Camping with kids can be intimidating. What you will eat doesn’t have to be. Check out what we prepped, packed, and ate on our weeklong camping trip at the beach.
Earlier this week I shared about our recent camping trip to the beach. The one where we thought it would be a good idea to take four kids six and under to sleep in a tent for a week and generally rough it.
You can read about the trip here. Spoiler alert– the trip was AWESOME. It went much better than I expected, and I am so glad we took a risk and went.
I won’t go into many details about the trip in this post, because the point is all the food. I know it would be easier in some ways to just buy a bunch of convenience foods and eat out a lot when you go on trips like this, (and we did do a little of both), but I still think it’s important to try to eat as much real (unprocessed) foods as we can even when we travel.
Eating well means that we will have more energy for what we want to do, our kids won’t be thrown off by a bunch of ingredients they aren’t used to, and we can all avoid feeling gross from eating too much junk.
Sooooo, in an effort to make that easier for you (and me on future trips), I have written out ALL THE DETAILS. Keep reading to see exactly what I prepped beforehand, what I packed, and what we ate each day. Perhaps not the most exciting post, but I’m certainly hoping it’s a useful one! Pin it for later, and check out the rest of the posts on camping and eating well on the road.
Beach Camping Menu Plan
What I Prepped
The weekend before our trip was busier than I anticipated, so I was not able to get as much done as I would have liked. Even so, it turned out to be enough, and we did not want for any food.
- yogurt parfaits :: I made yogurt the night before, then transfer it straight to a dozen half-pint jars after it strained. I topped half the yogurts with homemade strawberry jam, and the other half with honey and frozen blueberries.
- Chocolate zucchini muffins :: I baked a dozen regular size muffins, and a few dozen mini muffins for snacking.
- trail mix :: I threw together peanuts, banana chips, raisins, white chocolate morsels, and some chocolate covered espresso beans that had been hanging out in the cabinet for a while. I’ve made healthier trail mixes in the past, but this was what I had on hand.
- bagged salad :: I washed and chopped a few heads of romaine lettuce, then added them to a bag with thinly sliced carrots and a folded paper towel to keep the vegetables crisp.
- salad toppings :: cherry tomatoes, croutons, and kalamata olives were all put in containers to add to salads during the week.
- carrot sticks
- cheese sticks
- chocolate chip cookies
- ranch dressing
- Greek dressing
- 5 minute pudding cups :: this recipe is so easy and is a treat for my kids when we go on trips. I made chocolate pudding and used little plastic containers.
- hummus :: I transferred hummus from the large Costco continuer to a smaller mason jar.
- sandwich bread :: Earlier in the week, I baked sandwich bread. The recipe makes two loaves and I planned to save one for our trip.
- strawberry jam :: I used frozen strawberries to make this recipe for 10 minute chia seed jam. I used a third used for yogurt parfaits, and saved the rest for pb&j sandwiches.
What I Packed
This list includes kitchen staples we already had on hand, foods we purchased from the store, and what I prepped before the trip.
All the food was kept in a large cooler and a large laundry basket for easy access. (At the campsite, we would keep the cooler and basket in our van at night and while we were away during the day).
In the cooler:
- 3 qts milk (stored in qt mason jars)
- 12 yogurt parfaits (stored in half-pint mason jars)
- 8 chocolate pudding cups (stored in 1/2 C size plastic containers)
- carrot sticks
- cheese sticks
- ranch dressing
- kalamata olives
- lettuce
- bacon
- eggs
- chicken
- hot dogs
- ribeyes
- corn on the cob
- *bought fish while we were there
In the basket:
- crackers :: woven wheat from Aldi to eat with the hummus, and sandwich crackers (my husband’s favorites)
- fruit and vegetable pouches :: a trip staple we always get from Costco
- 1 pk graham crackers & 1 bag of marshmallows :: for 1 night of s’mores
- fig bars :: another favorite Costco purchase
- bananas, apples, and oranges
- croutons, cherry tomatoes
- Greek dressing
- EVOO, salt & pepper mix, seafood seasoning
- veggie straws
- chocolate chip cookies
- chocolate zucchini muffins
- 1 loaf sandwich bread
- peanut butter
- butter
- hot chocolate mix :: we did not use this at all, though, because it was too hot
- coffee :: regular and decaf, coarsely ground to use in our french press
- red potatoes, onions, bell pepper
- peanuts
- trail mix
- 2 boxes Annies mac’n’cheese
We also brought bottled water and mini gatorade in a smaller cooler to drink during the week.
