Simple Family Camp Meals Kids Will Eat

Camp food for families works best when it is familiar, quick and easy for children to help with. Save the ambitious recipes for a trip without kids.

The meals below follow three rules: most of the prep happens at home, children can build or finish their own plate, and cleanup needs one pot or none.

Make-ahead dinners

The first evening at camp is always busy. Having a dinner that just needs heating is a gift to yourself. Good options freeze flat in zip-top bags, act as ice packs in the cooler, and reheat in one pot:

Chili or bean stew, served with tortilla chips and grated cheese.
Pasta sauce, with pasta cooked at home and reheated in the sauce.
Curry with pre-cooked rice.
Soup with bread rolls for dunking.

Build-your-own breakfasts

Breakfast at camp can be slow and relaxed. Children love choosing their own toppings, and it keeps everyone happy with no extra cooking.

Base	Toppings kids can choose	Prep at home
Oats	Raisins, banana, cinnamon, honey, nuts or seeds	Portion dry oats into bags
Pancakes	Berries, chocolate chips, syrup, yogurt	Mix dry ingredients in a squeeze bottle; add water at camp
Breakfast wraps	Scrambled egg, cheese, beans, peppers	Pre-chop peppers; crack eggs into a bottle
Yogurt bowls	Granola, fruit, honey	Nothing; buy on the way

Easy lunches

Lunch is often eaten away from the site, on a walk or at the beach. Wraps travel better than sandwiches and do not squash. Set out fillings and let children build their own: cheese, ham, hummus, cucumber, carrots and lettuce. Add fruit and a snack bar, and lunch is done.

A mother and two children cooking together on a camp grill — Foil packets and wraps give children a real job at dinner, with an adult on the stove.

Foil packet dinners

Foil packets are an ideal second-night dinner. Each person fills their own packet with chopped vegetables, a protein and seasoning, then an adult puts them on the grill or campfire coals. Try:

Classic combos

Sausage, potato, pepper and onion
Chicken, sweetcorn and zucchini
Salmon, lemon and green beans

Kid tips

Write names on the foil with a marker
Cut food small so it cooks evenly
Let packets cool before opening; steam is hot

Campfire treats

A treat by the fire is part of the fun. Toasted marshmallows are the classic, but a few alternatives are just as easy:

Baked bananas: slit a banana, push in a few chocolate chips, wrap in foil and put it in the coals for a few minutes.
Campfire cones: fill an ice cream cone with marshmallows and chocolate, wrap in foil and warm through.
Toasted fruit skewers: pineapple, apple and banana on a stick, briefly warmed over the fire.

If the kids help make it, they are far more likely to eat it. That is the whole secret of family camp food.

Kitchen safety with kids

Set up a clear "kitchen zone" and keep small children out of it while the stove is lit. Give children jobs they can do safely, like washing vegetables, stirring cold mixtures, or setting the table. Keep hot drinks away from table edges. And always store food in the car or a food locker at night to keep wildlife away from camp.

Picky eaters at camp

Many parents worry that a picky eater will go hungry at camp. In practice, fresh air and activity tend to make children hungrier, and familiar food helps. Pack at least one "safe" food for each child, something you know they will always eat, whether it is plain pasta, crackers or a particular cereal. Offer new things alongside it without pressure. If dinner is a flop, a filling snack before bed means nobody wakes hungry at 2 a.m.

Snacks do a lot of work on a camping trip. Keep a snack bag within easy reach and top it up every morning. Hungry children are often the reason for tired, grumpy moments in the afternoon, and a handful of crackers or dried fruit can turn things around quickly.

Find the full gear list on our family camp kitchen checklist.