Tasty Food Ideas for Happy Campers

These tasty camp food ideas are easy to prepare and will keep happy campers well fed.

When you next hit the great outdoors for a camping adventure, make sure you try some of these camp food ideas. Delicious and easy and quick to prepare and cook, they will give you time to bond around the campfire and it’ll be happy campers all round.

Braai chips

Spray a decent piece of heavy-duty tin foil with non-stick spray. Cut peeled potatoes into strips and give them a squirt of non-stick spray. Place the chips in the foil, sprinkle with your favourite herbs or seasoning, close the foil and roast the chips over the fire for about 45 minutes. You can do the same with vegetables.

Corn on the cob

Remove the leaves from the mielies and place in tin foil, cover with seasoning and add a dollop of margarine or butter. Cover each with the foil and twist the ends so that they look like Christmas crackers. You can place them either on a direct fire or on the grill and cook them for about 10 minutes.

Hot dogs camp-style

The ultimate in camp food. Braai the viennas on the grill – just a few minutes to heat them up a little. In a tiny saucepan, heat up a can of baked beans. Butter the hot dog rolls, insert the viennas and use the baked beans as relish. It’s a bit messy – but it’ll bring out the cowboy in your child.

Dinner on a stick

Older children can cook their own dinner. You can buy long metal kebab sticks with wooden handles from outdoor stores. The kids can help cut the meat (beef, chicken, pork) into cubes. Also cut onion, peppers, mushrooms and potatoes into cubes. Push the stick through a piece of meat, onion, pepper, mushroom and potato until half the skewer is covered, leaving enough room between the braaier and the fire. Lightly brush the food with oil and sprinkle with herbs and spices (not salt, as it makes meat tough). Let the children braai their kebabs over a mild fire until the meat is done.

Find out more about the charm of camping

Campfire dessert

Take out the trusted aluminium foil and cut off a square per banana. Chop the banana into bite-size pieces and place these in the middle of the foil. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon. Wrap the foil over the bananas and pinch the edges closed (almost like you’re folding an envelope). Grill the parcel on the fire for about five minutes a side. Let it cool, open and enjoy.

Read our post on memory-making activities, including a backyard camping adventure.

Marshmallow sandwich

This one ensures happy campers. Roast the marshmallows until toasty. Take one of your favourite biscuits (Marie biscuits work well) and plonk a marshmallow onto each biscuit. While still hot, add a small block of chocolate (buy a slab and break into blocks), top it with another biscuit and voilà – a marshmallow sandwich.

Campfire macaroni and cheese

You can cook the macaroni (one cup) at home and bring it along in a Zip Lock bag. Let the children help by mixing together the macaroni, one cup shredded cheddar cheese, a spoon of milk, half a spoon margarine, a pinch of salt and pepper. Put the mixture into a disposable aluminium foil pan. Cover the pan with a single piece of foil (shiny side inside) and cook on the grill for about seven minutes.

Breakfast menemen

This is a Turkish dish, with a South African twist. In a mixing bowl, add about two eggs per person and beat. Then add any of the following: viennas, left-over braai meat cut into bite-size pieces, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes – whatever you wish – and season. Place in a large pan over the fire or gas stove and stir continuously until the eggs are done. Serve with toast.