What We Ate
Monday
Lunch :: burgers on the road
Dinner :: ribeye, hot dogs, corn on the cob, potatoes & onions
Tuesday
Breakfast :: yogurt parfaits & chocolate zucchini muffins
Lunch :: pb&j, veggie straws, oranges, fruit pouches
Dinner :: Greek chicken, sautéed onions and peppers, mac’n’cheese
Wednesday
Breakfast :: bacon & eggs
Lunch :: hummus with crackers & carrot sticks, salad, cheese sticks, oranges, cherry tomatoes
Dinner :: pan fried red drum, corn on the cob, potatoes & onions
Thursday
Breakfast :: yogurt parfaits
Lunch :: pb&j sandwiches, chips, cheese sticks, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes,
Dinner :: progressive dinner in Southport– coffees, Thai food, old-fashioned candy, fried fish on the river, ice cream
Friday
Breakfast :: yogurt parfaits for the kids, eggs & hot dogs (whatever was left)
Lunch :: whatever was left– hummus, crackers, peanuts, oranges, apples, cherry tomatoes
Dinner :: (at home!) sausages with onions and peppers, fried chicken tenders, sweet potato fries, roasted broccoli
Kitchen Supplies
We packed our cooking and eating supplies in a plastic tote box, with the exception of a large pot that would not fit, as well as our coffee supplies.
- Coleman camp stove
- tea kettle for heating water
- stainless steel french press for coffee
- spatula (one large, one small)
- chef’s knife, filet knife, & bread knife (if your sandwich bread isn’t already cut)
- 2 plastic cutting boards (one large, one small)
- large pot with lid
- hot dog roasting skewers
- 2 cooking pans (we have these and love them! such good quality for an awesome price!)
- chainmail scrubber for cleaning the cast iron pans (we use this at home too– makes cleaning the pans so easy)
- 6 gallon water jug (for filling up at the well)
- one small mixing bowl
- metal tongs
- paper towels
- pair of heavy duty leather gloves (for handling hot items from the wood fire)
- 1 set of eating dishes (plastic plates, silverware, stainless steel camp mugs, small glass jars for drinking, Nalgene water bottles)
- dish towels & dish rag for washing
- 2 large empty plastic containers or bowls for washing dishes
- dish soap
- ziploc sandwich bags, grocery bags, and trash bags
More Resources You May be Interested In:
- The Family Camping Handbook :: Kitchen Stewardship
- Fork in the Trail: Mouthwatering Meals & Tempting Treats for the Backcountry :: Laurie Ann Marsh
- 50+ Real Food Camping Ideas :: Keeper of the Home
- A Week in the Woods — What to Eat :: This Pilgrim Life
- Meal Planning on Vacation :: This Pilgrim Life
- How to Eat Healthy on a Road Trip :: This Pilgrim Life
- Meal Planning on Vacation Part 2: Eat Healthy, Spend Less, and Stay out of the Kitchen :: This Pilgrim Life
sometimes we like to support some of the local vendors once in a while when we go beach camping especially when it’s still within our budget.
You are a GREAT MOM! I am soon to be 71 years old and my “babies” are old enough now to join AARP! But you remind me so much of the way I was when my children were little! The time will fly by so enjoy every minute!
God Bless and keep you and your beautiful children!
Anne Snider
I have always taken several large onions and potatoes and we wrap them in foil and they are the first in the coals and the last out and turn them once! You can add butter, oil, spices, whatever you like! I always get asked for them the minute the fire is going!