Lazy Camping Food: Simple Meals for Large Groups

Camping with a whole slew of people can be an absolute blast, whether it's a family reunion or a friend getaway. Time spent outdoors together tends to be of the memory-minting kind, and there are plenty of folks who make such fresh-air campsite group gatherings an annual tradition.

Ah—but what to eat? Cooking outdoors can be fun, but feeding a big group while still relaxing and enjoying the trip? That’s where lazy camping food comes to the rescue.

There’s a lot to be said for “lazy camping” when it comes to cuisine. Simplicity is the watchword here: There’s an awful lot of yummy camp fare you can whip up with minimal effort and maximum crowd-pleasing effect.

So enjoy some tips, hacks, and thoughts on the subject of lazy camping food, which is—let's face it—the sort of cuisine a lot of us are after when planning an outdoors getaway with a whole crew.

Lazy Camping Food Basics

Lazy camping and quick-cooking deliciousness don’t imply winging it, necessarily. Especially when you’re coming up with a camping meal plan for a whole mess of mouths, you want to be prepared with versatile, quick-cooking (or no-cook!) ingredients and a rough sense of cooking-and-assembly timetables so that you’re not left scrambling—or tied to the cookstove or firepit with some long, convoluted recipe that turns what should be a fun hangout into a stressful, decidedly no-fun evening.

For success, think about:

• Meal planning ahead of time for portion sizes and appetites.
• Stocking versatile, shelf-stable staples like tortillas, canned beans, and trail mix.
• Packing a mix of no-cook foods, one-pot meals, and campfire favorites to keep things simple.
• Prepping as many ingredients as possible beforehand and storing together to minimize time cooking at the campsite. 

Cooking for a big crowd can feel overwhelming, but simple camping recipes scale well. Below are some lazy camping food ideas for family reunions or group trips that keep prep and cleanup light.

One-Pot Camping Meals

When it comes to camping meal ideas, there’s nothing like the good old-fashioned one-pot solutions! Throwing everything together in a single pot or saucepan minimizes mess and dishwashing, streamlines cooking, and takes away a lot of the guesswork when it comes to timing. 

There are all sorts of options that translate well to the campground, like mac & cheese, jambalaya, pastas, or various veggie-and-noodle dishes. One-pot camping meals are quick, filling, easy to scale, and perfect for cooking on a camp stove or in a Dutch oven.

Here are some easy recipes to check out: 

• Mac & Cheese (Cast Iron Skillet or Pot)
• Boil pasta until tender, then drain.
• Stir in shredded cheese, butter, and a splash of milk.
• Optional: mix in hot dogs or jalapeños for extra flavor.
• Camping Breakfast Skillet
• Dice potatoes and cook in a skillet until golden.
• Add ground sausage or chopped bacon, cooking until browned.
• Crack eggs directly into the pan, stir, and top with shredded cheese.
• One-Pot Jambalaya
• Sauté sausage, onion, and bell peppers in a Dutch oven.
• Add rice, canned tomatoes, and seasoning.
• Simmer until the rice is cooked and fluffy.
• Chickpea Pasta (Pasta e Ceci)
• Cook pasta with canned chickpeas in broth or water.
• Add olive oil, garlic, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
• Finish with shredded cheese for a hearty vegetarian option.
• Veggie-and-Noodle Pasta Dishes
• Boil noodles and toss in whatever fresh or dried veggies you packed.
• Stir in a jarred sauce from the grocery store or just olive oil and herbs.
• Quick, filling, and customizable for any group.

DIY Campfire Cooking

Just about everybody loves chilling out around a campfire, but those crackling flames—and, all the more useful, glowing coals—can be put to culinary work as well. From the stone-cold classic hot dogs on a stick to Dutch oven cooking to coal-tucked or grill-positioned foil packet meals, the sky’s just about the limit when it comes to creative fire cooking at the campsite.

The following campfire recipes are quick to assemble, fun to cook, and guaranteed to keep your campers happy:

• Hot Dogs or Sausages on Skewers
• Thread hot dogs or sausages onto skewers.
• Roast over the fire until browned and bubbling.
• Serve with buns and your favorite condiments.
• Foil Packet Potatoes
• Slice potatoes, onions, and peppers.
• Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Seal in foil packets and cook in hot coals for 20–30 minutes.
• Campfire Nachos
• In a cast iron skillet or foil pan, layer tortilla chips, shredded cheese, canned beans, and jalapeños.
• Cover with foil and place over coals until cheese melts.
• Finish with salsa or fresh toppings.
• Mason Jar Pancakes
• At home, mix dry pancake ingredients into a mason jar.
• At camp, add water or milk, shake well, and pour onto a cast iron skillet over the fire.
• Flip when bubbles form, then serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or even chocolate chips.
• Sloppy Joes
• Brown ground beef in a Dutch oven or skillet.
• Stir in sloppy joe sauce.
• Spoon onto buns for an easy camp comfort food.
• Quesadillas or tacos 
• Fill tortillas with shredded cheese, beans, and veggies or pre-cooked meat.
• Cook on a skillet or griddle until crispy and melty.
• Ramen on the Camp Stove
• Add ramen noodles and flavor packet to boiling water.
• Optional: toss in veggies, a boiled egg, or sliced meat for extra protein.

