Gone are those days when you had to wait for eternity when slow cooking a bowl of beans or peas soup on the camp stove. Nowadays, you can have the best camping food at the finger-snap as the market is flooded with a variety and choicest of food options to choose from to make your camping trip memorable. Most people focus on the best coffee makers for camping or must-have camping accessories, but no camping is complete without having a good stock of camping food and beverages in your backpack.
After a long tiring day, you definitely need to look forward to nutritious snacks or delicious food being cooked around the campfire. Here is a compilation of the 13 best camping foods that you can decide upon to have mouth-watering meals when hiking or camping.
How To Choose The Best Camping Food
It’s generally recommended to carry simple and lightweight food and snacks during camping. Plus, these days, there are so many to choose from, but not all may suit the camping occasion. Taking all that into consideration, here are some tips to choose the best camping food.
Good Taste
Camping is no fun if you end up bringing snacks or meals that leave a bad taste in your mouth. If you’re camping solo, it’s good to go for simple meals that you like at home. And if you’re camping with a group, make sure you keep their preferences in mind as well. Also, it’s safer to take tried and tested camping meals that are bound to have a good taste.
Healthy Food
Just because you’re camping, doesn’t mean that you’re entitled to have all kinds of junk meals and snacks. It’s good to keep a balance of healthy snacks and meals along with some junkies. Always check the nutrition label before buying the camping food and should have a sufficient mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates to meet your dietary needs.
Know that most of the freeze-dried meals, such as pasta and rice have high carbohydrate levels and low levels of protein and fat. Ideally, all camping meals should have adequate sodium to compensate for the salt depletion as a result of sweating. Plus, the food tastes much better. Of course, if you prefer less salt, then you can always check the level on the nutrition label.
Portability
Most backpackers prefer to bring lightweight camping meals that are easy to carry and pack. For example, freeze-dried and dehydrated meals tend to be lightweight as they don’t contain any water. If you like to eat freshly-cooked food, try to carry dry ingredients as much as possible along with some Ziplock bags for repackaging.
Cooking Ease
No one wants a messy affair while cooking during camping. Hence, it’s best to carry the simples ones that get done without much of hassle and saves time too. Also, you want to minimize cleaning as much as possible, don’t you? Another important aspect is you would like to cook a meal that uses less fuel. Cooking that only requires the addition of boiling water are the ones that are most fuel-efficient. However, it’s good to check what the labels say about the time taken to make these just-add-water meals.
Cost
Most camping food comes at quite an affordable rate. However, if you want to travel light, some of these lightweight meals come with a price. Therefore, it’s up to you to decide what suits you best, the convenience, or the cost-effectiveness.
Trader Joe’s Freeze Dried Mango Unsweetened & Unsulfured
13
Touted as a healthy camping food or snack, Trader Joe’s Freeze Dried Mango Unsweetened & Unsulfured Dried fruit is a great alternative to junk snacks like chips and chocolate bars. Plus, you don’t have the fear of it getting spoilt or damaged and has high-energy sugar-rich content. If you have those sudden hunger pangs, pop in the free-dried crispy fruit for a healthy camping diet.
What We Love
- Healthy camping food for all
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easy to pack
- Doesn’t get crushed or damaged
- Unsulfured and naturally sweetened
- Nice flavor
Cons
- Bit pricey
Hershey’s S’mores Kit
12
A camping trip is considered incomplete without roasting marshmallows and hearing the soft crackles over the camping fire. The Hershey’s S’mores Kit is no doubt the all-time favorite and most-loved camping foods among all the other best camping foods. If you have a craving for a sweet and crunchy meal, then this kit has it all. The kit comprises of 18 full-size Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, 1 to10 oz bag of marshmallows, and 4 to 9 packs of graham crackers. You just need to slow-roast the marshmallow over the camping fire and then make a sandwich out of it with crackers and a chocolate bar for a wholesome meal. It’s the perfect blend of rich gooey crunchy chocolate that melts in your mouth and leaves a memory of delicious camping experience.
