Try this Mexican-inspired camping menu

This article is made possible by Coleman.

Deciding on a camping menu can sometimes be daunting. Thinking about how much space you have and what ingredients need to be chilled may be overwhelming to organize. Plus, we’ve all had times when it’s hard to spice up camp food options and get away from the typical camp food menu! This is one of the many reasons why I love camping with my Coleman Reunion™ 54-Quart Steel Belted® Cooler. It makes packing food items super easy, simple to transport, and I never have to worry about my groceries losing their cool. 

When I think about what to pack, I like to prepare a menu that lends itself to the next day’s meals. I absolutely love to bring fresh ingredients whenever I can and try to make them last over a few days. I also love making things as easy as possible while making sure it tastes good!

Here is a two-day menu to use if you are arriving at your camping destination after a full day of travel and camp set up. (You can rearrange timing based on your trip, too!)

Day 1

Dinner: Chicken fajitas with coleslaw

Ingredients
6-8 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4-6 Bell peppers
One large sweet onion
1 Small bundle of fresh cilantro
Soft tortilla shells
2 x Taco seasoning
Burrito sauce
Olive oil
Coleslaw dressing (purchase pre-made or mix together apple cider vinegar, mustard, and olive oil!)
Cheese blend

Dessert: Fresh berries with whip cream

Ingredients
Berries of your choice
Whipped cream

Day 2

Breakfast: Oatmeal

Ingredients
Instant oatmeal
Fresh fruit

Lunch: Ham and cheese croissants

Ingredients
Black Forest ham or deli meat of your choice
Sliced cheese
Croissants (number depending on number of people)

Dinner: Chicken taco mac & cheese with coleslaw

Ingredients
Leftover chicken from Day 1 dinner
Boxed macaroni and cheese x 2
Bagged Coleslaw
Taco seasoning

Dessert: S'mores bowl

Ingredients
Large marshmallows
Hershey Chocolate (or any chocolate candy of your choice! Mix it up!)
Graham crackers

Must-bring cooking gear:
Non-stick pan (bring two if you have room and want to eat faster!)
Tin foil circle cake tray
Tongs
Utensils
Coleman Steel Belted Cooler

Prepare ahead of time

Preparing fresh ingredients the night before or morning of a trip will save you time and space! Plus, you can remove unnecessary packaging and bring ingredients in reusable bags or containers that makes packing easy and reduces waste.

To do:

-Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips
-Chop onions however you prefer
-Wash and slice peppers, removing seeds
-Wash and chop cilantro
-Wash and dry berries of your choice
-Assemble s’mores bowl: In a tinfoil tray, break up graham crackers and place them at the bottom. Add a layer of marshmallows and then top it off with the chocolate of your choice
-Assemble ham + sliced cheese croissant sandwiches: Place prepped ingredients and finished sandwiches in sandwich bags or reusable containers. Cover the s’more bowl in tinfoil so it’s ready to set over a bonfire or campstove.

At your campsite destination

Day 1

Dinner: Chicken fajitas

Add olive oil (or any oil of your choice) to the frying pan. Begin cooking your peppers and onions. Once charred, remove the peppers and cook the chicken. If you bring two pans, cook everything at once - the peppers in one pan, and the chicken in the other.

Once the veggies and meat are nearly done, combine them in one pan and add taco seasoning. When all items are fully cooked and saturated in the taco seasoning, turn off the heat and begin assembling your fajitas.

Place a tortilla on the warmed pan and cook until it’s warm and the edges start to curl. Once done, place the tortilla on a plate and add chicken and peppers, coleslaw, cheese blend, and burrito sauce. Top it off with some fresh cilantro. Use the coleslaw leftovers to create a traditional coleslaw salad by adding coleslaw dressing.

Dessert: Fruit bowl

Scoop fresh berries into a bowl, and add whipped cream on top. Enjoy!

Day 2

Breakfast: Instant oatmeal

Follow the instant oatmeal directions on the packet. Customize it by adding leftover fresh fruit. 

Lunch: Ham + Cheese Croissant sandwiches

Open bag and dig in! Sandwiches are a great lunchtime option, as you can easily pack them in a day bag to enjoy lunch on the go.

Dinner: Chicken taco mac & cheese

Prepare mac & cheese according to the box instructions. Add the remaining chicken, pepper, and onion to the mac + cheese mixture. Finish off the dish by adding the leftover cilantro. Use the remaining bagged coleslaw to make a traditional slaw salad by adding the dressing.

Dessert: Campfire s’mores bowl

Place your pre-assembled s’mores bowl over hot campfire coals. When baked to your liking, scoop and enjoy!

There you have it! Two days of meals, to get you through two days of camping adventures. Extra tip: Use any remaining food to create a meal for your departure day breakfast. Some ideas are: A breakfast grilled croissant cheese sandwich, fruit bowl and a ham + cheese roll-up with peppers.