Meatball foil packets are a fun dinner recipe your whole family will love. Made with beef, oats, and seasonings then baked in the oven or over the campfire. A family favorite!
Safely transport raw meatballs for camping
I found the easiest way to transport these meatballs is to freeze them after you wrap them in foil. They are easy to pack in a cooler (make sure to keep them separate from those foods that won’t be cooked), and help keep other foods cold too.
Place a thermometer into your cooler and make sure the temperature stays below 40 degrees to keep the meat out of the food danger zone. Blocks of ice work better than ice cubes – try freezing water in a milk jug or similar container.
When you’re ready to cook the foil packets, cook meatballs to an internal temperature of 160 degrees, about 30 minutes. A digital meat thermometer is a great item for your packing list.
Once cooked, use precooked pasta bags which are now available (or cook pasta in advance and bring it along) a jar of marinara sauce, and shredded cheese. Heat the packet over the fire to warm the pasta and sauce. If you’re making meatball sandwiches, place meatballs into pita pockets, top with marinara sauce and cheese. Dinner is served!
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Camping Meatball Foil Packets
Equipment
- heavy duty tin foil
- nonstick cooking spray ✅
- baking tray
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sirloin ✅
- 1 cup certified gluten-free quick-cook oats
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce ✅
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- cooked gluten-free pasta, optional
- spaghetti sauce, optional ✅
Instructions
- ⭐️Prep the oven or campfire. If cooking in the oven, preheat to 400 degrees. If cooking over a fire, prepare the grill grate over smoldering coals.
- Blend the oats and milk. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, blend oats and milk. Let sit for 5 minutes.1 cup certified gluten-free quick-cook oats, 1/4 cup milk
- ⭐️Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Add the beef, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix just until all ingredients are blended. Roll meat mixture into meatballs the size of a golf ball. Place on the baking tray.1 pound ground sirloin, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Prep the foil and fill the packs. Spray tin foil with non-stick cooking spray. Place 2 meatballs into each pack then carefully seal the packet.
- ⭐️Cook. Cook in the oven, or over the fire, for 30 minutes, turning halfway through to brown both sides of the meatball.
- Serve. If using, add the precooked pasta noodles to foil packs and top with marinara sauce. Fold the packet and place it over the fire to warm.cooked gluten-free pasta, optional, spaghetti sauce, optional
Shannon @ KISS in the Kitchen says
Foil packet meals are so fun and these look delicious!
Create Kids Club says
Thanks Shannon! They are a fun dinner meal 🙂
Nicole says
Such a great and easy idea! The pita pocket makes it so convenient too!
Create Kids Club says
It is really convenient, Nicole, and makes for easy clean up!
Catherine Brown says
I bet you could make this with seitan too for a vegetarian option!
Create Kids Club says
I’d love to hear if you try, Catherine!
Sarah Remmer says
This is such a great idea!
Create Kids Club says
Thanks Sarah!
Jessica @Small Bites by Jessica says
Such a brilliant idea Jodi! Love the easy cleanup of foil packet meals!
Create Kids Club says
Thanks Jessica! It is quite satisfying rolling up the dinner mess and simply tossing it out!
Lauren O'Connor Nutri-Savvy says
Kid-friendly and versatile — love it! I appreciate all dishes that can be made, then prepared in more than one way (for variety in meals).
Create Kids Club says
I agree Lauren! It is nice to have different options with no extra work!
Brynn at The Domestic Dietitian says
Cook once, eat twice is my LOVE language! These sound amazing and how fun for the kids. Plus clean up seems like a breeze!
Create Kids Club says
I couldn’t agree more, Brynn! It is always easier to get my kiddos eating meals without complaint when they are a bit more on the fun side 🙂
Judy says
This was simple to make and the clean up was a breeze!