travel food that doesn't need to be refrigerated

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OutdoorCrunch

ABOUT ME Hey, what's up? Canberk here. A former General Electric Aviation Design Engineer. Academically involved in cold weather outdoor gear, particularly wearable heating systems using conductive polyester and polyamide yarns. Read more about me . 

Camping Foods: No Cooking, No Refrigeration

Last updated: April 19, 2022 by Canberk Koksal

• https://www.rei.com/h/deals

Now, technically , 2 main things should be considered when choosing what foods to bring:

• High calorie/weight ratio to leverage more energy per unit weight carried
• High protein and fat content as they're digested slower compared to carbs and hence keep you more satiated  [1] AND fats provide more calories per gram (9 kcal/g compared to 4 kcal/g of protein and carbs)

Micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are also very important in the long term, but when we're talking about being on the trail for up to a week, I'd pay them less attention .

• #A sidenote here : I'd highly recommend you to check out REI's informative meal planning chart before you read further. 
• If you want to know the calorie densities of different trail foods...

Check out Grayson Cobb's spreadsheet  [2]  of his favorite backpacking foods and their kcal/g rating. It's GOOOLD .

But again, be mindful, he focuses on calorie dense foods that keep you from under performing  [3] , which he notes is the MOST important purpose of a backpacker’s diet.

Everyone I’ve encountered on the trail has their own preference when it comes to meal planning and gear packing. There's no “right way” to pack but there are factors , like those mentioned above, that should be considered. 

After researching camping foods that require neither refrigeration or stove, in this post I'll lay out the most important information and facts I've found, while also linking to some good packaged foods you can order here and there.

Pros of going no-stove

In some cases, you can say that hiking with a stove is a luxury - not a necessity. Here are some advantages going without cookware:

Lightweight

• No cookware : W hile there are many lightweight stoves available, you can't beat the weight you save by opting to hike without carrying a stove and fuel
• Foods are dehydrated and hence lighter : Yes, in most cases their more "precise" packaging also adds extra weight - but it doesn't add up even for long trips. You're still carrying lighter 
• Your pack gets lighter with each meal you eat, while carrying a stove adds weight that sticks with you for the duration of your hike

Less Hassle

• You don’t have to worry about your stove malfunctioning
• You don’t have to carry or worry about dispose of butane canisters  [4] neither  gas leakage
• You can eat inside your tent - no need to suffer preparing food in the rain
• Rain/foul weather can't stop you
• You don’t have to stop on the trail to heat water and you can eat immediately when you arrive at camp. I know most of you are famished by the time the tent is set up. Being able to eat right away, rather than worrying about cooking a big meal is a big advantage in most cases
• If you're trying to cover a good distance, you can hike for longer and eat as you go. As an added bonus: You can sleep in a little bit later in the morning

But how do I go with water purification?

Water purification tabs are a safe, easy and effective way to clean water without requiring a pot/stove to boil water  [5] .

Find foods that you actually want to eat, but here are some of  the most popular no cook, no cooler backpacking foods with hiking enthusiasts (including me) I've collected through research.

One common misconception about cheese is that it requires refrigeration. While soft cheeses does tend to get oily when at room temperature and do turn a lot quicker, that isn't the case for hard cheeses. 

Store your hard cheese in a parchment paper or a paper bag, which absorbs the oil and allows the cheese to breathe. The best cheeses to take backpacking are hard AND dry.

• "I want to read more about this!"

Check out my ultimate guide to cheeses for backpacking  [6] .

Here's a list of some cheeses you can take with you:

• Parmigiano Reggiano
• Gouda cheese
• Gruyère cheese
• Pecorino Romano
• Monterey Jack
• Comté cheese

Unless they're just about to turn, it should be OK to pack them in most cases. I'd also keep them in the refrigerator until hitting the trail, because in most (not all ) conditions they'll still last longer in the fridge.

In the end, my choice would be Cheddar. It's your most versatile choice as you can snack on it for lunch or grate it into dinners. This waxed cheese on Amazon can be a good choice for most. However, do not pre-shred cheddar as the extra surface area can invite mold and bacteria and hence faster turning .

In addition to cheese, I always bring meat on the trail. The easiest and longest lasting meat for backpacking is Beef Jerky - but some dehydrated white meat would also work just fine.

You can make your own or buy one of the many options. Unless you're going to be camping alone only for 1 night, I'd recommend   this Beef & Turkey Jerky combo on Amazon  - it's quite simple and the serving size is OK .

Check out my ultimate guide to backpacking meats  [7] .

Summer Sausage and Prosciutto are two other popular types of meat that don’t require refrigeration and provide high fat and protein for long days on the trail. Pair prosciutto with some dates or have some summer sausage with cheddar and crackers for a quick lunch. I expand more on the best shelf-stable meats for backpacking in this article.

Tuna , in cans or pouches, also makes a great no-cook trail food. But I wouldn't eat tuna more than once a week, because, as some of you might already know, it's rich content in mercury can start being dangerous  [8] .

• But what if it's light?

Light canned tuna, on the other hand, is in the "Best Choices" category and fine to eat 2 to 3 servings per week according to FDA  [9] . Indeed, they tend to have less mercury content  [10] .

I'd simply eat one can of tuna a week - and less (maybe even none?) if I'm big on mercury intake through the other foods of my diet. You can calculate your so-called "maximum limit" by introducing your weight here  [11] .

Trail Mix & Dried Fruit

Trail mix is high in fat, protein (and carbs if you add chocolate). It's a heavier option , but its calorie density and easy-snacking make it an ideal trail food. Some prefer making their own by buying individual bulk ingredients, but there are also many delicious ready-mixed options.

Dried fruit is another great snack. While dried fruit does not have as many nutrients as fresh fruit, it still provides energy and vitamins while hiking. Add some to your oatmeal or keep on hand for snacking. Apricots, dried mango, and raisins are popular go-to choices - but I hate... I HATE raisins. Pls don't buy them.

Truffles are high in sugar, but I'd pack and eat one of these Trail Truffles a day to diversify my diet. No cook makes already difficult on-the-trail-diversifying even more so anyway.

• Protein Bars

Most "no-stovers" end up eating a lot of protein and meal bars while on the trail. Most health and outdoor stores have an overwhelming selection so try a few different kinds to find the one you like best.

This is pretty subjective, but the classic Clif Bar ( White Chocolate Macademia Nut , for example) is a very popular option with camping enthusiasts.  If you want to choose a less-processed, less-sugary snack, it’s easy to make your own nutritious power bars.

This DIY no bake peanut butter  [12]   bar is packed with protein (I add chocolate chips to this recipe) and these DIY fruit and nut bars  [13]  will be as good as any bar if not even better.

Peanut Butter

Speaking of which...  LET'S GET SCHWIFTY .. .

If you read my other articles, you know I LOVE peanut butter and explained why it's pretty much the ultimate no cook no refrigeration hiking food  [14] . On average, peanut butter offers a concentrated source of energy with 190 calories and 16 grams of fat per serving - which offers a sky high energy/weight ratio. Perfect.

• One thing to consider...

Opt for single serve packets rather than a jar - it won't only be lighter but also eating more often will be less of a hassle.

You can eat it plain, have it on a wrap, or squeeze it into your oats. Single serve packets, like this Jif on-the-go peanut butter pack of 12 , are easy to carry on the trail or you can make your own by scooping peanut butter into small Ziploc bags. 

If you want to go ultra-light, powdered peanut butter is a good option ( this PB pack of 7 now comes in different options) but be aware that it has less fat and calories than regular peanut butter. You can also opt to eat plain old peanuts, which are calorie dense and have less messy packaging.

BONUS : If you haven't tried yet, almond butter is also an effective and delicious food choice for you if you love peanut butter.

Hummus / Beans

Hummus is a regular item on almost any backpacking menu. If you have a dehydrator, you can make your own and dehydrate it into a powder (e.g. this recipe for Greek Red Pepper Dip  [15] , it has instructions for re-hydration as well). 

Pack these in individual Ziplocs, add some cold water in the morning, and by lunch it has re-hydrated into a tasty spread.

You can also buy individual packs of powdered hummus, such as  Harmony Valley .

For short hikes, bring a pouch of re-fried beans (you can get them at most Latin American food stores) and for multi-day trips, dehydrate and then re-hydrate on the trail (same method as the hummus). 

Some carbs considerations

Now besides "essentials" list, these are also good especially for carbs:

• Instant oats with milk or yogurt (for making overnight oats - they re-hydrate without heat)
• Starbucks VIA instant  coffee (I don’t know if you tried it with cold milk - but it tastes like a coffee milkshake)
• Some kind of starch - wraps, pitas, crackers (to eat with peanut butter, hummus and/or tuna)
• Carrot sticks (these aren’t light - but I eat them the first day or two for something fresh)
• Seaweed snacks (I take them out of packaging - they are salty, green, and lightweight)
• Couscous (it re-hydrates without heat in about 15 minutes)

Coffee might be an outlier here, but coffee feels heavenly after breakfast in the wild. I'd stop the rush  [16]  and enjoy it.

Very little cookware

No-cook backpacking doesn't require much gear - the goal here is to simplify:

• Plastic "spork"
• Fair share mug (this is essential if you'll re-hydrate)
• A knife to cut up cheese and meat
• A pocket knife sharpener  [17]

That’s about it.

3 Day No Cook No Refrigerator Sample Menu

Here is a sample no-cook menu for a 3 day hike:

• Bacon 
• Alpen Cereal
• Starbucks Via Coffee
• Chicken Caesar Wrap

At lunch, add water to re-hydrate the beans in your mug for dinner

• Crushed up Fritos Corn Chips with s hredded Cheddar cheese

Before bed, add water to reconstitute the following recipe  for next morning's breakfast :

Pre-mixed ziploc of oats, cranberries, powdered peanut butter, shredded coconut and dry milk powder (for instant and regular dry milk, add 1 to 5 and 3 water, respectively  [18]   )

• Meal prepared last night

Lunch  

• Summer Sausage
• Sliced Cheddar 
• Spicy Thai Chili Tuna with crushed Salt
• Vinegar Chips and Pita
• Clif Bar 
• Turkey Jerky
• Muesli and with Milk 
• Handful Dried Apricots

Peanut Butter Wrap with Raisins

Dinner  

• Protein Bar
• Hummus 

If you're off the trail during dinner time, you can also eat this during lunch.

Snacks  

One really important thing to remember: DRINK LOTS OF WATER. When you're eating dried or dehydrated foods, like nuts and jerky, your body requires water to digest them - and even more so because your protein intake is higher  [19] .

• IMPORTANT THING ABOUT EGGS:

Some of you may be thinking also eggs would make a good backpacking food, and you couldn't be more correct. But, if you're going with no stove, no cooler - DON'T PACK EGGS , because:

• Raw eggs, powdered (aka "dehydrated" or "dried") eggs or egg mix require cooking
• Pre-hard boiled eggs require refrigeration

Read my ultimate guide to backpacking eggs [20] for more information. But the point here is that eggs aren't a good idea if you won't cook or refrigerate.

Backpacking Stoves

• Jetboil Minimo
• Jetboil Micromo
• Jetboil Flash
• MSR PocketRocket
• MSR DragonFly
• MSR WhisperLite
• Butane Canisters

Backpacking Cookware

• Backpacking Frying Pans
• Backpacking Mess Kit

Backpacking Foods

• Backpacking Meat
• Backpacking Cheese
• Backpacking Eggs
• Backpacking Peanut Butter
• No Cook No Refrigeration: Practical Backpacking Meals
• How to Feel Full While Hiking

Backpacking Bottles & Drinks

• HydroFlask Bottle
• Yeti Bottle
• Klean Kanteen Bottle
• Backpacking Alcohol

• ROOF TOP TENTS
• ANNEX ROOMS
• ACCESSORIES
• TRUCK BED RACKS

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30 Camping Foods That Don’t Require Refrigeration

Camping out in the wild means one thing- you are far away from any source of electricity. This limits your ability to charge your devices and completely eradicates equipment like microwaves, rice cookers, and your trusty fridge.

While there are other means of transporting raw food on your camping trips, like using coolers, this means a heavier load and one more piece of equipment to take care of. So what alternative do you have?

Cooking during your camping expenditure doesn't always require refrigeration. As proof, we have provided 30 deliciously easy camping foods you can enjoy without refrigeration.

Camping Food Without Refrigeration

Most campers will agree that a cooler is one of the essential camping equipment they bring along on every trip. This portable fridge is perfect for storing drinks and perishable food items to enjoy at your campsite.

However, it is essential to note that coolers are not exactly nifty. Bringing a cooler box with you as a part of your overland gear or camping equipment means you have one more bulky piece of equipment to hoist and haul around.

Even if you are lucky enough to own an RV refrigerator, there is just so much you can fit in your little fridge. If you find either option challenging, we have just the perfect solution for you!

While it still makes sense to bring a cooler on your subsequent camping expenditure if you like, you should note that it shouldn't be a priority. Understandably, you need an option to store all your perishable ingredients and keep them fresh, but have you ever considered other convenient options like not bringing ingredients that need refrigeration?

Before you fret, we are not saying you should toss out your dreams of eating delicious meals while camping and sticking to cinnamon rolls on a stick. We are saying that there are tons of food options that do not need refrigerators to explore.

With these foods, you don’t have to worry about topping the ice in your coolers.   It doesn't matter if you are camping in the peak of summer or exploring the outdoors in the cold , you can enjoy these meals without lugging a cooler around with you.

It also doesn’t matter if you are a picky eater, vegan, or lover of hearty meals, these foods are the perfect option for you. 

This doughnut-shaded goodness is the perfect non-refrigerated breakfast food you can ask for. It is fast, easy to prepare, and highly delicious. As a plus, you can enjoy it however you want abs with whatever topping or drizzle.

Simply butter up your bagels and toast them on both sides in a camping frying pan or girdle. You can enjoy your bagel plain or add a few slices of fresh vegetables like tomatoes and onions. If you feel adventurous, pair your babes with peanut butter or Nutella.

Butter is essential for many camping meals. If you need to grease up your pan to create a savory dish or simply prepare a meal that requires oil to cook, a slab of butter always comes to the rescue.

While many campers often keep their butter in a cooler, it isn't always necessary. Butter performs just as well without a refrigerator. You can store your butter in a Ziploc bag and toss it in Tupperware and pack it with other dry foods. You can also wrap your butter on parchment paper.

Popcorn is the perfect camping snack for kids and adults alike. Most importantly, it doesn't need to be stored in a refrigerator!  Your popcorn kernels can be stored in a tightly sealed jar and kept in a cool, dry place.

This will help it last longer and stay fresh. Your popcorn can be popped over the campfire and enjoyed with melted chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, and any dressing you like.

Just because you don't have a cooler or refrigerator doesn't mean you have to kick meat out of your camping diet totally. The solution is to bring meat that does not need refrigeration.

Some long-lasting canned meat products fare well in cool and dry places. Canned chicken, chicken packets, sausage links, precooked bacon, beef jerky, and canned ham are viable protein substitutes. 

It is important to note that while they may not require registration, they need to be consumed quickly after opening or refrigerated as soon as possible.

Eggs are a significant part of camping meals. From scrambled eggs to being a sandwich assemblage, eggs are versatile and make every dish they are paired with taste better.

While we traditionally keep eggs in a fridge, it is important to note that eggs can be kept outside a fridge. While this is great, as eggs are very fragile, you should transport them carefully in a plastic storage box.

When shopping for camping eggs, opt for fresh eggs that have never been in a fridge. You can also add powdered eggs to your list as a substitute.

Cheese is a staple in many camping meals. They taste fantastic when eaten alone or paired with burgers and many other foods. 

Cheese can survive outside a refrigerator without difficulty. All you need to do is ensure you don't leave your cheese sitting in the sun, as this will reduce it to a gooey mess. You can wrap the blocks of cheese in cellophane, seal them in a small bag, and keep them in a cool place.

7. Instant Foods

Instant foods on a camping trip are lifesavers. They are delicious, convenient, and do not need to be stored in a refrigerator.

Instant noodles, instant rice, and instant potatoes are tasty and filling food options. They are lightweight, do not take up excess space, and are easy to make.

Grains are great camping foods - especially for backpackers- as they do not require refrigeration. Most grains are easy to cook and can be used to create hearty and filling meals.

From pasta to rice, couscous, and Quinoa, grains are a must-have on any camping trip.

Bread is a great food option for backpacking or regular company. However, it is essential to note that they can be bulky and get squished during transit.

While your loaf getting squished doesn't ruin its taste, it might ruin your plans to make toast or sandwiches. If this doesn't bother you, then pack a tasty loaf of bread to the camp. If the bread was hot before your trip, air it to lengthen its shelf life.

If you, however, want tasty flour bread substitutes to enjoy during your trip, we recommend dinner rolls, pita bread, and Sandwich rounds.

Fruits provide dietary fiber and are a great way to stay healthy during your adventures.

At home, fresh fruits are primarily kept in the fridge to extend their shelf life. However, just because you choose to keep fruits in the fridge doesn't mean they won't survive outside one.

Fresh apples, oranges, kiwi, mangoes, watermelon, pineapple, and even avocado can be enjoyed without a fridge. Just ensure you finish eating them after slicing them up as soon as possible. This will help you keep bugs away.  You can also opt for dry/dehydrated fruits or canned varieties.

11. Vegetables

Just like fruits, veggies can be enjoyed without a fridge. You simply have to store them in paper bags to lengthen their shelf life and slow the ripening processes.

Use air-tight containers to store your vegetables unless it requires aeration. Substitute cabbage for lettuce as they last longer.  If you don't want to pack fresh vegetables, you can choose canned vegetables instead.

Just because you don't have a fridge in the wilderness doesn't mean you shouldn't pack milk. There are other varieties of fresh milk that you can enjoy on your camping trip.

Powdered milk is a prevalent option. All you need to do is add water, and you are going to be rewarded with a cup of hot or cold milk, depending on how you like it.  You can also choose cans of evaporated milk, creamer packets, or cartons of soy milk.

13. Dried Lentils

Dried lentils do great outside a refrigerator. They can remain fresh for a long time if you keep them sealed and tucked away from moisture and heat. Lentils can be stored in thick mylar bags and food-grade pales.

14. Fish Substitutes

Tuna is a great fish substitute that doesn't require refrigeration until after opening. It works well as a salad or coupled with other dishes.  You can also choose canned salmon.

15. Breakfast Cereals

Everyone loves cereal. They are especially great for camping trips because they are dry foods which makes them easy to move and store.

When going camping, simply pack your favorite brand of favorite cereal. You can enjoy it with powdered milk and a little sugar if necessary.

16. Muffins

Muffins come in different shapes, sizes, and flavors. They are tasty, convenient, lightweight, and easy to prepare.

You can make your muffins at home and store them in air-tight containers to bring to the campsite. 

17. Tortillas

Tortillas are excellent camping food options. They are rich in calories, require little to no prep, and can last more than a week without a refrigerator. They are easily customizable, so you can fill your tortillas with whatever filling you want and enjoy a delicious meal.

18. S’mores

Every camper will agree that s’mores are a camping classic. They are fun, tasty, and can be quickly prepared. Smores can be prepared over a campfire or a grill. 

