Get ready to elevate your camping cuisine this Memorial Day weekend with our collection of tantalizing foil packet recipes! From savory dinners to indulgent desserts, these easy-to-make meals are perfect for enjoying under the stars.
With minimal prep and easy cleanup, these foil packet recipes are perfect for enjoying quality time with family and friends without the hassle of extensive cooking and cleaning.
So grab your foil, gather around the fire, and get ready to savor the flavors of the great outdoors this Memorial Day weekend!
WHAT IS FOIL POUCH OR PACKET COOKING?
Foil packet cooking involves wrapping food in aluminum foil. The foil “packet” is cooked over campfire coals, on a grill, or in an oven to seal in moisture. It helps steam and cook your meal by keeping the foil sealed.
HOW TO MAKE A FOIL PACKETS
To fold the packets, bring the two longest edges together and roll them to form a seal. Then, fold in the shorter sides of the packet. Remove another piece of foil from its wrapping. Place the packet seam side down and repeat the folding process for a total of two pieces of foil.
Now your pouches are ready to be cooked!
WHAT DO I NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT COOKING FOIL PACKET MEALS?
I’m glad you asked but because cooking your food in foil is so easy you need very few things. All you need is your foil packet full of food, your beverage of choice, a nice fire, a comfy chair and hungry bellies.
THIS ISN’T THE TIME TO BUY CHEAP FOIL
The type of foil you use and how you fold it up can make or break your food’s chance of being properly cooked. Heavy-duty foil is your best friend here. Lighter weight foil might rip, and you’ll have a better chance of losing your meal to the fire. And no one wants that to happen.
TIPS FOR MAKING FOIL PACKETS
- Make a meal plan and ingredient list before your camping trip
- Use two sheets of foil. It’ll guarantee the steaming process with out the foil ripping or leakingI
- Make sure you completely seal the pouches
- Preheat the fire so that you’re fire is nice and hot for when you’re ready to cook
- Be careful when opening the packet the steam is HOT and can easily burn you if you’re not careful
- Make some “make ahead foil packets” so you can enjoy your time camping without having to worry about cooking
SUPPLIES FOR MAKING FOIL POUCH MEALS
Here’s the beauty of this you don’t need much, the idea of this way of cooking is that it’s suppose to be minimal. You’ll need the ingredients for your meal, and the camp accessories below
CAMP KITCHEN ACCESSORIES YOU’LL NEED
- knife
- lighter
- fork for eating
- cutting board
- heavy duty aluminum foil
- metal tongs (or fire gloves)
- yummy seasonings
THE BEST FOODS FOR COOKING PACKET MEALS
One of the main draws of foil packets is that they’re really difficult to mess up! You can fill them with almost anything you want, including vegetables, fruits, and meats. However, there are a handful of items that have proven to be worthwhile.
What can you cook in foil packets? The following is a list of foil packet ingredients that always turn out excellent!
PROTEIN:
- sausage
- ground beef
- ground turkey and chicken
- steak
- chicken thighs
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
- potatoes
- carrots
- mushrooms
- green beans
- onions
- corn
- bell peppers
- broccoli
- zucchini
- asparagus
- apples
- pears
- pineapple
MAKE AHEAD FOIL PACKETS FOR CAMPING
Because I knew you were going to ask if you can you prep foil packets ahead of time I’m including a small section of make ahead foil camping recipes. Everyone should spend more time enjoying their meal and less time cooking so these recipes for make ahead packets are perfect to take camping.
27 CROWD PLEASING FOIL PACKET RECIPES AND MAKE AHEADS FOR CAMPING
I have tried to organize them by type of meal, so make aheads are first, then breakfast, followed by appetizers, then lunch and dinners in the middle, and a couple of desserts at the end!
MAKE-AHEAD FOIL PACKETS FOR CAMPING
1. MAKE-AHEAD BREAKFAST BURRITOS
Make ahead breakfast burritos are bomb-diggity because they make for the perfect breakfast when you’re short on time. These burritos are a popular hit when you’re on river trips because prep is quick and easy and clean-up is a breeze.
