This easy Camping Lunch Idea is a Cold Green Bean Salad. It’s perfect for both road trips and camping adventures, requires zero cooking, and makes a perfect light lunch or quick side dish.
Last year, the husband and I went on a cross-country, National Park Adventure– without a cooler– and we ate FAR too much canned tuna.
I mean, I love tuna, and tried to make exciting tuna salads— but I quickly learned that we needed more options.
For this year’s camping expedition– I branched out. I did bring tuna, but I also brought sardines, herring, and– you guessed it– canned beans!
We ate this Easy Cold Green Bean Salad several times on our trip– and each time it was refreshing, quick, and delicious!
Camping Lunch Ideas: Easy and Light Meals
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from our long road trips, it’s that we need more than one TYPE of meal.
For the hiking days, we need carbs and protein. Meals like Campfire Lasagna and Bean Burritos are perfect for active days where we need a lot of fuel to keep going.
However– there are other kinds of days.
Long, relentless driving days.
Days when the only exercise is walking into coffee shops, roadside attractions, and scenic overlooks.
Go ahead– stop, get coffee, and stretch your legs– but chances are, you won’t be ravenously hungry like you are on a hiking day.
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Those were the days when this Cold Green Bean salad made an excellent lunch.
It’s light, it has some protein, and it’s healthy. We also ate this salad as a side dish with larger meal at a campground in Tucson, Arizona– because it was just TOO HOT to do much cooking!
Camping Lunch Idea: Making Cold Green Bean Salad
Everything that you need for this Cold Green Bean salad is shelf-stable, and can survive a long, hot car ride without a cooler. First things first– get some green beans! I like the French-cut style, but you can also grab regular green beans or wax beans.
Next, grab some almond slivers, a little oil, vinegar, mustard, and pepper. (If you don’t normally travel with condiments– I totally recommend it, especially if you’ll be cooking at campgrounds.)
If you’re making this salad on a long road trip– find a spot to pull over and make it. You’ll need to drain a can of green beans, and that’s probably not something that should happen in a moving car.
Next, mix up the oil, vinegar, mustard, and pepper, and then toss it with the green beans and almonds. Divide the salad between two bowls, enjoy, and keep on driving!
Not a fan of canned green beans? Try this cooked green bean salad.
Want more NO COOK CAMPING RECIPE IDEAS? Try these:
- Fish Wraps: An Easy, Healthy Lunch
- Healthy Tuna Salad with Wasabi
- Camping Breakfast: Easy Power Muesli
Want to COOK while you camp? Try these CAMPING RECIPES:
- Backpacking Meals: Tuna Couscous Bowl
- Campfire Dutch Oven Recipe: Vegetarian Lasagna
- Camp Stove Recipe: Chickpea Curry
Camping Lunch Idea: Cold Green Bean Salad
Equipment
- can opener (if cans aren't pop-top)
- forks
- bowls (for mixing salad + serving)
Ingredients
Mustard Dressing:
- 1 TB olive oil
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 TB yellow mustard
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Green Bean Salad:
- 1 14oz can green beans French cut or Regular* (See Recipe Notes)
- 1/4 cup almond slivers
Instructions
- Mix all dressing ingredients together.
- Drain the liquid from the green beans. Add the green beans and almonds into a bowl with the dressing, and toss to incorporate the dressing.
- Divide among two bowls and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Sarah Trenalone
Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes.
She's a photographer, food writer, and traveler, and loves traveling with her husband. Together, they hike the National Parks, travel along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and of course, eat.
Sarah is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.
So resourceful! I really want to plan a trip like yours some day, it would be so much fun.
Do it!!! It was incredible! I tried to do it a few years ago when gas prices skyrocketed, and it got canceled, so I’m glad things worked out the last 2 years!
Thank you. I am a truck driver battling obesity, I have no refrigerator or cooking appliances on my truck yet. I am going to try the green bean salad.
I hope this helps!!
OMG – look at that gorgeous shot!!!! Talk about scenic!! Gorgeous!!
Green beans are definitely on the top of my fave veggies, but I don’t usually eat cold. This has definitely convinced me to do so! I bet this has such a lovely crunch, especially with those almonds 🙂 Yum!
I made this when our power was out and it was AMAZING! Thank you! (Also, TUCSON REPRESENT!!!)
Haha- I’m not above eating them from the can! This just tastes better! 😛 And yay Tuscon.. (but wow it was hot!)