Freeze-Dried Meals 

And then there’s the whole realm of freeze-dried goodness, which happens to be our specialty here at Mountain House. Freeze-drying preserves flavor and nutrition while reducing weight and space requirements. Our Mountain House method makes for well-rounded, utterly mouthwatering meals that only require boiling water (actually, not even that—cold water, given more time, can also rehydrate our freeze-dried eats).

Some of our quick and easy camping meal options include:

• Breakfast Skillet – Fluffy eggs, potatoes, peppers, and sausage make this a fast, protein-packed breakfast to kickstart your day outdoors.
• Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Bowl– What’s better than pizza around the campfire? This fan favorite delivers classic pizza flavors and hearty satisfaction with no prep.
• Rice & Chicken – Simple, savory, and filling. A go-to meal that tastes homemade but takes zero effort at camp.

We hope you’re curious! Well, if so, learn just how easy it is to prepare our Mountain House meals:

Let's Eat Out! from Mountain House on Vimeo.

We’ve got plenty of Mountain House pouches and #10 Cans ideal for satisfying large groups at the campground. Explore all of the recipes available in our full camping and backpacking collection.

Other Lazy Camping Meal Ideas

There’s so much you can do ahead of time when it comes to prepping camp meals, not least actually cooking things—or assembling no-cooking-necessary ingredients—so you don’t even need to worry about firing up the stove or mustering the campfire into cookery duty.

Other simple ideas include: 

• Sandwiches - Cold cuts, cheese, bread, and pickles make a handy-dandy sandwich building station. Add some nuts and spreads and you’ve got an al fresco charcuterie board.
• Wraps - Fill tortillas with deli meat and cheese, tuna salad, or peanut butter with banana or jelly. 
• Pasta salad - Prepared ahead of time, a cold pasta salad is a crowd pleaser that can be doubled or tripled to feed a large group. 
• Hard-boiled eggs - These delicious bites serve as breakfast, a standalone snack, or accouterments to ramen, salads, breakfast sandwiches, and the like. 
• Beans - Cook black beans back at home and you’ve got a secret weapon in the camp cooler at the ready for soups, stews, burritos, and more.
• Fruits and veggies - Pack baby carrots, bell pepper slices, berries, and accompanying spreads or dips including hummus and yogurt for an easy side. 

Creative—and Lazy!—Camping Snacks

All else being equal, we’d say snacks are more important on a camping trip than back at home, even though hanger can most certainly be an issue there. (We've all been there.) You want your camping party to stay well-fueled, particularly if you’ve got hiking, paddling, fishing, mountain biking, and other active pursuits on the itinerary.

Fortunately, high-quality camping snacks don’t have to be a bear to prepare. Homemade trail mix and no-bake energy bars are go-to options, as are simpler-yet dried fruit and store-bought granola bars. Long-lasting tortillas, pita breads, bagels, and English muffins are ready and waiting to be gussied up with spreads, fresh fruit and veggies, and the like.

Campfire Desserts

A post-dinner linger around those dancing flames simply screams for a campfire dessert, right? Everything tastes better outdoors, and that includes the confectionary end of the spectrum: Sweets are just sweeter on a camping trip. Science!

Most people immediately think of s’mores, and there’s no question they’ve earned their king-of-camp-desserts crown. But you might also consider switching things up with some foil-readied campfire cones as well: Packed with marshmallows, M&Ms, chocolate chips, and the like, they’re simple and definitely worthy of a try.

And no refrigeration is needed to keep our Mountain House freeze-dried desserts good to go: You’re going to win plenty of points whipping out some ice-cream sandwiches at the end of a long day camping!

Food Safety & Storage Hacks

Food safety can be a little trickier at the campsite, but that doesn’t mean you can let it slide. Whether you’re handling ground beef for camp stove campfire burgers or some raw eggs that are going toward a breakfast burrito or scrambler, make sure you’re washing your hands and utensils on the regular.

And even in a well-developed front-country campground, you need to be wildlife-aware when it comes to managing and storing your provisions. Learn more about food safety in bear country, and remember that even where you’re not potentially rubbing shoulders with black or grizzly bears, rodents and birds can wreak havoc with your foodstuffs—not good for you or for them.

Remember to be gentle on the environment when you cook and clean at camp—especially in primitive or backcountry spots. Simple habits like storing food properly and packing out all trash help protect wildlife and leave the site ready for the next campers, including backpackers traveling light with minimal gear and meals.

Feed the Whole Camping Crew Quickly With Mountain House

Given the plethora of one-pot, quick-cooking, and no-cook meal ideas, managing food on a group camping trip actually doesn’t have to be the nightmare it sometimes seems to be in theory. 

Our freeze-dried Mountain House dishes and ingredients, which can be enjoyed on their own or woven into some more complicated menu, have been saving the day for campers for decades. Explore our collection and start dreaming about your next camping trip!

 For more helpful tips, check out these related Mountain House articles:

• 7 Day Camping Food Meal Plan

• Designing a Camping Meal Plan & List for a Quick Weekend Trip

• Easy No-Cooking-Required Camping Meals to Try

• Camping Meals with No Fridge Required

• 54 Camping Meal Ideas