95 Easy Camping Lunch Ideas

Are you looking for some Camping Lunch Ideas other than hot dogs and peanut butter & jelly? We have reached out across the web to curate 95 lunch recipes and ideas for your next camping trip or cookout.

4 amazing camping lunches

Lunch is such an overlooked meal. People are busy and away from home mid-day, often picking up some fast food. Usually, those who pack a lunch go with the standby of a sandwich.

It is no different when camping. Breakfast and dinner are well-planned, but lunch is an afterthought.

People throw dogs or brats on the grill and pair them with potato chips. Cold-cut or peanut butter sandwiches require no thought.

We are here to change that. Enjoy your time at the campground with one of these easy camping meals.

Camping Lunch Ideas & Recipes

The lunch categories are as follows:

Make recipes marked with ^ at home or the campground.
Make recipes marked with * ahead at home.

Camping Pizza Lunches

Pizza is one of the most popular foods. You do not have to have an oven or get it delivered to the campground to enjoy the taste of pizza.

From cooking over the campfire on a grate or in a pie iron to grilling, enjoy one of these variations on this hand-held favorite.

cropped-Foil-Pan-of-Campfire-Pizza-Bread.jpg

Pizza Lunches for Camping

Sandwich and Wrap Recipes

We love peanut butter and jelly, but most people are over it. Mix up your sandwich routine with one of these sandwiches. There is more to lunch than a bologna sandwich.

3 Camping Sandwiches and Wraps

3 Camping Sandwiches and Wraps

Finger Food Camping Lunches

Eating with your hands is fun and the status quo while camping. Check out these easy recipes that your whole family will love!

overhead view of a charcuterie board on a picnic table

3 portable finger foods

Salads To Go

Salads, while often a side, make a great lunch. Here are twenty-one tasty salad recipes that can be made ahead and packed in the cooler for consumption on your next camping adventure.

  • Made with either cole slaw or pasta, this Crab Salad^ includes a fun ingredient that kids love!
  • This Copycat Chicken and Fruits Salad^ is crunchy and packed with nutritious, wholesome ingredients. It’s a perfect lunch for when you are on the go, and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes.
  • Easy Tortellini Pasta Salad* filled with pillowy cheese tortellini, juicy grilled chicken, fresh vegetables, kalamata olives, and feta cheese, all tossed in a tangy homemade Italian dressing. A delicious cold summer salad perfect for picnics, potlucks, and BBQs.
  • Enjoy the taste of a fast food cheeseburger in this Big Mac Salad^ recipe. It is a healthy spin on the original.
  • Strawberry Chicken Salad^ is packed with chicken and cheese, fresh fruit and veggies, giving you a little bit of everything. It’s perfect for lunch, as well as for sharing at family gatherings. 
  • This creamy, easy Broccoli Cauliflower Salad^ recipe with bacon takes just 10 minutes to make! It’s simple, colorful, healthy, and great for any occasion.
  • Enjoy the taste of Mexican street corn in salad form with this Elote Corn Salad*.
  • Fresh vegetables and tiny pasta make up this tasty Acini di Pepe Pasta Salad*.
  • Summer Fruit & Vegetable Salad^

salad recipes for camping or picnics

  • Colorful Quinoa Chickpea Salad* packed with protein but no mayo makes it perfect for picnics, camping, and hiking.
  • Easy Rotini Pasta Salad^ is a go-to dish for BBQs, camping, and picnics. If you make this cold pasta salad a day or two in advance, toss it with olive oil before serving.
  • Orzo Pasta Salad*
  • Pack this Herbed Summer Corn Pasta Salad* in a mason jar for lunch on the go! Bowtie pasta includes sauteed red onion, jalapeno, corn with feta cheese, juicy cherry tomatoes, and tons of fresh herbs.
  • Hawaiian Pasta Salad* is quick, easy, and inexpensive to make. It’s easy to enjoy a taste of the tropics at the campground.
  • This easy Classic Style Coleslaw^ recipe is made with only five ingredients. It is the perfect summertime side dish that’s always loved by all!
  • This traditional German Potato Salad* consists of creamy potatoes, crispy bacon, and sauteed onions in a delicious tangy mustard vinaigrette. The ultimate side dish, enjoy this warm German potato salad recipe at your next picnic or campout!
  • Greek Pasta Salad* is the perfect side dish for any occasion, made with cooked pasta, fresh veggies, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and homemade Greek salad dressing. We love to serve this pasta salad at a picnic or barbecue.
  • Instant Pot Macaroni Salad* is a flavor-filled easy recipe to take out to the campground. It features a homemade dressing mixed with crunchy vegetables and egg whites!
  • This Easy Taco Salad is easy to put together out at the campground.
  • Mason Jar Thai Salads*

salad recipes for camping or cookouts

Fun Hot Dogs

Go from boring to extraordinary with one of these clever hot dog recipes.

hot dog recipes for camping

Grilled Favorites

Enjoy a warm lunch with one of the following grilled meals. No grill? Use a Blackstone or a camping stove.

3 Grilled Camping Lunches

Made Ahead Camping Lunch Recipes

All of the following portable foods are best made at home.

  • Dehydrate Sloppy Joes at home for easy prep while backpacking or camping.
  • The best Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe is tangy, delicious, and perfect for camping or a picnic.
  • Spam Musubi is an easy, portable meal made with fried spam, rice, and nori.  It keeps well and is easy to take along on the go!
  • Make this Chickpea Salad ahead and create sandwiches on whole wheat at lunchtime.
  • These Sausage, Apple & Sage Hand Pies are the perfect portable picnic or hiking lunch.
  • Cheese & Bacon Turnovers are ideal for your next outdoor excursion. Delicious and easy to make, these handheld bundles of goodness are the perfect addition to any picnic, hike, or camping trip. Crisp, flaky puff pastry encases cheddar cheese and smoky bacon, creating an irresistible package of savory goodness.
  • Jamaican Beef Patties are perfect for outdoor feasting. They’re filled with a flavorful blend of ground beef, spices, and vegetables, then encased in a turmeric pastry. The combination of spiced meat and flaky pastry makes them an irresistible treat that will keep your energy levels up.

3 unique camping lunch ideas

  • Turkish ‘Rose Pastries’ are great to make in advance and take along for an easy and tasty lunch on hikes or picnics.
  • This Creamy Soup Powder Mix is perfect for you to whip up soup in minutes on camping or hiking trips!
  • Onigiri are Japanese rice balls formed into a triangular shape and wrapped with nori! Add any fillings you’d like to this easy meal!
  • This simple Bacon and Egg Pie is easy and delicious. With hidden whole eggs inside, it’s perfect for making ahead for a picnic or camping trip.
  • Bake an Italian Tart at home and pack it for a unique camping lunch.
  • Savory Vegan Muffins are a tasty portable food.

Dips and More

Enhance your camping lunch with one of these great dips or sides.

3 recipes for camping

We hope you have found several new simple recipes to add to a Camping Meal Planning Printable that you can download from us.

What camping lunch ideas do you have? 

More Camping Recipe Collections

12 different camping lunch ideas

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One Comment

  1. Thank you so much for including my Grilled Carrot Dogs in your wonderful camping roundup. Can’t wait to go camping when it warms up and try a few of these delicious recipes!

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