2. MAKE-AHEAD SOUTHWEST VEGGIE POUCH
If you’re looking to try out a new way of grilling, then foil packet grilling is the way to go. These spicy and smoky veggie packets prove how simple it is to use foil packet grilling. Serve over rice for a fast and filling supper (everyone may customize their own!), or fill with chips and cheese for easy loaded
Check Out These Other Easy Camping Recipe Ideas
BREAKFAST FOIL PACKETS
3. EGG BAKE BREAKFAST
Start your morning off right, with a foil packet egg bake breakfast. Whether you choose to rough it, enjoy luxury camping, or just stay at home, these Egg Bake Breakfast Foil Packets are a fun meal to cook over the fire or on the grill.
4. BREAKFAST EGG BOWLS
Breakfast egg bowls combine hash browns, ham and cheese in a tortilla to make an unforgettable meal. The ideal start to the day! Even better, kids enjoy seeing this dinner dish served on their own. Parents are all for this breakfast bowl recipe at any time of the week because there are no dishes to wash.
5. FRENCH TOAST FOIL PACKET RECIPE
French toast is a favorite all around the world. Whether it’s for breakfast or dessert, everyone adores french toast. I enjoy every form of french toast: plain, with chocolate, fruit, or marshmallows. There are a variety of different types of french toast!
APPETIZER FOIL POUCH RECIPES
6. BACON RANCH GRILLED POTATOES
These foil packets stuffed with flavorful grilled potatoes are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Who can resist bacon and ranch? Not me! These are a perfect side dish for a campfire gathering.
7. CAMPFIRE LOADED NACHOS
No mess, no fuss Loaded Nachos are the easiest foil packet meal around. Load up your tortilla chips with black beans, juicy tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, olives, and some green onions for a quick lunch or dinner.
8. GRILLED CHEESY FRIES
Let me start out by saying I LOVE french fries, so when I saw this recipe for foil-wrapped french fries I couldn’t resist. All I can say is YUUUM!
FOIL PACKET LUNCH RECIPES
9. HOT HAM AND PINEAPPLE CAMPFIRE SANDWICH
These Hot Ham and Pineapple Campfire Sandwiches are a delicious and easy recipe. Doesn’t that pineapple and grilled cheese look delicious?
10. CHEDDAR BBQ CHICKEN FOIL POUCH
These delectable Cheddar Barbecue Chicken Foil Packets are simple to make and ideal for quick summer lunch barbecues or campfire cooking this summer. In each BBQ chicken foil pack, you’ll find chicken and vegetables, cheese, and your favorite BBQ sauce. You may serve a complete dinner in just a few minutes when you cook it on the grill or in the oven!
DINNER FOIL PACKET RECIPES
BEEF TINFOIL PACKET DINNERS
11. PHILLY CHEESESTEAK
I can’t think of a better way to prepare Philly cheese sandwiches than over an open campfire. The campfire will give your peppers just what they need to be amazing
12. GRILLED BUTTER GARLIC STEAK AND POTATOES
Steak and potatoes were meant to be paired. Add in some yummy garlic and some good seasonings to this foil-wrapped dinner and you’ll have a bunch of happy campers
13. EASY BEEF HOBO TIN FOIL DINNER
Simple to prepare, a complete dinner in one that’s ready to eat. These easy hobo tin-foil dinner packs will be what your children remember eating while camping for years! I’m sure I’ll do the same!
CHICKEN FOIL PACKET DINNERS
Chicken foil packets are a great camping food. Prepare one of your favorite chicken dishes in the heat of the campfire or over the grill. Try one of these yummy chicken foil packet dinners:
14. GRILLED HAWAIIAN BARBECUE CHICKEN IN A FOIL WRAP
Sweet pineapple and tangy barbecue sauce are perfect for your chicken and veggies. Loaded with flavor, this Grilled Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken takes your chicken recipe to the next level. And it can all be on your dinner table in less than 30 minutes.
