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Arkansas summers are made for camping, and cooking outdoors is part of the fun. Cooking outdoors doesn’t have to mean juggling half the kitchen or settling for hot dogs. With a little planning and a few practical tips, you can enjoy delicious meals without spending your whole trip cooking or cleaning up. Whether you’re tent camping with a couple of coolers or rolling up with a fully equipped RV kitchen, these camp cooking strategies will help you simplify mealtime and get back to enjoying the great outdoors.
Keep Food Cold
Keeping food cold is essential for safety, but can be tricky, especially if you rely on coolers in the hot Arkansas sun. Here are a few tips to ensure that your food stays cold.
For Cooler Campers:
- Invest in a high-quality cooler designed for multi-day ice retention. This will prevent you from having to run into town for ice every day.
- Pre-chill your cooler with ice the night before your trip. Use block ice for longer retention; chipped ice melts faster.
- Layer meats and dairy on the bottom, veggies in the middle and condiments on top.
- Freeze food you don’t need on the first day and place it into the cooler frozen. It should defrost by the time you need it.
- Keep a second cooler for drinks to avoid frequent opening of your food cooler. (We do this even with an RV because it cuts down on trips in and out of the door.)
For RVers with a fridge:
- Pre-chill your RV fridge for at least 24 hours before packing with food.
- Don’t overload your fridge — use stackable bins or containers to help air circulation and prevent shifting.
- Most RV fridges have simple temperature adjustment settings. Place thermometers inside the fridge and freezer to monitor temperatures (aim for fridge temps below 40°F and freezer below 0°F).
- Always load cold food into the fridge. Room-temperature items can warm up the interior.
Prep Before You Go
Taking a little time to do some prep work before you go will save you time at the campsite and also prevent you from having to pack extra tools and utensils. A little chopping, precooking and portioning can make a huge difference.
- Chop veggies, marinate meats and mix spice blends at home. Store them in proportioned bags or containers for grab-and-go cooking.
- Precook and freeze meals or key ingredients (like chili, taco meat or breakfast burritos) to help keep the cooler cold and save cooking time.
- Label everything clearly or group ingredients for each meal into smaller containers so you can easily grab what you need.
Grills, Griddles & Campfire Cooking
Our RV has a microwave and stove, but for weekend camping, we prefer cooking outdoors — it’s part of the experience.
- Griddle – Great for breakfast items like pancakes, eggs and bacon, as well as fajitas, burgers, steaks and grilled sandwiches.
- Grill – Perfect for meats, veggies and foil packet meals. Many Arkansas campsites have built-in charcoal grills, so it’s a convenient option if you want to pack light.
- Campfire Cooking – Hot dogs on a stick are a rite of passage, but foil packet meals, kabobs, corn on the cob, campfire pies (made with pie irons) and roasted marshmallows are also great choices. Check campground rules and burn bans before cooking over an open fire. Check out these tips for camping during a burn ban.
Letting Kids Help
My son was adamant about learning to cook steaks during our recent trip to Greers Ferry Lake. It was the perfect time to gently direct while he took the reins. Assess your child’s readiness and encourage their involvement. Cooking together builds confidence and makes mealtime more fun!
- Assign simple tasks like stirring, seasoning and setting the table.
- Let kids use tongs to flip meat or veggies on the grill.
- Let kids build their own meals: walking tacos, personal pizzas on tortillas or campfire nachos.
Cleaning Up
Unfortunately, you can’t escape meal-time cleanup, even with camping. Keeping a tidy campsite is essential to prevent bears, squirrels, raccoons and even skunks from invading your space.
- Bring extra tubs for washing dishes if water hookups aren’t available.
- Use biodegradable soap and dispose of gray water properly.
- Pack plenty of paper towels, dishcloths and trash bags.
- Wipe plates and pans with a scraper or paper towel to reduce greasy residue before washing.
- Encourage everyone to pitch in — cleaning goes faster with teamwork.
What to Cook
Wondering what to cook on your next camping trip? Think simple, hearty, family-friendly meals. Foil packet dinners, grilled kabobs, skillet breakfasts and campfire desserts are always hits. Check out my Camping Trip Meal Planning article for a list of meal ideas and a printable meal planner. Here is a favorite and easily customizable recipe that can be cooked over a grill, campfire or even baked in an oven.
Classic Hobo Dinners (Adapted)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Ground beef (or meat of choice, we used smoked sausage)
- 3 cups chopped vegetables
- 1 pound potatoes, peels and sliced
- Lawry’s Seasoning (or your favorite seasoning blend)
- Barbecue Sauce, optional
Directions
Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Shape the ground beef into patties or slice the meat of your choice. Divide the meat into four large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Season as desired. Add the vegetables and potatoes to the packets and add additional seasoning to taste. Carefully seal each packet and place them on the grill or near the campfire using indirect heat. Allow to cook for 45-55 minutes, turning occasionally or until the meat is cooked through and the veggies are tender. When done, place the foil packet on a plate, open and top with barbecue sauce if desired. Little to no mess and easy to clean up!
Thank you to Lisa Roby for providing the inspiration for these Classic Hobo Dinners. There are over 800 recipes in the “What’s Cookin’ at First Security Vol. 2,” all submitted by employees and customers. Proceeds from the sales support the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance in its efforts to provide food to people across the state. You can purchase the cookbooks for $20 at any First Security Bank location.
For more information of camping in Arkansas, check out these articles:
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