Gluten-Free Camping Foods

By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On September 21, 2023

Gluten-free Camping Recipes that are simple to make, won't break the bank, and are perfect for camping gluten-free!

I get emails weekly during the summer months asking me what types of gluten-free foods I make while camping. Truth be told, I sometimes make meals that I would normally make at home, like tacos, gluten-free pasta dishes, and burgers. But most of the time, I try to make something simple to keep clean-up to a minimum.

When camping, we use a propane stove, or the campfire to cook all our meals. I've compiled a roundup of Gluten-Free Camping Recipes. There's something for everyone.

GLUTEN-FREE CAMPING RECIPES

Note: Some of these recipes are hosted on other sites, clicking on the photo or link will take you away from Gluten-Free Palate.

TACOS

Ground Chicken, Beef, or Turkey Tacos - or use scrambled eggs for delicious breakfast tacos. We cooked up some ground beef using my homemade gluten-free taco seasoning and topped with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and salsa. We served ours in corn tortilla shells. You can chop toppings in advance and bring them, or chop them at the campsite. Tacos are a simple and delicious meal that often gets overlooked when camping.

CHILI

Chili is a simple and filling gluten-free camping food. Not only does it feed a crowd, it's high in protein, keeping your campers full all night long. You can use your favorite chili, or my favorite Gluten-Free Chili recipe. Just remember to use an oven mitt when lifting your dutch oven or cast iron pot from the stove or campfire. Let the chili cool for ten minutes before serving.

HOT MESS SKILLET

Hot Mess Skillet from Bye This Cook That - Naturally gluten-free, and Paleo friendly (use gluten-free beer and omit the beer to keep it Paleo). Skillet meals can be made on the campfire or on the camp stove.

KABOBS

Best Beef Kabob Marinade Recipe from Must Have Mom - Kabobs are a great way to get in some protein and veggies. They are easy to grill up, and make great leftovers to throw in a scramble the next morning. Just make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos.

 

GRILLED CORN ON THE COB

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Creamy Avocado Dill Dressing by Happy Kitchen. Rocks - Corn on the cob makes a great side to any meal! Save the leftovers and reheat the next day over the campfire.

SPICED RED LENTILS

Campfire Dutch Oven Recipe: Spiced Red Lentils by Champagne Tastes - a comforting, yet filling food to help refuel your body at the end of a long day.

CHICKPEA CURRY

Chick Pea Curry by Champagne Taste: One of the many things I love about curry is that you can add any protein sources. While this recipe calls for chickpeas, you can easily add in an additional source of protein if needed, like tofu, chicken, pork or beef. I bet you never thought of having curry for dinner while camping, have you?

CAMP FIRE NACHOS

Camp Fire Nachos by Fresh off the Grid - We have always been a fan of nachos, and it's a special treat when we get to enjoy them camping. Fresh off the grid shows you just how easy they can be.

LOADED BAKED POTATO

Loaded Baked Potatoes - Chop your toppings in advance, or prep them before serving - then load them on top of your baked potato and enjoy your gluten-free camping meal! If I know we're going to arrive at a campground late, I'll bake up potatoes and prepare toppings before we leave the house. Then, I'll reheat the potatoes in foil after camp is set up. Loaded baked potatoes are a healthy and filling meal. You can prep everything ahead of time, or you can make them easily while you are camping.

SKILLET FRIES

Skillet Fries - Do you have a dutch oven or cast iron skillet? Fries are super easy. You can enjoy them as a side, or top them with your favorite meat, cheese, and veggies for a complete meal. Buy a bag of your favorite brand of french fries and keep them in your cooler until you are ready to cook them up. Place them in a dutch oven, or cast iron skillet, with a little bit of oil and cover. Place them on the grill over the campfire. Check them every 5 to 10 minutes, and stir when needed. When they start to get crispy, top with your favorite toppings and recover to heat through. Cook times vary depending on how hot your coals are. I recommend not placing the pan directly in the fire, but just off to the side - so your fried don't burn.

SAMPLE GLUTEN-FREE CAMPING RECIPE MENU

Sample Breakfast Menu-

• Sunday: Scrambled eggs, bacon, sliced watermelon, coffee, and hot cocoa.
• Monday: Scrambled eggs, sausage, grapes and strawberries, coffee and hot cocoa.
• Tuesday: Breakfast scramble with leftover chopped veggies and potatoes (from dinner), coffee, cocoa.
• Wednesday: French toast with Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White Bread, blueberries, and strawberries.
• Thursday: Cereal and leftover blueberries and strawberries, coffee, and cocoa.
• Friday: Enjoy Life Foods Pancakes (perfect for camping as you only need to add water and oil) with sliced watermelon.

The number one tip I have for you when making scrambled eggs while camping is to bring a stellar non-stick pan. We've used "camping" pans before and the eggs stick like mad, even if you grease the pan. A secondary tip is to chop your fruit the morning that you leave to get you through a few days before you have to chop fruit again.

Sample Lunch Menu-

• Eat leftovers so they don't go bad.
• Make sandwiches on Canyon Bakehouse Bread (it stays fresh and soft the longest) and serve with fruit, pickles, and chips.
• Eat a European-style lunch of fruit, meats, and cheeses (or dairy-free cheese)
• Hot dogs, served on Canyon Bakehouse Hot Dog Buns, watermelon, chips and fizzy drinks.

Sample Dinner Menu-

• Saturday: Baked Potatoes (bake before you leave and wrap in foil to reheat, or bake in foil over the campfire) - add ham, cheese, chopped veggies, and sour cream ... or your favorite loaded baked potato toppings.
• Sunday: Hot dogs, served on Canyon Bakehouse Hot Dog Buns, watermelon, chips and fizzy drinks.
• Monday: HoBo packets. A HoBo packet is essentially a foil packet dinner. Chop up loads of veggies (onion, zucchini, peppers, potatoes) and placed them in a foil packet with chicken sausage and shrimp. Add a pad of Smart Balance Buttery Spread and seasonings. Wrap them up and cooked them straight over the campfire, using tongs to turn every once in a while for even cooking.
• Tuesday: Steak, cucumber salad, and boiled corn on the cob (or roast it over the fire).
• Wednesday: Tacos! Cook up some ground beef with homemade gluten-free taco seasoning and top with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and salsa. We served ours in corn tortilla shells, but you can use soft gluten-free flour shells too.
• Thursday: Leftover hash using chopped steak, potatoes, and other leftover veggies. Reheat in a pan with some seasonings and serve with sour cream and salsa.
• Friday: Campfire pizza. Top Canyon Bakehouse Everything Bagels with your favorite toppings and wrapped them in a foil packet and heated them over the campfire.

My biggest tip for cooking bigger meals is to make sure to bring containers and/or zip-lock bags with you so you can store leftovers in your cooler for the next day. My second tip is to bring extra foil for foil dinners.