Cooking Ideas For Trailer Camping

how to cook over campfire

One of the most memorable parts of RV or trailer camping is the delicious food you can enjoy in a beautiful place. For some who are new to camping, figuring out what to cook while traveling in your RV can be not only challenging, but somewhat stressful as well. 

Meal Prep

Depending on what you plan to cook while camping, some meals can take the better part of an afternoon to prepare, cook, eat, and clean up. Rather than making half of your day camping about your meal, look for ways to prepare some of the food before your trip, if possible. For example, if there is peeling, slicing, or dicing that can be done beforehand, this can save you time (and dishes) while camping. 

Additionally, look for ways to cook certain foods before you go camping. For example, rather than making homemade enchiladas in your RV or camp trailer, make them at home and simply reheat them while camping. This same idea applies to a lot of food. Cooking meals ahead of time will save a lot of prep time, dishes, and alleviate unnecessary stress during your RV vacation. 

Cooking Appliances 

There is an idea that because you are in a camp trailer or RV you have to cook on the gas stovetop or over a fire. While those are fun ways to cook, there is nothing wrong with using a variety of cooking appliances you would use at home. For example, taking a small rice maker, instant pot, or crock pot with you could make cooking much easier and less time consuming. If you are a big fan of toasted breads, bagels, or pastries, don’t forget to pack a toaster. 

Frozen Foods

Beyond cooking meals at home then reheating them while cooking, you can also grab a few frozen dinners at your grocery store. Throwing a frozen lasagna in your camp trailer’s oven is easy, quick, and requires zero prep work or dirty dishes. 

Another favorite of many campers is to take a couple small frozen pizzas and bake them in their trailer/RV oven. They cook relatively quickly and are delicious! Before your next camping trip, visit the frozen food section at your grocery store for even more meal ideas. 

Tin Foil Dinners

A classic camping staple of a meal, the iconic tin foil dinner, has been around for as long as camping (or tin foil for that matter). Some may find a tin foil dinner a bit intimidating, but there are a few meal prep hacks that will make tin foil dinners a breeze during your next camping trip. 

For starters, try assembling the tin foil dinners at home prior to your trip. Once you are camping, your only job will be to create a perfect bed of coals to cook your dinner over. 

Additionally, you can take a taste of home with you and warm it up over the campfire. Whether that is your favorite fried chicken or local pizza, grab some of your favorite foods, wrap them up in tin foil, refrigerate them, and simply heat them up over a fire while camping. 

Recap

Going into your camping trip with a meal plan, prepared food and/or meals will not only reduce stress on your camping trip, but will also reward you with much more time to enjoy your time wherever you park your RV. Happy camping!