Cook on a campfire
Cook simple campfire meals like foil packet vegetables and toasted marshmallows while practicing safe fire setup, adult supervision, and basic outdoor cooking techniques.
Step-by-step guide to cook on a campfire
What Are Basic Campfire Cooking Techniques? - Exploring Campgrounds
Step 1
Pick a flat safe spot away from bushes and lay out all your materials so they are easy to reach.
Step 2
Put the bucket of water next to the spot and clear sticks and leaves from about two meters around the area.
Step 3
Ask an adult to build and light the campfire until there is a steady bed of hot coals.
Step 4
Put on your heatproof gloves before you get close to the fire.
Step 5
Use tongs with an adult to move coals into a flat bed for cooking.
Step 6
Tear a piece of tin foil about twice as big as a plate and place it shiny side up on the plate.
Step 7
Put a handful of pre-cut vegetables in the center of the foil and drizzle a little olive oil or butter over them.
Step 8
Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over the vegetables and fold the foil into a tight sealed packet.
Step 9
Ask an adult to place the foil packet on the hot coals or on a grill over the fire.
Step 10
Skewer a marshmallow on a long stick and hold it a little above the flames while an adult watches.
Step 11
Slowly rotate the stick so the marshmallow browns evenly on all sides.
Step 12
Slide the toasted marshmallow off the stick onto a plate and let it cool for a few seconds.
Step 13
Ask an adult to lift a foil packet with tongs and open it away from your face to check the vegetables and let them cool a bit.
Step 14
Ask an adult to fully put out the fire by pouring water on the coals and stirring until the ashes are cool to the touch.
Step 15
Share a photo and short description of your campfire meal on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have tin foil, heatproof gloves, or long skewers?
If you don't have tin foil, cook the pre-cut vegetables in a small cast-iron pan or enamel mug over the hot coals, use thick oven mitts if you lack heatproof gloves, and replace wooden skewers with metal skewers or a long metal roasting fork for the marshmallow while an adult supervises.
What should we do if the foil packet burns or the vegetables are undercooked, or if the marshmallow catches fire?
If the foil packet is burning, move it with tongs to cooler coals or a grill, open it away from your face to check doneness and return it for a few more minutes if undercooked, and if the marshmallow flames up hold the skewer higher above the flames and slowly rotate until it browns.
How can we adapt the activity for younger kids, older children, and teens?
For toddlers let them help lay out materials and pass pre-cut vegetables, for younger kids (5â8) have them drizzle oil and fold the foil with close adult guidance, for older children (9â12) let them use tongs to position packets with supervision, and teens can manage timing, photograph the meal, and upload the photo to DIY.org.
How can we extend or personalize the campfire cooking to make it more fun or tasty?
Customize the foil packet by adding sliced cheese, herbs, or pre-cooked sausage, try a sweet foil packet with apple and cinnamon, experiment with different vegetables or marinades before sealing, or make s'mores after toasting marshmallows and then share the finished meal photo on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to cook on a campfire
Easy Campfire Dinner Kids Will Love!
4 Videos
Easy Campfire Dinner Kids Will Love!
Can Kids Learn To Cook At Camp Campfire Meals? - American Camp Experience
What Are The Basic Safety Tips For Campfire Cooking? - The Family Getaway Guide
How Do You Cook Easy Meals Over A Campfire? - Exploring Campgrounds
Facts about campfire cooking and fire safety
đ„ Foil packets (sometimes called 'hobo packets') steam food inside a sealed pouch so veggies and potatoes cook evenly and stay juicy.
đ§ For safe campfire cooking always have an adult supervising and keep water or sand nearby to fully extinguish the fire when you're done.
đïž People have been cooking over open flames for hundreds of thousands of years, making food safer and tastier.
đ„ The 'fire triangle'âheat, fuel, and oxygenâkeeps a campfire burning; remove one and the fire goes out.
đ« The first published recipe for a 's'more' appeared in a 1927 Girl Scouts handbook called 'Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts'.
How do I teach my child to cook simple meals on a campfire?
What materials do I need to cook foil packet vegetables and marshmallows on a campfire with kids?
What ages is campfire cooking suitable for?
What safety tips should I follow when cooking on a campfire with children?
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