There's just something about food that tastes better when you're camping!

Maybe it's all that fresh air. Maybe it's spending the day outside.  Everyone is enjoying all the hiking, swimming, exploring, and running around. Or maybe it's because camping gives you permission to cook things over a fire, eat with your hands, and occasionally have chocolate for breakfast. 

Whatever the reason, camping meals for kids don't have to be complicated to be memorable.

We used to go camping almost every weekend!  And as a mom, I also know that feeding kids while camping can come with its own set of challenges; especially when you've got picky eaters along for the adventure. That's why I'm a big fan of camping foods that are familiar, customizable, and, whenever possible, FUN for the kids to help make themselves.

So whether you're tent camping, staying in a camper, heading to a cabin, or just having a backyard campout, I've rounded up 25 amazing camping meals for kids that the whole family can enjoy.

Camping Meals for Kids Should Be Fun to Make

Think about the king of all camping foods...

The S'MORE!

Nothing is more fun than making a s'more. You've got a campfire, chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows that inevitably go from perfectly toasted to completely engulfed in flames at least once. 

Half the fun is making it!  And that's the approach I like to take with other camping meals, too.

Let the kids build their own walking tacos. Give them toppings to customize a pizza pudgy pie. Let them assemble a foil packet or make their own banana boat.

It turns mealtime into another camping activity instead of something that interrupts the fun.

25 of the Best Camping Meals for Families with Kids

My kids can be some of the most picky eaters I've ever seen.  So we've tried just about every trick under the sun over the years.  I've gathered some of our favorite camping meals along with several other fun ideas worth adding to your next camping menu.

To make things easier, I've divided the list into breakfasts, lunches and dinners, snacks, and (of course) desserts!

Let's eat!

Camping Breakfast Ideas for Kids

1. Mason Jar Flapjacks

Pancakes while camping? Absolutely!

Prepare your dry pancake ingredients at home and store them in a mason jar. At the campsite, add the wet ingredients, shake or stir, and cook your pancakes on a griddle or skillet.

It's an easy way to enjoy a hot breakfast without hauling your entire pantry along.  Add blueberries, chocolate chips, bananas, or sprinkles to make them extra fun for kids.

2. Mountain Man Breakfast

If you've got a crew of hungry campers, a Mountain Man Breakfast is hard to beat.

This hearty camping breakfast typically combines favorites like potatoes, eggs, breakfast meat, and cheese in one skillet or Dutch oven.

It's filling, warm, and perfect for mornings when you've got a big day of outdoor adventures ahead.

3. Egg McHuffins

Make your own camping version of a breakfast sandwich!

Layer an English muffin with egg, cheese, and ham, bacon, or sausage.  (You can also use croissants if you want a little lighter option.)

These are especially handy because everyone can customize their own.  Do you have a kid who doesn't like eggs? Make theirs a ham and cheese. Someone wants ONLY cheese? Go for it!  It's customizable from top to bottom.

4. Banana and Almond Butter Pancakes

For a twist on traditional pancakes, try incorporating banana and almond butter.

The bananas add natural sweetness, while almond butter can make breakfast a little more filling.  Top with additional sliced banana or whatever pancake toppings your family enjoys.  (As always, adjust ingredients for any food allergies in your group.)

5. Car Engine Breakfast Burrito

Okay, this one is partly here because what kid isn't going to be intrigued by the words "car engine breakfast burrito"?

Breakfast burritos are fantastic camping food because you can assemble them ahead of time using eggs, cheese, potatoes, breakfast meat, veggies, or whatever your family likes.

Wrap them securely in foil and warm them safely using your preferred camping cooking method. While "car engine cooking" is a novelty people sometimes talk about, I'd stick with a camp stove, grill, or campfire setup where you can safely control the cooking temperature.

Either way, you've got a portable breakfast you can eat without dirtying a bunch of dishes.  My favorite way to enjoy them is sitting around the morning campfire!

6. French Toast Panwiches

Take French toast and turn it into a camping sandwich!