19. Oatmeal

Oatmeal makes an easy campsite breakfast. It is easy to store and can be enjoyed in various ways by adding your favorite nuts, berries, and fruits.

While traditionally, many people cook oats over a campfire or on coals, there is a heatless and equally delicious way to prepare your oatmeal. Simply soak it overnight and stir in your favorite seeds and nuts.

It is no surprise that honey makes our list of campfire foods that do not require refrigeration. Honey is the world’s oldest food and can go months without getting spoilt.

Honey is a natural food with profound health benefits that range from gastrointestinal to cardiovascular advantages. It is the perfect sweetener addition to tea or coffee. It can also be drizzled over bread, potatoes, or even oatmeal. 

To store your honey, leave it tightly sealed in its bottle and keep it in a cool place away from sunlight.

21. Chips, Pretzels, And Crackers

Chips, pretzels, and crackers are light snacks that you can enjoy in various ways. They are perfect for large groups and family camping expenditures.

Chips, pretzels, and crackers are dry snacks and do not require refrigeration. They are easy to move and can be stored in storage boxes.

Sunflower seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and pine nuts are packed with flavor, nutrients, and essential minerals. They can be eaten as they are or paired with foods like oatmeal.

Seeds are easy to store and last a while. Since humidity and warmth shorten a seed’s shelf life, it is important to store your seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dark, and dry place.

23. Granola Bars

Do you need an emergency snack? Granola bars are the perfect fix for you.  Packed full of oat, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and chocolate, granola bars are the perfect energy source. They do not need to be refrigerated, and you can fit multiple bars in your fanny pack or wallet

24. Canned Beans

Canned beans have a long shelf life, even outside a refrigerator. As long as you consume your beans as soon as you open the can, you will enjoy fresh food.

Canned beans can be paired with other foods that do not need refrigeration, like rice and bread.

25. Trail Mix

A trail mix is a perfect camping/hiking snack. It consists of dried fruit, nuts, and sometimes candy. A typical trail mix is nutritious, easy to carry, and even easier to store.

Because a trail mix is made mainly of nuts and fruit, you can customize it however you want. To store your trail mix, simply keep it in a tight container away from direct sunlight.

26. Seaweed

Who says you can't bring seaweed wraps on your camping trip? No one!  Seaweed is perfect for outdoor life because it doesn't require much effort for storage. They will survive the heat of the sun and remain tasty.

Seaweed wraps can be used to eat dishes like rice and canned salmon. Think of it as a tortilla wrap substitute.

27. Canned Hummus

Why make hummus from scratch when you can easily get one in a can? Hummus is a healthy food that can be paired with tortilla chips, pita, crackers, carrot sticks, and even sandwiches.

Thanks to its packaging, canned hummus doesn't have to be kept in a refrigerator until you open the can. As long as you consume the hummus immediately after opening the can, you will get nothing but fresh food.

28. Canned Soup

Just because you don't have a fridge doesn't mean you cannot enjoy delicious soup. While fresh soup is excellent, canned soup is just as tasty and filling. 

Plus, they are easy to store. As long as you keep your canned soup away from heat and light, you do not have to worry about not having a fridge until you open the can. Simply heat your soup and serve it out alone or with any dish.

Nuts are a source of numerous health benefits , from providing essential high-quality vegetable protein to reducing your cholesterol level. From peanuts to cashew nuts and almond nuts, there are just so many dishes you can enjoy with nuts. They are easy to store and can last you a while.

30. Cheese Whiz

If you need a cheese substitute that is not actually cheese but tastes a lot like cheese, Cheese Whiz is your go-to option. This brand of processed cheese sauce can be enjoyed with burgers, nachos, tortillas, and even pasta. Not to mention, it is also a non-refrigerated food option.

As a bonus, here's a meal plan of non-refrigerated foods you can try during your subsequent expenditure!

Non-refrigerated Camping Breakfast 

• Oatmeal and powdered milk with fruits
• Sliced fruits. Can be grilled
• Pancakes, honey, and fruits
• Omelettes made from powdered eggs, bacon, and veggies
• Instant potatoes with veggies
• Fruit and Grain bars
• Scrambled eggs

Non-refrigerated Camping Lunch

• Rice and beans
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• Mac and cheese
• Avocado toast
• Grilled Cheese
• Potato with bacon and vegetables
• Tuna packets, crackers, and veggies
• Avocado boats
• Banana boats

Non-refrigerated Camping Dinner Ideas

• Baked potatoes 
• Canned chili and potatoes
• Canned soup
• Baked beans
• Instant noodles
• Canned chicken
• Pasta and sauce
• Customized charcuterie board
• Black beans, Quinoa, and rice

Tips To Keep Your Non-Refrigerated Food Fresh

Although these foods can survive without a refrigerator, it is essential to take proper measures to ensure they remain fresh. Some of these measures include:

• Keep your food in the shade. Most food will not survive exposure to direct sunlight, so it is vital to ensure they get all the cover they need.
• Don’t just abandon the food. Check on them regularly.
• When shopping for your non-refrigerated food inventory, always opt for non-refrigerated foods. 
• While many of these non-refrigerated foods don't need a fridge, keep in mind that when you open their packages, you will need a fridge for storage. To avoid wastage, plan your meals, buy smaller packages, and finish the food as soon as you open the package.

No Fridge? No Problem

While you might be tempted to bring a cooler along on your subsequent expenditure, understand there are delicious alternative meals that don't need refrigeration. We have provided 30 foods you can pack, but there are undoubtedly more foods out there that don't need refrigeration.

Remember to store your foods properly. This will help you enjoy deliciously fresh foods for longer.

Are you looking for more camping advice? Check out our tips on the overland gear and equipment basics for your subsequent expenditure.

Continue reading

10 Camping Storage Ideas For Your Next Trip

50 Easy Camping Meals For Your Next Adventure

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100+ Delicious Camping Food Ideas No Fridge Required

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Easy Camping Food Ideas That Don’t Require a Fridge

No fridge? No problem. Head out into the great outdoors a little lighter with these fun and delicious camping food ideas no fridge required!

You’re headed into the great outdoors. Sure you could load up a cooler, but those are heavy, ice doesn’t last forever and then you have to lug it back and clean it. 

Plus backpackers and die-hard hikers know, the lighter the better. How about stocking up on some great non-refrigerated foods for your next adventure.

Avoiding perishable camping food that require refrigeration means less hassle and less chance of your food going bad. Spend less time worrying about that cooler, and more time enjoying nature. You’ll be surprised at how many delicious and easy non-refrigerated food options there are.

Whether you’re out with picky kids, vegan or vegetarian, looking for the healthiest option, or just looking for something tasty to snack on around a cozy fire, this list of 51 travel-friendly camping meal ideas has something for everyone!

There are ingredients for the cookout chefs and great tips for the traveler who’d just rather forage for a grab and go bite at the supermarket.

Take notes, because we’re hiking down a very tasty trail with this list…

Camping Foods That Do Not Require Refrigeration

• Canned tuna (or tuna packets)
• Canned chicken
• Canned chilli
• Pre-cooked bacon
• Summer sausage
• Smoked fish
• Smoked meats
• Freeze dried meats
• Canned salmon

Other No Fridge Proteins:

• Unwashed Eggs
• Smoked cheese
• Textured vegetable protein
• Some plant based proteins
• Canned beans
• Canned garbonzo (chickpeas) beans
• Protein powder
• Dried beans
• Nut butters

Vegetables:

• Corn on the cob
• Winter squash
• Sweet potatoes
• Canned vegetables
• Canned fruit
• Dried fruits

Grains and Grain Products:

• Self Rising Flours
• Pancake Mix
• Tortilla chips
• Buscuit mix

Canned Meals

Snacks and treats.

• Marshmallows
• Graham crackers
• M&M’s
• Energy Bars
• Bottled Water
• Evaporated milk
• Powdered Beverge mixes
• Jarred tomato sauce
• Jarred alfredo sauce

Now lets see what kind of tasty meals we can make using these ingredients:

No-Cook Camping Breakfasts

The most important meal of the day doesn’t have to be hot, or boring! Try mixing up your breakfast with these great no-cook options that also don’t need to be refrigerated.

If you need some tips for planning meals on your next camping trip, check out these awesome 12 tips for planning camping meals!

A classic easy option for breakfast anyway, you have so many options when it comes to bagels. Eat them plain, add a few slices of tomato or do them up with peanut butter. Bagels are ideal for a quick meal on the trail or anywhere. 

2. Breakfast Cereal

Fiber, energy, and sometimes even dehydrated marshmallows and cartoon characters. There’s a cereal for everyone, and if you’re not into eating just handfuls of dried cereal, try pairing it with raisins, dried fruit, or granola.

3. Canned Milk/ Powdered Milk

Just add water. Canned/evaporated milk is usually a 1:1 evaporated milk to water ratio when preparing. The taste might take getting used to, but it’s also great in coffee or cocoa. A suitable substitute when you’re camping with no fridge.

4. Nut Butters

A nearly perfect food. If you’re not into peanut butter, or can’t eat it there’s tons of nut butter, all shelf-stable and ready to come along for the ride. Almond butter, sunbutter, and cashew butter all pack a ton of energy and protein for a good start to a great day.

An easy and trendy breakfast. Instead of cooking your oatmeal, try overnight oats ! Add your favorite mixins like seeds, nuts, dried berries, flaxseed, hemp, and shredded coconut to steel-cut oats and let soak overnight.

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Mayan and Aztec warriors carried this superfood as their source of nutrition for long journeys. That’s because it’s light and packed with nutrients and energy. Add it to a beverage or your overnight oats.

7. Honey/Syrup

Honey is the world’s oldest preserved food and lasts forever. Beware of bears, and enjoy honey, maple syrup, or agave on campfire flapjacks, toast, bagels or sweeten up your oatmeal.

Ok, maybe not actual cake, but you can get away with having a muffin, slice of banana bread, or even a hunk of cornbread for breakfast. You’re on vacation! Live a little…

PRO TIP: I used to buy pound cake and cut it up into sections for the 4 of us on mornings where we would be up super early to go somewhere.  The kids loved it and it kept everyone full.

Camping Packed Lunches With No Refrigeration

Busy day on the trail? Going out on a canoe? Maybe you’re just out for a day and need something to carry for a simple cold lunch. There are plenty of options for a camping lunch that requires zero cooking and no refrigeration.

9. Fresh Vegetables

Fresh veggies won’t last forever, but even at room temperature, most will give you at least a few days. Seal them in plastic baggies for extended freshness. 

Carrots, cut celery, and whole cucumbers are great for quick snacks, and vegetables like potatoes, peppers, and summer squash make great campfire meals.

10. Protein Shakes/Meal Replacement Shakes

These come either powdered or in a bottle. Don’t have them for every meal, but they’re a great substitute if you’re on the trail or just too busy having fun.

11. Canned Tuna

Did you know Starkist Tuna is the best-selling canned food in America ? And why not – it’s ready to eat, full of protein, and goes great in so many camping dishes. Make a sandwich, add some protein to a quick veggie stir fry or find it premixed with dressing in pouches.

12. Individual Dessert Cups

You can find puddings , applesauce, and jello desserts. Make sure that it’s not from the refrigerated section, and don’t save anything that’s been opened.

13. Summer Sausage

The best part of a charcuterie board can be the best part of your camping lunch. Super simple to pack, and a good source of energy and protein. Pair it with some crackers or super thin bread.

14. Chips and Salsa

You can get small pre-portioned salsas, or just portion some out when you get there. This is a super easy little meal to carry.

15. Condiment Packets

Don’t throw away those little ketchups, salts, and mustards. Save them for camping and throw them in with your packed lunch.

16. Canned Hummus

Yes, hummus comes in a can. Great with tortilla chips, pita, crackers, carrot sticks, and part of a veggie sandwich!

17. Sardines

Don’t knock it until you try it! Sardines are an excellent source of protein. You can eat them on crackers or just straight up. You might wince the first time, but all that omega-3 and good fat will keep you full for a long time!

Sandwiches of course! It’s also good for texas toast over a fire, campfire cherry pies, or have a slice for breakfast. Bread is so versatile and easy to carry. Try pita, naan, English muffins, rolls, or bake your own artisan loaf for the road.  

Non-Refrigerated Camping Meals -Dinner

Let your inner camping cook shine! You don’t have to get fancy to have a nice hot meal while camping. Whether you’ve got a stove or are cooking over an open flame, these non-refrigerated options are sure to satisfy after a long day of outdoor adventuring. 

Many of these are make ahead camping meals, which will save you a lot of prep tie while out in the wild. 

While not the healthiest meal choice, sometimes you deserve a meal that’s quick to prepare and tasty . The same staple from college life is a great staple for life on the road. Plus, it’s super cheap.

20. Pre-Cooked Rice

Packages of pre-cooked rice have the benefit of not needing to be warmed. Just tear the bags open and enjoy! There are dozens of flavors and styles to choose from or add your own ingredients like corn, peas etc

21. Canned Veggies

Vegetables for the long haul. Canned vegetables are ready to eat and an easy addition to any camping meal . The great thing about canned vegetables is there are more options than you probably considered. 

Sure, there’s canned peas, carrots, and corn, but have you had canned roasted red peppers? Or maybe some artichoke to add to a killer dip.

22. Canned Fruit

Peaches, fruit cocktails, pears – just ask grandma, she’ll tell you about the options for canned fruits. They’re easy to eat for kids and don’t require heating. A nice dessert after a day in the great outdoors. Fruit cups work as well. 

23. Baked Beans

There’s nothing like sitting around a campfire, with some good ‘ol cowboy baked beans. No wonder they’re still around. Baked beans are filling and travel easily.

24. Canned Pasta

Think Chef Boyardee . Canned pasta, Spaghetti-o’s, and raviolis might not sound as appealing at home, but come in from a long day of hiking, exploring, and fun-having and you’ll change your tune. You don’t even have to heat them up if you’re hungry enough.

25. Potato Flakes

These need no refrigeration and make pretty decent mashed potatoes . Make sure you bring the salt and pepper.

Just because you are not refrigerating, does not mean you can’t have hot camping meals. Pasta lasts basically forever, and if you can make hot water, you can make yourself some pasta. 

Spice it up, chop some vegetables and you’ve got a camping lo mein, or add some homemade and canned sauce or bring a jar of Ragu and you’ve got a meal Nona would be proud of.

27. Canned Meats

Vienna sausage , Spam, canned ham, canned chicken, canned fish, canned meatballs – the list goes on. Even better when you’ve got a griddle to fry them on. Make sandwiches, add them to powdered eggs for a hot breakfast, make simple stir-fries and get creative. 

You can even bring some gravy in a jar – just make sure you don’t try and save the leftovers without a fridge.

28. Canned Soup

Always an easy option for camping trips. There’s a soup and stew for everyone in the family. Just heat and eat.  This is one of our favorites , it’s super filling and the kids enjoy it.

29. Canned Chili

Not a terrible choice for a camping meal . It needs no refrigeration and is even better with a side of cornbread.

30. Pasta Sauce

A must if you’re bringing pasta. Try heaping some on a baked potato.

31. Soup Mixes

A tasty and lighter alternative to canned soups. Soup mixes can be a simple base for your own creation or a whole meal themselves.

Camping No Cook No Refrigeration Snacks

Grab these easy snacks for car rides, hiking, fishing or just sitting around enjoying the view. No refrigeration or cooking required.

32. Fresh Fruit

It’s a delicious snack with its own wrapper! Whole fresh fruits are a great way to energize on the trail or a quick camping snack. Fruits like bananas and oranges don’t even need to be rinsed, and other staples like apples, pears, plums, and grapes are an easy snack right out of your backpack.

33. Dried Fruit

You might be thinking raisins and cranberries, but there’s so much more! You can find dehydrated apples, pineapple, strawberries, cherries, blueberries , etc. 

If you want to get really fancy, invest in your own dehydrator and go crazy at home! Try cantaloupe – it’s like candy-jerky.  These dried fruit packets have worked great for us.

Packed with energy and super easy to carry, nuts have always been a favorite of trail enthusiasts. Peanuts, Cashews, Almonds – you name it. Grab a handful and keep haulin’!

35. Beef Jerky

Perhaps the quintessential camping snack. Beef jerky should last two years when sealed. There’s not just beef jerky either. Try turkey, chicken, pork – there’s even vegan jerky!

36. Chips/Pretzels/Crackers

An easy snack you know kids will love. Pringles are particularly great because the packaging can take more abuse than bags. Grab a few for car rides too. You can’t have too many salty snacks around!

Go crazy – candy bars, hard candies, licorice. Just beware of the heat when you’re choosing something like chocolate bars.

38. Granola Bars

A snack that’s just made for camping and hiking. With tons of flavors and options , you can even get creative and make your own homemade bars. Simple peanut butter + oats are a great base for a million different combinations.

39. Trail Mix

It’s right there in the name! This classic outdoor snack is at every supermarket, and you can easily make your own. Throw in peanuts, tree nuts, dried berries, candies, coconut, and anything else you can think of.

Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and pine nuts (yes, actually a seed) are packed with nutrients and minerals and are easy to eat as a snack. Everyone loves sitting around spittin’ seeds and swapping stories. You can also add them to your overnight oats for an extra kick to your no-cook breakfast!

41. Cheeze Wiz/ Velveeta

No refrigeration is needed, and it’s best not to ask why. Spray cheese (product) and Velveeta are a tasty snack on crackers or as a cheese substitute on sandwiches. Beware the sodium content and stay hydrated, campers.

Other No Fridge Camping Food Ideas

Many non-perishable, non-refrigerated foods are super versatile on a trip. Switch things up or add them to your camp cooking toolbelt. There doesn’t have to be a dull culinary moment on your next trip.

42. Popcorn

An incredible snack around a campfire. Bring the stove-top pop kind or make it around the campfire and have some fun. Even tastier when you throw in some gooey chocolate chips, Milk Duds, peanuts, or M&M’s.

43. Pie Filling

Campfire cherry pies, anyone? Make a little pocket by squishing two pieces of white bread together, fill with pie filling and toast. 

You can also put a little on oatmeal for a decadent breakfast or bring along little pre-bake pie shells for a simple dessert. Top it off with Reddi Whip (or any whipped cream in an aerosol.) 

44. Pancake Mix

There’s nothing like a campfire flapjack with maple syrup or maybe some honey. Just make sure you get the mix that doesn’t require eggs, that is unless you have a cooler with you.

45. Powdered Egg

There is great controversy over whether powdered eggs are worth eating. They might not look as beautifully fluffy as your regular scrambled eggs, but they full of great protein and a smart choice when you’re hiking, biking, or exploring all day.

46. S’mores

How could you even think of going camping with some good old s’mores material ? Even if you don’t plan on making a fire, these three simple ingredients are great at any temperature. 

Graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate are the perfect food combination (and a camping tradition.) You can even just melt them on a pan.

47. Dried Grains

Rice, quinoa, barley, or something more exotic. Dried grains are cheap and light for the amount of energy they provide. Pair them with veggies or canned meats.

48. Cooking Oils

Olive oil, coconut oil, corn oil, vegetable oils – really any liquid plant-based oil does not call for a fridge. Try adapting some of your favorite recipes for the great outdoors (and no fridge).

