The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (2024)

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These foil pack meals are the BEST for camping and backyard cooking! Packed with protein, vegetables, and a whole lot of flavor, there is a foil pack for everyone to love!

My favorite part about foil pack meals is that there are SO many different ones to try, and you come out with a different flavor and texture every time! Try out this herb salmon, this barbecue chicken, and these perfectly cooked potatoes!

The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (1)

What are Foil Pack Meals?

I can’t get enough foil pack meals during the summertime. They come out tasting so good because all of the flavors blend together in the foil. If you have never heard of a foil pack meal, then you are in for a treat! Foil pack meals are simply just protein and vegetables that are steamed together in foil. It’s one of our favorite ways to cook meals in the summer!

My kids love putting these together because they get to choose what they put in them and then help wrap the foil up and wait for them to cook on the grill. We also prepare these ahead of time and bring them camping with us and cook them over the fire. It’s so much fun, and they make such hearty meals. And cleanup doesn’t get much easier than this! No plates or dishes to worry about at all!

Can You Cook These Recipes without a Grill?

Yes! If you don’t have a grill, then your foil pack meal can totally be cooked in your oven! We like these so much that when our grill isn’t accessible during the winter months, we can still make them inside!

  • In the Oven: Follow the recipe directions on assembling the foil pack. Then, place them on a baking sheet. If your recipe says to cook your foil packs on a grill on medium heat, then you can cook your foil pack in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook it for about 1.5 times what the recipe calls for. So if the recipe says to cook it on the grill for 10 minutes, cook it in the oven for 25 minutes. Always check the temperature of your meat using a meat thermometer.

The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (2)

Hobo Dinner Foil Packets

5 from 4 votes

These delicious filled hobo dinners are perfect for cooking a mixture of carrots, potatoes and your meat all in a foil packet. It is fun to make and an easy dinner option for the summertime!

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (3)

Buttery Garlic Lime Salmon with Asparagus in Foil

Buttery Garlic Lime Salmon with Asparagus in Foil is so easy to make with simple ingredients. The flavor makes this salmon absolutely incredible and it comes out the oven perfectly tender and flaky!

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (4)

Grilled Foil Pack Vegetables

5 from 1 vote

These foil pack grilled vegetables made withReynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foilare perfect for BBQ season! They cook just right on your grill and come out tender and seasoned to perfection. This is one side dish that you don't want to miss!

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (5)

Foil Pack Honey Garlic Chicken

This delicious foil pack honey garlic chickenis packed with amazing flavors! These meals are perfect for the summer when you want to keep the heat out of the house (no oven!) and keep the messes to a minimum. Also great for camping!

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (6)

Parmesan Garlic Potato Foil Packets

5 from 3 votes

Parmesan Garlic Potato Foil Packets are potatoes that get cooked to tender perfection and have the best parmesan garlic flavor! These make an amazing side dish to any meal!

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (7)

Chicken Fajita Foil Packets

5 from 3 votes

These Chicken Fajita Foil Packets are an easy dinner recipe that's perfect for summer! Slices of chicken, peppers and red onions cook together with an easy homemade fajita seasoning, on the grill or in the oven. Serve them with warm tortillas for a no mess meal!

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Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Vegetable Foil Packets

5 from 16 votes

Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Foil Packets are loaded with shrimp, sausage, summer vegetables and tossed in cajun spices. These are quick and easy and packed with big flavor!

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (9)

Grilled Honey Barbecue Chicken Foil Packets

Grilled Honey Barbecue Chicken Foil Packets are the easiest summer meal with practically no clean-up! The perfectly tender chicken is grilled with fresh summer veggies and coated in a delicious sweet and tangy barbecue sauce.

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (10)

Shrimp Foil Packets

5 from 1 vote

Shrimp Boil Foil Packets bring you juicy, tender shrimp and veggies tossed in Cajun spices! These pack all the kick and amazing flavor of Cajun cooking without the mess!

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Butter Garlic Herb Salmon Foil Packets

4.60 from 10 votes

Butter Garlic Herb Salmon Foil Packets are made with tender and flaky salmon with fresh summer veggies. They cook to perfection with the best garlic herb compound and will become a family favorite!