What We Love
- Perfect camping food for S’more lovers
Pros
- A complete meal with all the ingredients
- Delicious snack
- Can be savored in many ways
Cons
- Pricey
Bear Creek Hearty Soup Bowl, Creamy Chicken with Rice
11
Among all the camping foods, the Bear Creek Hearty Soup Bowl, Creamy Chicken with Rice is the most compact and nutritious meal of the lot. In other words, you get an enriching and nutritious meal of hearty long grain wild rice and vegetables. Known for its simple preparation, it just requires adding of hot water to its contents and you can have it directly from the cup. Each cup is a single server hence, you need to get as many cups as needed for a big group. Furthermore, you get 15 varieties to pick from.
What We Love
- Ideal camping food with a homemade taste
Pros
- Quick and easy to prepare
- Convenient and lightweight
- Great flavor
- Affordable
Cons
- Sodium content is a bit too high
Ova Easy Egg Crystals
10
The whiff of scrambled egg or omelet can lift anyone’s mood during breakfast outdoors, but one can’t envision taking the risk of carrying eggs in their backpacks. Here’s presenting Ova Easy Egg Crystals, the best camping food that you can have without having to crack one egg. Hard to believe isn’t it? Well, it’s possible as these are dehydrated eggs and you just need to mix them with water and cook them like regular eggs. Plus, it’s plentiful as one pouch is equivalent to almost a dozen eggs with a shelf life of 2.5 years.
What We Love
- Innovative and easy way of enjoying a meal having the taste of fresh eggs
Pros
- Simple to cook without any mess
- Ensures a healthy and nutritious meal
- Convenient to carry
- Good shelf life
Cons
- Pricey
Wolf Brand, Chili With Beans
9
Here is an all-time favorite, and satisfying camping food for you. The Wolf Brand, Chilli With Beans is a show stopper for beef lovers and for having the perfect blend of good quality beef chunks, tomatoes, green chilies, and herbed spices. You can also add it on top of nachos or hot dogs for some variety in taste. If you have a good capacity for enduring chilies without tears streaming down your face, then this one is for you. What’s more, it’s easy to cook too where you just need to heat it up a bit.
What We Love
- Great camping food for meat lovers
Pros
- Very easy to make
- Delicious to eat
- Very affordable
- Saves time to cook
Cons
- Not that spicy
Amy’s Ravioli Bowl, Organic
8
If you haven’t tried Amy’s Ravioli Bowl, Organic yet, then you are missing out on one of the best camping food in the market. Yes, it’s quite an expensive brand and comes with a pack of 12, but worth the money when you taste it. The front picture of the packet is so enticing that it’s bound to make your mouth water at the mere sight of it. And not just the picture, in reality, this ravioli has a great flavor and taste and is full of nutritious elements like vitamins, iron, calcium, and protein. Moreover, most of the ingredients are organic like organic pasta, tomato puree, ricotta cheese, filtered water, organic onions, organic butter, organic oil, spices, honey, et al. You name it, and you have it all.
What We Love
- Best organic camping food for all
Pros
- Simple and easy to make
- Good taste
- Very healthy meal
Cons
- Very expensive
- May not suit dairy intolerant people or people with celiac
Bear Creek Soup Mix, Chicken Noodle
7
With Bear Creek Hearty Soup Bowl, Creamy Chicken with Rice pack in your packing list, you can never go hungry. It’s one of the best camping foods that you can ever get as it’s not only lip-smacking but wholesome and nutritious to eat as well. Be it a group of eight people or solo, this is the meal that will always enjoy having around the crackling campfire. Add to that, it’s easy to cook. All you need to do is just pour the mix to the boiling water and your flavored chicken broth of vegetables and egg noodles is ready in just 10 minutes. What’s more, it’s packed with vitamins and free of fatty ingredients. You can also go for other variations with this particular brand. It’s hugely recommended as it’s best-suited for making a quick meal when camping outdoors.
What We Love
- Delicious and healthy soupy meal for campers
Pros
- Easy to cook
- Lightweight
- Can serve a large group
- Convenient to carry
Cons
- Slightly expensive
Annie’s Macaroni With Cheese
6
Now, who doesn’t like a macaroni topped with rich creamy cheese? Annie’s Macaroni With Cheese is considered to be the best camping meal ever. To add to the flavor, you can even add some bacon or grilled chicken pieces and you have the most finger-licking meal before you in minutes. The cooking method is simple too where you just add the pasta to the boiling water and it’s ready to be savored in just 8 to 10 minutes.
