Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of preparing for an upcoming camping trip is ensuring you bring along a sufficient amount of food. From breakfast, to lunch, to dinner, to snacks along the way, there are a number of meals you will have to consider and ensure are packed before you embark on your camping trip.
Below, we are going to review and discuss the best food items to pack for a 2-night camping trip. We will discuss all necessary food items which you should bring and will help you to ensure that you don’t overlook any meal.
And if you are the type who enjoys camping and hiking over preparing a meal, then these food items will be great for you. Not only are these food items easy to prepare, but many of them require little to no prep, allowing you to get back to hanging out with friends and family, enjoying the scenery around you, and warming up by the campfire.
Lastly, if you are planning a longer camping or hiking trip, we definitely recommend checking out our review of what to bring for a 30-day hiking trip.
Disclaimer
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Tips to Make Preparing and Cooking a Meal While Camping Easier
To really enjoy a hiking or camping trip, proper prep beforehand is essential. Below are a few tips to make preparing and cooking a meal while camping easier:
- Bring along a sufficiently sized cooler to keep both your food items and drinks cold. We recommend a cooler which is lightweight and easy to carry. And as you will only be camping for 2-nights, you don’t need a cooler which is too large. You can also check out our review on how to keep a cooler cold while hiking or camping to help you ensure your food items don’t spoil.
- Our recommendation for a cooler for a 2-night camping trip? The Ice Mule Classic Cooler. Rugged and built for the outdoors, the Ice Mule cooler is engineered for portability and high-performance. And with a backpack style, you can easily carry this cooler to your campsite without too much difficulty.
- Use large, reusable silicone storage bags to label meals by day or meal type. These large, reusable silicone bags will help you to easily keep track of meals and by preparing the meals beforehand, you will simply need to remove and enjoy your meals!
- Mason jars are another great option for packing food items and drinks, particularly smoothies and protein drinks. You can also pack pre-made salads or salad dressing into a mason jar for a quick, healthy food item.
- Similarly, collapsible or stackable silicone bowls and cups can help you to save space in your backpack and will provide you with space to enjoy your food and drink items. We’ve also written a review on the best stackable mugs for your next camping or hiking trip.
- Invest in a camping cookware set. These sets will come with pots, pans, and kettles to help you prepare and warm your food items with ease. Simply place directly over a campfire and you’ll have warmed food quickly.
- Invest in a utensil set. Nothing is as dismaying as having ready to eat food and then realizing you don’t have proper utensils to enjoy the food. We personally recommend, and really love, the Tactical Spork. With a cool black design, this spork is a multifunctional tool which separates in half to reveal a hidden knife to help you cut through food items.
- You need a Life Straw. No seriously, a Life Straw is a lifesaver (ba-dum-tish). While you should pack sufficient water for your 2-day camping trip, you can never be too careful when it comes to packing and having access to fresh water. And with a Life Straw, you can make previously undrinkable water safe to drink.
- Invest in a campfire starter kit. Many of the food items we recommend may need to be warmed over a fire and having a campfire starter kit will help you to ensure that you can start a campfire easily.
Breakfast Food Items
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. As the name suggests, breakfast breaks the overnight fasting period. And eating a proper breakfast helps to supply your dose of glucose to boost your energy levels and alertness. Similarly, a proper breakfast provides essential nutrients that are required for good health.
In addition, a proper breakfast has been shown to increase your energy levels and your ability to concentrate. Similarly, breakfast has also been shown to help with weight management and can even reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease in the long term.
- Boiled Egg Sandwich – perhaps one of the easiest breakfast options, eggs are jam-packed with a plethora of health benefits. Simply boil eggs beforehand and place in either a mason jar or collapsible silicone bowl. To make the meal even more enjoyable, consider bringing along a few slices of bread or croissants to make a boiled egg sandwich. Want to make it even easier? Consider purchasing pre-boiled, packaged eggs.
- Yogurt Parfaits – yogurt is another great and healthy breakfast item. Plain or flavored yogurt topped with nuts, chia seeds, or fresh fruits can help you start the day off right.
- Ready Made Oatmeal – oatmeal is another simple and great breakfast item that is easy to prepare. Simply add boiling water and enjoy. You can even pre-package your oatmeal in your mason jars for an even easier prep. Or opt for oatmeal cups, which are pre-packaged in individual cups and need only boiling water to enjoy.
Lunch Food Items
Lunch is a great opportunity to relax and take a break from your busy day at the campsite. Lunch also provides you with essential nutrients and energy to keep the body and brain working through the afternoon. Similarly, eating a healthy lunch provides nourishment to the body and brain and helps to reduce stress.
- Peanut Butter and Honey or Jelly Sandwiches – is there a more classic food item then peanut butter and honey or jelly? Easy to make and store, peanut butter and honey or jelly will also provide you with ample protein to continue your day.
- Hummus Sandwich – hummus has definitely made a name for itself in recent years. And with multiple health benefits, including being rich in ingredients proven to help fight inflammation, being high in fiber, and containing heart-healthy ingredients, hummus is a great go-to food item. We recommend Ithaca’s brand of hummus, which has a nice, lemony kick to it.
- Beef Jerky – is there anything more synonymous with hiking and camping then beef jerky? We don’t believe so. Beef jerky is a great option for lunch. Easy to carry and light on the stomach, beef jerky will give you the energy needed to continue your journey.
- Tuna or Chicken Salad – simply place some mayo on two pieces of bread, a tuna or chicken salad is a hearty and healthy food item for lunch. Simple, easy to make, and enjoyable, a tuna or chicken salad is a great lunch item while camping or hiking. And to make things even easier, you can purchase prepackaged chicken or tuna.