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (12)

CHEESY SAUSAGE POTATO FOIL PACKETS

5 from 2 votes

Cheesy Sausage Potato Foil Packets are simple to assemble and packed with sausage, potatoes, veggies and cheese. These are perfect for a camping trip or quick dinner and are sure to be a hit!

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (13)

Butter Garlic Herb Steak Foil Packets

4.45 from 58 votes

Butter Garlic Herb Steak Foil Packets have melt in your mouth beef with hearty veggies that are grilled to perfection with butter that has garlic and herbs inside. This is one amazing meal that you don’t want to miss out on!

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (14)

Grilled Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken in Foil

4.88 from 8 votes

Grilled Hawaiian barbecue chicken that is made in foil has the most amazing sweet and tangy pineapple barbecue sauce! It grills to perfection with fresh pineapple and delicious summer veggies!

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Originally Posted on June 12, 2018

Updated on July 20, 2022

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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The Best Foil Pack Meals - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

How do you make a good foil packet? ›

Pull out an extra-long length of aluminum foil and fold it in half so you've got a double layer. Place your ingredients in the center, then pull over one side, folding the edges to seal. Then fold the remaining two edges. Don't seal the packet too tightly: you want to leave some room for the steam to expand.

Can you do foil packets in the oven? ›

They can be cooked on the grill, in the oven, or even on a campfire recipe with minimal cleanup and even less prep. Plus, you can serve them as a side or as dinner themselves.

How do you cook foil packs on a camp stove? ›

If using a camp stove: place the foil packs directly on the grates over medium heat. Using tongs, turn and re-situate foil packs every two minutes, cooking for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp and have nice browning on them.

Can you make foil packets ahead of time? ›

Precook the foil packets for less hassle when camping: The easiest way to make foil packets for your camping meals is to fully cook your food in the oven a day before you leave, cool them properly, then store them in the fridge or freezer for your trip.

What makes a good foil? ›

The main purpose of a foil is to draw attention to and emphasize another character's strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes, this is done through contrast. For example, in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein shuts himself off from others, driven by his obsession to create a living being.

Which side of aluminum foil goes up when cooking? ›

Since both sides are made of the exact same material, they will perform exactly the same way. The only difference is aesthetic. So feel free to work both ways. In the end, your food will cook exactly the same.

Can you pre make tin foil dinners? ›

These campfire meals in foil are easy to make for camping; my husband loves them! We prepare them at home and then leave them in the cooler until we are ready to cook. You can use any combination of meat and vegetables that you like.

Why is it called a hobo dinner? ›

Mulligan stew, also known as hobo stew, is a type of stew said to have been prepared by American hobos in camps in the early 1900s. Another variation of mulligan stew is "community stew", a stew put together by several homeless people by combining whatever food they have or can collect.

Should you bake potatoes wrapped in foil? ›

Not only do you get better baked potatoes when you bake them unwrapped, you also save money. Cost calculations show that eliminating foil saves an average of $3.00 per 90-count carton of potatoes, including labor and foil costs.

Why do people put aluminum foil on stove tops? ›

Stovetops can be a pain to keep clean. And if you wait too long to get the gunk off of them, it feels like no matter how hard you scrub, it's there permanently. But depending on how many burners you're using, there's a simple trick to keep the stovetop as clean as possible — cover any unused burners with aluminum foil.

Can you cook on stovetop with aluminum foil? ›

Aluminum foil linings may also trap heat, causing a fire hazard. Gas cooktops: Do not use aluminum foil to cover the grates or line any part of the cooktop. Doing so may result in carbon monoxide poisoning, overheating of the cooktop surfaces, or a potential fire hazard.

What not to mix with aluminum foil? ›

Avoid mixing aluminum foil and acidic foods: Avoid exposing aluminum foil or cookware to acidic food, such as tomato sauce or rhubarb ( 23 ).

What materials are in foil pouches? ›

Foil pouches are usually made of aluminium, as it protects the products inside from extreme temperatures that may cause damage. Additionally, foil pouches are puncture-resistant, providing protection against moisture and gas, ensuring that products do not get contaminated during transit or on the shelves.

Do you flip foil packets on grill? ›

Grill the packets over (or in the coals of) an open fire flipping them once until the meat is cooked to desired doneness, about 20 to 25 minutes total. Can also be baked in the oven. Carefully open each foil packet to let steam release before eating. Serve as is and enjoy!

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