Good food makes for great camping trips. After a long day of traipsing around the wilderness, nothing lifts the spirits like a warm bowl of lip-smacking fare. Today, more and more people than ever are going camping, and chili and hot dogs seem interesting only for so much time. Campfire cooking should be delicious and fun both, and it needs to be about wonderful food memories and enjoying the company of others. This is where books with an easy campfire recipe or two come to the rescue, where ideas for meals will uplift your mind, body, and spirit. Campfire cooking is about cooking an easy but yummy meal together while enjoying the process, as well as the successes and the failures of cooking over the fire. After all, it’s about creating new memories, traditions, and enjoying a meal along with your friends or family.
So, whether you want to make oatmeal in a dozen different ways or are carving a shepherd’s pie up in the mountains, camping cookbooks are completely worth it. So, here are the 13 best easy campfire recipe books for ideas for delectable meals.
How To Choose The Best Easy Campfire Recipe Books?
When it comes to food and drink, camping requires a ton of essentials, right from the Best Camping Mugs to the Best Handheld Portable Toasters. Gone are the days when campfire food used to just be anything edible you could get in a tin can, coupled with s’mores and coffee! Today, there are a whole lot of delicious Best Camping Foods available. All you need is a good recipe book to inspire great campfire recipe ideas and make the most of what you have into a delectable meal. So, what should you look for books with a recipe for campfire meals? Read on.
Who’s it written for?
Campfire recipe books are geared towards a variety of travelers. Some are perfect for families with small children, which means they’ll include meals for kids as well. Others are specifically written for backpackers who’re carrying very limited or specific food along with them. What’s more, there are even books written for youngsters who’re going camping in a large group.
Easy campfire recipes
In the end, campfire recipes should be easy to follow with an easy-to-use packing or ingredient list. When you go camping, you want to pack as light as possible to make the trip more enjoyable. Look for books with simple-to-cook and easy-to-follow recipes with as minimum ingredients as possible. Apart from the above, look for a book that comes with a variety of recipes where everyone in the group will find something they like. Repetitive or limited meals could get boring on a long camping trip. Finally, if you like referring to photographs while cooking, then look for cookbooks with completed meal pictures at the end.
Safety tips
Are you a newbie to camping? Then go for a book that has helpful information about starting a campfire, tips on how to use tools, and how to keep a fire going. These additional features will be extremely handy in case you hit a roadblock during your cooking session. You might also want to check out these Best Fire Starters for Camping. Furthermore, are there any safety tips or helpful safety advice that’s featured in the book? Look for advice about using sharp tools safely, containing a campfire to a limited area, and working with an open flame.
Which is the best campfire recipe book for vegetarians?
We’d recommend Another Fork in the Trail, which is full of delicious and lightweight vegetarian and vegan recipes that are easy to prepare. What’s more, it features more than 120 recipes, some of which are even gluten-free, and all of which have been tested by the author earlier. You can expect everything from vegetable ratatouille to dips to lunches. Plus, many recipes can be prepared and dried at home, thus saving time and effort during camping.
Backpack Gourmet
13
If you’re a backpacker and don’t particularly enjoy the actual cooking process, then a great easy campfire recipe book is Backpack Gourmet. True to its name, this cookbook features more than 180 recipes, plus information about water purification, stoves, and dehydrators. Most of the recipes are geared toward dehydrating complete meals cooked at home, thus making for quick trail meals. They’re very easy to rehydrate and lighter as compared to lugging around fuel, a stove, and ingredients. In fact, the cookbook includes 20 brand-new recipes, including recipes such as Backpacker’s Cincinnati Chili, Stuffed Cabbage Soup, and Sesame Lasagna. There are also recipes for cookies, pilafs, chowders, stews, soups, pasta, and even casseroles! Note: Most recipes are geared for four people, making this an excellent choice for group camping trips.
Ideal for:
Backpacking
The Campout Cookbook: Inspired Recipes for Cooking Around the Fire and Under the Stars
12
Get some of the best campfire recipe ideas from The Campout Cookbook: Inspired Recipes for Cooking Around the Fire and Under the Stars. Featuring some of the best options for recipe for campfire meals, this excellent cookbook has more than 75 recipes. It covers a variety of meals that range from roasted vegetables to backcountry stews and even skillet pizzas. What’s more, you’ll even find directions for making bread in cast iron as well as a plethora of delicious desserts. With so many recipes available, it’s obviously time to get creative. The book helps with even that and has rather handy substitution suggestions for ingredients in their recipes. If that wasn’t enough, you’ll even find relaxing alcoholic beverage options for the adults in the group. Costing just $15 for the hardcover, this cookbook is a must-buy for innovative campfire cookery.
