Your Complete Weekend Camping Menu

The weekend family camping trip is set to begin. The weather is looking to be nice and you’ve planned everything for a few days in the great outdoors, including the menu! Here are a few meal suggestions, from breakfast to dessert, some of which can be cooked in advance, while others can be prepared at the campsite.

Friday: Get Started

Hit the road after lunch so that you can get out of the city before the traffic hits and not arrive too late at the campground, because there’s so much to do: pitching the tent, unpacking your luggage, keeping the kids busy, and taking care of dinner.

Dinner: Lentil Curry

You just need to reheat this Indian-style slow-cooker lentil curry. The key thing here is to prepare it in advance. Our recommendation is to cook it during the week (or even the week before) and freeze it until the big day. And given that it’ll be very cool during the drive, it’s a bonus to keep in the cooler.

Dessert: Blueberry-Butter Squares

The plan remains the same; prep everything in the comfort of your own kitchen. This dessert, made with fresh blueberries and baked in the oven, can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days.

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Saturday: Three Meals and a Full Day

While camping, it’s common to be up early, woken at dawn by birds chirping and the sunrise. Many outdoor activities await: hiking, canoeing, swimming in the lake, biking, etc. So it’s important to eat well.

Breakfast: Fresh Oatmeal

This is a meal you don’t have to cook on the spot, since you took the time to prepare it the night before, right before you headed out the door. This oatmeal, consisting of quick-cooking oats, Greek yogurt, nuts and fresh fruit, is satiating and hassle-free.

Lunch: Chili Dogs

This recipe for Mexican-style chili is one kids love. The meat has the advantage of being cooked up to four days in advance and can be stored in the freezer for three months. And let’s face it: Everyone enjoys hot dogs, but it’s nice to switch things up every once in a while.

Snack: No-Bake Bars

Being active really works up an appetite, and with 11 g of protein, 25 g of carbs, as well as 6.4 g of fibre, these protein bars are great to tide you over between meals. Prepare them a day or two in advance, because even though this is a no-bake recipe, making them at the campsite would require packing many ingredients with you.

Dinner: Cod Fillets with Fennel

The highlight of this easy-to-make cod fillet recipe? It’s cooked in a parcel and only requires five ingredients. You can also swap the cod with haddock or any other white fish. Pair the dish with some couscous, which cooks faster than rice.

Dessert: S’mores on the BBQ

In this decadent recipe, chocolate, marshmallows and graham cracker crumbs are served as toppings on toasted bread. What we enjoy about these s’mores that are cooked on the grill is that they’re guaranteed to make the kids happy with little effort!

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Sunday: Two Meals Before Hitting the Road

Make the most of these last few hours before heading back home. Start the day with a hearty breakfast that will give you the energy you need to take down the tent and pack everything up.

Breakfast: Burritos

Scrambled eggs wrapped in a tortilla, who can resist? Especially since you can eat these without the need for a plate. The trick to this burrito recipe is adding flavour to the egg mixture thanks to a little bit of salsa.

Lunch: Mortadella Sandwiches with Pistachio Pesto

It’s ideal to make the pistachio pesto before leaving for your trip, or simply buy a classic version at the grocery store. Build the sandwiches right after breakfast and keep them cool in the cooler for a few hours before serving them at lunch.

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A Winning Pair and a Trio of Recipes

Pasta, no matter the shape, and canned tuna are satisfying and space-saving allies when camping. These two form the basis of many quick and tasty recipes.

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