49. Spices/Herbs

Who says you have to eat bland food while camping? Kick up your campfire cooking with your favorite seasonings. They’re light and easy to store, so you have no excuse for boring dinners!

50. Dehydrated Vegetables

Eat these as a fiberful snack or rehydrate them for recipes. They’re a little harder to find in American stores, but you can always try your hand at home dehydrating with a relatively inexpensive machine. Try making your own non-fried chips with zucchini or cucumbers!

Here’s a meal for a die-hard camper . If you’re going on long through hikes or plan on being out in the boonies for a long time, you may want to consider military-style meals-ready-to-eat. They used to be harder to find – you’d have to go through a military surplus supplier, but now you can find every kind of meal under the sun packed up and ready for a long haul.

What are your favorite no-fridge-needed camping foods? Whether you’re a lover of campfire cooking, or just want an easy lunch to take that needs no refrigeration or cooking, there’s plenty of tasty options available.

Always check the packaging on pre-prepared foods and never leave a ‘refrigerate after opening’ product at room (or outdoor) temperature. 

Be a good camper and always take note of the area’s food storage suggestions (to stay safe from varmints and bears) and always leave no trace. Take those storage containers and packaging out with you!

Bon appetite, and good camping!

Camping Food Ideas No Fridge

Grainne Foley

Grainne Foley grew up in Ireland and spent summers caravanning around Europe with her family. Now, as a wife and mother of 2, she spent 5 years traveling the USA as a full time RVing family. She is passionate about travel, and helping others who are considering the RV lifestyle. She has created dozens of helpful RVing checklists which are available throughout the website, and has curated hundreds of simple, flavorful meals for families on the go.

3 thoughts on “100+ Delicious Camping Food Ideas No Fridge Required”

Excellent and most are things that would stay in a camper for a short time to have as staples on future trips.

If you are bike camping and do not have a vehicle, place food and attractants in a bear locker.

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40+ Camping Food Ideas That Don’t Need Refrigeration

Posted by Arthur McMahon June 23, 2019 Updated December 18, 2023

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Camping food can be as exotic or utilitarian as you want it to be. The trouble is that a lack of refrigeration can severely limit your camping food imagination. We listed some great camping food ideas that require no refrigeration.

There are countless tastebud-tingling camping food options for you to choose from that don’t require refrigeration. In modern society, we’ve become so accustomed to grabbing our food straight from the fridge that it can be hard to come up with several days worth of meals and snacks that don’t require a constant chill.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of backpacking and camping foods that do not require refrigeration to give you an idea of what to pack for an overnight camping trip or multi-day backpacking adventure.

Below we’ve separated our suggested no-refrigeration-required backpacking foods and camping foods into their own categories. Everything in the backpacking category will also work for car campers without a hitch, but the camping specific foods may be a bit too difficult for most to cram into their backpacks. So grab a camping table and prep your workspace: it’s go-time.

We hope these camping food ideas inspire your inner outdoor chef! What new food combinations will you come up with? You might also dig our recipe guides to easy camping meals and easy camping side dishes too.

Camping Food That Doesn’t Need To Be Refrigerated

Pancake Mix

Pancakes are a fantastic camping treat. Be sure to check the label on your pancake mix , though — you want a dry mix that doesn’t require any eggs. Here are four ways to make camping pancakes that won’t suck.

You can backpack with bread , but it makes better sense as a traditional camping food. Bread, like some of the other below items, can be too bulky or get squished too easily while backpacking.

A car camping staple, bread is a versatile food that can be used to create delectable sandwiches or eaten with delicious spreads.

Mac and Cheese

Despite popular belief, you don’t need milk to create a tasty bowl of mac and cheese . Whether it’s Kraft or homemade, Mac and Cheese is a popular dinner option the whole family will enjoy.

We’re starting to list items that require oil or butter, and butter does not need to be refrigerated. You probably have some on your kitchen counter right now.

You’ll be able to grease up a pan or turn your dinner into something worth savoring with a few slabs of butter, so why not bring some to the campground.

Related read : 24 Delicious Vegetarian Camping Foods for Your Next Weekend in the Woods

Muffins and Other Baked Goods

Make them at home and then bring them to the campsite! Muffins , banana bread , brownies , cakes , and doughnuts are fantastic campground treats that do not need to be refrigerated. Some of these items may get a little gooey if the weather is warm, but they’ll still taste amazing.

You’ve surely brought along the butter and salt, but have you ever tried to turn your popcorn into something spectacular? Kids will love dressing their own popcorn in melted chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, and any variety of flavors you can come up with.

Canned Goods

Dolmas , soup , and chicken can be found in the canned food aisle. These items would be too heavy and bulky for the average backpacker, but from the car to the campsite you can carry and entirely canned Thanksgiving dinner. Just don’t forget your can opener!

Echoing the mac and cheese sentiment, pasta of all sorts makes for good camping food. Contrary to popular opinion,  jarred sauces and grated parmesan cheese do not need to be refrigerated.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Sure, they’ll last longer in your crisper or cupboard, but all fruits and vegetables were originally brought to life in the great outdoors. Bring along some apples and bananas for snacking throughout the day, and then bust out the potatoes and broccoli for dinner.

Farmers find their chicken eggs in nests and laying about the fields — in other words, they were born for the outdoors. Eggs are fragile, so you will have to take care when transporting them, but they can survive outdoor exposure just fine.

If you’re worried about cracking your eggs before they make it to camp, you can always scramble them ahead of time and seal them away in an air-tight container.

Prepared Meals

There are innumerable dishes you can cook at home in preparation for a weekend in the campground. Soup, chili, baked ziti, and many of your homemade favorites can be transported in Tupperware to the campground.

Many meals do require refrigeration, but most can survive a day or two without spoiling in mild weather, especially if nighttime temperatures dip into the chilly zone.

Backpacking Food That Require No Refrigeration

It goes without saying that trail mix is a tried-and-true backpacking delight. With a wide variety of nuts, chocolates, pretzels, and more to mix in, the combinations are endless. This is a great way to pack in some protein and fat into your backcountry diet, and you can customize it any way you want it. Extra M&Ms for me, please!

Crackers and Chips

Delicious on their own or when paired with dips and toppings, these crispy crunchy morsels may be the most versatile foods on the trail and in a campground. My personal favorite for long backpacking trips is Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers because they store away well and are great for munching at any time of day.

Granola and Oatmeal

Granola and oatmeal are essentially the breakfast variants of trail mix. Again, you can mix and match flavors and ingredients to your heart’s content! Instant oatmeal is the oatmeal variety of choice for backpacking as you don’t need to actually cook it.

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Any nut butter, most commonly peanut butter , will likely be the most nutrient and calorie-rich food item in your backpack. It may be a heavy item to carry, but it’s worth its weight in nourishment. Great for crackers, oatmeal, or straight out of the jar, nut butter is a hiker’s best friend.

Jellies and Jams

These preserved sugary spreads satiate your sweet tooth and work in a variety of applications.

Instant Foods

We’ve already mentioned instant oatmeal, but I’m going to lump the majority of other instant foods under this banner. Instant noodles , instant potatoes , and instant rice are all excellent, lightweight food options that can be quite filling and tasty. Just add water and you’ve got yourself a meal!

The best part is that most of these instant foods don’t actually require hot water, so you can use cold water in a pinch if your stove breaks down or you prefer not to carry one.

Pre-packaged Backpacking Meals

View this post on Instagram Where will #youradventure take you over the weekend? Thanks for sharing yours, @seekbrrd ! A post shared by Backpacker's Pantry (@backpackerspantry) on Jun 14, 2019 at 3:54pm PDT

A necessity for many contemporary backpackers, pre-packaged backpacking meals like those from Mountain House or Food for the Sole grace the shelves of every outdoor retailer under the sun. Their meal varieties are quite impressive with options ranging from fettuccine alfredo to garlic green bean stir-fry.

Dehydrated Refried Beans and Chili

Check the “survival” section of your local Wal-Mart Supercenter for a large selection of dehydrated goodies. The dehydrated refried beans and chili are some of my favorites because they rehydrate as if they were freshly cooked and work well in a variety of meals, especially when combined with the next couple of items on this list.

Flour tortillas are popular among long-distance backpackers because they pack well and last a long time. Rehydrate some refried beans and slather them on a tortilla with sliced cheese and avocado for a sumptuous trailside burrito.

Bring some Taco Bell condiment packets along for your hike and you’re going to feel like a backcountry Michelin Chef. Tortillas also work well with a variety of sweet and savory items. What combination of foods can you turn into a trail taco? Or is it a sandwich? Or a crepe?

Cheese and Cheese Whiz

Loaded with preservatives, products like Cheese Whiz and Velveeta will remain edible long after your hike is done. They hang out on store shelves for who knows how long and are just fine to consume.

Real cheese is a little more questionable, but, for the most part, it serves as an excellent backpacking food. Just about any cheese can survive a night out on the trail, but harder, drier cheeses can last for days without issue.

Choose solid blocks over pre-sliced for added longevity.

It’s made by bees and is stored in their hives. Honey’s going to hold as well as any other food on this list. Have you ever tasted a peanut butter and honey tortilla? Give it a go and you can thank me later.

All the Bars

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Clif Bars , Epic Bars , Kind Bars , Odwalla Bars, Gatorade Bars , Luna Bars , Lara Bars — the list goes on and on. Buy them literally anywhere, or try and make some yourself!

Carnation Breakfast Shakes

Ok, this one is stretching backpacking food into backpacking drinks, but since it’s a good breakfast replacement I decided to include it on this list. Pour an Instant Breakfast Packet into your water bottle, swirl it around, and tada! You’ve got breakfast.

Jerky makes for a quick and tasty protein snack. Just be sure to bring along some floss, too!

Cured Meats

Salami and pepperoni are great meat options that aren’t quite as tough to chew as a thick strip of jerky. Another alternative is the chunky grocery store summer sausage .

A whole summer sausage can be quite heavy, so only the most ravenous carnivores should consider hefting one of those bad boys up a mountain trail.

Powdered Soup Broth

This may sound odd, but soup broth can make for a wonderful backpacking drink. On a cold night when you want to hang outside of your tent just a little longer to watch the stars, a hot cup of broth will enhance the experience and warm your insides.

Hard backpacking can also deplete your body’s electrolytes, and a salty cup of broth can help restore those reserves. There are plenty of camping cups to choose from, but I like the simple design of the Ziploc Twist N’ Loc  containers.

Related Read:   8 Excellent One-Pot Camping Meal Ideas

Lentils and Beans

Rehydrated or straight from a can, lentils and beans are quite filling and packed with protein. Hopefully you won’t be sharing a sleeping bag after a bean-filled dinner, but do what you’ve gotta do.

Olive oil is a calorie-rich food that will make your Ramen and Idahoan Potatoes taste just a little bit better. You don’t need much for a multi-day backpacking trip. I suggest filling an empty eye-dropper bottle or a travel-size liquid container so that you can add a few drops at a time to your favorite foods.

Part of a healthy breakfast! Well, part of a tasty breakfast, at least. Pop Tarts are perfect for a quick morning meal when you don’t want to fuss with cooking equipment.

Pre-packaged Tuna Fish and SPAM

The numerous flavors of pre-packaged tuna and Spam make for a variety of great lunch items. You can roll these meats into a tortilla or mix them into your noodles.

Sometimes you’ll just want to eat them straight out of their packaging, and for this, I suggest a long spoon like the Sea-to-Summit Alpha Light Spoon .

Everyone knows how great cookies are. Store-bought or homemade, they’re all tasty and amazing. I prefer the convenience of the resealable Snack-Saks when I go backpacking. If you’re looking for trail cookie recipes, Sierra has you covered.

Related Read:   19 of the Tastiest Hiking Snacks to Fuel Your Adventures

I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t like Pocky Biscuit Sticks . They’ve available in a variety of flavors, and are a great snack while you’re on the trail.

Sauce and Condiment Packets

You may be thinking, who needs ketchup on the trail? Well, chances are somebody in your group will ask for the Heinz when you set up camp the first night.

More likely, though, mayonnaise , mustard , salsa , soy sauce , sriracha , and hot sauce will be the preferred condiments. They’re an easy way to add a little zing to your meal.

That’s right, candy is a viable food option on the trail. Beware of chocolate, though. Anything that will easily melt is better left at home. You don’t want a sticky food bag.

Gas Station Pastries

Little Debbie and Hostess pastries may not be the healthiest backpacking food choices, but they’ll survive the heat of the sun and supply you with plenty of much-needed calories.

Related Read:   18 Delicious Vegan Camping Food & Drink Ideas

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Full nori sheets are another tortilla-like alternative for wrapping your food into easy-to-eat tube form. Smaller seaweed snack s are extremely lightweight. Not only is seaweed tasty, but it’s packed full of nutrients too!

Powdered Milk and Pudding

You either got excited or scowled at the thought of powdered milk and pudding . To each their own, I guess. Take care if you’re carrying multiple powders on one backpacking trip, though.

I once poured powdered milk into a bowl of rehydrated chili thinking it was instant potatoes. Boy, was I wrong — and yes, I ate it anyway.

Leftover Pizza

Probably the best backpacking food of all, leftover pizza is a luxury on the trail. You know you’ve left last night’s pizza on the counter and ate some the next day anyway. This is no different. Drop those last few slices in a Ziploc bag and take them for a hike! You’ll be happy you did.

Perfect Your Camp Kitchen

If refrigeration isn’t a major concern and you have some cooler room to spare, take a look at our list of 20 Easy Camping Breakfast Recipes for mouth-watering ideas of what you can make during your next camping trip.

20 Camping Breakfast Ideas for Easy Morning Meals

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Ultimate Guide to the Best Backpacking Stoves

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Posted by Arthur McMahon

Arthur loves to walk. It’s as simple as that. Whether it be in the mountains, on the beach, or along the city streets — he believes walking is the best way to experience the world. Thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail was his first backpacking foray, and he hasn’t stopped crushing miles since. Arthur and his wife now regularly travel into the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest seeking new trails to hike.

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50+ Non-Refrigerated Meals: Food Ideas For Camping

• Last updated on June 19, 2023

Have you ever been camping and lived off trail mix, cliff bars, and beef jerky? 

I sure have, and I can’t say my body thanked me for it. It’s easy to think that these are the only foods that are practical to bring along when you don’t have a camping fridge or want to carry an ice chest. 

We have done a deep dive to bring you some of the best non-refrigerated camping meals to help you stay energized and beat the processed-food comas that sometimes come along with camping.

So grab your grocery list and a pen and let’s dive in. 

Eating Well While Camping

Every balanced meal needs protein, fat, and carbs. Here are some healthy non-refrigerated options for each to bring on your next camping trip:

Protein 

There are tons of amazing protein sources that don’t need to be refrigerated. The top general places you can get protein are:

Canned Meats

Canned meats are known to have preservatives in them to help them stay flavorful, so it is recommended to keep these items to a minimum. We did list these items in order from most healthy to least healthy:

• Canned salmon
• Canned tuna
• Canned chicken
• Spam (which isn’t the healthiest but it’s actually quite versatile)
• Corned beef hash
• Cured meats like summer sausage and salami

Beans are such an underrated protein source. They are full of great nutrients like fiber, iron, b-vitamins, folate, potassium, and zinc—to name a few. 

Canned beans like black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, green beans, cannellini beans, etc are the easiest to bring along on a camping trip. 

Nuts and Grains

Some other great protein sources are nuts and grains. They’re so easy to pack away and are full of great nutrients. 

• Peanut butter and almond butter
• Brazil nuts
• Hemp hearts
• Whole wheat pasta
• Rolled oats

You can also keep fresh, unpasteurized eggs unrefrigerated for up to two weeks. Regular budget eggs from the grocery store have been processed to remove the bacteria that help keep them fresh without refrigeration. 

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the easiest source of calories while you’re camping. Our favorite non-refrigerated complex carbohydrate sources are things like: 

• Fruits 
• Fresh potatoes
• Legumes 

Fat is awesome for keeping you satiated between meals. It is the most calorie-dense macronutrient and does a wonderful job of staving off hunger and balancing your blood sugar. 

The quality of your fat sources will matter though since consuming poor fat sources can increase your heart rate and put you at risk for tons of different cardiovascular diseases .  

50+ Non-Refrigerated Camping Meals

Now for what you came here for—here are our favorite non-refrigerated meals that you can enjoy on your next camping trip:

Breakfast Ideas

Here are some of our favorite breakfast camping recipes to keep you fueled up for your adventures:

1. Oatmeal With Fresh Fruit

Oatmeal is such a great source of energy and has been proven to keep people satiated for hours between meals. It provides plenty of carbohydrates and fiber that stick around to give you a constant flow of energy in the morning. 

Pair it with some fresh fruit like strawberries or bananas to get tons of extra vitamins as well. 

2. Protein Pancakes

While yes, you could totally just have regular pancakes—I’ve found that protein pancakes do wonders to keep me from feeling sluggish. There are plenty of awesome protein pancake options on the market, or you could simply just add a scoop of protein powder to your batter. 

Our favorite brands are Birch Benders and Kodiak Cake because they taste awesome and provide a well balanced breakfast. 

Again, we recommend you pair it with some fresh fruit and a high-quality syrup to help balance out your meal and give even more nutrients.

3. Avocado Toast

As a full-time traveler, avocado toast has quickly become a staple breakfast. It is incredibly versatile and there are plenty of ways to make it that require no refrigeration. 

Our top tips are to start with high-quality bread like Dave’s Killer Bread or whatever is fresh at the bakery and load it full of whatever you have on hand like tomatoes, micro-greens, homemade hummus, chili flakes, hot sauce, fresh eggs, etc. 

It’s a crowd favorite, super cheap to make, and there are endless variations you can try. 

4. Breakfast Tacos

One of my favorite things about tacos is that you can eat your favorite meals, but add eggs, and it’s a breakfast food!

In all seriousness though, breakfast tacos are a delicious way to use up all of your miscellaneous vegetables you have lying around. J

ust sautee up whatever ingredients you have like potatoes, zucchini, carrots, green beans, black beans, etc. Then crack a couple of eggs (or add some powdered eggs), and add taco seasoning. 

I like to top my tacos with fresh guacamole, and my girlfriend adds an absurd amount of this Chinese spicy chili crisp sauce called Lao Gan Ma —but you can dress them up however you like.

5. Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a Tuisian breakfast food that is starting to gain popularity in Western brunch culture. It’s a tomato dish that is topped with fresh herbs and eggs. It is traditionally served with bread on the side to sop up the delicious sauce and eggs. 

This breakfast comes together in just a few minutes and is superb in a Dutch oven over the fire . 

I have to give credit where credit is due and point you to Food Wishes on Youtube for introducing me to the dish, but there are plenty of awesome authentic Shakshuka recipes out there.

6. Fresh Corned Beef Hash

I love Hormel’s canned corned beef hash as much as the next guy, but it is definitely not the healthiest dish. 

Fresh corned beef hash is absolutely delicious and super easy to make. I love the recipe by Chisel and Fork because it’s super simple and has just a few ingredients. All you need is:

• Russet potatoes
• Sweet onion, green bell pepper, garlic
• Corned beef (he uses fresh made corned beef, but you can grab a high-quality can of corned beef of it as well)
• Worcestershire sauce 
• Salt and black pepper

Be sure to go check out the full recipe on the Chisel and Fork blog . 

