Keep Little Campers Happy With Kid-Friendly Meals

Camping is a great experience for kids — they get to explore the great outdoors, learn about nature and wildlife, and can get dirty without getting in trouble for it. But kids can be picky eaters. Don’t let their finicky taste buds derail your family fun time. Plan ahead to make sure you keep them happy with these kid-friendly meals that are easy to make and will make you the hero of the camping trip.

For breakfast, wow them with a classic Toad in the Hole. Get out your trusty camping skillet, melt some butter and get to work. Cut a hole in the center of a slice of bread and place it in the skillet, then fill that hole with an egg. When the bread starts to brown, turn it over and cook the other side until the egg is done to your little one’s liking. Served with some chopped fruit, this round meal will give them the energy they need for a day of outdoor adventure.

Lunch is time for re-fueling, but you don’t want to spend too much time cooking when you could spend time with the family so keep it simple. Bring along some snack-sized bags of corn chips (Fritos work great for this recipe) and cut off the tops. Simply heat up a can of chili over the campfire and pour a serving over the corn chips, then top with cheese. Let the little ones dig in and enjoy makeshift campfire nachos with a twist.

Kids eating lunch at their campsite. Photo: Chernetskaya | Dreamstime.com

By the time dinner rolls around you’re bound to have some worn-out campers that need to restock their energy supplies with a solid meal. Simplify things by bringing along some pie irons and let the kids build their own pizza sandwiches. They will have fun stacking layers of pepperoni and cheese in between two slices of bread and once you finish grilling them over the campfire they can enjoy their own campground pizza.

For dessert, there is always the trusty s’mores — they are not only delicious, but kids love toasting their own marshmallows and watching it melt a piece of chocolate sandwiched in between graham crackers.

If they happen to get tired of s’mores, simply chop up some bananas into a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle them with honey. Wrap the foil into a pouch and grill it until you’ve got caramelized bananas. But let’s face it, this is really a treat for you because the kids won’t actually get tired of s’mores, so don’t forget to bring plenty of marshmallows!