Are There Any Gluten Free Camping Meals?

Gluten Free Camping Meals – What Can I Eat?

Going camping for the first time after switching to a gluten free diet may seem like an impossible feat. But I can assure you it can be done! There are tons of options for gluten free camping meals.

So many of the go-to camping meals are not gluten friendly. Hotdogs roasted over the fire, smores, or bush pies. May all seem like long-lost memories of a time before you needed to eat gluten free. You may be asking yourself, “Are there any gluten free camping meals?” Just as switching to a gluten free diet at home eating requires some planning so does eating gluten free while camping, but it is easier than you might think.

Substitutions – Gluten Free Camping Meals

The easiest way to adapt your camping meals to be gluten free is to simply use gluten free alternatives in all your go-to camping meals.

Gluten Free Hotdog Buns

Nothing says camping like a hotdog roasted on a stick over the fire. This can still be a great gluten free camping meal by simply substituting a gluten free bun and confirming that the hotdog is gluten free.

Gluten Free Graham Crackers

Gluten free graham crackers are another quick and easy substitution that will let you still enjoy a hot and gooey smore next to the fire. We like to use chocolate covered gluten free graham crackers when we make smores, it makes it so easy.

Pancakes

Pancakes can easily be made gluten free by using a gluten free pancake mix. Gluten free Bisquick is a staple in our pantry, both at home and when camping, it makes amazing pancakes following the recipe on the box.

Pasta

Pasta is a great meal to prepare when you are camping and can be made gluten free by simply substituting gluten free pasta. Adding your family’s favorite pasta sauce is a great way to keep a familiar meal on your camping menu.

Great Ideas for Gluten Free Camping Meals

What other options are there for gluten free camping meals that don’t require specific gluten free alternatives and substitutions?

Chili

Chili is an amazing option for a gluten free camping meal. When we plan to have chili while we are camping we make it serve double duty by making it at home and freezing it in zip-lock bags. The frozen chili works great as an ice pack at the beginning of the trip. This is a great way to save cooler space and making the chili dinner is as simple as emptying the bags into a pot to reheat. If you are looking for something different try white chili.

Bacon, Eggs, and Hashbrowns

Nothing says camping breakfast like the smell of coffee, bacon, and a campfire. Bacon and eggs with hashbrowns are a great option for a hearty breakfast before a big day of camping adventures.

We have found that scrambled eggs are the best option for camping. Pre-cracking the eggs at home placing the eggs in a zip-lock bag or container avoids the disappointment of opening your cooler to find a sticky mess of broken eggshells.

Taco in a Bag

Have you heard of taco in a bag before? This is a wonderful gluten free camping meal option. Taco in a bag is essentially an individual-sized bag of nacho chips that are opened as used as a plate topping the nacho chips with all your favorite taco fixings. Ground beef with taco seasoning is our typical choice but we have used chopped chicken and tofu which both turned out great. Cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa help to make a well-rounded meal. This is a great choice to customize and modify to your tastes and preferences.

Smokies/Sausages

While hotdogs roasted on a stick over the fire are the stereotypical camping food, an elevated alternative is a smoky or other sausage. We often wrap our fire-roasted sausages in corn tortillas warmed by the fire.

Tortillas

Tortillas are the ultimate gluten free camping food, bread alternative. Tortillas can be used in so many ways: as a bun for a hotdog or sausage, to a wrap for a breakfast burrito, the backbone of a fajita fiesta, or the shell of an apple taco. Unlike traditional buns that often get squished and flattened into unrecognizable shapes, tortillas are flat to begin with making packing them so much easier.

Steak

A steak grilled over a campfire is the ultimate in camping luxury. You may be roughing it in the great outdoors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a luxurious steakhouse meal.

Baked Potatoes/Campfire Potatoes

Baked potatoes are a perfect for a gluten free camping meal. Campfire baked potatoes are amazingly simple to cook. Wrap the potatoes in a couple of layers of tinfoil shiny side in and place in the coals at the edge of the campfire for approximately 45 minutes. Carefully remove the potatoes and unwrap them, serve with your favorite baked potato toppings. This is a wonderful accompaniment for a fire-grilled steak.

Foil Pack Dinners

Foil pack dinners are a fun option for a gluten free camping meal. There are so many different options that you are sure to find an idea that suits your camping group. My favorite thing about foil pack dinners is no dishes! The last thing I want to do when camping is dishes, any meal that has minimal clean-up afterward is a win in my book.

Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is a great option for camping that can be roasted directly over the fire. One of the best things about cooking corn on the cob is no dishes. We like to cook corn on the cob over the fire by soaking the cobs of corn with the husks on in a bucket of water for about an hour. Then simply place it on a grate above the fire for about 20 minutes. It is best to wear gloves to peel the hot husks off the corn when it is done cooking. A little butter, salt and pepper and you’ll have people begging for more.

Chicken Skewers

Chicken skewers are an excellent option for gluten free camping meal. Pre-made and marinated chicken skewers are quick and easy to grill over a campfire. Chicken skewers can be transformed into so many different flavors by selection of different marinades or spices. The marinade ingredients are the one thing that requires a little more care and attention to when eating gluten free, you will need to read the ingredients used in the marinade to ensure that it is gluten free.

Fajitas

Fajitas are a terrific gluten free camping meal, there is something about the smoke from a campfire that adds a new dimension to fajitas. Steak or chicken strips with peppers and onions fried in a pan with a taco seasoning blend is all there is to it. Add the filling with your other favorite fajita toppings to a trusty tortilla for a restaurant quality meal while around the fire.

Fried Apples/Apple Tacos

Fried apples or apple tacos are the perfect gluten free camping desert. All you need is a skillet, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and if you are feeling fancy a splash of vanilla. Simply sauté the thinly sliced apple in butter until tender, add in brown sugar and cinnamon for an apple pie-like filling. Serve as is or in a tortilla as an apple taco. If you have brought whipped cream along to top your hot cocoa, a little dollop takes the fried apples to a new level.

Trail Mix

Trail mix is a fantastic food for camping as it has a great shelf life with no specific storage needs. Another great thing about trail mix is that it requires zero preparation which is great for a snack or quick lunch so you can get back to your camping adventures. There are so many different varieties of trail mix available, you are sure to be able to find one that you enjoy.

From a nutrition side of things trail mix typically includes a component (raisins or dried fruit) that is easily and quickly converted to sugars in your body for an instant burst of energy. But the nuts and seeds of the trail mix provide fats and protein that take longer for your body to break down giving your body a long-lasting source of energy.

Energy Bites

Like trail mix energy bites are a no-fuss camping food requiring no preparation while camping. You can pack store-bought energy bites when you are in a hurry to get out the door and on to your next adventure. Alternatively, if you have the time and want to customize the energy bites to your specific tastes, hundreds of recipes are available. We have a ton of other gluten free ready to eat ideas in our list of gluten free hiking foods, check it out here.

Let’s Go Camping!

Sitting around a campfire relaxing and enjoying great food after a day out in the fresh air is one of the most enjoyable things about camping. I hope this has inspired you that you can eat gluten free while camping and eat fantastic meals. With a little thought and planning your gluten free camping meals will be the envy of the campground.

Do you have a favorite camping meal? Let us know in the comments.

Posted By: Josh · In: Beginner, Guide, Meals