7. Omelettes

Omelets are one of those meals that is perfect for when you need to get rid of some veggies you have laying around, 

They’re so easy to make and come together so quickly. I like to add veggies like zucchini, left over meat, tomatoes, salsa, and guacamole.

8. Croissants with Honey 

Pastries are a fun grab-and-go item you can bring camping. If it’s summertime and you’re looking to hit the trails early before it gets too hot, a croissant with some honey is a perfect choice. 

9. Pastries From the Bakery

Just like the croissants mentioned above, be sure to check out the bakery at your grocery store to see what other pastries you can bring along with you on your camping trip.

They will keep for several days out of the refrigerator and they make a great quick breakfast and a fun snack. Look for danishes, muffins, sweet rolls, or even a donut if you have a sweet tooth.

10. French Toast

French toast is such a fun and easy breakfast that you can easily make for a crowd. Everyone seems to have their own secret ingredient they add to make the best French toast, my secret ingredient is a splash of orange juice in the egg batter. 

Orange juice gives it the perfect tangy brightness that compliments the heaviness of the dish so well. 

But comment down below what your favorite French toast secret ingredient is!

Lunch Ideas

Here are some satisfying lunch ideas to keep you fueled during the day:

1. Tuna Salad Sandwiches

There are so many great ways to make a killer tuna sandwich. It could be as simple as adding a can of tuna to some bread with mayo, or you could get creative by adding things like chopped celery, lettuce, cheese, dried cranberries, etc. 

2. Hummus and Veggie Plate

Okay hummus and chopped veggies are perishable and can’t be left out of the fridge for more than a couple of hours. 

However, fresh hummus is so easy to make, and chopping veggies only takes a few minutes. Check out this awesome hummus recipe by Love and Lemons for a quick and easy recipe, and pair it with whatever crackers, veggies, or breads you have on hand. 

3. Spam Musubi

I first heard of Spam Musubi just a couple of months after I returned from Hawaii. I was quite distraught that I never got to try the Hawaiian sushi-style delicacy while I was there, but luckily, making it at home is easy. 

It’s one of those delicious meals that come together quickly and is only perishable after it’s cooked!

There are plenty of great recipes online, but we love the Musubi recipe by Plays Well With Butter . 

Also, if you’re intimidated by the idea of rolling sushi—don’t fret! Musubi is the perfect introduction, and it’s actually much easier than you may think.

4. Pasta Salad

If you’ve ever picked up pasta salad from your local grocery store’s deli, you probably have experienced just how hit-or-miss this meal can be. 

Free yourself from the heartache of funky grocery store deli and questionable backyard potluck pasta salad and just make it yourself. There are plenty of different recipes with lots of different ingredients. 

We love the bruschetta-style pasta salad by A Pretty Little Life .

5. Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches

One time I got made fun of on a train in England for being an American eating a PB&J sandwich. 

Apparently, it’s a cliché, but who can resist the perfect blend of peanut butter, jam, and your favorite bread? It is a great non-perishable camping food option for camping trips, hiking trails, and even long European train rides. It’s a truly versatile treat.  

6. BLTA Sandwiches

Did you know that Hormel makes pre-cooked bacon that doesn’t require refrigeration until after the pack is open? 

This means you can make a great BLTA sandwich over your camp stove wherever you go. Just be wary about the lettuce. Leave that out if you can’t put it in a cooler. It’s the least exciting part of a BLTA anyway.

7. Canned Soup

This is definitely not the most glamorous meal on our list of camping food ideas, but there are tons of great canned soups on the shelves that are actually quite healthy. Throw a few in your food bag for a quick and easy meal. 

8. Salami Wraps

Summer sausage is an integral part of any cheese board or holiday party spread, but did you know it also can be used in plenty of great camping foods like wraps and sandwiches? 

Cut up some slices of summer sausage or salami and throw it in a tortilla with your favorite hard cheese and some mustard and mayo for an easy meal. 

9. Sloppy Joe

For a fun throwback recipe from your childhood, grab a can of Manwich and enjoy a Sloppy Joe. If you haven’t had one since your childhood, I can assure you that they actually are as tasty as you may remember them being.

10. Veggie & Rice Bowls

Veggie and rice bowls are a staple for us while living on the road. It’s the perfect meal to use up all of your vegetables that may be starting to get mushy and is great for preventing food waste. 

Just sauteé up whatever veggies you have on hand and put it over a bowl of rice with soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, or peanut sauce. 

Be sure to add whatever protein you have on hand like beans, chicken, bacon, or tofu.

Dinner Ideas

Finish the day off right with some incredible camping food roasted over the fire, in a cast iron Dutch oven , or on your camping stove.

1. Fire Baked Sweet Potatoes

If you’ve never put sweet potatoes wrapped in foil in the fire, then you’ve probably never experienced the greatness of the beautiful caramelization that can come out of sweet potatoes.  

There are plenty of awesome toppings you can put on them once they finish up, but I like to add hemp hearts, dried cranberries, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, etc. 

2. Spinach & Artichoke Pasta

There are plenty of awesome ways you can make pasta shine. I am personally a huge fan of spinach artichoke dip, but it’s not the healthiest when paired with tortilla chips. 

This spinach and artichoke pasta by Budget Bytes is both delicious and nutritious.

For the sake of this being a meal that doesn’t need refrigeration, we do recommend you replace the fresh spinach with canned spinach—unless you can sneak some fresh stuff into a cooler somewhere!

3. Homemade Chili

Chili is one of the easiest and most comforting foods on a cold day. We love this super simple 5 ingredient chili recipe by Gimme Some Oven , and it’ll rock your socks compared to canned chili. 

Ground beef is hard to bring along camping, but you can replace the meat with canned chicken or pork, or just omit the meat completely since there’s already plenty of protein in beans. 

4. White Bean Chili and Garlic Bread

If you’ve only tried traditional tomato-based chili—you’re missing out! White bean chili is so rich and creamy and is a perfect camping food. 

Check out this chicken white bean chili recipe by Cooking Classy . Just replace the fresh chicken with canned chicken, and substitute the heavy cream for powdered heavy cream !

5. Dutch Oven Pizza

As full-time travelers with limited space, we are determined to still indulge in pizza while on the road. We’ve had tons of success with pizza dough starter mixes like this one .

We can’t tell you what toppings are appropriate for your pizza preferences, but we’ll be the last ones to judge you for putting pineapple on your pie. 

For more pizza inspo, check out our guide to making 3 mouthwatering campfire pizzas .

6. Lentil Burgers & Fries

Lentils are a fantastic source of protein and fiber. They’re also easy to work with and make a mean plant-based burger. 

For a super simple 6-ingredient recipe, check out this burger recipe by Cooking For Peanuts . Just pair it with your favorite fresh french fry recipe and enjoy!

7. Tuna Mac

One secret to Mac n’ Cheese is that you can skip the milk and butter and it still tastes great! Just grab your favorite kind of Mac n’ Cheese and dump a can of tuna in it when you add your cheese packet!

8. Tempeh Tacos

Tempeh is a kind of fermented soybean that holds onto flavor well. Use it in place of ground beef in your favorite taco recipe! 

Though word of advice—since it is fermented it is safe to leave it at room temperature if it’s vacuum sealed, but it will continue to ferment and the flavor will get stronger. It is best to use it within a few days.

9. Burrito Bowls

Burrito bowls are a great way to jam-pack your meal with nutrients! There are so many great things you can add like canned pork, avocado, onion, tomato, rice, beans, etc. 

Check out Morsel’s burrito bowl recipe for an easy step-by-step guide.

10. Hot Dogs

Hot dogs are a classic camping food for so many reasons! They’re so easy to make, they hardly take up any space to store, and every

Snack Options

Here is a rapid-fire of all of our favorite snack options you can pack along on your next camping trip:

• Chips & fresh salsa
• Fruit platter
• Spring rolls
• Spicy tuna sushi rolls
• Fresh vegetables & homemade hummus
• Granola bars
• Fruit & nut butter
• Pizza pitas
• Summer sausage charcuterie
• Dried fruit and nuts

Dessert Ideas

Lastly, here are some of our favorite sweet treats to top off your night:

Photo Courtesy of Fresh off The Grid

• Dutch oven cobbler – Use any kind of canned fruit pie filling
• Classic s’mores
• Campfire ice cream cones
• Hot chocolate
• S’mores snack mix
• Dutch oven banana bread— this is our favorite recipe
• Campfire cinnamon twists —If you love churros you’ll love these!
• Grilled bananas 
• Campfire Apple Crisp Foil Packets
• Tin foil Monkey Bread

What Non-Refrigerated Fruits and Veggies Can You Bring Camping?

If you’reThe number one rule to keep in mind when bringing along fresh fruits and veggies, remember: is that once your produce is cut or peeled, it will need to be refrigerated. 

That said, here are some fresh veggies and fruits that you can just toss in a bag and bring camping along are:

• Dragonfruit
• Squash (zucchini, butternut, spaghetti, acorn, etc)
• Green beans

Other veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, leafy greens, celery, and asparagus should be refrigerated or they’ll spoil in a day or two. 

What Condiments are Non-Perishable?

One of the most important parts of a meal is making sure it tastes great, and condiments are an excellent way to do that!

But Condiments can be tricky when camping since common items like mayonnaise and barbecue sauce need to be refrigerated. 

To avoid that, try finding a nice stockpile of the single-serve packets like they have at fast food places—, this is they’re the best way to bring along otherwise perishable condiments. 

Beyond single-serve packets, there are a few regular household condiments that don’t need to be kept cold (mostly vinegar-based condiments). But here’s a list of non-perishable condiments to enhance your camping meals:

• Hot sauces like Franks, Sriracha, Cholula, etc. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some commonly asked questions you may have about non-refrigerated camping meals:

What meats don’t need refrigeration?

The best rule of thumb to follow is to look for meats in the grocery store that are outside of the fridge section. This will include canned meat and cured meats. 

Are dehydrated meals healthy?

While there are tons of decent dehydrated meals you can bring camping, the biggest concern most dietitians have with dehydrated meals and MREs is their excessive sodium content. They are great in moderation, but can easily be overdone. 

How to properly store camping food

It is always a good idea to store your food, waste, and smelly camp items properly. Bears are obviously something you need to look out for in some regions, but you should also store them properly so marmots, bugs, deer, and other wildlife stay away. 

REI has a great article on how to properly store your camp food . 

Final Thoughts

Meal planning for your camping trip can be exciting, but it can be tough when you can’t bring along normal perishable camping foods. 

If you do plan on upping your camping kitchen setup to include a fridge, we have a guide to some other amazing camping meal ideas as well. 

We hope you’ve found plenty of camping snacks and meal inspiration for your next camping trip.

Bill Widmer

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54 Camping Food Ideas That Require No Refrigeration

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Most people automatically think about packing the cooler when they start planning their camping trip and camping meals. Just think if you didn’t have to worry about lugging huge coolers or cramming one more item in your RV fridge? My solution – choose more camping foods that require no refrigeration! Read on for tons of camping food ideas that won’t need a refrigerator or cooler.

Table of Contents

Okay, before you think I’m crazy, I am not saying that you should NOT take a cooler or any perishable camping food. I just know what a pain it is to take more than one cooler and keep if full of ice (or buy an expensive cooler to keep it from melting), Even if you have the luxury of a refrigerator in your camper, it can be hard to find enough room in it if you are camping for a long time and/or have a big family.

Taking these camping food items that don’t need to be refrigerated or kept cool will make your camping trip easier and easier means more fun! Some of these suggestions will be no brainers, but hopefully you’ll find some ideas for your camping meals.

I wasn’t sure if it would be easier for you if I listed foods by meals or by categories/type. Since many foods can be ate at different meals, I decided to try to list the foods together by type as best as I could. Plus I’ve added some camping meals ideas in my list!

This post contains affiliate links. You can read the full disclosure here.

Camping Foods That Don’t Need To Be Refrigerated

Tip : Want to do some grocery shopping at home for your camping trip? Some of these pictures and words are links to the items on Amazon. Start clicking and get your camping food delivered to your door!

1. Fresh fruit is an excellent and healthy choice for camping food and snacks. Apples, oranges, watermelons, pineapple, and cantaloupes all keep out of the refrigerator. I prefer fruit cold but many people don’t. One of our favorite local campgrounds is near a farmers’ market, and we love to get a watermelon or cantaloupe to have with our camping meals. It’s kinda one of those camping food traditions for us.

2. Canned fruit and fruit cups are another option. Canned fruit is quick and easy as there is no cutting or prep involved. Just open and eat! Canned fruit is also a good choice for making camping desserts like cobblers.

3. Dried and dehydrated fruit is almost like candy! It is healthy, lightweight and takes up hardly any room.

4 . Fresh veggies are a great addition to your camping meals. They make a perfect side to your meat or main dish or have a veggie plate and go meatless for a meal. Potatoes , corn on the grill, veggies on kabobs, added to dutch oven stews and roasts, or in foil packs over hot coals all sound delicious! Raw carrots are a great, crunchy snack or side with lunch.

5. Canned vegetables like green beans , peas , carrots , potatoes , and corn are super easy to prepare and add to camping meals. Mix several different veggies  – corn, diced potatoes, carrots, green beans, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce for soup in the dutch oven.

6. Dehydrated potatoes and hashbrowns make a great side dish with your camping meals. I usually take a pack of instant potatoes with us.

7. Canned chicken can be used on sandwiches, wraps, or in soups and casseroles in the dutch oven.

8. Canned tuna or tuna packs are another easy camping food idea. We love the tuna packs for lunch. The ones that are already seasoned and flavored are an added bonus.

9 . Don’t forget canned salmon for salmon patties.

Speaking of fish… If you are camping where you can go fishing, you can have fresh fish. But don’t count on it just in case you don’t catch anything!

10 . Is SPAM really a meat or something else???? My son and husband like SPAM, especially if it is fried. Me… not so much!

11. Cured ham is a delicious dinner or is great  at breakfast.

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12. Summer sausage can be a main entree with some veggies or have it as a snack. You could slice it and saute it with some fresh peppers and onions for an easy skillet camping meal.

13 . Most people consider jerky a snack, but I eat it as a meat for my meal too. Have you tried bacon jerky? It is good and would be tasty at breakfast with some fruit.

14 . A loaf of sandwich bread is a staple for most people. Make sandwiches, toast, or eat a slice with your meal.

15. Muffins , either homemade or store bought, are great snacks or breakfast items.

16. Bagels are great by themselves or with fruit.

17. Rolls can be eaten with canned meat or as an addition to your meal.

18. Cornbread can be made at home and brought to the campground. It is great with soup, chili, beans or really any meal.

19. Tortillas make great wraps for the canned chicken. Add raw veggies or sauteed peppers and onions.

20. Pita bread , stuffed with chicken or tuna, is good and requires no cooking.

21. Canned soup and stews – I love soup, especially on those camping trips when the weather is cold.. There are tons of varieties of soup . These are my husband’s favorites! All you have to do is heat it over the fire or on your camping stove.

22. Canned Chili – I prefer homemade chili, but canned chili tastes pretty good after a long day of adventure. Add some fresh jalapenos and you’ll warm up on your cold weather camping trip.

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23. Canned Pasta – Chef Boyardee may not be the best chef around, but canned pasta and spaghetti are popular with the kiddos.

24. Dry Pasta makes an easy camping meal of meatless spaghetti – just add a jar or can of spaghetti sauce after cooking and draining the noodles. You could add fresh chopped onions, peppers, and mushrooms.

25. Spaghetti sauce is needed for that meatless spaghetti.

26. Rice is a great filler to meals and casseroles. You can use dry rice or minute rice, just factor in prep time accordingly.

27 . You can also buy flavored rice in pouches that are easier to prepare. Combine a red beans and rice with summer sausage for a camping meal that you didn’t have to refrigerate.

28. Dry beans are cheap and easy. They will need to be soaked and have to cook longer, which is no problem in a dutch oven.

Need a dutch oven for your camping trip? Check out this post – The Best Dutch Ovens for Camping.

29. Canned beans are even easier. Baked beans, chili beans, pinto beans…..

30. Mac and Cheese is a family favorite. Get the kind with the cheese pouches so all you have to do is boil and drain your noodles, add the cheese, and eat. Easy peasey!

31. Crackers – saltines, buttery rounds like Ritz, wheat crackers. cheese and peanut butter crackers in packs – pick your favorite. Dip them in your soup or chili, crumble them on top of canned chicken and rice casseroles, or eat them plain.

32. Peanut butter and nut butters make good sandwiches or spread it on crackers.

Individual packs of nut butters are really convenient.

33. Cereal is an easy breakfast. Healthy or sugary – the choice is yours. If you are camping as a family just take a full size box. Individual boxes stay fresh and don’t take up as much room if you are camping by yourself or as a couple. Do you think the individual boxes are expensive? Just fill up a zipper baggie or reuseable container with a serving of cereal at home.

34. Canned milk can be used in your cereal, but some may not think it tastes very good. It you also be used in recipes that call for milk.

35. Powered milk may be a better option for your family. Just add water. I think it tastes fine, just more like skim milk rather than whole milk.

36. Oatmeal is a tried and true camping favorite for a warm breakfast. Most are easy to prepare with just hot water. Add fresh or dried fruit for more flavor.

37. Pancake mix is available in varieties that only require water. Cook them in your skillet over hot coals, on a camping stove, or on a grill like this favorite. Add fruit or bacon jerky for a delicious breakfast.

38 . Don’t forget the syrup for your pancakes. You can also add a little syrup to your baked beans to sweeten them up.

39. Biscuit mix is also available in varieties that only require water. Mix them and “bake” them in your dutch oven.

40. Honey is great on toast ,sandwiches, or biscuits. Local honey is our favorite. Our grandsons are picky about honey – they won’t eat certain ones and prefer one particular local honey best.

41. Jelly , like honey, is  perfect on toast, sandwiches, or in some biscuits made in the dutch oven.

42. Chips scan be served with sandwiches or as a snack. Chips are my weakness!

43. Salsa and tortilla chips disappear with my gang around. The hotter, the better for me. Use salsa with canned chicken in tortilla wraps  too.

44. Processed cheese like Cheez Whiz for nachos. Garnish them with fresh peppers, onions, and tomatoes.

45. Nuts are another crunchy favorite. At least they are healthier than chips!  I always stash some in my day pack when hiking too.

46. Popcorn is  one of my grandson’s favorite snacks. Grab several of these to take. It is fun to watch the top grow as your popcorn pops. You gotta check this out too!

47. Marshmallows toasted over the fire is a camping tradition. Do you like yours lightly toasted or black?

48. Graham crackers are a great snack and a necessary ingredient for traditional s’mores.

49 . Speaking of s’mores….you’ve got to have chocolate ! You may want to eat it the first day so it doesn’t melt.

50. Cookies are an easy sweet treat. They are food…junk food!

51. Granola bars and energy bars can be a good snack. Some are nutritious enough for a quick meal.

52. Pop Tarts are another kid favorite. I can’t believe how many flavors you can buy now!

53. Condiment packs are handy and don’t have to be refrigerated. (Umm, I wonder why they don’t) I save extra from restaurants to take camping. You can also buy them.

