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317 Non-Perishable Foods for Camping

Making a camping meal plan can seem difficult when you don’t have a refrigerator or oven to use when cooking meals. There is no need to be stressed, though, because there are hundreds of non-perishable foods that you can bring to make delicious recipes!

Our epic list of non-perishable food for camping is guaranteed to make meal planning easier for breakfast, lunch and dinner! We have simple ideas for effortless meals that your family will love.

This big list of 317 ideas are all foods that do not require refrigeration. You will not need to bring a cooler with you for these items.

Our Best Tips for Using Non-Perishable Foods

  • Make sure that you actually like the taste of a food before deciding it will be part of your camping recipe. You do not want to be relying on a food item for a meal only to find out that you don’t like it.
  • Cans with flip-top lids are perfect in case you don’t bring a can opener.
  • Plastic cups with fruit, vegetables, soups or rice will be less heavy to carry to your campsite than glass or tin cans.
  • Wait for sales and stock up then. You will be surprised at how often non-perishable foods go on sale.
  • If you are bringing canned foods, make sure to have a manual can opener (that doesn’t require electricity).
  • Bring along a pair of scissors to open packaging. 
  • Be ready to pack out your trash if necessary in remote camping destinations. Keep a few small plastic grocery shopping bags tucked away to put all of the waste in after your meal or snack.
  • Many foods might need to be prepared. For instance, canned tuna needs to be mixed with mayo to make an easy tuna salad sandwich. Think about how you will eat the foods and bring the supplies you will need, such as a bowl, utensils, paper plates, disposable cutlery, cutting knives, etc.
  • Consider how you will prepare the foods. While you might assume that you will cook over a campfire, if there is bad weather or a burn-ban, do you have a propane stove or solar oven to prepare meals with instead?
  • Hand wipes and hand sanitizer are a must! Wash your hands before eating, after eating and clean up food prep with convenient hand wipes.

Meats and Proteins

Proteins are such an important part of a meal when you are active and outdoors hiking, swimming or just setting up camp. Thankfully, there are so many ways to bring non-perishable meats and vegan proteins with you.

  • Peanut Butter
  • Beef Jerky
  • Canned Tuna
  • Canned Chicken
  • Canned Beef
  • Canned Salmon
  • Canned Turkey
  • Canned Sardines
  • Canned sausages
  • Freeze Dried Meat Substitute (Beef flavored)
  • Spam
  • Sardines
  • Tuna packs
  • Tuna packs with spices/mayo in it
  • Canned Chili
  • Beef Stew
  • Peanut Butter Powder (We have found that Sam’s Club has the best value)
  • Nuts
  • Canned Beans
  • Dried Beans (black beans, black eyed peas, navy beans, pinto beans, red beans, white beans, garbonzo beans)
  • Almond butter
  • Sunflower butter
  • Cashew butter
  • Freeze-dried cheese
  • Parmesan cheese (such as Kraft, sold in spaghetti sauce aisle)
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Chia seeds
  • Flax seeds
  • Hemp seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Soups
  • Country ham (usually doesn’t have to be refrigerated)
  • Lentils (Green, Red, Brown, Yellow, Black)
  • Canned Tamales
  • Caned Ravioli
  • Canned Spaghetti
  • Powdered Protein Drinks/Mixes
  • Powdered Scrambled Eggs
  • MREs (Meals Ready to Eat)
  • Freeze dried meals (such as this Italian Lasagna in a bag)
  • Peanuts
  • Cashews
  • Pistachios
  • Almonds
  • Brazil nuts
  • Hazelnuts
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Pecans
  • Pinenuts
  • Walnuts
  • Mixed Nuts
  • Wheat berries
  • Quinoa
  • Whey protein shakes
  • Dried egg powder
  • Powdered milk (We found that Sam’s Club variety is the most delicious)
  • Corned beef hash
  • Dinty Moore stew
  • Anchovies
  • Deviled ham
  • Vienna sausages
  • Canned oysters
  • Canned mackerel
  • Canned pork
  • Waxed cheeses
  • Shelf stable cheese (such as Laughing Cow)
  • Canned mackerel
  • Canned ground beef
  • Freeze dried ground beef
  • Freeze dried chicken
  • Freeze dried beef chunks
  • Freeze dried pork