15. EASY CHICKEN FAJITA FOIL PACKETS
These 5 ingredient Chicken Fajita Foil Packets are a pantry staple, minimal prep lunch or weeknight dinner that can be made on the grill or in the oven. The whole family will love these.
16. TEX MEX WHITE BEAN & CHICKEN
You CAN eat healthy while camping! Who knew? These Campfire Tex Mex White Bean Chicken Foil Packets were an absolute hit. Chicken foil packets are the way to go when camping!
17. CREAMY SALSA VERDE CHICKEN WITH RICE AND VEGGIES
In the mood for Mexican? This creamy salsa verde chicken with rice and veggies is amazing! No need to pre-cook the rice or chicken. This dish takes no more than 10 minutes to assemble and is bursting with delicious Mexican flavor.
18. LEMON CHICKEN ASPARAGUS
Simple Lemon Chicken & Asparagus Foil Packs are an easy and incredibly delicious 30-minute meal you can do over the campfire with ease.
Another easy and fun way to cook around the fire is in a dutch oven. How To Pick The Right Dutch Oven Plus Our Favorite Recipes.
SEAFOOD (INCLUDING FISH) FOIL PACKET DINNER
Prepare a seafood foil packet meal using fish you caught during your camping trip or catch fresh seafood from your morning fishing excursion and prepare one of these seafood f oll packet recipes:
19. SHRIMP BOIL IN A FOIL PACKET
No foil packed dinner list would be complete without a shrimp meal. This shrimp boil is delicious and the clean up is so easy. We often add some Andouille sausage for a classic southern flare.
20. THAI SALMON RECIPE
Thai is one of our absolute favorites! I can’t think of a better way to prepare salmon than with a Thai flair. The cilantro, peanuts, and chili sauce give this dish a flavor like no other!
21. SHRIMP PASTA
Didn’t know you can do pasta in a tin foil pack? Oh yes, you can! This scrumptious shrimp pasta is a perfect crowd-pleaser. The trick to cooking this dish is using partially cooked pasta and a hearty homemade sauce. Toss that all in some heavy-duty aluminum foil with your raw shrimp and your packets are ready for the campfire.
22. Grilled Foil Packet Tilapia with Pesto Vegetables |
Foil Packet seafood is a delicious choice for summer. It cooks quickly, takes very little preparation time, and tastes fantastic. All you have to do is dice some veggies, add pesto, and wrap them in foil.
23. GRILLED MAHI MAHI FOIL POUCH DINNER
If you’re looking for a way to get your fill of fish during your camping trip, these healthy grilled mahi mahi foil packets with fresh vegetables, lime, and spices are a must-try. Even if it’s not mahi mahi, this recipe can be used to cook any fish you catch during your camping excursion.
SAUSAGE FOIL PACKET DINNERS
24. CAMPFIRE PAELLA
Ever since we visited Spain I’ve been addicted to paella. In the past, we’ve prepared our paella in our dutch oven but these individually wrapped packets give the paella a bit of campfire love.
25. SAUSAGE GREEN BEAN AND POTATO
I love grilled sausage over a campfire and adding in some fresh green beans and potatoes into a foil pack makes this a super easy meal.
DESSERT FOIL PACKET IDEAS
26. APPLE CRISP FOIL PACKETS
These apple crisp packets over the fire are jam-packed with basic, everyday ingredients that, when combined, result in the most delicious apple crisp you’ve ever tasted. These cozy vegan dessert apple crisp packs are hearty, sweet, fragrant, and irresistible.
27. CAMP FIRE BANANA S’MORES
In my opinion every campfire or camping adventure needs to include some kind of s’mores. S’mores are the international treat for all campfire enthusiasts young and old.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THESE EASY CAMPING MEALS
Try making a few of these meals on your next road trip or camping trip. You’ll be amazed at just how easy they are. And forget about doing the dishes. Cleanup with these meals is a breeze.
FAQ ABOUT FOIL PACKET COOKING
Can you prep foil packets ahead of time?
You absolutely can, At the top of our recipes you’ll find some pre-prepped foil packets.
Do you flip foil packets?
Most people recommend flipping the foil packets every 10 minutes
