Going camping is a fun and exciting way to experience nature, create lasting memories with family and friends, and breathe some fresh air. It’s a great outdoor activity and it also offers plenty of health benefits, so it’s definitely something you should try out sometimes.
But what will you eat?
Well, luckily for you, staying outdoors and having an outdoor adventure doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy delicious and healthy food.
Planning your healthy camping meals in advance can help you stay full and energized throughout your camping trip, so in this post, I’m sharing a roundup of healthy camping foods you can prepare or bring on your next camping trip.
11 Healthy Camping Food Ideas
Some of these camping recipes will be great if you prepare them in advance and bring them with you, and some you can make yourself during your trip, depending on the equipment you have and how long your trip is. You can also pack some non-refrigerated lunch ideas.
I included recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks!
Easy Chia Seeds & Almond Milk
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Chia seeds – 120 calories
- ½ cup Almond milk, unsweetened – 15 calories
- 1 Tbsp Peanut butter, unsweetened (Tbsp) – 94 calories
- 1 cup Strawberries, fresh – 50 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Combine chia seeds and milk in a container and soak in fridge overnight.
Step 2: In the morning, add peanut butter and strawberries.
Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Chia seeds – 120 calories
- ½ Banana – 53 calories
- ½ cup Blueberries, fresh – 35 calories
- ½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
- ½ cup Milk, 2% (cups) – 61 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Combine oats, milk, and chia seeds
Step 2: Let sit in container with lid (like a Ball jar) overnight
Step 3: Top with blueberries and banana
Bell Pepper Sandwiches with Turkey & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Bell pepper, green, medium – 27 calories
- 6 oz Deli slices, turkey – 180 calories
- 2 oz Cheese, sliced cheese, full fat/ regular – 220 calories
- 1 Tomato, medium – 22 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Cut open bell pepper – cut into 4 pieces; scoop out seeds and remove stems.
Step 2: Make 2 sandwiches with sandwich fixings
Step 3: No deli turkey? Use extra cheese or tofurkey slices. No dairy? Use avocado, bacon, or tzatziki sauce
Note: When choosing deli meat, look for organic and “no nitrates” if possible.
Chickpea, Artichoke & Goat Cheese Salad with Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 Cucumber, small – 32 calories
- 1 cup Tomatoes, grape – 32 calories
- ¼ cup Beans & legumes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked – 67 calories
- ¼ cup Pasta, cooked – 50 calories
- 3 slice Artichokes, canned (pieces) – 30 calories
- ¼ Onion, red – 11 calories
- 2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw – 10 calories
- 1 oz Cheese, goat – 103 calories
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 119 calories
- ¼ tsp Salt – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Pepper, ground – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Basil, dried – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Oregano – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Cook pasta as instructed on package.
Step 2: Chop cucumber, tomatoes, and onion.
Step 3: Combine all ingredients and top with oil and seasonings.
No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese or use an additional Tbsp oil.
Lemony Pasta Salad with White Beans
Ingredients
- 4 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw – 20 calories
- ¼ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 100 calories
- ½ cup Beans & legumes, White, cooked – 110 calories
- ¼ cup Pasta, orzo, cooked – 76 calories
- 1 Zucchini, medium – 33 calories
- 1 tsp Olive oil (tsp) – 40 calories
- 1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) – 3 calories
- ½ Lemon, Whole – 11 calories
- ¼ tsp Salt – 0 calories
- ¼ tsp Pepper, ground – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Cook pasta as instructed on package, drain once cooked.
Step 2: Slice zucchini.
Step 3: Spray a pan with an oil spray & cook zucchini ~5 minutes on medium heat.
Step 4: Combine all ingredients.
Step 5: Dressing is olive oil, lemon juice (squeeze lemon over salad), vinegar, and salt & pepper.
Gluten free? Use chickpea (or other type of bean) pasta, e.g. Banza pasta.
Hard Boiled Egg Sandwiches Box
Ingredients
- 2 Egg, large – 144 calories
- ½ oz Cheese, sliced cheese, full fat/ regular – 55 calories
- 2 Uncured bacon, slice – 88 calories
- 1 Guacamole, single-serving packet – 100 calories
- 1 Bell pepper, green, medium – 27 calories
- 1 Cucumber, small – 32 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Fry bacon on stove top by cooking on low heat & turning every few minutes. Alternatively, you can cook bacon in the microwave or in the oven (~20 minutes at 400 degrees) if you prefer.
Step 2: Hard boil eggs
Step 3: Slice eggs open & add cheese and bacon
Step 4: Have veggies & guac on the side
Half-Sammie Lunch
Ingredients
- 1 Bread, thick, whole wheat, slice – 120 calories
- 4 oz Deli slices, turkey – 120 calories
- ⅛ cup Guacamole – 53 calories
- ½ oz Cheese, sliced, mozzarella, full fat/ regular – 35 calories
- ½ Bell pepper, green, medium – 14 calories
- ½ Bell pepper, yellow, large – 25 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Slice bell peppers into thin strips to have on the side
Step 2: Cut bread into triangles, make two mini sandwiches with cheese, guac, and turkey
No turkey? Use extra cheese. No dairy? Use extra guac or bacon. Gluten-free? Use gluten free bread.
Oatmeal with Blueberries and 2 Tbsp Peanut Butter
Ingredients
- ½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
- 2 Tbsp Peanut butter, unsweetened (Tbsp) – 188 calories
- 1 cup Blueberries, fresh – 70 calories
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon – 0 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Mix oatmeal with water & microwave to desired consistency
Step 2: Top with nut butter, blueberries, and cinnamon
Reese’s Dates
Ingredients
- 2 Dates – 120 calories
- 1 Tbsp Peanut butter, unsweetened (Tbsp) – 94 calories
- 1 Tbsp Chocolate chips, semisweet, Tbsp – 60 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Melt peanut butter and chocolate chips in microwave on defrost setting in 15 second intervals until melted enough to spread.
Step 2: Top dates with pb and chocolate mixture.
Step 3: Feel free to use any other nut/seed butter you prefer.
Basic Nicoise Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ Onion, red – 11 calories
- 1 Tuna, canned (1 can) – 120 calories
- ½ oz Olives, whole – 25 calories
- 1 Egg, large – 72 calories
- 1½ cups Green beans, frozen – 68 calories
- ¼ tsp Everything bagel seasoning – 0 calories
- 2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) – 6 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Hard boil egg. Slice once cooled into fourths.
Step 2: Spray a pan with an oil spray. Stir fry green beans ~5 minutes on medium heat.
Step 3: Put green beans in the refrigerator to cool for at least 15 minutes. Or you can use fresh green beans – use as they are, no need to stir fry.
Step 4: Dice onion.
Step 5: Combine all ingredients. Top with seasoning and vinegar.
3 Ingredient Banana Cookies
Ingredients
- 0.3 Tbsp Cacao powder – 6 calories
- 1 Banana – 105 calories
- ½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
- 2 tsp Sugar – 32 calories
Instructions
Step 1: Mash banana with a fork.
Step 2: Combine all ingredients and mix evenly.
Step 3: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 4: Spoon mixture evenly onto tray and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
