort.
Stew: let beef chunks, potatoes, and carrots meld together in a savory broth.
Stir-fry: Arriving at the campground with pre-chopped veggies and meat makes this meal a lot easier to prepare. You could even pre-make your sauce as well.
Campfire foil meals: Same as the stir-fry, you can pre-make these at home and bring them along already wrapped in foil packs. Then, at the campground, all you’ll need to do is get the campfire going, throw your foil meals on and sit and enjoy the flames until they’re ready to eat!
My favourite foiled pack meal has broccoli, garlic cloves, sweet potatoes, onion, rosemary, and sausage pieces.
READ MORE: here’s a great list of all sorts of foil wrapped campfire meals.
Spaghetti and Meatballs: Add a side of Caesar salad and toast some garlic bread over the fire. Sprinkle on some cheese and here’s a great, easy dinner meal!
Shrimp Foil Packets: Combine shrimp with garlic, lemon, and bits of butter, then seal them in a foil packet. The result is a delicious seafood dish with virtually no cleanup. Grill some veggies to go along with these for a full meal.
Grilled Corn on the Cob: I brush the corn with butter and sprinkle it with salt before wrapping it in foil and placing it on the hot grill. In about 15 minutes, you get an effortless side dish.
BBQ Chicken Skewers: You can marinate chicken pieces in your favorite barbecue sauce, skewer them, and grill to perfection. It makes for a quick meal that is also fun to eat. We love adding pineapple, sweet peppers, and mushrooms… they take about as much time as the chicken does to cook and turn out so sweet and yummy!
Hamburgers: I shape patties out of ground beef, season them simply, and cook them over the flames. Top with cheese and sweet pickles for an all-American classic.
These meals promise a cozy night in, perfect for recharging for tomorrow’s escapades. Remember, delicious does not have to be complicated.
A few more Easy Camping Meals for kids
Keeping kids happy and well-fed on camping trips makes for smoother adventures. I always have some of my kid’s favourite easy meals at hand: mainly this means boxes of KD and some instant ramen noodles. But, here are a few more easy kid friendly meal ideas:
DIY Mini Pizzas: Make these on bagels, English muffins or pitas. Offer up some fixings and let kids make their own pizzas.
Hot dogs: So simple and fun to cook these over the campfire! My littles loved making hotdog octopi, like in the photo below…
Slice both ends of the hotdog before roasting and the ends curl up. Fun! Oh, and if you’re thinking hot dogs isn’t fancy enough, get yourself some gourmet smokies and fixings for stuffing into freshly baked buns from the bakery!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Roll-Ups: A fun, kid-friendly lunch, with a twist on the classic sandwich.
Mac ‘n’ Cheese with broccoli and cubed ham: Bulk up that basic box of KD with some veggies and protein.
Grilled Cheese Dippers & tomato soup: Brings me back to my childhood… cut those grilled cheese into strips, perfect size for dipping into that warmed up can of classic tomato soup!
Tuna salad on cucumber boats: Make up some canned tuna, or chicken salad… slice in some celery and apple if you’re ambitious. Then, scoop this onto slices of cucumber, for tiny little servings… perfect for small hands and small tummies, but full of protein! And, call them boats, because kids like food that’s fun!
Camping Snacks: Quick Bites to Keep You Going
When we head out on a camping adventure, I like to pack a variety of healthy and not-so-healthy snacks and ready-to-grab foods for whenever hunger strikes.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds are not only easy to pack but a great way to get a bit more protein. My family is currently loving a sweet & spicy Cajun nut mix we’ve recently found at Walmart!
Fresh Fruit: Whatever your family prefers! Apple slices with a sprinkling of cinnamon, bananas, grapes, easy to peel oranges and melon are some of my family’s favourites.
Vegetable Sticks: Carrot, celery, cucumber, and bell pepper all last for a few days when cut up and stored in the fridge or cooler. Dip these into hummus for a crunchy and satisfying bite.
Energy Bars: A stash of homemade or store-bought energy bars or energy balls can be a convenient snack. If you’re going to buy these, I’d suggest reading the ingredients list carefully as some are better choices than others. Clif bars are my family’s preferred variety.
Granola Bars: Easy to grab and throw in your pocket or backpack, a necessary snack when on a long hike littles
Cheese: Pairing cheese with whole grain crackers gives a balanced mix of protein and fiber.
Popcorn: Jiffypuff anyone? If you can get that pan to puff up perfectly, so fun and yummy! Or, you can get yourself one of those fancy campfire popcorn making pots and make some real popcorn right over the flames!
Yogurt Cups: An easy to grab snack or pair it with some fruit and granola for breakfast or lunch!