These low-wattage burners can be used with a portable power supply if you want a hot meal without a campfire.

pot on a single electric burner that is plugged into a Jackery portable power station

Pastas, Breads, Crackers, Rice

Anyone else love carbs as much as I do? These are the perfect pairings for your meats and proteins to make a balanced meal.

  • Any of our Make Ahead Camping Breakfast recipes
  • Granola Bars
  • Power bars
  • Dry cereal
  • Oatmeal, old-fashioned
  • Instant oatmeal packs
  • Loaf of bread
  • Bagels
  • Baguette
  • Hamburger buns
  • Hot dog buns
  • Hoagie buns
  • Tortilla wraps
  • Rice cakes
  • Pre-made muffins (such as our banana nut muffins, orange chocolate chip muffins, or pumpkin banana muffins)
  • English muffins
  • Breakfast cookies
  • Pancake mix that just needs water
  • Cornbread mix that just needs water
  • Biscuit mix that just needs water
  • Grits
  • Cream of Rice
  • Cream of Wheat
  • Cream of Buckwheat
  • Graham crackers
  • Saltine crackers
  • Oyster crackers
  • Dried potato flakes
  • Pasta
  • Gluten free pasta
  • Canned Spanish Rice
  • Bisquick
  • Rice
  • Minute Rice
  • Macaroni and Cheese Boxes
  • Cup-a-noodle
  • Ramen soup
  • Breakfast Bars
  • Quinoa
  • Barley
  • Millet
  • Couscous
  • Buckwheat
  • Soba, made from buckwheat
  • Rice noodles
  • Chow main noodles 

Fruits and Vegetables

It is very easy to bring fruits, vegetables and other produce items with you when camping. Almost all fruits and veggies can be brought fresh without needing refrigeration.

Canned vegetables and fruits, as well as plastic cups, are quick and easy to bring. You won’t have to worry about the produce getting bruised when traveling.

One great thing about bringing canned fruits or vegetables is that you can use the liquid in other meals that you are making. For instance, if you choose fruit packed in water, rather than heavy syrup, you can use that liquid to make instant oatmeal packets or add to water for a flavoring.

Canned vegetable liquids can be used to make soups, rice or pasta. Don’t ever let that nutrient-rich liquid go to waste!

  • Canned green beans
  • Canned peas
  • Canned corn
  • Fresh corn on the cob to grill
  • Canned Tomatoes
  • Fresh tomatoes
  • Sun dried tomatoes
  • Dried Vegetable Powders
  • Dried Fruit powders
  • Dried banana chips
  • Dehydrated strawberries
  • Raisins
  • Dried apricots
  • Canned mixed vegetables
  • Canned potatoes
  • Salsa
  • Canned baby foods (these are great, even if you don’t have young children)
  • Fruit squeeze pouches
  • Applesauce
  • Canned Pumpkin
  • Sweet potato
  • Tomato Paste
  • Pasta Sauce
  • Pizza sauce
  • Mandarin oranges
  • Pineapple
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Fruit cocktail
  • Grapefruit
  • Pie filling
  • Dried cranberries
  • Coconut flakes
  • Dates
  • Mangoes
  • Prunes
  • Olives
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Green chillis
  • Spinach
  • Fruit strips
  • Sauerkraut
  • Asparagus canned
  • Canned chestnuts

Snacks

You are guaranteed to get the munchies when sitting around the campfire, hiking during the day, or after an afternoon dip in the river or lake. These are some great non-perishable snacks to have on hand.