Ideal for:
Campground cooking and car camping
Fix It In Foil – Spiral-bound Camping Cookbook by CQ Products
11
Looking for an easy campfire recipe that’s equally easy to clean up? Read the Fix It In Foil Camping Cookbook. The spiral-bound cookbook is designed for easy clean-up. Thus, you don’t have to be hunched over scrubbing camping skillets and pots in a portable kitchen. The objective of this book is to cook everything in a foil packet, which makes cleanup as easy as it gets. This book discusses everything in detail, starting with how exactly to tear and fold tinfoil. So, it prevents you from losing your meals over the fire. It might take some practice, but the book allows even newbies to cook delicious meals by following the easy instructions. With a bunch of 51 recipes, there are lots of meals to choose from that accommodate all tastes. All said, what you’ll really enjoy is the suggestions for ingredient substitution, thus resulting in an endless number of combos.
Ideal for:
Survivalist cooking
Easy Campfire Cooking
10
If there was ever a fun recipe for campfire meals, you’d find it in Easy Campfire Cooking, which is filled with more than 200 easy recipes. The cookbook is specially designed for families to have fun while eating over the fire pit, and also has recipes for meals to be cooked on a budget. It’s designed to get the entire family involved in the experience by using many fun tools ranging from tinfoil packets to sticks and even pie irons. Families will especially like the part about campfire recipe ideas for cooking three meals every day using nothing but tinfoil! All in all, the delicious and inexpensive recipes in this cookbook are perfect for all who’re looking to save money during their camping trips. You’ll also like the fact that this book allows you to get creative, such as using sticks and marshmallow-roasting skewers for more than just s’mores.
Ideal for:
RV and campground cooking
Feast by Firelight
9
An easy campfire recipe that’s perfect for premium cooking is difficult to find, but not if you look up Feast by Firelight: Simple Recipes for Camping, Cabins, and the Great Outdoors. This fantastic cookbook is designed for effortless gourmet cooking even in the outdoors. In fact, author Emma Frisch has a ton of experience in the culinary field and has even appeared on the Food Network. So, it’s no surprise that you’ll find a host of extremely helpful cooking tips throughout the book, complete with sections mapped out for helping people not only prep but also pack their camping meals at home efficiently. The book has more than 70 recipes along with beautiful pictures, which means that everyone will find something to enjoy. So, if you want to impress someone with your nifty outdoorsy skills or cook five-star meals on your next camping trip, pick up this book.
Ideal for:
Campground cooking
The New Camp Cookbook: Gourmet Grub for Campers
8
How about you look up PureWow’s “Best Cookbook of the Year” for a delicious recipe for campfire meals? Behold The New Camp Cookbook, which is a top pick for campfire recipe ideas for intrepid adventurers. The diverse array of campfire recipe ideas makes it perfect for everyone – adventurous seniors, youngsters, and family campers, and experienced hikers. The cookbook comes with all the possible advice needed for cooking delicious camping meals. What’s more, the recipes fit a variety of settings, right from light snacks and midday meals to enormous feasts and desserts. In fact, you’ll even find recipes for delicious beverages, as well as tips on how to set up a camp kitchen right from start to finish! The content is no surprise since it’s been put together by Linda Ly, who’s had tons of experience as an author, in the kitchen and in the outdoors.
Ideal for:
Campground cooking
Lipsmackin’ Backpackin’
7
Lipsmackin’ Backpackin’ has page after page of easy campfire recipes for backpackers who want to stay light on their trip. The book is written by the Connors couple Christine and Tim who have backpacked extensively across the world. Along the way, they’ve perfected the art of yummy yet ultra-lightweight backcountry meals. The cookbook features tons and tons of tasty fare from the trails, preceded by thorough and clear-cut thorough at-home and on-trail preparation directions. Moreover, every recipe is also accompanied by serving and nutrition information and its weight, along with photographs and a wealth of reference material. For backpackers on long backcountry trips, this book is second-best only to the sights they’ll see.
