Campfire Cooking: Roughing It Can Be Delicious

If you've ever gone camping, you know that food tastes better when it's cooked over a campfire. Whether it's freshly caught fish, pancakes on a griddle, or marshmallows speared on a sharpened stick, meals prepared and eaten outdoors are simply delicious.

There's much more to campfire cooking than hotdogs and s'mores. Not only should you plan your menu carefully, you'll need to bring along the right prep tools. Before you go camping this summer, check out our recommendations for making your meals amazing.

Campfire Cooking Menu Essentials

We've found the key to eating well while camping is not just to plan ahead, but to prep ahead too. Also, don't count on catching fish or finding wild blackberry brambles. Be prepared to feed yourself with what you bring.

Some foods are campfire cooking classics, while others might surprise you. Chili and cornbread make a delicious and filling dinner, and potatoes and eggs are a breakfast standby. Consider sandwiches at lunch, so you don't have to make a fire in the middle of the day. When in doubt, toss vegetables, potatoes and meat with oil and seasonings, wrap them in foil packets and pop them on the grate.

Want to add a few new recipes to your camping menu? Here are some we want to try:

Breakfast Burritos, Campfire Style -- You'll want to prepare these in advance, but it will be worth it when you have a super easy meal ready for your first campsite breakfast. If you customize each burrito based on family members' tastes, use a Sharpie to label them.

Campfire Bacon -- Bacon on a skewer -- what's not to love? We'd take it a step further and add chunks of sausage and seasoned potatoes to make it a full meal.

Grilled Ham and Cheese Pull-Apart Sandwich Loaf -- Here's another one that's best to make ahead, and you'll be glad you did when you can whip up an easy meal after a long day. Feel free to change up the ingredients based on your family's preferences too.

Campfire Pizza Finally, who knows more about camping than the outdoor experts at REI? While we'd probably bring along pre-made dough, we have to give them credit for the genius idea of using a water bottle as a rolling pin.