We camped a lot over the years — tent camping and in our travel trailer at places like Port St. Joe right here in Florida.
One thing that always came with us no matter what? The Crockpot. Dump everything in before you head out for the day and come back to a hot meal that cost almost nothing. Here are 50+ cheap and easy camping meals that will make everyone at the campsite jealous!
Tips to Make Cheap Camping Meals Even Easier
- Prep everything at home — cut vegetables and meat before you leave and store in large zip lock bags. One bag per meal makes it a true dump and go
- Pick recipes that share ingredients — if multiple meals use the same vegetables chop everything at once and divide into bags. Saves money and prep time
- Precook meat at home — for longer trips precook and freeze ground beef or chicken at home. Just add frozen to the crockpot at camp
- Use crockpot liners — makes cleanup at the campsite incredibly easy. Worth every penny
- Always keep the lid on — traps heat and cooks faster. Every time you lift the lid you add 20-30 minutes of cooking time
- Make sure your site has power — electric hookup required for crockpot camping. Most RV sites have it — tent campers check before booking
What Crockpot to Use While Camping
Always use a crockpot with a locking lid for camping — keeps everything secure in transport and keeps critters out while cooking. A 6-quart or larger feeds a family easily. Or use an Instant Pot — they lock automatically and can pressure cook or slow cook depending on how much time you have!
Keep Wildlife Away From Your Campsite
Cooking with a crockpot at camp smells amazing — which means animals will notice. Keep the lid on while cooking, clean up food scraps immediately and never cook near where you sleep. If you are in an RV cook inside with the door shut. If tent camping use a picnic table or communal area — never cook in or near your tent.
50+ Cheap and Easy Crockpot Camping Meals
Cheap Chicken Camping Meals
4 Ingredient Crockpot Chicken
Four ingredients, dump and go, feeds the whole family. One of the easiest and cheapest camping dinners you can make. Get the recipe at ForkingGoodFood!
White Chicken Chili
Tender chicken, creamy beans and salsa verde — hearty, cheap and perfect for a cold night at the campsite. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Add chicken breasts and seasoning — that’s it. Shred and serve in tortillas with whatever toppings your family likes. One of the cheapest and most flexible camping meals — picky eaters can build their own! Get the recipe here.
Easy BBQ Crockpot Chicken
Bottled BBQ sauce and chicken — it does not get simpler or cheaper. Shred and serve on buns for sandwiches whenever you are ready. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken
Five minutes of prep in the morning — add cream cheese near the end and dinner is ready when you get back to camp. Serve over rice or pasta. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken and Veggies
Chicken breasts with potatoes, green beans, garlic, butter and lemon juice — a complete cheap one-pot meal. Keep the green beans on top so they don’t overcook. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Cook the filling all day and let everyone build their own enchiladas — perfect for families with picky eaters. Cheap, filling and a guaranteed crowd pleaser at the campsite. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Chicken Potato Chowder
Potatoes, chicken and cheese slow cooked into the coziest chowder. Prep it before you head out and come back to something that smells incredible. Perfect for cool camping nights. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
Tender chicken and veggies in creamy gravy topped with biscuits instead of a crust — easier to make at a campsite and just as delicious. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Chicken Spaghetti
A 10-hour slow cooker dinner with whole wheat pasta and tomato sauce — kids absolutely love it and it costs almost nothing to make. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken
Sweet root beer and chicken thighs slow cooked all day — shred for sandwiches or serve with rice. Cheap unusual and surprisingly amazing. Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Butter Chicken
Creamy rich and flavorful butter chicken that is healthier than any restaurant version. Ready when you get back to camp — serve over rice. Get the recipe here.
Delicious Slow Cooker Lemonade Chicken
Lemonade concentrate and chicken — sounds weird tastes incredible. Serve over rice or with mashed potatoes. One of the most interesting cheap camping meals on this list! Get the recipe here.
Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu
Fancy enough to impress at any campsite — chicken topped with ham and Swiss cheese in a creamy sauce. Looks like you worked all day but the crockpot did everything. Get the recipe here.
Cheap Beef Camping Meals
Mississippi Pot Roast
Butter and tangy pepperoncini peppers make this the most tender flavorful pot roast you will ever eat. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice — absolute campsite comfort food. Get the recipe here.
Crock Pot Chuck Roast
Classic pot roast seasoned with dry ranch mix with potatoes, onions and carrots. One of the cheapest cuts of beef slow cooked into something that tastes incredibly expensive. Get the recipe here.
One Pot Goulash
The ultimate budget comfort food — ground beef, pasta, tomatoes and seasoning all in one pot. Cheap, filling, kids love it and it costs almost nothing per serving. Get the recipe at ForkingGoodFood!
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Creamy fall-apart tender beef in a classic sour cream sauce. Prep it before you leave for the day and come back to one of the best camping dinners imaginable. Get the recipe at ForkingGoodFood!
Crockpot Steak Bites
Tender juicy steak bites with rich flavor — make mashed potatoes or egg noodles beforehand and you have a complete cheap camping dinner. Get the recipe here.
Italian Beef Au Jus
Seasoned slow cooked beef served on French rolls with au jus for dipping. Minimal prep and absolutely incredible results. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Beef Manhattan
Three ingredients, dump and go — served on top of crispy garlic bread with mashed potatoes. One of the best bang-for-your-buck camping meals on this list. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash
Rich paprika broth with tender beef — warming comforting and perfect for cool camping nights. Cheap ingredients that taste like something from a fancy restaurant. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Red Wine
Prep in the morning and come back to the most incredible aroma at the campsite. Red wine and slow cooked beef — simple prep incredible results. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Chili
Three kinds of beans, ground beef and simple spices — protein packed hearty and one of the cheapest camping meals you can make. Make it with ground turkey to save even more! Get the recipe here.
Cheap Pork Camping Meals
Easy Crock Pot Pulled Pork
The ultimate dump and go camping meal — pork shoulder slow cooked until it falls apart. So tender you don’t even need BBQ sauce. Make sandwiches and serve with potato salad. One of the cheapest cuts of meat and one of the best results. Get the recipe here.
Slow Cooker Kielbasa, Cabbage and Potatoes
Add everything in the morning and come back 7-8 hours later — it is ready. Kielbasa, cabbage and potatoes is one of the most budget friendly filling camping meals out there. Get the recipe here.
Pepperoncini Pork Roast
Pork shoulder, a jar of pepperoncini and some spices — that is literally it. Set it in the morning and dinner is ready when you are. Serve over rice or pasta. Get the recipe here.
Sweet and Sticky BBQ Ribs with Coke
Slow cook all day and then finish over the campfire grate for the most incredible ribs. You get the tenderness of slow cooking and the char of the fire — best of both worlds! Get the recipe at ForkingGoodFood!
Ham and Potato Soup
A great way to use up leftover ham — add potatoes, vegetables and let it slow cook all day. Comforting, cheap and perfect for camping weather. Get the recipe here.
Cheap Meatball and Budget Camping Meals
Kid Friendly Crockpot Meatballs
Frozen meatballs, grape jelly and BBQ sauce — sounds odd tastes amazing. Kids go crazy for these. Eat them alone or make meatball subs. One of the cheapest and easiest meals on this list. Get the recipe here.
Sweet Honey Barbecue Pineapple Meatballs
Sweet BBQ sauce, honey, garlic and pineapple with meatballs — ready in 30 minutes or slow cook all day. Eat alone or serve over rice. Get the recipe at ForkingGoodFood!
<!– /wp:paragr