54. Dehydrated backpacking meals are super easy to prepare and taste pretty good. I do think it could be expensive buying them to feed a family when other, cheaper options exist.

Make Your Own Non Refrigerated Camping Food

Have you considered dehydrating your own food? You can make jerky and dried fruit at a fraction of the cost of store bought . You can even dehydrate meat like lean ground beef to take camping. You don’t have to get an expensive dehydrator. Mine is an old Mr. Coffee dehydrator and works fine. Check out this super affordable one.

Healthy Camping Food That Doesn’t Need to Be Refrigerated

If this list of non refrigerated camping foods is making you cringe with the addition of processed, packaged foods, don’t forget I included some healthier options. Opt for fruits and veggies, canned meat, homemade muffins, tortilla wraps, nuts etc. to create your camping meals and snacks.

Let me know some of your best ideas for creating camping meals with foods you don’t have to refrigerate. Have you ever camped and took only non refrigerated foods? It is possible – backpackers do it all the time!

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Related Camping Food Posts: 10 Delicious Dutch Oven Dinner Recipes for Camping 

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10 thoughts on “54 Camping Food Ideas That Require No Refrigeration”

I love the food ideas. My absolute favorite is Graham Crackers, don’t forget those amazing energy drinks that taste weirdly good when hot.

I think this is so cool! I break out this list every time I go winter camping, because I don’t like to use a propane stove (usually just my backpacking stove). This has been super helpful, I haven’t staved yet! 🙂

Canned pork or beef with bbq sauce. You can also add to tortillas chips and cheese. We also take can sliced potatoes fry up alot faster than raw. Gravy packets that just add water. Canned sausage gravy. Family Dollar has taco canned meat with some veggies in it we have found many ways to use it. We have found good powdered eggs and pre cooked bacon.

These are some great camping food ideas!

Love your post, very helpful for a new camper. Thanks!

I’m glad you found it helpful!

Thanks for the list! My husband and I are taking a camper van around Iceland for our honeymoon and food is crazy expensive, so these are awesome meal ideas!

What a wonderful honeymoon! Congratulations! I’m glad you like the list and meal ideas.

This is an awesome article with great ideas!! I am certainly going to be following your ideas❤️

An excellent and epic list of ideas!

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100 Lazy camping food ideas: no fridge required!

What are the first items you grab when you start packing and planning for a camping trip? I bet a cooler is in the top five? What if I told you to leave that cooler at home and enjoy a trip that doesn’t require refrigeration?

There’s nothing more relaxing than a no-frills camping trip , right? When I go camping, I want it to be as easy as possible . Whether you’re camping in an RV or a tent, a lot already goes into the trip. Why not make the food planning easier? Let’s check out these lazy camping food ideas – no refrigeration required!

Keep reading for a huge list of what food to take camping without a fridge !

What are our favourite lazy camping foods?

The ultimate lazy camping foods are those that require no cooking and no refrigeration. A few favourites of ours are:

• Canned fruit topped with granola, nuts, and dried fruit
• Variations of nut butters (like peanut butter), banana, and honey sandwiches or wraps

But I also tend to consider foods with minimal cooking and no refrigeration to also be lazy camping food and here are a few more favourites:

• Instant oatmeal (with added fruit, nuts, and seeds)
• Canned and packaged soups and pastas that can be cooked quickly on a stove or campfire

If you happen to have some refrigeration or an ability to use a cooler and are looking for other no cook meals for camping, here’s a great list to read through!

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Breakfast camping food ideas: No fridge!

Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. But who wants to have to get up and get a campfire or even the camp stove going in order to feed everyone? Go ahead, be lazy and sleep in, because many of these foods are easy to make, easy to eat, and even kids can handle them!

Pre-baked, boxed, and bready breakfast things:

• Muffins – can either be made ahead or store bought.
• Banana Bread – also either made ahead or store bought, banana bread is always a hit and can go a long way! ( This is our favourite banana bread recipe! )
• Bread – whether you use it for toast, sandwiches, or pudgie pies, bread is always handy to have while camping.
• Cinnamon Raisin Bread – comes in a loaf at the grocery store, and you can even find whole wheat varieties – super yummy!
• Bagels – top with jelly or honey and bagels are filling and tasty.
• Rolls – also great with a toppings like jelly or honey, rolls are also delicious with Nutella!
• Doughnuts – these may need to be eaten within the first few days, but who says no to a slightly stale doughnut? Doughnuts can also double as dessert, if need-be. My kids love this no-cook camping food option.
• Pop Tarts – a simple breakfast treat that is fun for camping, pop tarts don’t have to be toasted or heated to be tasty! …but warming them up really does make them that much better!
• Granola Bars – useful for hiking, snacks, and breakfast! You can’t go wrong throwing in some energy bars or granola bars.
• Power Balls – these are super easy to make and usually packed with calories that will fill up tummies and get you ready for a long day of adventure

Protein breakfast food without a cooler:

• Jerky – Who says jerky isn’t just a snack? Grab a bit with your bagel for some added protein to get you through to lunch
• Precooked Bacon – Save the mess of cooking bacon at the campsite and instead bring it along pre-cooked. You can head it up if you like (it’s great crumbled into scrambled eggs!) or add it to your morning toast with tomato.
• Eggs – if you’re lucky enough to have connections for farm-fresh eggs, chat with them and they’ll tell you all about storing eggs without refrigeration. Or, grab some powdered eggs for a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs! These can be surprisingly tasty!
• Instant Potatoes – these are sooo good! We get those little milk carton shaped package of potato hashbrowns from Costco. They fry up so yummy!

• 46 Servings
• 5,520 Calories
• Perfect for Food Storage, Emergencies, Survival, Camping, and Everyday Use!
• Certified Gluten Free
• Up to a 10 Year Shelf Life!

How to enjoy Cereal and Milk without refrigeration?

Most kids don’t mind eating cereal dry, especially if it’s a sweet cereal! My preferred choices, because they have a bit more fiber than a standard kid cereal, are Honey Shreddies and Mini Wheats. But, if you (or your kids) don’t like plain cereal, consider using canned milk or powdered milk. Since you won’t be drinking it plain, these options are usually satisfactory substitutes.

Tip: You can thin canned milk with water if needed. I’ve also found small juice box size boxes of soy and almond milk which can also be poured over cereal and don’t need refrigeration before opening. But, the small size means they’ll use it all in one use.

Fun Mom Tip: Use chocolate milk on top of cereal! It is sometimes easier to find shelf-stable chocolate milk in the juice box sized than regular milk or alternative milks.

• REAL, ORGANIC MILK ON-THE-GO: Single-serve chocolate milk boxes are great for lunchboxes and on-the-go snacking
• SHELF STABLE: Ultra-pasteurized (UHT) milk for easy, non-refrigerated storage
• ORGANIC GOODNESS: Certified USDA Organic milk from happy cows raised by our trusted farmer partners
• NON-GMO MILK from cows that are given no antibiotics, persistent pesticides, or added hormones*
• PROVIDES MANY NUTRIENTS including calcium, vitamin A, and 8g of protein in every milk box

Some non refrigerated breakfast meal ideas:

Toasted bacon and tomato sandwiches: Precook the bacon at home, you can even slice up the tomato if you like… make some toast over the fire. And, if you search around I bet you can even find some small individual serving packs of mayo to bring along. If not, just use butter. Yum!

Scrambled eggs with add-ins: Find yourself some powdered eggs. I prefer to scramble these.

Yummy no-cooler necessary add-ins for your scrambled eggs:

• dried herbs like basil, parsley, or dill
• crumbled jerky or pre-cooked bacon
• chopped tomato and red peppers
• cubed cured salami or ham
• even some torn up corn tortillas would be great too!

Fresh Fruit and Granola: Open up a can of peaches and dump on some of your favourite granola. I prefer to make my own granola so I can pack it full of dried nuts, seeds, raisins, and leave out the sugar and excess oils.

Oatmeal: You have a variety of oatmeal options for camping. You could slow cook some regular oatmeal over the fire or boil yourself some water and make up some instant oatmeal. Again, I like to make my own camping instant oatmeal so I can add more nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

Apple Campfire Pies: We love these on a cold slow camping morning! Our favourite breakfast combo is apple pie filling with cinnamon raisin bread in the pie iron. Here’s the recipe for ours here!

Pancakes: Bring along powdered pancake mix and add in the water and oil at the campground. If you plan ahead you could even bring along some berries or mash a few bananas into the mix before cooking.

Fruit: Easy, no refrigeration or cooler needed

Fruit is great to have on hand when camping. Fruit can be added to any meal, have fruit for dessert, and fruit is perfect for snacks throughout the day too!

• Fresh Fruit – some great non-refrigerated options include apples, bananas, grapes, watermelon, oranges, pineapple, or cantaloupe.
• Fresh Vegetables too – bell peppers, cucumbers, and carrots may all last for a few days without refrigeration as well.
• Canned Fruit – available in all sorts of variety, canned fruit is always a no-cooler camping food winner!
• Fruit Cups – much like canned fruit, these are already packaged into easy to open smaller servings
• Dried or Dehydrated Fruit – useful for hiking snacks as well as meals. Dried or dehydrated fruit is perfect for camping since it can endure almost any weather. Think dried mango, apricot, dates, and raisins.
• Applesauce – if you grab pouches, applesauce is great for on-the-go, but you can also do individual cups that won’t require refrigeration, either.

Camping tip: Go ahead and wash all your fresh fruit prior to packing. And, if you can, cut up your melons for easy eating at the campground.

Lazy camping foods:

When we’re camping we’ll often just mix and match from this list below… the meals aren’t as formal, so we’ll often put out a variety of foods and we’ll all just pick our favourites until we’re full. Many of these ideas are also great to take on a trail or for a picnic during your camping trip. 

• Fruit (fresh, canned, dried, or dehydrated, or applesauce cups) – fruit is great for any and every meal or snack, so be sure to pack a lot of it! This is one of my favorite no cook camping meals.
• Carrots – grab a bag of the full-sized carrots and peel them ahead of time for a healthy addition to lunch or dinner. Or, grab a bag of baby carrots, ready to eat!
• Sweet Peas – same idea as the carrots, you can often find bags of washed and ready peas, perfect for bringing camping
• Meats for sandwiches or to serve with crackers – canned tuna or tuna packs, can of chicken, cured meats such as ham, pepperoni, or salami, summer sausage, bacon jerky, and precooked bacon will all be fine without refrigeration.
• Loaf of Bread – breads can be a good filler for kids, but bread is perfect for all sorts of sandwiches or pudgy pies (campfire pie iron treats).
• Pita Bread – an option that can mix it up if you’re eating sandwiches every day.
• Crackers – crackers pair well with any of the meats you may decide to bring. But they’re also great with peanut butter or cheese, or just plain by the handful!
• Hard Cheeses – depending on how long you’ll have these out of the refrigerator, some hard cheeses are good for a few days at general room temperature
• Processed Cheese – don’t forget Cheese Wiz or Velveeta for a nostalgic cheese alternative!
• Chips – whether you bring flavored potato chips or tortilla chips, this is always a good choice for camping.
• Salsa, Queso, and Bean Dip – grab the tortilla chips and you’re set with a great addition to lunch or dinner or even a snack.
• Peanut Butter, Jelly, Honey, and Nutella – for making a variety of sandwiches, no refrigeration required!
• Pretzels – they come in all shapes and sizes, but also keep long-term, which is great for camping.
• Nuts, Seeds, Dried Fruit – all that trail mix type stuff!

No cook camping lunch ideas, that don’t need to be refrigerated:

Muffins with a side of peanut butter apple slices: Bake your family’s favourite hearty muffins before camping, then at the campsite serve these with apple sliced covered in peanut butter. You can even sprinkle a bit of granola onto that peanut butter for some variety and crunch.

Peanut Butter & Banana wraps: These are one of our favourite. Take a large flour wrap and place a whole peeled banana across the middle. Now, spread peanut butter on the wrap, drizzle some honey if you’d like. You can even sprinkle some granola or seed mix (chia, hemp, flax seeds) onto the wrap. When you’re done, roll it up carefully and slice into bite sized rounds. Alternatively, you can make a regular sandwich with banana slices and bread, still yummy!

Camping Charcuterie: This is the camping self-serve smorgasbord… whatever your family likes! Think crackers, hummus, chopped veggies, cured meats, open a can of olives and a jar of pickles, add some grapes or orange slices… and some dried fruit too?

Canned or Boxed Soup: Take a few minutes to peruse the soup aisle and see what you can find! One of our family’s favourite is Lipton Chicken Noodle (in the box) with way too many saltine crackers crumbled up into the soup! There are lots of great cup-a-soups ( just add boiling water ) available too.

Sandwiches that don’t need refrigeration:

First, take a look at the canned meat aisle at the grocery store, and here are some ideas to get you thinking:

• Tuna salad (add-ins: green onion, apple, celery)
• Canned ham and honey mustard
• Canned chicken (great with bbq sauce on the bread)
• Canned turkey (try a bit of cranberry jam for added sweetness)
• Peanut butter and honey, jam, or banana
• Cucumber and tomato (could add hummus, cheese, sprouts)
• Cheese and tomato
• Salami and aged cheese

Mayo Tip: Try finding some small individual serving mayonnaise packages if you like that on your sandwiches but don’t have refrigeration.

Non-refrigerated dinner meals ideas for camping

Cooking while camping is usually a bit of a hassle, especially when you have to time the use of your refrigerated perishables so nothing turns rancid (Tip: in this case, you should be using meal plans!). But, what if you use non-refrigerated options so you don’t have to worry about spoiled food or maintaining the ice in your cooler?

What can you cook without a fridge?

If you have some time, hang out in the boxed and can aisles in the grocery store… sometimes I’m amazed at the great ideas I come up with there. But, if you don’t have time for that, here are some simple meal ideas that are sure to take the stress off of your meal planning:

Salami and hard cheese on bagels with a side of fresh fruit and veggies:

Purchase some high quality cured salami and aged cheese. Bring along a small jar of mustard to add, and these are so good! Serve these with carrot and apple slices for a full meal.

Macaroni and Cheese (with broccoli):

Make up a few boxes of KD Mac and Cheese. Yes, the instructions tell you to add milk, but it’s just fine with butter/margarine and skip the milk. Bulk up the KD and cook some broccoli with the pasta. Or, chop up some sausage and throw that in too!

Pasta with Sauce and Garlic Bread:

This is so easy and can be very satisfying at the campground. Use your favourite pasta and canned pasta sauce. Add some veggies to the cooking pasta or a can of green beans as a side. If you bring a loaf of bread and put some butter in a sealable container, you can add some butter and garlic powder to the bread and toast it on a griddle or over the fire for some simple garlic bread!

Instant Noodles (Ramen):

I think my kids could eat this for every meal! It’s so simple to make when camping. Just boil some water, add in your noodles and wait a bit. If you’d like to take your ramen up a notch you could bring along green onions to chop in, a few mushrooms, even some crumbled bacon or beef jerky. This makes a delicious meal!

Salmon Patties and Corn:

Using canned salmon, you can make salmon patties fairly easily. Pair them with some flavored rice (cooked and packaged in a pouch) and maybe some corn on the cob (or canned veggies) and you have a tasty meal.

Breakfast for Dinner:

I don’t ever want to bother making a big breakfast, but I love the traditional breakfast foods. So, we often eat it for dinner. I’ll scramble up some eggs (use powdered if you don’t have a cooler) and add in some chopped tomato and pepper; a bit of dried basil, salt, and pepper; some cubed cured sausage or crumbled pre-cooked bacon. Serve this with corn tortillas or toast.

You could even make yourself a side of dehydrated hashbrowns (look for these in small milk carton containers at your big box grocery store or Costco). Yum!

Canned Stew / Soup / Chili and biscuits:

There are so many varieties of canned good these days. Pair this with buns or premade corn bread for a hearty hot meal. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, bring some biscuit mix and make some up with your dutch oven over the campfire!

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes:

Grab a can of sloppy joe mix from the grocery store and a can of kidney beans or lentils. Then, at the campground, mash the beans and sauce together, and scoop it over your favourite buns. I promise that it’ll be super messy, but should be super yummy!

Dehydrated Camping Meals:

Spend a few minutes looking through all the varieties, you’ll be amazed! You can get vegetarian lasagna and beef stroganoff, curries and cobblers! While dehydrated camping meals are usually a bit on the pricey side, they are also usually very tasty and super easy to cook up!

Sweets and Desserts without a fridge

My family just loves sweets! It’s really not hard to find something they’ll enjoy when we don’t have refrigeration. But, if you’re looking for some junk food ideas, here they are:

• Marshmallows, Graham Crackers, and Chocolate – whether you use them in s’mores or eat them without cooking, each of these items are a yummy and a simple sweet classic option for camping.
• Fruit Snacks – you can buy them in bulk or purchase individual packs which can be very handy.
• Doughnuts – don’t these work in just about every category? Doughnut holes are especially handy for small treats that go a long way.
• Cookies – if you bring chocolate chip cookies, just be sure to keep them out of the sun. Otherwise just about any type of cookie is perfect for camping.
• Brownies – again, be sure to keep them out of the sun!
• Cake – you may have to eat this within the first day or two, but even slightly stale cake tastes amazing when you’re camping.
• Jello and Pudding Cups – so many flavours to choose from!

What’s the perfect non-refrigerated camping dessert?

Campfire pies! Easy, yummy, and so much variety. The simplest way to use these is this:

• Grab your bread and butter one side
• Put the buttered side against the pie iron (prevents the bread from sticking and ensures greasy hands when done eating!)
• Scoop on some canned pie filling (apple, cherry, blueberry) or try nutella and mini marshmallows!
• Close up the pie iron and cook over the fire
• And voila, dessert is served!

Here is a whole list of all sorts of pie iron recipes.

Other Non-Refrigerated Items to Bring Camping

Here are some other items you may want to throw into your camping bins and just always have on hand. Remember, if anything comes in a paper package, put those into a water-tight container or you may have a mess on your hand if anything gets wet!

• Instant coffee and tea bags
• Hot chocolate mix
• Iced tea or drink crystals
• Salt, pepper, sugar, ketchup, mustard, vinegar packets (you know all those extra ones you get from take outs)
• A small bottle of cooking oil

Still looking for more tips, recipes and ideas for lazy, no-refrigeration required camping food idea?

Keep Reading: Canned Foods for Camping

I hope you like these lazy camping food ideas and got some ideas of what foods to take camping without a fridge. If you have other great food ideas that don’t need to be in cooler or fridge, please share in the comments below!

Camping Food Posts you’ll want to read next:

• Make sure your camp kitchen has everything it needs, and how to organize it too!
• All the camping breakfast ideas
• Dutch oven camping recipes, and an FAQ

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99 Camping Food Ideas That Need No Refrigeration & Recipes To Try In Your RV

If you’re looking for some camping food ideas that don’t require refrigeration, you’ve come to the right place!

While it may seem like a challenge to find snacks and meals that don’t need to be kept cool, quite a few options are actually available.

With a little bit of creativity, you can quickly put together a camp menu that everyone will enjoy.

One option is to focus on foods that you can cook quickly. Many pre-cooked options are available at most grocery stores, or you can opt for something that only requires heating in hot water.

These quick-cook meals are perfect for camping, as they can be prepared with minimal effort and cleanup.