What We Love
- Most nutritious and delicious camping food for both adults and kids
Pros
- Easy to make
- Organic and healthy meal
- Easy to carry
Cons
- Slightly pricey
- The sauce might be too rich for some
Nature’s Bakery Stone Ground Whole Wheat Fig Bars
5
Choose Nature’s Bakery Stone Ground Whole Wheat Fig Bars if you want a quick munching snack without the hassle of cooking. It’s no doubt one of the best camping foods, no cooking as it meets all the criteria and favored by many for being portable, non-perishable, nutritious, and delicious. Plus, these whole wheat fig bars are free of dairy and cholesterol and a definite alternative to snacks having high sugar or fat content.
Boost your energy with these bars in the midst of trekking or hiking as they can be easily stashed away in pockets or bags. You can have enough to last for 2 to 3 weeks as you get 36 pieces and 12 of each flavor in the box. The flavors are apple cinnamon, blueberry, and raspberry and you will never get bored of snacking on the same types.
What We Love
- Great camping food for quick snacking
Pros
- Portable
- Lightweight
- Nutritious
- Comes in a variety of options
Cons
- Slightly pricey
Tuna Salad with Crackers
4
Here’s eat on the go camping food for you. Most look for options that they can quickly have while carrying on with the outdoor activities. The Tuna Salad With Crackers is the most convenient camping food you can have to whet your appetite. It’s a ready-to-eat meal that doesn’t require refrigeration, cooking, or grilling. Yep, the best camping food, no cooking! This is a great way to save fuel also when camping outside. The entire package contains 12 packets, including tuna salad and six buttered crackers and a spoon. It is the perfect packaged protein-rich meal for kids and adults alike. However, adults may require two packages if they want a more filling meal.
What We Love
- Ideal ready-to-eat camping food for outdoor hiking, biking, or camping
Pros
- Easy to carry
- Does not require cooking or heating
- Rich in protein content
- Includes a spoon for serving
Cons
- Slightly pricey
Mountain House Lasagna With Meat Sauce
3
If you have these sudden cravings for lasagna, then go for one of the most delicious and best camping food, the Mountain House Lasagna With Meat Sauce. It’s convenient to pack as it’s a free-dried food and does not take up too much packing space. It’s a 6-pack pouch with two and a half 1-cup servings and sufficient for a big group. What’s more, it’s quite fast to cook this delicious meal made from pasta, cheese, and Italian sauce. You just need to add some hot water to the pouch and voila, you’ve got a deliciously-flavored meal in front of you in less than 10 minutes.
What We Love
- Perfect for camping and hiking and emergency-cooking
Pros
- Healthy and tasty meal
- Simple and easy to prepare
- Convenient to carry
- Quite affordable
- Lasting shelf-life
Cons
- Lasagna quantity may not be much
Planters Nuts & Chocolate M&M’s Trail Mix
2
Another satisfying camping food, the Planters Nuts & Chocolate M&M’s Trail Mix is an enriching sweet and salty mix of peanuts, almonds, raisins, and chocolate candy pieces. And who doesn’t like a snack that has the all-time favorite M&Ms? Rich in protein, fats, and calories, this kind of meal will never leave you hungry. In fact, it’s so addictive that you may even finish it in one go! This one is a 19-ounce packet, but you can go for other sizes based on your needs and cravings.
What We Love
- Perfect snack-in-between camping food for all
Pros
- A perfect mix of sweet and salt taste
- Very convenient to carry
- Enriching snack
Cons
- Calorie count is high
Mountain House Classic Bucket
1
Ranking above all the camping foods is the Mountain House Classic Bucket. Rated as the most-coveted and the best camping food amongst all, this mega bucket will throw you off-guard with its massive contents. The bucket can serve as many as 29 people and comes with 12 pouches of freeze-dried meals in total. There are two pouches, each of beef stroganoff with noodles, chicken teriyaki with rice, beef stew, lasagna with meat sauce, noodles & chicken, and granola with milk & blueberries. Furthermore, it’s quite lightweight and easily packable. Also, easy to cook and needs just hot water to be added to the pouch and your classic meal is ready for devouring!
What We Love
- Hassle-free mega camping food for all hikers
Pros
- Portable and stackable
- Lightweight
- Long-lasting shelf life
- Easy to prepare
- A classic assortment of meals
Cons
- Expensive