  • S’mores Cookies
  • S’mores Bark
  • Goldfish crackers
  • Chex Mix
  • Tortilla chips
  • Plantain chips
  • Graham crackers
  • Animal crackers
  • Pop Tarts
  • Rice Krispy treats
  • Homemade Fig Newtons
  • Peppermint Candies
  • Butterscotch
  • Werther’s Originals
  • M&M candies
  • Skittles
  • Jolly ranchers
  • Gummy bears
  • Candy canes
  • Gum
  • Trail mix
  • Pretzels
  • Dried chickpeas
  • Kale chips
  • Cauliflower chips
  • Dried veggie sticks
  • Pita chips
  • Dried cheese crisps
  • Popped popcorn 
  • Rice cakes
  • Potato Chips
  • Snack Pudding Cups
  • Canned Cheese
  • Cheese dips
  • Potato Chip Dips
  • Bean dips
  • Corn nuts
  • Little Debbie Snacks
  • Pre-packaged snacks
  • Cookies
  • Lollipops
  • Cheese and crackers snack packs or individually wrapped

Drinks

Most drinks are going to be shelf-stable until opened. If you don’t have a camping cooler, it is best to buy individual serving sizes of drinks so that you don’t waste the rest.

Dried drink flavorings are perfect for camping off-grid. As long as you have a water supply, you can have a variety of hot or cold drinks all day long.

  • Instant Coffee
  • Coffee beans (and grinder)
  • Freeze dried coffee
  • Tea bags
  • Cold brew tea bags
  • Lemondade Mix
  • Flavored Water Drops
  • Tang
  • Kool-Aid
  • Bottled Juice
  • Canned Juice
  • Evaporated Milk
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • Shelf Stable Milk (Dollar Tree has some surprisingly good varieties)
  • Almond Milk
  • Oat Milk
  • Soy Milk
  • Rice Milk
  • Cashew Milk
  • Shelf Stable Chocolate Milk
  • Soda
  • Seltzer
  • Alcohols
  • Hot Chocolate Packets
  • Hot Cider Mix
  • Gatorade – bottled or powdered
  • Crystal light
  • Ovaltine
  • Hershey’s Chocolate powder
  • Cocoa powder
  • Malted milk
  • Powerade
  • Pedialyte
  • Electrolyte drinks
  • Powdered milk
  • Juice boxes
  • Dried fruit juice powder
  • Canned vegetable juice
  • Wine
  • Coconut milk
  • Coconut water
  • Canned coconut cream
  • Beer

Condiments

Many of these items come in single serve packets from restaurants, take-out meals, etc. It’s wise to keep these to use when you go camping.

  • Sugar
  • Cocoa
  • Powdered Creamer
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion flakes
  • Hot Sauce
  • Chili Sauce
  • Salad dressing
  • Ketchup
  • Soy sauce
  • Coconut Aminos
  • Mayo
  • Mustard
  • Relish
  • Horseradish Sauce
  • Arby’s Sauce
  • Onion powder
  • Olive oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Crisco
  • Bouillon
  • Dried onion and spice packet mixes
  • Honey
  • Pickles
  • Hot peppers
  • Chicken broth
  • Beef broth
  • Vegetable broth
  • Mushroom broth
  • Ghee (doesn’t need refrigeration)
  • Basil
  • Cinnamon
  • Ginger
  • Cumin
  • Avocado oil
  • Stevia
  • Vanilla extract
  • Vinegar
  • Syrup
  • Sugar
  • Jelly
  • Jams
  • Parmesan cheese (over hot pasta, mac and cheese)
  • Canned butter
  • Dried butter powder
  • Iodized salt
  • Powdered sugar
  • Dried mustard
  • Red pepper
  • Rosemary
  • Oregano
  • Tabasco sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Chocolate chips
  • Chocolate syrup
  • Baking chocolate
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • BBQ Sauce

Be sure to see all our camping recipes for easy meal planning ideas!