Another option is to pack small portions of food you can easily finish in one sitting. This way, you don’t have to worry about storing leftovers without a fridge or cooler.

Camping without a cooler can be challenging, but it’s doable with a little bit of planning.

By following these tips, you’ll be able to enjoy your camping trip without worrying about food spoilage.

This post will give you loads of ideas for camping meals that require no refrigeration or cooking and more than a dozen recipes you can make with these simple ingredients.

Benefits of Having No Refrigerator In Your RV Camper

Having no refrigerator in your RV camper may sound like a bad idea, but there are quite a few benefits to ditching the fridge.

For one, it saves on space and weight, which is always important in a small camper. We’re always looking for space-saving ideas, and getting rid of the fridge is a great way to eke out extra storage space.

It also eliminates the need for ice, which can be tricky to keep stocked in a cooler.

And perhaps most importantly, it helps you save on energy costs. A fridge uses a lot of power to keep things cold, so not having one can help you reduce your overall energy consumption.

That’s a massive bonus, especially when boondocking and relying on solar panels or generators to supply all your electricity.

Of course, there are some downsides to ditching the fridge, like the fact that you won’t be able to store perishable food for as long.

But if you’re willing to make some adjustments, going without a refrigerator can be a great way to simplify your camping experience.

Tips On Storing Food Without A Refrigerator In Your Camper

Pack food that doesn’t need refrigeration.

One of the best things about not having a refrigerator in your camper is opening up a world of food options that don’t require refrigeration.

This is a huge bonus, especially when camping in hot weather conditions where keeping things cold can be a challenge.

Think about long-life products like canned meats and vegetables. Storing flour is easy, so replace your pre-packed sliced bread with a homemade loaf.

Alternatively, pita bread and tortillas last much longer than bread.

Store food in airtight containers

Storing food in airtight containers is one of the most important things you can do when camping without a refrigerator. Not only does it help keep your food fresh for longer, but it also helps prevent bacteria from spoiling your food.

Freeze food when possible

Freezing food before you start your RV trip is another great way to keep it fresh for longer without the need for a fridge.

Of course, this doesn’t work for all foods, but it’s ideal for meat you may want to cook the following day.

Use ice packs and a cool box to keep food cold

Although not quite the same as a cooler or refrigerator, a cool box can keep food fresh for a little longer.

Using ice packs in your cool box will help keep your perishables cooler and fresher.

If you already have frozen meats or other food, keep them in the cool box too to help stop them from thawing so fast.

They act as ice blocks, too, so they will help keep other produce cool.

Plan ahead and cook meals that don’t require refrigeration

When planning your meals for a camping trip, it’s important to think about dishes that don’t require refrigeration.

It will save you from running to the grocery store every time you want to cook dinner.

Don’t miss our meal and recipe ideas at the end of this article for some inspiration.

Food Ideas To Take Camping That Need No Refrigeration

Perishable camping food that needs no refrigeration, fresh fruits.

When it comes to camping or other outdoor adventures, nothing can beat the convenience and versatility of fresh fruit.

Unlike pre-packaged snacks, fruits don’t require refrigeration, meaning that they are always ready to go when you are.

Some fruits don’t keep well with refrigeration, though. So steer clear of berries unless you plan to use them the same day.  

Excellent options include bananas, apples, oranges, and pineapple.

Store your camping fruit fresh for as long as possible in a cool place, out of any direct sunlight.

Fresh Vegetables

There are many different types of fresh veggies that need no refrigeration, perfect for camping trips or other outdoor adventures where access to a refrigerator may be limited. 

Some of the best options include hardy root vegetables like potatoes and carrots. Onions, pre-packed or uncooked beetroot, and mushrooms also keep well. Keep them in a cool and dark location to extend their shelf life significantly.

• Green Beans

Cooked & Raw Meat 

Raw meat doesn’t keep well without refrigeration. Period. If you want to pack meat, we recommend using a cool box.

Failing that, you could buy meat on the day and cook it as soon as possible.

Cooked meat will last longer than raw meat, especially when stored in a cool place, and it is an easy option to take on a camping trip.

Anyone who’s gone camping knows that one of the challenges is keeping food fresh without a cooler. One particularly tricky food group is dairy.

Milk, yogurt, and cheese all need to be kept cold, or they’ll spoil quickly.

However, some types of dairy products don’t need to be refrigerated. For example, hard cheeses like cheddar and Parmesan can last for weeks at room temperature.

Similarly, butter can also be stored without a cooler, although it may soften in warmer weather. And powdered milk is ideal as a creamer.

If you’re looking for a non-dairy alternative, consider using plant-based milk such as soy or almond milk. These can be stored at room temperature without spoiling.

• Almond Milk
• Hard Cheddar

Many people store eggs in a refrigerator, but it’s not essential. You can keep eggs at room temperature and without a cooler, and they’ll remain fresh and edible. 

• Powdered Eggs

Non-Perishable Food For Camping

Dried food & grains.

When camping or RVing, pasta and rice are some of the most essential store cupboard items.

Not only are these versatile, staple ingredients, but they also require no refrigeration, making them excellent options for camping without a cooler. 

But camping doesn’t have to be all about pasta and rice – there are countless other dried foods that you can use to add some variety to your meals.

These can include things like lentils, beans, quinoa, and couscous. 

Additionally, there are lots of delicious seasonings and sauces that you can keep on hand to add flavor to your camping meals.

So whether you’re camping in style or roughing it on a backpacking trip, don’t forget to stock up on some essential pantry staples!

Here are a few ideas to add to your shopping list:

• Bulgar Wheat
• Dried Soups (Just Add Water)
• Soy (Meat replacement)
• Lentils & beans
• Dried fruit
• Seeds (chia, pine nuts, etc.)
• Bread crumbs

Packet & Canned Foods

Although it may seem impossible to store meat and fish without a refrigerator, there are plenty of convenient alternatives available.

For example, canned meats and fish can easily be stored without a cooler, making them the ideal choice for camping trips or other outdoor adventures. 

Additionally, canned fruits, vegetables, and canned soup are just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts, so you don’t need to give up healthy eating when you’re on the go. 

Canned foods provide a simple and satisfying way to maintain a well-balanced diet, even without easy access to refrigeration. 

• Canned tuna
• Canned chili
• Canned beef stew
• Canned chicken
• Canned pie fillings
• Canned mackerel (or other fish)
• Canned mussels (and other shellfish)
• Fruit cocktail (and other canned fruit)
• Sweet Pie fillings
• Pasta shapes

Charcuterie meats are a great way to add extra protein to your diet. Depending on how you buy them, they may not need refrigeration. 

Minimizing oxygen on the surface of the meat will help to minimize any deterioration. If possible, buy whole salamis and hams. 

Once cut or packets opened, even cured meats will deteriorate without refrigeration. If camping without a cooler, keep your meats in a covered tin or well-sealed container. If possible, find a shaded, cool spot to keep it during the day. 

• Dry Cured Salami

Herbs, Spices, Condiments & Oils

Herbs, spices, condiments, and oils are essential ingredients for any well-stocked pantry.

They add flavor and depth to a wide variety of dishes, but they also help enhance the nutritional value of your food.

And best of all, most herbs, spices, condiments, and oils do not need to be refrigerated – making them perfect ingredients for camping or traveling in an RV without a cooler.

Some of the most versatile and commonly used herbs include basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, and thyme.

Whether you’re preparing a savory pasta sauce or a flavorful stir-fry dish, these simple ingredients can take your cooking to the next level. A

nd if you want to make your recipes more exotic or bold in flavor, there are plenty of potent spices you can add, such as mustard seeds, turmeric powder, or cayenne pepper.

In addition to these herbs and spices, having a good selection of condiments is also key to creating flavorful meals.

From soy sauce and sriracha to hot sauce and ketchup – these basic additions can take just about any plain dish from drab to fab! 

• Mixed Italian herbs
• Mustard seeds
• Garam Masala
• Cayenne Pepper
• Wholegrain mustard
• Red wine vinegar

Cans and dry goods are fine, but anything that needs to be kept cold quickly starts to spoil. 

That’s where jars of olives and antipasto come in handy. Most of these products don’t need to be refrigerated until opened, so they’re perfect for camping trips.

Plus, they add a lot of flavor to recipes, especially salads and pizzas.

• Slice black olives
• Stuffed green olives
• Roasted peppers
• Marinated anchovies
• Marinated artichokes

Bread & Snacks 

Bread and other snacks like pita bread, trail mix, and popcorn are an essential part of any pantry.

They are easy to prepare, store well without refrigeration, and provide a quick and filling energy source.

These simple snacks can add variety to your diet for camping and RV travels while keeping your pantry stocked and ready for anything.

One great example is pita bread. This versatile food can be used as a hearty wrap for veggies, meat, or cheese; it also makes the perfect base for a delicious sandwich or pizza. 

Another popular snack option is trail mix, a combination of dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and even chocolate chips that are nutritious and satisfying.

And finally, there’s popcorn – a classic camping staple that can be loaded up with different flavors to suit any palate.

No matter what type of bread or snack you choose for your pantry, one thing is sure: they’ll save you lots of time during meal prep by providing tasty options on the go. 

• Peanut Butter
• Flour (for pancake mixes)
• Yeast (for bread making)
• Fresh bread
• Cakes & Biscuits
• Chips 

17 No Refrigeration Camping Meal Ideas & Recipes

RVing and camping without a refrigerator can be challenging, especially when it comes to preparing meals. Luckily, there are plenty of delicious and satisfying no-fridge camping meal ideas and recipes that will keep you satisfied during your outdoor adventures.

Some of our top picks include hearty stews, flavorful soups, and filling pasta dishes. Plus, many of these meals are easy to prepare in advance or on the go, so they are great options for RVers who don't want to spend too much time in the RV kitchen.

Whether you're planning a quick weekend getaway or embarking on a longer RV adventure, these meals are sure to keep you full and happy without the need for refrigeration.

Tuna Melt Pita Sandwiches

Looking for a quick and easy lunch idea that you can make in just minutes? Look no further than this tuna melt pitta sandwich! With just a few simple ingredients, like tuna, cheese, tomato, and pita bread, you can create a delicious and satisfying lunch in no time.

And with no need for a refrigerator or other fancy equipment, it's the perfect recipe to whip up in an RV camper when you may not have access to many tools. 

Vegetarian Chili Recipe

If you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, look no further than this vegetarian chili, mac, and cheese combo. This dish is perfect for any occasion, featuring flavorful vegetable chili, chewy elbow macaroni, and a creamy cheese sauce.

And while the idea of combining mac 'n' cheese with chili might sound unusual at first, rest assured that even meat-eaters will find this dish amazingly tasty and nourishing. 

Speedy pesto flatbread pizza recipe

Whether you're looking for a quick and easy pizza recipe, this speedy pesto flatbread pizza is the perfect solution. This pizza is made with a simple store-bought flatbread crust, pesto (use store-bought pesto if you don't want to make a homemade version), sun-dried tomatoes, and goat's cheese.

If you don't have a cooler, you can swap the goat's cheese for a hard cheese like Parmesan, making this an ideal recipe for picnics and camping trips. 

Easy Canned Mackerel Fish Cakes

Canned fish can be boring, but it doesn't have to be. You can make delicious meals with a bit of imagination. For example, these mackerel fish cakes are easy to make. They taste fabulous with a few ingredients you probably already have in your RV's store cupboard.

One-Pot Mediterranean Pasta With Mackerel

You can have a tasty seafood pasta dish in just one pot! The gorgeous ingredients are bursting with flavor, there's no need for tedious preparation, and none of the ingredients need refrigeration.

Italian Seafood Pasta Recipe

If you love seafood pasta, this recipe is for you! It's quick and easy to make using a mix of your favorite seafood, fresh tomatoes, and spices. Perfect for a camping trip when you don't have a refrigerator, simply swap out the fresh seafood for frozen packets or canned shellfish. You'll still get all the flavor and none of the hassle.

Vegan Tomato Soup

This tomato soup is also great for camping without a refrigerator. It will satisfy the most active RVers and is an ideal appetizer or lunch. Or serve it with a filling sandwich for a quick and easy dinner.

All you need is a can of tomatoes, some tomato paste, and a few other simple ingredients. The potatoes make this tomato soup creamy and rich for a meal! 

Easy Pumpkin Soup (with canned pumpkin)

Most pumpkin soup recipes call for fresh pumpkins, but this one employs canned puree instead. That means that you can make it even if you're out camping without access to a refrigerator. The soup only takes 15 minutes to make, and it's flavored with sage (swap fresh for dried) and pumpkin pie spice.

You can add a little bit of maple syrup to the soup if you want it to be sweet or leave it out if you prefer savory flavors. Either way, this is a delicious and easy recipe perfect for RVing.

Instant Pot Sausage and Lentil Soup

A delicious sausage and lentil soup packed full of protein from lean poultry sausage and hearty veggies. Whether you're hiking in the mountains or just enjoying a day at your favorite campsite, this hearty stew will keep you full and satisfied. 

Easy One Pot Chorizo and Chickpea Stew

Here's a tasty, herby, and spicy stew perfect for camping. This hearty chorizo and chickpea stew is made with gorgeous cured meat that will melt in your mouth as you savor all of its delicious flavors. And best of all, it's easy to cook - just let it simmer in the oven to allow the chorizo to really infuse the dish with its tasty goodness. 

Chicken Tortellini White Bean Soup

You can make this comforting and easy soup recipe any time of year. This simple soup features savory chicken and hearty beans, along with fresh veggies and prepared tortellini. Plus, it's super easy to make, even if you don't have access to a refrigerator or any fancy cooking equipment. 

Corned Beef Pasties - The Perfect Comfort Food!

Look no further than these delicious corned beef pasties if you're looking for an easy, satisfying, and comforting family meal! Whether you've been traveling all day or lounging on the campground, these tasty treats are sure to hit the spot.

And they're super simple to make - all you basically need is canned corned beef, some potatoes and onions, and a little time in the oven. 

Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry

Curry is a great camping recipe because it can be cooked in a slow cooker without the need for a refrigerator. This curry is Indian-inspired and packed with fresh vegetables, so it's hearty and nutritious. It's suitable for the slow cooker or your Instant Pot and is best served with plenty of rice to soak up the flavors. This curry is sure to become a family favorite!

Greek Pita With Sardines

If you're looking for a fish sandwich packed with Omega-3s but doesn't require a trip to the fridge, these Greek pitas with sardines are for you. These sandwiches are simple to make and can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. 

Falafel Sandwich & Falafel Sauce • Two Purple Figs

We're huge fans of falafel sandwiches with tasty, savory flavors and satisfying texture. So what's not to love? This recipe is one of our all-time faves, and it's all in the sauce and toppings that you choose for your ultimate falafel sandwich. By picking tasty and refreshing ingredients, you can create a tasty falafel sandwich that will have everyone coming back for more. 

Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches with Avocado Sauce

Hoping for a tasty and healthy vegan pita sandwich without using the fridge? Look no further than this roasted cauliflower and chickpea pita, topped with a delicious guac that will have your taste buds singing!

This tasty vegetarian sandwich is perfect for a quick lunch or easy dinner. It is packed with nutritious no-fridge-required ingredients like roasted veggies, fiber-rich chickpeas, and healthy avocado. 

Roasted Chickpea Bolognese

Looking for an easy and healthy bolognese recipe that doesn't require a refrigerator? Look no further than this delicious vegan bolognese made with roasted chickpeas and mushrooms. The chickpea base provides the perfect amount of richness and texture while also adding a healthy dose of protein and nutrients to this family-favorite dish. 

Angela Devaney

Angela Devaney, a former IT project management professional, embarked on an adventurous journey of full-time travel, which included touring West Africa in a converted overland truck and converting an ex-military 4×4 Sprinter van into a camper for a five-year South American expedition. She now utilizes her hands-on experience to create practical RV living and van life advice as a full-time digital media producer, reaching over a million users annually through her YouTube channel , blog, and newsletter. Angela also lends her expertise as the editor-in-chief of the Campervan Electrics Handbook .

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75+ Camping Foods That Require No Refrigeration

You’ve got a tent, sleeping bag, food, water, and a stove. What else do you need? Don’t forget all the food that you’ll want to take on your next camping trip! Need some tips on food to take camping without a fridge? I’ve got you covered.

Camping is fun, but it also requires some preparation before heading out into nature. If you don’t want to carry around a refrigerator or freezer, then you’ll need to pack something to store your food – or choose food that doesn’t take refrigeration. 

There are plenty of foods that you can bring along to camp, such as dried fruits, nuts, granola bars, and even chocolate. The key is finding the right combination of ingredients to ensure that you stay well fed throughout your trip.

Here are great camping food items and ideas for breakfasts, lunch, snacks, dinners, and drinks that are great for backpackers and campers.

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Non-Refrigerated Camping Food Tips

Camp cooking doesn’t require much equipment, and most times, you don’t even need a stove. Just some pots and pans, a grill, and maybe a cooler.

If you’re camping in the heat, it’s important to keep your food cool. But what happens if you forget to pack ice packs or buy too many, or don’t even have a fridge for storage?

Here are simple ways to make sure your non-refrigerated foods stay safe and delicious.

• Cook up something quick like pasta, rice, or potatoes . They’ll take longer to cook than meat, but they won’t spoil quickly.
• Make soup . Soups are a good way to use leftovers. Add vegetables, beans, or noodles to make a hearty meal.
• Freeze veggies and fruits . Frozen produce lasts longer than canned, and it tastes better. Use frozen fruit for smoothies, or add frozen berries to yogurt.
• Keep drinks cold. Ice cubes work best for beverages. Put water bottles in a cooler filled with crushed ice. Or fill a large plastic bag with ice and tie off one end. Hang the bag over your campsite’s tap.
• Bring along snacks . Pack trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, granola bars, cookies, chips, popcorn, candy, and anything else you might crave.
• Buy a cooler . Coolers come in several sizes, including small, medium, and large. Choose a size based on how many people you plan to feed.

No-Cook Camping Breakfasts

Camping doesn’t always mean spending hours in front of a hot stove preparing meals. In fact, many people enjoy camping because it gives them the opportunity to try out some different types of food.

If you’ve ever been campin g, you know how important it is to bring along snacks and breakfast items that don’t require much preparation. 

I always try and find foods that have a good shelf life and can also make quick snacks. Even though I’m not a breakfast eater per se ( camping coffee for me!), here are some quick foods that are easy to start off the day. 

Oatmeal and Fruit Parfaits

You can easily make a fruit parfait with some yogurt for a quick snack. 

Take 2 cups of instant oatmeal, a bit of brown sugar, 3/4 cup of water, and fruit like bananas, strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears, etc. Mix everything together and enjoy. 

Eating cereals without milk is so good! It’s like having a dessert without even knowing it. You can also buy some shelf-stable almond milk to pack along as well. 

Fresh Fruit 

Start off the day with some nuts and fresh fruit. There’s nothing hard about it, and it’s delicious. Plus, the kids will dig having a camping tradition where they can just wake up and start eating. 

Toast is great, but you can also do bagels, fruit bread, English muffins, and more.

Protein bars

Bars of any kind are always great to pack!

