According to The Dyrt 2025 Camping Report, 81.1 million Americans camped in 2024, down slightly from the previous year. Nearly 6 million of those were first-time campers, and KOA reports 61% were Gen Z or millennials. The trend is driven by a desire to slow down, get back to nature and add memories.

The rush into the wilderness has created an unavoidable knowledge gap.

Since 2021, The Dyrt reports more than 25 million Americans have gone camping for the first time, and they don’t know what they don’t know. We talked to some long-time camping experts to get their favorite camp cooking hacks.

GET READY, SET, BEFORE YOU GO

It may seem obvious, but the top tip is to plan ahead. It’s fine to leave room for spontaneity, but the more prepared you are before you leave, the better. Start by planning the menu — what will you eat each night you’re in the wild, and what is necessary to cook it? It may not be possible to pop over to the grocery store if you forget something.

One thing folks often forget is spices. Of course, you don’t want to bring your whole spice rack either. Instead, grab a pill organizer or a recycled multi-compartment cookie decoration container. Fill each compartment with enough spice to carry you over. Empty Tic Tac containers also work for individual spices.

There’s a reason sandwiches are a camping staple. It’s easy to prep the ingredients or even the whole sandwich in Ziploc bags, ready to grab and eat. Self-sealing storage bags are also good for eggs. Break them ahead of time and store them in a bag or a mason jar, and you’re ready to pour them out into the skillet.

Pro tip: Instead of buying ice, fill and freeze water bottles. They stay colder longer, even as they thaw, and then can be used for drinking or cleanup. And make sure you pack a box of sturdy aluminum foil.

BREAKING THE FAST

When camping, the most important meal of the day can also be the most fun. Grab your mason jar of pre-cracked eggs and a cast iron skillet and make omelets. Or poach an egg in an orange peel. Bring premixed pancake batter in a water bottle, or buy it at the store.

Pro tip: Bring a clean mesh laundry bag. It’s handy to keep dishes up and away from dirt and allows them to dry quickly with little hassle.

COAL IS FOR COOKING AND OTHER FUN TIPS

Sometimes, even more important than what you’re cooking is how you’re cooking. Joe Bassett, founder, lead guide and survival instructor at Valiant Outfitters, cautions, “Avoid cooking over a flame. Temperature control is much easier when cooking over and in coals. Hardwood is better than softwood for campfires. Hardwood burns hotter but slower, making temperature control easier. Softwood tends to flame up and can leave an aftertaste from the resin.”

He added, “If you do cook over an open flame, coat the bottoms of your pots and pans with dish detergent, and the soot wipes right off. To see if the coals are hot enough, boil water in a paper cup in the coals. Yes, it really works.”

Bassett also has a hot take on steak: “Cooking steak directly on the coal makes the perfect sear. The key is to blow away as much ash on the coals as possible before putting the steak on. It will horrify your friends until they taste it. Three to five minutes per side, depending on thickness, gets a good medium rare to medium.”

A safer preferred approach is to break out that aluminum foil. Toss some sliced potatoes, chopped up chicken, ground beef or carrots and onions into some foil — individually or all mixed together.

Wrap it up tight, some folks do a second layer of foil, and toss it in the coals or over the open flame. These hobo dinners cook up fast and easy, require little cleanup, and can be individualized.

There’s no limit — one fan favorite is the savory and sweet pineapple BBQ chicken foil packs. Pro tip: Use corn chips for kindling. The greasy oil residue on the chips is a great accelerant, taking you from spark to full-blown flame quickly, even if your wood is wet.