Dinner Food Items
Dinner, in our humble opinion, is the best meal of the day. A great way to wind down the day and enjoy the company of others, dinner allows you to relax and bask in the afterglow of a long, tiring day. In addition, dinner is a symbolic end to the day and allows your body to prepare for rest.
- Burgers and Hot Dogs – a simple, easy, classic camping food item, burgers and hot dogs can be easily prepared and enjoyed. You can easily prepare the hot dogs over the fire, for a nice crisp, crunchy taste. For the burgers, we recommend investing in a camping pan set that can be placed directly over a campfire.
- Chicken Alfredo Pasta – chicken alfredo pasta is another great dinner option while camping. Hearty and delicious, chicken alfredo pasta can be made at home and warmed over the campfire.
- Chicken Bowls – chicken bowls are another great dinner option after a long day hiking. Simply unpack premade rice, lettuce, black beans, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, shredded cheese, premade, diced chicken, and a dressing of your choice. These items can be premade and packaged at home and will fit easily in your cooler.
- No-Cook Dinners – with the rise of hiking and camping, a plethora of companies have emerged which offer pre-made, no-cook dinners. Simply unpack and place boiling water in the package, you can enjoy a variety of different and nutritious meals on the go. We personally enjoy the Mountain House Spicy Southwest Style Skillet.
- Want to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner even easier? Consider Mountain House’s 3-Day Food Supply. With enough food to last for 3-days in the great outdoors, you will be able to keep yourself nourished and satiated with ease.
- Pre-Made Dinners – slightly more difficult to prep then the no-cook dinners, pre-made dinners have made a name for themselves due to their wide range of options and superior taste. However, with these items, you will need to dump the contents into a pan and warm over a campfire. We personally love the Chicken Tikka Masala by Café Spice. Made with all-natural, white meat chicken, this chicken tikka masala is slow cooked and ready to eat. Simply warm up over a campfire and enjoy.
- Pro-Tip – if you have a campfire continuously going, consider purchasing a pack of pre-made dinners and lunches. Doing so will make both lunch and dinner prep all the easier and will only need to be warmed over the campfire to enjoy.
Hiking Snacks
Snacks can not only make a camping trip more enjoyable, but they also provide a quick and easy way to get in some additional nutrition. Here are some healthy, easy snack items you can bring with you on your next 2-day camping trip.
- Trail Mix – again, is there anything more classic than trail mix while out on a trail or campsite? We don’t believe so. Trail mix is a great snacking option, the nuts and seeds in the trail mix are a great source of protein, trail mix is also a great source of fiber, and can help you to feel full and more satiated. And with individually packed trail mix, you can easily grab and eat these snacks on the go.
- Granola Bars – granola bars are another great camping snack. Portable and easy to carry, granola bars come in a variety of flavors and Are a great way to get in some added nutrition throughout the day. We’ve purchased the Healthy Bar Snack Mix 72 Bar Bundle and love the assortment that comes in the box. From Nature Valley to Kashi to Quaker bars, you’ll be able to pick-and-choose your favorites to bring along with you on your next camping trip.
- Dried Fruits – dried fruits are a healthy snack to bring along with you. Again, portable and easy to carry, dried fruits are not only tasty, but also healthy and come jam-packed with nutrients and antioxidant properties.
- Energy Chews – energy chews are a newer entrant and have made a splash with the outdoor group. Easy to carry, these chews provide you with a quick dose of caffeine in a simple, chewable format. We love the CLIF BLOKS Energy Chews. Providing quick, chewable energy and available in 11 delicious flavors, you will get both the electrolytes and caffeine you need while hiking or camping.
- Chocolate – is there anything more comforting than a piece of chocolate? While, perhaps, not the healthiest option, a piece of chocolate can help reduce stress and can be a tasty treat after a long day camping or hiking.
Hiking Drinks
While water is the obvious choice, you may also want to opt for more flavorful and energy boosting options. Below are some of the best drink items to bring with you on your next 2-day camping trip:
- Premade Coffee or Tea Drinks – personally, we prefer to go for premade coffee or tea drinks to get our daily dose of caffeine. Easy to carry, simply crack open and enjoy. We love Starbucks’ line of premade, ready to drink coffee options. And at only 6.5 ounces, these drinks won’t take too much space in your cooler.
- Water Flavor Enhancers – while water is great, it can sometimes be bland. To cure that, you may want to pick up a water flavor enhancer. Simply drop in a few drops of the flavor enhancer into your bottle of water, shake, and enjoy. MiO has a ton of options to choose from, with flavors ranging from lemon to berry blast to orange tangerine, you’ll definitely find a flavor to enjoy.
- Sports Drinks – from Gatorade to Powerade to Body Armor, there are a plethora of options to choose from when it comes to sports drinks. However, if you’re looking to save on space, we recommend purchasing Powdered Gatorade which simply needs to be mixed with water to enjoy.
- Prepackaged Hot Chocolate – hot chocolate, especially beside a campfire, is a great beverage to enjoy with friends and family. Easy to make, hot chocolate will have you reminiscing about the day that passed and your upcoming adventures.
Conclusion
When it comes to the best food items to pack for a 2-day camping trip, you will definitely want to prepare before embarking on the camping trip. Plan for 6 meals total and be sure to bring plenty of snacks and drinks as well. Packing your food in collapsible bins and trays will make carrying them easier and will also give you plenty of options to choose from while on the trip.