Camping Lunches With No Refrigeration

If you’re planning to hit the trails and camp this summer, it’s important to know what foods are best suited for camping out.

Camping packed lunches don’t require much preparation, but there are some tips to follow to ensure that you’ll enjoy your meal once you arrive at your destination.

Here are some camping meal ideas that are simple and easy to do for lunch. 

Tuna Salad 

Make these ahead of time and keep them in a small cooler. That way you can eat them on the road to the campsite or enjoy them right away when you arrive. 

Mason Jar Salads 

Talk about the perfect food options for your day of adventure. A nice salad is delicious, and you can always top it with some olive oil and salt and pepper. 

Protein mix

Grabbing a handful of a great protein mix can be perfect. It requires no prepping, no cooking, no coldness, nothing!

Camping Food Ideas That Need No Refrigeration

Camping doesn’t always mean eating out of a box. If you want to cook up some delicious meals while enjoying nature, there are plenty of options for those without access to electricity or running water.

Here are over 50+ camping food ideas that don’t require refrigeration.

• Dehydrated fruit 
• Cashew butter
• Store-bought pre-cooked bacon
• Black olives
• Store-bought hard-boiled eggs
• Canned foods
• Dehydrated meats
• Cheese whiz
• Chicken pouches
• Peanut butter
• Nut butter (cashew, almond, sunflower seeds)
• canned tuna
• Fresh green beans
• Canned baked beans
• Powdered milk
• Canned chicken
• Instant Potatoes
• Canned fruit
• Black olives Almond butter
• White bread
• Chocolate chips
• Homemade banana bread
• Canned vegetables
• Fruit leather
• Beans – black beans, kidney beans
• Banana chips
• Fresh vegetables  – baby carrots, celery, salad mix, radishes, onions
• Individual packets of trail mix 
• Condiment packets
• Juice boxes 
• Canned fish
• Protein bars 
• Fruit snacks
• All types of bread
• Peaches, Nectarines
• Cake/Cupcakes
• Potatoes/Sweet potatoes
• Apples, Oranges, Bananas
• Potato Chips
• Boxed Mac and Cheese
• Instant foods like mac and cheese/potatoes, etc.
• Rice cakes 
• Salt, Pepper, Sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, curry powder, marjoram, mustard seeds, black peppercorns, red peppers, green onions, lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave nectar
• Protein shakes

Healthy Camping Food That Doesn’t Need to Be Refrigerated

You don’t want to bring too much food because it takes up space and weight, and you don’t really want to buy unhealthy snacks because you’ll probably end up eating them anyway. So what do you do?

Well, you could always pack a cooler full of ice packs and canned goods, but that’s pretty boring.

Or you could try bringing along some freeze-dried meals, but they take up a lot of room and weigh a ton.

What if I told you there was a better solution?

While camping isn’t exactly like being on vacation, there are still plenty of ways to make sure you’re getting enough nutrition while you’re gone.

Here are five healthy options that won’t require you to worry about refrigerating anything.

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds are packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids. They’re also easy to carry around, and they don’t need to be refrigerated.

Just remember to keep them in airtight containers and avoid storing them near heat sources, such as campfires.

Fresh Fruit

Fruit is another option that doesn’t need to go in the refrigerator. If you’re packing apples, oranges, bananas, pears, peaches, apricots, plums, grapes, strawberries, cherries, kiwi fruit, melons, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, mangoes, papaya, nectarines, mangosteens, and persimmons, you can easily cut them up and put them in plastic bags.

Then you can toss them in a cooler next to your stove or grill.

Vegetables are a great way to have a healthy snack that everyone can just grab and eat! 

Drinks to take camping without a fridge

You don’t want to end up stuck somewhere because you forgot something basic like water or food.

If you plan ahead, though, you won’t have to worry about forgetting anything important. Here are some things you should consider packing for your next adventure into the wilderness.

Instant Coffee & Hot Chocolate Mixes

You know how much I love coffee, but sometimes you just want a cup of hot cocoa or tea. These mixtures are perfect for making quick cups of hot beverages while you’re camping.

Just add boiling water and stir. They’ll come together quickly and taste delicious.

 Alcohol

Liquor is also an option to take camping and will stay fine in various climates. Just understand that you need to find a way to mix it with something, so this is where a cooler is going to be important. 

Water is essential for survival, especially if you’re planning on spending a lot of time outside. Make sure you pack plenty of bottled water! Bottled water doesn’t go bad, and it tastes good too.

Plus, you’re less likely to run out of drinking water if you buy a case of bottled water rather than buying individual bottles.

Meats to take camping without a fridge

You need to stick to canned meats or dehydrated meats if you dont’ have a fridge.

If you have a cooler, you can bring hot dogs, brats, bacon, steak, ground meat, and more! 

How to keep food cool without a fridge

Just because your camper doesn’t have a fridge doesn’t mean that you can’t pack cold items. 

The easiest way is to have a cooler packed full of ice and then have your meats, cheeses, and drinks in there. 

The cooler won’t keep it cold for long, but if you’re planning on eating it that day, it’s a great option. 

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Non-Perishable Foods to Take Camping

Let’s face it: Planning for a camping trip is not as fun as it sounds. Even if you know the logistics of your trip, including your destination, the number of people, your clothing, etc., you still have to consider what food to bring. While it might be tempting to stop at your nearest grocery store and buy refrigerated food you can store in a cooler, you should consider non-perishable food for camping items.

Whether you’re a vegan eater or a meat lover, there are nutritious options. In this blog, we’ll list food to take camping without a fridge, so you can spend less time worrying about proper nutrition and more time relishing your outdoor adventures.

Benefits of Non-Perishable Food Items

Non-perishable foods may sound like poor alternatives compared to well-cooked items that leave your taste buds wanting more. After all, you want to stack up on delicious and fulfilling meals that will make your camping experience all the more pleasant without the unpleasant cravings brought on by a bad dish.

Fortunately, these selections come with several benefits. Here are some advantages of non-perishable food to be aware of:

• Convenience: No refrigerator or cooler? No problem! Since you don’t need a refrigeration system for your non-perishable meals, you won’t have to worry about your meals going to waste.
• Saves time: Let’s be honest, the last thing you want to do when waking up bright and early on a camping trip is to cook for others, especially if you have kids running around the campground. Non-refrigerated meals allow you to focus your time on other activities.
• Healthy and nutritious: Non-perishable foods are not only nutritious but can provide high levels of protein, vitamins, and minerals. For example, dried fruit is a good source of fiber and can be consumed as a quick snack.

Non-Refrigerated Camping Food To Consider

When it comes to no-fridge meals, you have several options to choose from. Take a look at this condensed list featuring options for meals, drinks, and snacks.

Non-Refrigerated Breakfast Options

• Bagels with cream cheese
• Cereal with powdered milk
• Instant oatmeal
• Honey or syrup
• Toast with peanut butter
• Homemade or store-bought muffins
• Breakfast-style potatoes
• Powdered eggs
• Cinnamon toast crunch
• Banana bread
• Peanut butter wrap
• Pre-cooked bacon
• Fresh fruit (e.g., apples, oranges, watermelons).
• Honey for tea or coffee
• Breakfast burritos
• Avocado toast
• Protein shakes

Non-Refrigerated Lunch Options

• Canned tuna
• Dessert cups (e.g., puddings, jello, applesauce).
• Canned chicken
• BLT sandwiches
• PB&J sandwiches
• Tuna sandwiches
• Boxed Mac & Cheese
• Canned salmon
• Pre-cooked rice
• Canned vegetables
• Canned meats (e.g., spam, meatballs, chicken, sausage).
• Butter (keep in a storage container).
• Hard cheese
• Potato flakes
• Canned soup
• Pizza pockets
• Chicken salad sandwich
• Tomato soup

Non-Refrigerated Dinner Options

• Instant noodles
• Dry lentils with beans
• Spices (e.g., salt, pepper, sugar, cinnamon).
• Pasta with premade sauce
• Campfire nachos
• Chicken tortillas
• Baked beans
• Canned chili
• Pre-packaged backpacking meals
• Campfire baked potato
• Chili potatoes
• MRE (meals-ready-to-eat)

Non-Refrigerated Snacks and Dessert Options

• Granola bars
• S’mores
• Cake and cupcakes
• Waffle cones
• Graham crackers
• Cookies and brownies
• Potato chips
• Marshmallows
• Dried fruit (e.g., pineapple, strawberries, cherries).
• Covered raisins

Non-Refrigerated Drink Options

• Juice boxes
• Canned coconut milk
• Bottled water
• Powdered milk
• Sport drinks
• Water flavor packets
• Shelf-stable milk boxes
• Freeze-dried coffee
• Powdered creamer (for your coffee).
• Hot chocolate packets
• Kool-Aid powder
• Canned orange juice
• Malted milk
• Canned cranberry juice

As you can see, the list of food to take camping without a fridge is quite extensive. Feel free to mix and match these items to fit your preferences and nutritional needs. When determining what to bring on your trip, consider the type of food you’re craving, whether or not you’re on a budget, and how many family members you’ll have to accommodate. 

Fridge on Wheels

While camping food ideas and no refrigeration are splendid options, you should consider obtaining a mini-fridge with multiple functions. A mini-fridge for your RV is convenient, lightweight, and takes up very little space. They can run on different power sources and move heat from the inside to the outside. Best of all, they come in a variety of sizes, have zero installation, and can be taken out if needed.

With Cruise America , you don’t have to worry about spending large sums of money on cold storage systems. Our customized RV rentals come equipped with both a gas/electric refrigerator and a microwave for those late-night cravings. This means no more rummaging through your pack for any uncooked leftovers. 

Get On the Road With Cruise America

If you want more information on food to take camping without a fridge or meal planning ideas, check out our meal planning guide .

Contact us for more information once you’re ready to get yourself an RV rental for the road ahead. Let us help you take that next step in your outdoor quest.

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23 Foods That Travel Well Without Refrigeration

Camping may make it difficult to keep a cooler cold. Additionally, it’s not always practical to bring one. But what’s the other option? Fortunately, there are many of delectable camping meals that don’t even need to be refrigerated! For your next trip, try one of these 47 of our favorite no cooler camp dinners. Let’s begin this list of no-cooler camp foods with a number of non-refrigerated components. All you have to do is to go through this article on foods that travel well without refrigeration and pack your bags accordingly.

1. Cheese Whiz or Velveeta

These delectable cheese alternatives are perfect when a cooler or refrigerator is not accessible, provided the word “cheese product” doesn’t upset you. For simple campfire mac and cheese, melt them over spaghetti or drizzle them over tortilla chips for some campfire nachos.

Read: Is Traveling A Hobby? The Ultimate Guide To An Exciting Way Of Life Learn about the Downsides Of Traveling As A Hobby

Squirt-bottle honey is a fantastic camping item for adding something sweet to tea, coffee, biscuits, toast, and so much more since it is both natural and sweet. In addition to hastening the crystallization process, storing honey in the refrigerator is absolutely unneeded. Honey is resistant to bacterial development because it has a low water content and is somewhat acidic.

Honey may be kept at room temperature in an airtight container (like the one it arrives in) without worrying about the development of germs. Just be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight and heated areas.

Read: What Essential Oils Are Good For Travel?

3.  Bisquick

The main component of so many of our favorite breakfasts while camping is this floury combination. biscuits, waffles, pancakes, and more If you have baking powder, using Bisquick without milk or eggs won’t be an issue.

Read: How To Save Money For Travel As A Student

4. Dried Spices and Herbs

Even if you’re camping, your meal doesn’t have to be bland. The nice aspect is that dried spices and herbs don’t need refrigeration. Bring cumin for salsa, oregano for pasta, and salt for everything else, of course!

5. Canned Milk

One of my camping essentials has been canned evaporated milk. Even though it doesn’t taste precisely the same as milk, this is an excellent alternative for recipes that call for it, even if I may not use it to soften my camp coffee.

6. Milk or soy powder

Purchase it in powdered form if you want to use milk while camping without refrigeration. It may be used as a replacement in cereal or coffee. Just keep adding cold water until the flavor is perfect. Powdered soy is also offered for those of you who are vegan campers!

7. Dry Beans and Lentils

The staple diet of campers is rice and beans. However, dried beans are a fantastic addition to your camp kitchen since they don’t take up much room and don’t need refrigeration. Keep in mind that cooking time varies for beans and lentils. You will find it much simpler to boil them the following day if you soak them in a saucepan of water overnight.

Bread is a fantastic filler when you are traveling light and don’t want to take up space in the cooler since it ranks right up there with milk as man’s ultimate necessity. French toast, toast, sandwiches, or a side dish for supper.

I kept bread in the fridge for years in the mistaken belief that it would stay fresher longer. That was the worst thing I could have done, it turns out. Bread stales significantly quicker when kept in a cold (but not freezing) atmosphere because the starch recrystallizes more quickly.

Bread may be kept at room temperature in an airtight container if you intend to consume it within a week. The best place to keep bread is in the freezer for extended storage.

9. Soy sauce

Are you considering cooking some vegetables and grains on your cook stove? Bring some soy sauce with you. This Asian sauce may be put back on the shelf after use since it is very salty and goes a long way.

Some individuals are unaware that butter doesn’t truly need refrigeration. Ours is always kept in a covered dish on the counter so it can stay soft and spreadable. However, take caution since it will be delicate and simple to mash; store it in a jar with a tight-fitting cover.

11. Bouillon

Such an excellent seasoning is broth. Beef, veggie, and chicken flavors are available. It is a convenient method for preparing soup broths on the fly.

12. Individual packets of mayo, mustard, ketchup, and relish

You know how when you order takeout, they give you those little condiment packets to take home? They are excellent for camping! The smaller single serving versions don’t need any refrigeration at all; however, the bigger ones must be refrigerated right away after opening.

13. Potatoes

Fries are made from potatoes. But truly, potatoes are highly adaptable, simple to prepare in a number of ways, and retain their quality for a very long time. While camping, I love to prepare potatoes.

Who can cook without using oil? It can be used to butter a skillet, dip bread in, and cook pretty much everything. Oil is a food item that is an essential need for camping and doesn’t require refrigeration.

Basil appears to start to wilt as soon as you get it home from the supermarket (or in from the garden). However, don’t expect that placing it in the refrigerator would make this problem go away: Basil does best when kept at room temperature since it despises the cold. Fresh basil should be kept in a jar with a few inches of water and its leaves loosely covered with a plastic bag to extend its shelf life.

Frosting hardens and cake loses all moisture when kept in the refrigerator. The majority of cakes taste best when kept at room temperature, however there are notable exceptions.

Cakes with buttercream, fondant, or ganache frosting should be kept covered and at room temperature for up to five days. Cakes that have been cut into slices may also be kept at room temperature; just be sure to wrap any uncovered portions in plastic wrap to prevent moisture loss. Cakes with whipped cream or cream cheese icing, fresh fruit topping, or both should be kept in the refrigerator.

17. Espresso

In fact, keeping coffee in the refrigerator hastens its deterioration. Condensation buildup due to temperature changes from entering and exiting the refrigerator might reduce the taste of the coffee. Coffee is also known to absorb the smells of other items in the refrigerator. Don’t put your coffee in the fridge unless you want a touch of yesterday night’s leftovers in it.

Coffee beans should be kept both whole and ground in an opaque, airtight container in a cold, dry location.

18. Spicy sauce

Before storing hot sauce, be careful to read the label since brands might vary. However, in general, your spicy sauce doesn’t need to be refrigerated since the salt and vinegar in it serve as natural preservatives. In fact, the peppery taste of hot sauce is stronger at room temperature.

Hot sauce may be kept in the refrigerator, but the taste won’t be as potent as it would be at room temperature. Instead, keep spicy sauce up to six months in a closet or pantry.

It seems that the antioxidants in melons, such as watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe, may degrade in the refrigerator. In addition, melons taste better at room temperature. Melons should be kept whole on the counter for one to two weeks at room temperature.

20. Garlic, onions, and shallots

These alliums do not thrive in the refrigerator. Whole shallots, onions, and garlic can collect moisture in high-humidity areas like a refrigerator and start to weaken and grow mold before they should. Additionally, they might contaminate other goods in your fridge with their strong stench. In a cold, dry location, such as a root cellar, pantry, unheated basement, or garage, store entire onions, garlic, or shallots (around 55 degrees F).

21. Carrots

The starch in potatoes will convert to sugar when kept in the fridge, giving them an unappealing sugary taste and grittier texture even when cooked. For up to two months, it is best to keep whole, unpeeled potatoes in a cool, dark spot that is warmer than the refrigerator but cooler than room temperature. This may apply to a garage, unheated basement, root cellar, etc. Potatoes may be kept at room temperature for up to two weeks in a paper or mesh bag if this isn’t an option.

22. Tomatillo

Although you may be tempted, resist the urge to put ripe, juicy tomatoes in the refrigerator. Tomatoes may have a mealy, mushy flesh when the temperature falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Fresh, whole tomatoes should be stored upside down in a paper towel-lined open container out of the direct sun.

23. Winter squash

Winter squash, such as pumpkins, acorn squash, butternut squash, etc., may decay more rapidly in the refrigerator due to its high humidity and low temperatures. Winter squash may be kept in a cold, dry environment between 50 and 55 degrees F for up to six months.

Final words

You don’t have to think twice before you pack these foods that travel well without refrigeration. All these foods can help you with preparing some delicious meals on the road as well.

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50 Easy Sack Lunch Ideas (No Refrigeration)

June 16, 2023 by Tara Buss Leave a Comment

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Sack lunch ideas that require no refrigeration and can be kept at room temperature. I've included classic ideas as well as some different ones for more adventurous eaters. Great for field trips, summer camp, car trips, hiking or camping.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my links, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

Packing a disposable sack lunch for yourself or your child can be tricky. Maybe you are going on a family hike, camping trip, or your kid has a field trip or summer camp requiring a disposable lunch. You immediately panic thinking that your standard school lunches that you send with ice packs in your reusable bento box won't work.

It can be difficult to think of easy sack lunch ideas that don't require an ice pack for cold lunches, especially if you have a picky child. I have done the hard work for you and brainstormed a list of foods that are perfect for a paper bag packed lunch. Everything on this list can be thrown away after eating.

What can I pack for lunch without refrigeration?

Although it may feel limiting, there are actually a lot of foods that do not require refrigeration. It might be helpful to show your child this list and see what foods look appetizing. Giving them ownership often goes a long way in making it more likely they will actually eat the food you pack.

• peanut butter and jelly (You could also sub almond butter or sunflower butter)
• peanut butter and honey
• peanut butter crackers
• fresh vegetables:  snap peas, carrots, celery, grape tomatoes, yellow or red bell peppers, cucumbers
• dried fruit: dried mango, dates, dried figs, raisins, etc
• fresh fruit with the peels on: cuties, banana, peach, plum, apple, cherries, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, etc.
• applesauce pouches
• shelf stable yogurt pouches
• beef sticks
• protein bars or other snack bars
• hard cheeses (low moisture): parmesan cheese, aged gouda, Pecorino Romano, asiago
• tuna packs with crackers or stuffed in a pita pocket
• chicken salad kit
• black beans packet
• granola: store-bought or homemade
• apple chips
• fruit strips
• sunflower seeds
• pumpkin seeds
• cheese crisps
• seaweed snacks
• individual salsa cups
• sealed snack olives
• sealed pepperoni pack
• water or juice box

Additional foods with ice packs

If you really wanted to include some perishable foods, you could include an "ice pack". You could freeze your child's water bottle or juice box ahead of time and have that act as your ice pack. Make sure to remove some of the water before freezing so it leaves a little space for the water to expand as it freezes. I would wrap the frozen drinks in paper towels and place them in a small ziplock to keep condensation from ruining the brown paper bag.

