Tasty Kid-Friendly Camping Recipes

What’s one of the great pleasures of camping other than the great outdoors? That’s right. The food. For some reason, it just tastes better when you’re camping. Maybe it’s because cooking out in nature gives the dish that little extra somthin’.

Whatever it is, we’re huge fans of meals at camp. But we also know a certain section of the camping population that tends to be just a tad bit picky. The kids! What better way to get them to eat what you’re serving than to get them involved in the preparation?

To make the little ones happy, we’ve got some wonderful kid-friendly recipes that are sure to please.

Mom’s Thick Pancakes

This fluffy breakfast staple is always a hit with the kiddos. It requires little effort, especially if you make the batter ahead of time.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1 Tsp oil
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 4 cups flour
• ½ cups sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder

Mix the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, and baking powder. Then add the dry mixture to the wet mixture slowly using an electric mixer or by hand. Mix until creamy. If mixture is too runny, add more flour, or more milk if too dry. Add bananas, blueberries, or other fruit, if desired.

Spray a non-stick pan or add butter and warm on medium heat. Pour the batter onto the pan and cook until bubbles appear. Turn over, flipping just one time, and cook until golden brown.

Breakfast Burrito

This is the perfect, hand-held, on-the-go breakfast. And kid-friendly!

Ingredients:

• 1 T butter
• ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 T green chilis from the can, drained and chopped
• 6 eggs, beaten
• ¾ cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese
• A dash of pepper
• A dash of hot sauce, if desired
• 4 – 10-inch flour tortillas, warmed

Put a pat of butter in the skillet over medium heat and let melt. Add onions and green chilis; sauté for 2 minutes. Add eggs, pepper, and optional hot sauce. Stir frequently until eggs are cooked thoroughly. Sprinkle cheese on top and allow to melt. Place ¼ egg mixture along 1/3 of the tortilla, approx. 2 inches away from the bottom. Add salsa and sour cream if desired, fold up the lower edge, then roll from the side to form a burrito.

Barbeque Sandwiches

Full of flavor and easy to make, these are a hit with everyone.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup chopped celery

• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ cup barbecue sauce
• ½ cup water
• 1 T vinegar
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T brown sugar
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 2 pounds cooked and shredded beef brisket
• 6-8 sandwich buns

Combine all ingredients except the beef and bring the sauce to a boil. Simmer sauce for 5 minutes, and then add shredded beef. Simmer at least 20 minutes longer after adding the beef. Spoon over split sandwich buns of your choice.

Wandering Tacos

This recipe is a fun take on tacos that is great for on-the-go eating. Though a bit messy, it is worth it for the taste and the simplicity of this kid-approved lunch.

Ingredients:

• 6 small bags of Doritos

• 1 pound hamburger
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 head of lettuce, thinly chopped
• Sour cream
• 2 cups tomatoes, cubed
• Taco sauce to taste

Brown the hamburger with taco seasoning and any other spices of choice. Set aside to cool a bit. Meanwhile, crunch Doritos in the bag, and add the above ingredients to the bag. Grab a fork and dig in!

Chili Dog Casserole

Another hot dog meal that will make your kids happy and make things easy for you. This casserole dish requires minimal ingredients and can be thrown together quickly and easily ahead of time so your cooking time at camp is minimal.

Ingredients:

• Family-sized bag of Fritos corn chips
• (2) 15-oz cans chili with beans
• (1) 16-oz package hot dogs
• (1) 8-oz package cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook the hot dogs over the fire. While cooking the hot dogs, warm the chili. Once the hot dogs are done cooking, chop them into small bits. In individual bowls, start with Frito corn chips on bottom of bowl. Add warmed chili, followed by hot dogs, followed by shredded cheese, and topped with more Frito corn chips. YUM!