Whether you’re out in the wilderness or camping at your favorite campground, some good old-fashioned campfire cooking can be the best way to keep your family fed and entertained. While everyone knows how to make s’mores (if not, just watch The Sandlot), there are full meals and other snacks you can make at the campfire that will satisfy any of your deepest food cravings. We’ve highlighted just a few of our favorites today, minimal supplies needed!
Foil Cheesy Potato Packs
Likely the longest cook time of any of the recipes we’ll be listing today, the long wait time is completely worth it. Perfect for a snack or a full meal with a little bit of added protein, these cheese potato packs require minimal materials and only some preparation.
What you’ll need:
- Aluminum foil
- Baby potatoes, halved or quartered
- Butter
- Cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- Onion, garlic, and any other potato toppings
Before you cook anything, get two big sheets of aluminum foil and lay them perpendicular to each other, putting the potatoes, onions, and other toppings in the center. Then top that mixture with cheese and butter, mixing with hands until everything is combined. Fold up the sides of the foil to make a bowl shape, then proceed to pour in the chicken broth. Once everything is combined, seal up the packet and cook over the fire for 30-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender
Kebabs
A classic BBQ favorite can be easily transferred to a campfire setting. While this does require a little bit of extra preparation ahead of time, the resulting kabobs are delicious, easy to make, and have a delicious charred campfire taste.
What you’ll need:
- Skewers
- Your favorite meats, diced into bite-sized pieces
- A pre-prepared marinade (or Italian Dressing)
- Veggies cut into bite-sized pieces
Before you leave for camping, you’ll have to cut all of your material into bite-sized pieces and prepare your marinade. Then add everything to a Ziploc bag and throw into the fridge or cooler until you’re ready to use it. After that, all you need to do is start your fire, skewer your meat & veggies, then roast over the fire until the meat is cooked through and veggies are charred. A roasting rack can help with this too, but is not necessary by any means.
Campfire Nachos
Everyone’s favorite bar food is a completely viable option to eat around a campfire. It requires a couple of special materials, but the preparation for this meal/snack is really easy and the method of cooking couldn’t be simpler and quicker.
What you’ll need:
- Cast-iron Dutch oven OR cast-iron skillet
- Aluminum foil for covering the pot
- Chips for the base of your nachos
- Cheese (mix of Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, and Cheddar)
- Your favorite nacho toppings (jalapeños, beans, avocado, salsa, tomatoes, pretty much whatever you want)
- OPTIONAL: parchment paper
We’re sure you’ve made nachos before, so we’ll make this as simple as possible. If you have parchment paper, line the bottom of your Dutch oven or skillet, then add the chips, a layer of cheese, another layer of chips, another layer of cheese, then all your topping. Then cover it with a lid or aluminum foil and cook it in the fire until the cheese is melty. It’s simple as that.
Sausage & Veggie Foil Packs
What you’ll need:
One of our all-time favorite campground recipes, sausage & veggie foil packs are super filling, customizable to each person, and surprisingly healthy. They’re also incredibly easy to make, require almost no extra materials, and require a pretty minimal amount of preparation.
- Aluminum foil
- Precooked sausages (we prefer chicken sausages, but whatever you enjoy is great)
- Your favorite sliced veggies (peppers, onions, zucchini, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, etc.)
- OPTIONAL: Skewers
All you have to do is get a couple big sheets of aluminum foil, wrap up your sausages & veggies, and pseudo-broil them over your campfire. One thing to note: make sure everything is wrapped up secure so there’s no leakage. We’d recommend double-wrapping to make sure everything is all secure. Then once the veggies are cooked, but not too soggy, remove from the fire dig in. For extra flavor, you can char the sausages over the fire half-way through cooking, but that’s not necessary, just a little extra delicious.
Campfire Rice Krispie Treats
Yes, you can still use those precious marshmallows, even if your family is completely sick of s’mores!
What you’ll need:
- 2 sticks of butter
- Marshmallows
- Rice Krispies
- S’mores skewers
- Cast-iron Pot
While this does require a little more supplies, making these tasty treats is almost as easy as making a s’more. First, you need to melt the butter in your cast-iron pot over the fire. Once the butter is melted, add in the marshmallows until they’re incorporated with the butter. Next, stir in your rice krispies until everything gets to know each other. Lastly all you need to do is form them into shapes, stick them onto skewers, and char them over an open flame. Then, voila! You have delicious, if not a little bit messy, campfire desserts!