Use bread with kid-approved fillings, dip it into your French toast mixture, and cook it in a skillet or pie iron until golden.  Fruit, nut or seed butter, and other favorite fillings can make these especially tasty.

7. Campfire Oatmeal

Sometimes simple wins.

Oatmeal is easy to pack, inexpensive, filling, and can be customized for even the pickiest eaters.

Create an oatmeal topping bar with options like:

• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Dried fruit
• Fresh berries
• Banana slices
• Nuts or seeds
• Chocolate chips
• Peanut or other nut butter

Easy Camping Lunch & Dinner Ideas for Kids

8. Hobo Packets

Foil packets are a camping classic for good reason.

Add your choice of meat, potatoes, vegetables, and seasonings to heavy-duty foil, seal everything securely, and cook until the ingredients reach a safe temperature.

The best part for families is that everyone can build their own packet.

Write everyone's name on their packet before cooking and you've got customized camping dinners with very little cleanup.

9. Walking Tacos

Walking tacos might be one of the BEST camping meals for kids.

Open an individual bag of chips and add taco meat and your favorite toppings directly to the bag.

Try:

• Cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Avocado
• Black beans

Hand everyone a fork and dinner is served.

These are easy, customizable, and there's barely anything to clean afterward. That's a camping win!

10. Pepperoni Pizza Pudgy Pie

If your campsite has a fire ring and you own pie irons, bring on the pudgy pies!

For a pizza version, fill bread with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and whatever other toppings your family likes.

Cook until the outside is golden and the cheese inside is warm and melty.

Just be careful before taking that first bite as the filling can get HOT!

11. Hobo Pie

Once you've got those pie irons out, don't stop at pizza.

Hobo pies can be filled with all kinds of combinations. Try meat and cheese for something savory or fruit pie filling for a sweet version.

12. Zucchini Pizza Boats

Want to sneak a vegetable onto the camping menu?  Cut zucchini lengthwise, add pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings, and cook until the zucchini is tender and the cheese is melted.

Calling something "pizza" seems to make just about anything more appealing. 

13. White Bean Dip

Sometimes lunch doesn't need to be a traditional meal.

A simple white bean dip paired with crackers, pita, bread, or fresh vegetables can make a great lighter camping lunch or snack.

It's especially nice for days when everyone has been snacking and nobody wants to stop their adventures for a big meal.

14. White Cheddar Mac & Cheese

You can't make a list of kid-friendly camping meals without including macaroni and cheese!

It's familiar, comforting, and generally pretty easy to prepare at a campsite.

White cheddar gives traditional mac and cheese a slightly different spin while keeping it recognizable enough for picky eaters.  Serve it as the main dish or alongside grilled meat and vegetables.

15. Campfire Joes

Sloppy Joes are another easy meal for feeding a family.

Prepare your meat mixture at the campsite or make it ahead of time at home so you simply need to reheat it.  Spoon onto buns and you've got a hearty dinner without much fuss.  Add chips, fruit, veggies, or another simple side and call it a meal.

16. Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

You really don't need to reinvent the wheel for every camping meal.

A warm, crispy ham and cheese sandwich tastes fantastic after a day outside and requires only a few ingredients.

Cook them in a skillet, on a griddle, or in a pie iron.  Simple, familiar, delicious.

17. Skillet Lasagna

Lasagna while camping sounds complicated, but a skillet version makes it much more manageable.

Instead of carefully building multiple layers and baking a traditional lasagna, combine those familiar pasta, sauce, meat, and cheesy flavors in one skillet.

It's a cozy camping dinner that's especially nice on a chilly evening.

Easy Camping Snacks for Kids

Kids + camping = constant hunger.  At least that's how it seems around here.

Having a few easy snacks ready to grab can save you from hearing "I'm hungry!" approximately 347 times before dinner. 

18. Trail Mix

Trail mix was practically MADE for camping.  Better yet, set out several ingredients and let the kids make their own!

Depending on your family's preferences and allergy needs, try combining things like cereal, pretzels, dried fruit, raisins, seeds, nuts, chocolate candies, or mini crackers.