Of course, there is still a potential danger in this method as you are never 100% sure if the food will remain a safe temperature, so proceed with caution. The shelf stable list above is always the safest bet.

For additional sack lunch ideas in this category, you could add the following:

• deli meat sandwiches or wraps
• string cheese or cheddar cheese cubes
• hard-boiled eggs
• bagel with cream cheese
• build your own lunchable: meat, cheese, crackers
• tortilla pinwheels with any fillings you wish
• non shelf-stable yogurt: You can also freeze this ahead of time so it's thawed and likely still cold by lunch.
• rotisserie chicken
• guacamole cups
• beans and bean dip

Sack Lunch Examples

Here are some example of combinations you could put together for sack lunches. Sometimes the visuals can be helpful. I like to aim for a protein, carb, fat, and something they will look forward to eating.

The Classic

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, carrot sticks, banana, pretzels

The high protein

tuna pack, pita, shelf stable yogurt pouch, cutie, granola. Make sure to pack a disposable spoon or fork for the tuna. You could also pack an individual condiment packet like ranch, ketchup or mayo for the tuna pita.

The Italian foodie

baguette, sealed pepperoni, grape tomatoes, basil, packaged olives, cheese crisps, fruit. Cut the bread in half in case they want to make a sandwich with the pepperoni.

The nothing fresh

beef sticks, applesauce, seaweed chips, snack bar

The homemade

muffin, peanut butter and apple slices, popcorn, trail mix.

A shallow snack bag is ideal for the peanut butter so they don't have to reach down far in the bag for dipping. I also like to cut the apple ahead of time and then keep it closed with a rubber band to keep the apple slices from browning. The trail mix can be anything you have on hand. Pictured is pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips, pretzels, raisins, and chopped dried mango. You could also add nuts, cereal, coconut, or other dried fruit.

The picky eater

beef sticks, muffin, chips, yogurt

The budget eater

PB&J, popcorn, banana

The chicken salad kit

chicken salad kit, banana, yogurt, pretzels

This little kit is not ideal ingredient-wise but it is very convenient for sack lunches and pretty decent in taste. It comes with six cracker and a little spoon for spooning the chicken salad onto the crackers.

Wrapping and packing options

Of course, plastic bags can always be used to pack small amounts of food like sandwiches and chips. If you do not like the idea of all of that single use plastic going in the trash, try wrapping your sandwiches in parchment or butcher paper and securing it with string or tape.

Don't forget to send a water bottle or juice box, frozen if needed to keep cold.

Include disposable forks or spoons if needed. If you really hate the idea of plastic, you could try compostable cutlery instead.

Also don't forget a napkin or paper towel. If you wrap it around the water bottle, it can act as a wet wipe catching condensation as the water thaws.

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Food For Net

31 Picnic Foods That Don’t Need Refrigeration

Picnics are a fantastic chance to spend time with friends, to share food , and to have a good time. You’re getting out in nature too, which is always a bonus.

You know what makes a picnic horrible? Getting sick afterward. It’s not so fun when your carefully prepared food has succumbed to the heat and simply doesn’t taste good anymore. That’s why picnic foods that don’t need refrigeration are so important.

These aren’t just picnic foods that won’t spoil in the heat; they’re also ones that are completely fine in the warm temperatures. No wilted lettuce here. What’s more, we’ve found some delicious choices, some that you’ll want to use regularly. Perhaps even as picnic foods for a date .

This topic is particularly important because some unexpected foods need refrigeration. Cooked grains and pseudograins, like rice and quinoa, are a classic example. This means that a quinoa salad and vegetable sushi aren’t as safe as you might expect.

Table of Contents

Picnic Foods You Don’t Need To Keep Cold

Nuts and seeds.

Let’s begin with simple and obvious. Nuts and seeds are always delicious. Plus, they’re easy to find and are always filling.

They do well at almost any temperature, so you don’t need to worry about them even on the hottest day. You can easily vary things up too, like by creating a trail mix with dried fruit and perhaps a little chocolate.

You could also roast your own nuts and experiment with flavor combinations. Smoked paprika, rosemary , nutritional yeast, sea salt, and cayenne pepper are just a handful of seasonings to experiment with.

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Fresh fruit.

It can be a picnic without fruit, right? Watermelon is a classic for any picnic. Sure, it’s a pain to lug an entire watermelon around, but you end up with such a delicious and refreshing treat that it’s always worth the effort.

Freezing grapes before the event is another fun approach. They won’t stay frozen, of course, especially if you’re not chilling them. This doesn’t matter though, as the grapes will remain cool for hours and they’re delicious as they slowly defrost.

Or, fruit skewers. These are always a hit, don’t need refrigeration, and do well at most temperatures.

Cookies, Brownies, And Cupcakes

Desserts like cupcakes, cookies, and brownies all fare just fine outside the fridge for as long as you need. The trick is to be cautious with any frosted treats, as the frosting will suffer in the heat (and perhaps even make you sick).

Cookies are particularly good. They’ll often last a couple of weeks at room temperature. Brownies and cakes only tend to last a few days in the pantry. Still, if they’re newly made, that’s more than enough time for your picnic.

Meat is tricky when you can’t chill your food, as the risk of food poisoning increases rapidly.

Jerky gets around the problem entirely. Commercial products are often safe for an entire year after purchase, although they’re generally best within six months. Homemade jerky doesn’t last as long, but it’s still completely fine for a picnic.

Also, did you know that you can rehydrate your jerky? Even just soaking it for a while can work wonders, giving you an easier to eat treat. Of course, jerky varies in flavor and quality. You may need to do some hunting to find a version that you love.

Or, why not try a jerky of the month club ? These are a fun way to try new types of jerky regularly. Who knows what favorites you’ll discover?

Aged Cheeses

Soft cheeses, like feta, cheddar, and camembert, are popular on picnics. They’re safe enough if you keep them chilled until it’s time to eat them.

However, leaving them un-chilled for hours generally isn’t a good idea. Such cheeses fare particularly badly in the height of summer and could easily make people sick.

They also get difficult to use once they start melting. Do you really want gooey cheese everywhere?

Hard cheeses like parmesan are much more resilient. Their lower moisture content means they’re much less likely to go bad. They can certainly withstand the time it takes to get to your picnic spot and the entirety of the event.

Fresh Bread

Bread is an excellent choice. Not only can it be a vehicle for so many different dips and toppings, but there’s also absolutely no need to chill it.

Freshly baked bread is the best here. If you’re not a great baker yourself, why not pick a loaf up from a bakery on the way out? Make sure to bring a good knife too.

You can also get creative with recipes, like making savory pull apart bread, which is easy to eat at a picnic.

Olives And Sundried Tomatoes

Olives and sundried tomatoes are both Mediterranean snacks that are perfect at a picnic. Try using them on a board with jerky, crackers, fresh bread, and perhaps some aged cheese.

Of course, that’s just one option. Both ingredients are also excellent in sandwiches or as part of a couscous salad.

Dried Fruit

For a healthy alternative to candy, what about dried fruit? This still offers most of the nutrients and antioxidants found in fresh fruit, but in a different form.

Dried cranberries, raisins, and dried apricots are some of the most common types. That’s just scratching the surface though. There are plenty of other types too, including kiwifruit and mango.

Not surprisingly, dried fruit is incredibly resilient. It will survive any degree of heat without loss of quality.

Apples With Peanut Butter

Spreading peanut butter on apple pieces helps create a more filling snack, one that’s easy to prepare at the picnic site. Spritzing the apple spices with a little lemon makes things even better, as this stops the apple from going brown.

For a version that’s a little different, why not use almond butter instead of peanut butter, then sprinkle a little cinnamon on top? Doing so is even more delicious and a nice change of pace.

As a type of cured meat, salami has an exceptional shelf life. It’s an easy choice for picnicking too, as salami works well on any meat and cheese board and is also fantastic in sandwiches. It’s also a bit easier to eat than jerky.

There are a few things to watch out for, though. First, you need salami that doesn’t say ‘keep refrigerated’.

Second, you need to be working with a whole salami, one with the casing still intact. Salami slices don’t have the same shelf life, as the cut surface allows bacteria to enter.

The best trick for a picnic is to buy a whole salami, then slice it as needed during the event. This should keep it safe and delicious for as long as you need.

Protein Bites

Protein bites are perfect for picnics, as they’re satisfying, easy to eat, and taste like a treat. There’s also endless variety in recipes and flavors, so there’s something for everyone.

Most protein bites are also designed as on-the-go snacks, so they don’t normally need to be kept cool.

Potential ingredients include peanut butter, protein powder, oats, chia seeds, maple syrup, chocolate chips, dried fruit, coconut flour, and almond flour. Some versions even rely on superfood ingredients, like matcha or goji berries.

There’s no shortage of styles. So, why not try a few recipes for yourself? You can always tweak the ingredients if the bites don’t taste quite right the first time around.  

Salty Snacks

Most picnics need at least one salty snack, so why not chips? You can simply pick up a bag of them from the local store. They’re always a hit.

If regular potato chips aren’t the right fit, you could go with veggie chips . The processed versions aren’t much healthier than potato chips, but they’re still tasty. You can even make healthier versions yourself, like homemade kale chips .

Don’t forget about pretzels, salted popcorn, and rice cakes either. Those are convenient, salty, and delicious as well. You could even turn to weird popcorn flavors (if you want something a little different).

Veggies help to balance your picnic out, giving you plenty of nutrients and fiber. This is useful, as it’s easy to go overboard on the salty and fatty treats.

Veggie sticks are a popular choice, especially if you can find a dip to go with them. Don’t forget about cherry tomatoes and cucumbers either. You could even experiment with some unusual varieties of tomato . These veggies are fresh and delicious enough to be enjoyed on their own.

Smoked Oysters

Smoked oysters in a can are completely safe out of the fridge. No surprises there, as they’re sold on the shelf in the grocery store.

They’re also an excellent picnic food, as they provide plenty of protein and also feel a bit decadent. Of course, you probably wouldn’t serve smoked oysters on their own, which brings us to our next entry…

Crackers can seem boring. Don’t be fooled though. They’re excellent for picnics, as they can be combined with countless ingredients, such as olives, sundried tomatoes, smoked oysters, tuna, and salmon.

You can even shop around for interesting crackers. There are plenty of options out there, with different flavor combinations and textures.

Granola isn’t just a breakfast food. It’s delicious in many other situations as well, including picnics. You don’t even need milk, as granola is delicious when eaten by the handful. You could even do the same thing with regular cereal.

The big question is what granola you choose. You’re going to want something reasonably healthy – preferably a product that’s packed with nuts and seeds. You could even make your own granola. This way you have full control over the flavor profile. 

Pudding Packs

Pudding packs are highly processed, which isn’t ideal. Still, the processing helps to make these treats shelf stable, which means you can easily bring them on a picnic.

You might find other similar desserts too. Just look for anything sold on the shelves of grocery stores, rather than in the fridge. Such treats are particularly good if there are a few kids at your picnic.

Have you ever served bagels at a picnic? The right bagels are absolutely delicious, especially if they’re fresh (or, you could order them online ).

Not being able to chill food means you can’t use cream cheese as a topping. Thankfully there are plenty of other options, including jelly and canned salmon. Many bagels also taste delicious without any toppings.

Pickled Eggs

If you buy pickled eggs in a sealed jar from the grocery store, it should be shelf stable and can be easily kept out of the fridge. This means you could crack open the eggs at your picnic and enjoy them to your heart’s content.

Things are a little different if the eggs have already been opened or were homemade. Official recommendations say you should keep these eggs in the fridge, but many people disagree and leave them unrefrigerated. You’ll need to decide for yourself, based on your level of comfort and confidence.

Don’t forget about condiments. These are a fantastic way to make your food taste better and many of them are shelf stable. Mustard, ketchup, and hot sauce are all fantastic examples.

There’s also mayo, which is an interesting case. Store bought mayo is typically shelf stable, as long as the jar is sealed. You can take advantage of this by looking for small containers of mayo or even small single serving condiment packets. This way you’ll be able to open and finish your mayo during the picnic.

Picnic Side Dishes That Don’t Need Refrigeration

The right sandwiches.

Sandwiches are a classic picnic staple, giving you something hearty and easy to eat. Plus, you can prep them beforehand, meaning that they’re ready to go as soon as you get to the picnic site.

Sandwiches often rely on meat, cheese, egg-based spreads, so they need to be kept cool. Thankfully, there are plenty of versions that avoid such ingredients entirely.

For starters, you can make a vegetable-focused sandwich. Vegetables are particularly good, including tomatoes, radishes, spinach, cucumbers, and red peppers. You could even grill some of them beforehand.

It’s best to avoid lettuce, though. Lettuce tends to wilt in the heat and loses its crispness. Dark leafy greens like spinach do much better when the temperature is high. Some spreads are okay for short periods of time, like hummus .

You could also go for the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That’s always a hit with the kids and great to bring along simply as a backup. Nutella works well too, as this doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

Including spreads and meat in your sandwich is also possible, which means many more types of sandwich are possible. Doing so involves buying shelf-stable versions of those products, like canned salmon, tuna pouches, and even canned hummus. Look for items that are sold on the shelf, rather than from a fridge.  

You’ll need to keep the containers unopened until you’re putting the sandwiches together at the picnic.

Vegetable Salads

Vegetables are fine outside of the fridge, so vegetable-based salads are excellent for picnics. It’s easiest to chop up the ingredients and mix them together ahead of time.

Then, you just need to add the dressing at the picnic (adding it earlier will make your salad go soggy). You’ll need to focus on a dressing that will handle the heat, which means avoiding creamy or egg-based dressings.

Thankfully, there are plenty of other options. Balsamic vinaigrettes work particularly well, as do any unopened dressings from the grocery store (just be sure to avoid any dressings that are sold from the fridge).

As with sandwiches, it’s best to avoid lettuce and stick with sturdier greens, like kale or spinach. You can also use canned tuna or even canned chicken if you want meat in the salad.

Mayo-Free Potato Salad

Potato salad is one of the most common causes of food poisoning during a picnic – largely because mayo really doesn’t like being out in the heat.

You can get around the issue by looking for mayo-free potato salads. These often taste just as good as the mayo versions, but are much safer in the warm weather. As a bonus, such salads are often vegan-friendly as well.

Ants On A Log

This fun snack is great for kids and adults. There are just three ingredients – celery, peanut butter, and raisins. The combination works surprisingly well, giving you crunch, creaminess, and sweetness, along with fiber, protein, and nutrients.

There’s room for variation too. You could try swapping the peanut butter for cashew butter or almond butter instead. Or, what about a different type of dried fruit?

Dehydrated Meals Or Desserts

Dehydrated camping dinners and desserts are designed to last a long time without being in the fridge (including those from Mountain House). They’re not really camping foods, but some versions might work well, like perhaps an apple crumble.

You’d really need to shop around here to find meals that actually taste good. But, if you camp regularly, you might already know a few that are viable.

Avocado Boats

Avocado boats are a pretty fun side dish. All you’re doing is opening the avocado and removing the stone, then filling the space with something else. The classic option is to cook the avocado with an egg and some bacon or ham, but that doesn’t help you much on a picnic.

For picnicking, try filling the hole with chicken or tuna salad from a pouch. The combination of textures and flavors work well together and give you a delicious treat. Just be sure to combine the ingredients when you’re at the picnic site, rather than beforehand.

Dips That Don’t Need Refrigeration

Homemade salsa and salsa from the store is a safe dip to use at a picnic, partly because there’s no dairy to worry about. Pair this with tortilla chips and you have a snack that everyone will love and that takes no effort at all.

If you have a long journey to your destination or plan to be out in the sun for hours, it’s best to go with unopened salsa from the store, rather than homemade stuff.

Look for products that are sold on shelves (rather than in the fridge) and don’t open the salsa until you get to the picnic. This way there’s no chance of contamination. Plus, as long as the jar is sealed, the salsa should last weeks (if not longer) outside the fridge.   

Single Serving Dip Cups

Homemade ranch dip will need to be kept in the fridge. However, you can find ranch dip cups in many stores. These typically give you a single serving of ranch dip and are shelf stable until they’re opened.

This pattern doesn’t just apply to ranch dip either. Other shelf stable dip cups can be found too, including cheese dip cups from Land O Lakes. To find them, simply pay attention to where products are stored in the grocery store. If they’re kept on the shelves, then they should be shelf stable until they’re opened.

Balsamic Vinegar And Olive Oil

These two liquids are both shelf stable (and happen to be good for you too!). You can combine them to make a delicious dip for fresh bread. Seriously, this combination is one of the classics. It should help to make your picnic a little more refined as well.

Canned Hummus

Fresh hummus shouldn’t be out of the fridge for more than an hour or two. Canned hummus is a different story. It tends to be shelf stable, so you can easily throw some in your bag and bring it to the picnic.

Besides, hummus is versatile. You can use it as a dip for veggies or include it in sandwiches instead. It is also packed with protein, so it helps to fill everyone up.

Caramel Dip

Caramel dip is exceptional as a sweet treat on a picnic. You’ll often serve it with apple slices, although it works well with almost any type of fruit.

Store bought caramel dip is often shelf stable until opened. Even then, you might be able to keep it out of the fridge for a while. Some homemade caramel dip recipes are safe outside of the fridge for a while too – like this one from Carlsbad Cravings .

How To Make Your Picnic Even Better

While there are some delicious entries on this list, you don’t need to focus entirely on foods that don’t need to be chilled. Most of the time, you’ll be able to keep at least a few things cold, even if you need to wrap them up tightly with an ice pack. Doing so can elevate your picnic to the next level.

The trick then is to prioritize. Think about what chilled foods will bring your picnic to life the most. For some families, this might be fried chicken drumsticks, particularly if you have picky kids . Other times, you might prioritize some cold beers over any type of cold food.

Don’t forget about the basics either. You’re going to need utensils and things to eat off, along with something to sit on.

Planning for the weather helps as well. If it’s a hot day or if you’re picnicking on the beach , you’re going to need plenty of sunscreen and a hat. Probably some insect repellent too. If it’s cold, you’ll want layers and possibly a thermos filled with a hot drink.

How To Keep Your Food Safe

The foods on this list should all be safe outside the fridge for the duration of your picnic. Most of them can go days without needing to be in the refrigerator.

However, you still need to be cautious. Regular food safety approaches still apply. This includes washing fruits and vegetables, making sure you don’t mix knives when prepping food, and washing your hands regularly.

Keep an eye out for signs of spoilage as well. After all, most foods will eventually go off. Changes in color and smell are big indications that something is wrong with your food.

Finally, if you have a compromised immune system or are pregnant, it’s always best to err on the side of caution. This often means refrigerating foods like pickled eggs and hard cheeses, even if it doesn’t seem like you should need to.

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January 21, 2023 at 8:05 am

Thank you for the ideas

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