Crazy and Fun Camp Food For Kids

As parents as well as camping experts we know how hard it is to get your kids to sit down and eat a healthy meal. It usually involves playing with the food before serving it and possibly many bribes along the way. We then probably contradict ourselves by sneaking out and ordering a pizza when they are in bed! Either way cooking when camping can be tiring and when you are cooking meals for large groups of people you want to come up with the cheapest and easiest options out there. When it comes to cooking for those little ones we have some tips and ideas which might help them enjoy eating when camping. Don’t forget when you are camping you don’t have the easy option of fast food so they have to make do or they will go hungry, this is also a great way to help show them that eat what is given to them and it might make them appreciate that junk food all that little bit more!

Banana Dogs

One parent recently told us that she was sick of making hot dogs for her children when camping but it was the only thing they would eat. Try this variation of hot dogs but is actually packed full of fruity, healthy goodness and it is in hot dog buns so they can’t really refuse! All you need it the hot dog buns and the fillings, if you really want to force them to eat it then drizzle with chocolate syrup (just a bribe really!)

Apple and Cheese

Spread 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese on the cut sides of 4 whole wheat hot dog buns. Arrange one-fourth of the banana slices in each bun. top each dog with 1/4 cup of chopped apples and 1 tablespoon of dried cranberries.

Peanut-Berry and Banana

Spread 2 tablespoons peanut butter, almond butter, or soy butter on cut sides of 4 whole wheat hot dog buns. Arrange one-fourth of the banana slices in each bun. Top each dog with 1/4 cup of chopped strawberries.

Blueberries and Cream

In a bowl, stir together 4 ounces of softened cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of strawberry jam. Spread mixture on the cut sides of 4 whole wheat hot dog buns. Arrange one-fourth of the banana slices in each bun. Top bananas in each bun with 1/4 cup blueberries.

Heart and Star Shaped Fruit

If you want to make some snacks for the car that are healthy and energising then grab those skewers, watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew and start chopping. Get a cookie cutter in the shape of a star or a heart or really anything your kids love and make fruit shapes. Arrange them on a skewer and then wrap and pop them in the freezer. These work as healthy ice lollies and as fruit snacks and we guarantee they will be asking for more. Wilton do a set of 101 cookie cutters so your kids will never get bored with your creations.We love this idea as well because it is easy to prepare at home and good for travelling and when on the go.

Potato Boats

We love this super easy meal which kids will love. Eat it out of the tin foil and add some fun cocktail umbrellas on the top too.

Ingredients:

• Large potatoes, baked
• Sliced ham
• Cooked bacon slices
• cheese slices
• Sour cream for topping
• Green Onion (for topping – optional)

Directions:

First of all you need to bake the potatoes in tin foil over the campfire. When they are done slice the baked potato three or four times its width. In the sliced area stuff a piece of cheese, ham and bacon. Add butter on top of the potato with salt and pepper to add for extra taste.

Wrap the potato in a double layer of tin foil but remember to spray the inside with cooking spray to stop it from sticking. Place on a hot BBQ or over the campfire for about twenty minutes. Top with sour cream and green onion and any other decorations which you think will induce your child to eat it and enjoy while it is still hot! You can add different variations of fillings including peppers, mushrooms, feta cheese and even chili. This is a simple meal which everyone will love! You can even try this at home in the oven.

Bread Bears

You can get the little ones helping with this recipe and they will love to help with this one. They are simple and super fun and you can dip them into literally anything although we love the sugar and cinnamon variation.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp cup ground cinnamon
• ⅔ cup white sugar
• ⅓ cup butter, melted
• 1 can refrigerated plain biscuit dough

Directions:

1. Combine cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl thoroughly.
2. Melt butter in another bowl.
3. Separate biscuits.
4. Form each piece of dough into a rope 4 to 5 inches long, making sure not to stretch them out too long.
5. Wrap the dough pieces around proper campfire sticks.We find that patting the dough around the end of the stick to make a “cap” helps the whole piece stay on and not fall off.
6. Hold the sticks over your campfire and slowly turn until the biscuit dough is browned and firm, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
7. You can either remove the dough or keep it on the stick when you dip the cooked biscuits into melted butter and then into cinnamon sugar.
8. Eat and Enjoy!

Eggs and Bacon in a paper brown bag

We have to admit the only reason kids love this is because it can literally burst into flames at any second and we bribe them to eat it only because they want us to make more in the hope it will catch fire!

Ingredients:

• 2 strips of fatty bacon
• 1 egg
• salt & pepper, hot sauce and catsup
• 1 paper lunch bag
• 1 green, pointy stick

Preparation:

1.  Cut both bacon strips in half, giving you 4 pieces. Line the bottom of the paper lunch bag with the bacon to make a nice, fatty bacon nest for the egg.
2.  Crack an egg into the nest.
3.  Fold the top of the paper bag down carefully 2 times and poke a hole through the thick part with the stick. (Use a knife or scissors to make the hole first.)
4.  Carefully hold the bag over the fire so the bacon cooks slowly and the fat melts.  This makes an oily paper and bacon “skillet” for the egg. Take care and keep cooking it until the egg is done.
5.  Eat it out of the bag … but put it on a plate!  If you put it on your knee it will ruin your pants. We learned this the hard way.
6.  Serve with salt & pepper, catsup & hot sauce. But it really doesn’t need anything at all, it’s that delicious.

Bon appétit my friends, and have fun!

If All Else Fails….

If all else fails then you will have to give in and serve them hot dogs and s’mores. We love this s’mores kit for camping because it has literally everything you need in it. This pack makes 36 amazing cracker s’mores so everyone can dip in and get sticky. Make sure you come prepared with pre prepared sandwiches too. Cut them into neat shapes and stick them on skewers and toast them to perfection. Try making waffles with sandwich irons over the fire and in general make it fun for everyone. If you get your kids to join in, the more likely they are to eat the food they prepared…unless of course they stuck a bogie in it!!

Why not let your kids help build the campfire by asking them to find fallen twigs. Getting them to join in the messy part is what they love and they will probably have the patience to sit by the campfire with a skewer of vegetables which need roasting to perfection. Make it colorful, make it fun and make it different and trust us, they will be eating everything in sight if not due to how tasty it is but due to the fact they will be ravaging hungry after a day out in the fresh air.