Ideal for:
Backpackers on long backcountry hikes
The Bushcraft Field Guide to Trapping, Gathering, and Cooking in the Wild
6
Fancy a recipe for campfire meals ‘Into The Wild’ style? Then you need The Bushcraft Field Guide. Since it was written by Dave Canterbury, a world-class survivalist, the book is all about not just surviving but thriving in the wild! All recipes are geared toward cooking with minimal ingredients in the wilderness. Plus, you use only what you can carry and leverage the environment around you as much as possible. So, you’ll find basic lessons on how to forage and hunt as well as an accompanying colored photoguide for identifying plants. The recipes teach you how to use what you’ve foraged and make delicious and filling meals, making this perfect for the novice bushcrafter. Sized just right and practical to boot, this book is a blessing in times and places when Google can’t be summoned to your rescue.
Ideal for:
Survivalist cooking
Dutch Oven Cooking: With International Dutch Oven Society Champion Terry Lewis
5
When it comes to an easy campfire recipe and cooking, it’s hard to beat a good Dutch Oven, which is amongst the very Best Camping Ovens with Hob. In fact, bringing a Dutch Oven along could completely transform your camping trip, just like the book Dutch Oven Cooking says. Firstly, there are innumerable dishes that you can make when you have a Dutch oven – think stew, cinnamon rolls, fresh bread, and what-not. But with this book, we’re talking the creme of the crop – think baby back ribs and full pies! These recipes do require a lot of time, which is why they’re perfect to make if you have a lot of time on your hands or are going RV, campground, or car camping with a large group of friends or family.
Ideal for:
RV, campground, or car camping
The Easy Camp Cookbook: 100 Recipes For Your Car Camping and Backcountry Adventures
4
Outdoor lovers who have kids are always on the lookout for a good recipe for campfire meals. That’s why we’re recommending The Easy Camp Cookbook from Amelia Mayer of the famed Tales of a Mountain Mama. This cookbook combines both easy backpacking as well as car camping meals in one book for the entire family to enjoy. Not only are the recipes family-friendly, but they’re also easy to cook and tasty, thus keeping children excited about meals. What’s more, it has a ton of great cooking and camping tips too, apart from the 100 recipes to choose from. Besides amazing Dutch oven and tinfoil recipes, you’ll also find some useful time-saving hacks and tips to spend the minimum time cooking and maximum time relishing your meals.
Ideal for:
Backpacking and car camping
Product Name
3
Written by Chef Steve Corso, the MontYBoca Trail Meals Cookbook – Vista Edition is chock-full of easy campfire recipes. A follow-up to his first cookbook Trail Meals – Origin Edition, every recipe has no more than ten ingredients. Thus, it’s very easy to prepare meals and takes very little time. Moreover, every recipe comes with cooking tips as well as the weight of the ingredients, which is very useful for backpackers for whom weight is a big concern. Completely funded on Kickstarter, you can even become part of the book’s community online as you prepare to go on your camping trip. What’s great about these recipes is that they’re geared towards using more fresh ingredients, making your camping adventure healthy as well. The best part? The book is compact-sized and will fit easily in your luggage.
Ideal for:
Backpacking, hiking, and car camping
Cast Iron Camping Cookbook: Easy Skillet Recipes for Outdoor Cooking
2
You’ll find a recipe for campfire meals of all types in the Cast-iron Camping Cookbook by Pauline Reynolds-Nuttall. It has more than 70 recipes catering to all sorts of eaters. It took a village to write this cookbook, which is a collection of personal favorite recipes from people. Enjoy and experiment with these campfire recipe ideas, which include everything from American classics to world-inspired meals. Furthermore, you’ll also find tips for packing a cooler, taking care of cast iron, starting a fire, and even setting up a camp kitchen. Aside from featuring family-friendly recipes, the book even has a plethora of vegetarian and vegan camping meal recipes! In case you’re vegetarian or vegan and been struggling with the idea of making meals outdoors, then perhaps this is your perfect choice.
Ideal for:
RV, campground and car camping
Another Fork in the Trail
1
This one is for vegetarians and vegans who love the backcountry. Another Fork in the Trail is a collection of not just simple and easy campfire recipe options, but also healthier ones for cooking out in the wilderness. In fact, a major chunk of the recipes is for people who have celiac diseases or who eat gluten-free fare. Notwithstanding your dietary needs, it’s a challenge to eat healthy and nutritious food when you’re outdoors. Plus, the risk of tucking into junk food is too high as well. This cookbook saves you from having to nibble whatever usual tinned food you find and rather focuses on helping you cook healthy and easy meals. Besides the recipes, the author also suggests portions and doles out tips on storing and cooking. The best part is the anecdotes, which make the book an enjoyable read.
Ideal for:
Backcountry trips