Muffins: Make up a batch of your family’s favourite muffins, freeze them and pull them out during the trip for breakfast or snacks.
Trail Mix: Customizing a batch with your favorite dried fruits and nuts ensures variety in every handful. Don’t forget to throw in some peanut M&Ms too!
Hard-boiled Eggs: They’re a protein-packed option that hold up well in any cooler.
Instant Oatmeal: Individually packed oats just need hot water for a healthy treat… not just for breakfast, my teens will grab this anytime of the day.
And all the treats: Chips and cookies and candy and more!
Easy recipes for dessert
End your day with desserts that are as simple as they are delightful.
Grilled peaches: These are sooo good! Just halve your peaches, remove the pits, and place on the grill over the fire until tender. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a sprinkling of brown sugar.
Campfire pies: Do you have pie irons? Those long handled sandwich grills? Using cinnamon raisin bread and apple pie filling, you can make a fantastically yummy treat over the fire.
Here’s the complete campfire apple pie recipe and instructions if you want all the details.
Fruit kabobs or fruit salad: Skewer strawberries, grapes, and pineapple chunks. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, drizzle with a little bit of honey or melted chocolate. They’re mess-free and fresh. And, I always forget how much of a crowd pleaser a simple fruit salad really is!
S’mores Cones: S’mores are a camping staple, but consider trying this twist. Into a wafer cone, stuff some mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and cookie chunks. Wrap these with foil and hang over the fire until all gooey and melty!
Banana boats: Slit bananas with their skin on, stuff with chocolate or butterscotch chips, and wrap in aluminum foil. Grill until melted.
Time-Saving Tips: Efficient RV Cooking
If you don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking, you can plan meals ahead and prepare your ingredients or pre-cook items. Wash and chop vegetables at home and keep them in containers or baggies, ready to toss into recipes.
If you have a fully-stocked RV kitchen, you may even want to invest in a pressure cooker or a crock pot as they are game-changers for efficient cooking and can produce a variety of meals with minimal effort.
Always keep a well-stocked pantry with simple ingredients like canned beans, tomato sauce, pasta, rice, and instant sauces for meals that can be thrown together in a pinch. Dual-purpose ingredients save space and time—think tortillas for wraps or quesadillas, and eggs for breakfast or a quick dinner scramble.
Lastly, do not forget the magic of leftovers: cook once, eat twice, and relax more!
Balancing Indulgences when camping with kids
When we’re out for a short weekend camping trip, I don’t worry too much about the overall ‘healthiness’ of our eating. But, if we’re out on a longer trip, I do put more energy into finding a balance between the nutritious and the indulgent choices.
Incorporating vegetables and lean proteins into dinners is a simple way to achieve this. I make salads with a mix of fresh greens, nuts, and a sprinkle of cheese for a quick and wholesome lunch. Breakfast often includes yogurt or oatmeal, paired with fruit, giving me lasting energy for the day. In snacks, I opt for hummus with sliced veggies or handmade trail mix. These choices not only satisfy hunger but also ensure my family is getting the energy and nutrients they need.
The importance of RV Meal Planning and Shopping Lists
Before embarking on your next RV trip, take time to sketch out meals for each day. A well-thought-out plan saves you from the guesswork and repeated runs to the grocery store.
Your meal plan doesn’t have to be pretty. Here’s a photo of one of ours.
Start by listing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for each day. Make sure to align your meal plan with your travel itinerary, considering days packed with activities might call for quicker meals.
Next, list out ingredients from your meal plan into a shopping list. I also make myself a food-prep list while I’m at this. So, for example, the grocery list might have carrots and peppers and the prep list would say wash and cut up carrots and peppers.
Maximizing Your RV Kitchen Space
Our camping has taught me that an organized kitchen space is crucial. Storing ingredients smartly ensures that each item we pack serves a purpose. I use easy to rummage through bins for dry goods and try to keep excess junk from cluttering up the counters. Slim containers are my go-to for keeping leftovers fresh without taking up too much room in the fridge,
I know many RVers that love collapsible kitchenware like containers, strainers, and measuring cups—they flatten for easy storage and save precious drawer space. But, I keep camping simple, and avoid them taking up space by just not bring that stuff camping!
But, not everyone is willing to go without as much as we do when camping and cooking!
To sum up Easy RV camping meals…
Finding the best camping meal to please your whole family may take some time. But, this list of easy RV meals and crowd pleasers will give you a big head start!
Start with your family’s favourites, choose quick and easy. Then, when you’re comfortable and have a good cooking system in place, start adding in new and more elaborate meals until you’ve found the perfect mix for you and your family!
