Traveling with kids can be challenging but rewarding as you see them experience a whole bundle of firsts! Their first road trip, first time in a new place, first national park… the list can go on and on. As you all spend your whole day exploring all the places, you’ll need fuel, and eating out every meal can become expensive quickly – and often is not the healthiest. That’s why we’ve created a list of easy road trip meals you can make for yourself and your family.
Cooking and eating can already be tricky for kids, and adding a limited pantry and cooking utensils on top can create a very stressful situation for everyone involved. But it should not deter you from living out your vanlife dreams, so let us help you make cooking on a road trip easy by alleviating that stress (and hopefully preventing any added stress by presenting easy camping meals for families)!
Whether you rent The Biggie, The Caboose, or one of the other campervans for rent, they’ll all be equipped with the same cooking materials. You can find a list on each vessel’s page, but it’s noteworthy before we dive into the meals that no matter what, you’ll have a two-burner cooktop, so that is what you’ll be using for these easy camping meals.
Let’s dig in!
Shake and pour pancake mix into a bottle!
With the dry ingredients already in the bottle, simply adding water to the bottle, shaking it up, and pouring it into the pan makes breakfast easy to cook and clean. If you aren’t a fan of the blue and yellow brand, find an empty bottle, fill it with dry ingredients and add the wet when you are ready to make the pancakes.
Breakfast Tacos or Burritos
Four ingredients: tortillas, eggs, breakfast sausages, and cheese. Add or subtract any ingredients to make them your way. Only two burners are required to finish everything at the same time, but you could cook it all in one.
Tuna, Chicken, or Hummus Wraps
Tuna and Chicken are a great fast, almost mess-free way to add protein to your meals. If those two choices aren’t your thing, you can substitute for hummus which also offers protein. Next, add your favorite vegetables and fillings, wrap them up and enjoy.
Grilled Cheese
Two ingredients: Cheese and Bread. This is easy and super fast if you are craving a hot, quick lunch. You could also spice it up by adding vegetables to the sandwich to make it more filling.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
Remember, you can never go wrong with a classic peanut or nut butter and jelly sandwich! Easy to bring supplies on the go if you dropped off The Caboose before you started your day or easy to make on the go if it’s a travel day in The Biggie.
Quesadillas
A classic that every person can personalize. Whether it’s plain jane with only melted Cheese or cheese substitute filled with nothing or whatever those kiddos love, it’ll be filling. Spice it up by adding meats, veggies, and pre-seasoned boxed rice, a great way to add flavor without bringing or buying tons of spices.
Kebabs
Whether it’s stacked with vegetables and meat or vegetables and plant-based substitute, let your kids help make them as a fun activity to occupy their time. You can pair this with a rice packet, boxed mashed potatoes, or boil some corn on the second burner.
Mac and Cheese with Kielbasa *Sub Kielbasa with another sausage like meat or meat substitute
Cooking boxed mac and cheese is simple and only takes one pot, while pan-frying meat is fast and easy. This combo is most likely familiar and a fan favorite among your youngins, so you already know it will not disappoint. Add some peppers, onions, or anything else your heart desires if you want to make it greener.
Snacks:
Lots and lots of snacks!
Every kiddo and adult has their favorites, so pack them all because when all else fails, you have backups.
Now it’s important to remember that just because you have a two-burner stove doesn’t mean you’ll want to make extravagant meals. You are still camping, and cleaning up the mess can be tough when practicing Leave No Trace, whether in the front country or in a rural area with few resources.
We hope you enjoy these easy road trip meals! Show off your camping cooking skills and tag us @nativecampervans.
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