Store individual portions in reusable containers or bags so they're easy to grab before a hike or trip to the playground.

19. Homemade Banana Chips

Banana chips are portable, sweet, and don't require refrigeration, making them a handy camping snack.

Make a batch before your trip and divide them into individual servings.  They're great for munching around the campsite or tossing into your homemade trail mix.

20. Apple & Cranberry Campfire Granola Bars

Homemade granola bars are another easy make-ahead option.

An apple and cranberry combination gives them a sweet, fruity flavor while creating a snack that's easy to pack for hikes and outdoor adventures.

Make them before leaving home so you've got grab-and-go snacks waiting when hunger strikes.

Camping Desserts Kids Will LOVE

Let's be serious.  This is probably the section your kids actually care about. (It's also my favorite.)

21. S'more Quesadilla

You know what's good?

S'mores.

You know what else is good?

Quesadillas.

So why not combine the concept?

Fill a tortilla with marshmallows and chocolate, fold it over, and warm it until everything inside becomes melty and gooey. Crushed graham crackers can add that classic s'more flavor and crunch.

It's messy.
It's sweet.
It's camping.

22. Campfire Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls aren't just for breakfast when you're camping.

Cook them using an appropriate campfire, Dutch oven, or camp-stove method, then drizzle them with icing.  These can work as breakfast OR dessert, which basically makes them the perfect camping food.

23. Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

There's something extra delicious about a warm dessert cooked outdoors.

A Dutch oven peach cobbler is perfect for sharing and especially good topped with whipped topping or ice cream; assuming you have a way to keep it frozen at the campsite!

And if not?

Warm peach cobbler straight from the Dutch oven is pretty fantastic all by itself.  Or toss a can of spray whip in your cooler as a substitute.

24. Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Cup

Sometimes everyone wants dessert, but you don't want to make an entire batch of something.

That's where individual desserts come in handy.

A chocolate chip cookie-inspired cup gives each person their own serving and can be a fun alternative to the traditional nightly s'more.

25. Campfire Banana Boats

Finish off our list with another camping classic!

Leave a banana in its peel and carefully slice it lengthwise without cutting completely through. Stuff it with your favorite sweet additions, wrap it securely in foil, and warm it until everything gets deliciously gooey.

Popular fillings include:

• Chocolate chips
• Mini marshmallows
• Peanut butter
• Butterscotch chips
• Crushed graham crackers
• Caramel

Let each child customize their own banana boat before an adult handles the cooking.

A Few Tips for Making Camping Meals With Kids

Getting kids involved can turn meal preparation into part of the camping experience rather than another chore.

Give them age-appropriate jobs like assembling sandwiches, adding toppings, measuring ingredients, building foil packets, mixing trail mix, or stuffing banana boats.

I also recommend doing as much prep at home as possible. Chop vegetables, portion ingredients, pre-cook meat when appropriate, mix dry ingredients, and label containers before you leave.

The less prep and cleanup I have to do at the campsite, the happier I am!

And don't forget about food safety. Keep cold foods properly chilled, separate raw meat from ready-to-eat foods, wash hands and preparation surfaces, and cook foods thoroughly.

Make Some Camping Memories!

Camping with kids isn't always relaxing.

There. I said it. 

There's packing, unpacking, dirt EVERYWHERE, wet clothes, forgotten toothbrushes, bug bites, middle-of-the-night bathroom trips, and someone will inevitably ask where their shoes are while standing approximately three feet away from them.

But those aren't usually the things kids remember.

• They remember sitting around the campfire.
• They remember exploring.
• They remember sleeping somewhere different.
• And they remember the night their marshmallow caught on fire and Dad tried to blow it out.

Food can become part of those memories, too.

So let the kids build their own pizzas. Make the walking tacos. Cook breakfast outside. Let them assemble ridiculous s'mores with way too much chocolate.

It doesn't have to be fancy.

Sometimes the best camping meals for kids are the ones that are almost as much fun to make as they are to eat.