Fire Up Fun With Johnsonville: Everything You’ll Need for a Family Backyard Camping Adventure

You deserve the best summer ever. TeamSnap has teamed up with Johnsonville to put together this ‘Fire Up Fun with Johnsonville’ blog series to spark your playful spirit and help your family make the most of the 2021 summer season. And for even more backyard fun, enter for a chance to win the Best of the Backyard Sweepstakes. The Ultimate Backyard Prize Pack includes a year’s supply of sausage and beans, a premium cornhole board set, and a Pit Boss Sportsman Grill. Enter today by visiting bestofthebackyard.com.

 

Summer is known for beach days and blue skies, but the fun doesn’t have to stop when the sun goes down. Summer nights are truly unbeatable. So, why not create a mini nighttime summer adventure in your own backyard? On a backyard camping adventure, your family gets a break from screens, you can spend time outside in nature, and you can enjoy your favorite nostalgic camping activities but with all the amenities and comforts of home (like a bathroom!). We’ve put together this guide to help you host your own mini camping adventure. You never know, it might just be the highlight of the summer season and the start of a new family tradition!

 

Gear Up

Grab all of the camping gear that you might normally pack into the car and lay it out in your backyard. Your packing list might include:

• Tent or ground tarp
• Sleeping pad or air mattress
• Sleeping bag or lots of washable blankets and quilts
• Lanterns, flashlights, and string lights
• Camp chairs
• Camp stove or grill
• Camping utensils, like plates, sporks, and plastic cups
• Food to prepare for dinner and dessert

 

Set Up Your Campsite

It’s time to set up your campsite. Get everyone involved in setting up the tent, the sleeping bags, and the chairs so that when the sun goes down, you’ll all be ready to snuggle in. Don’t forget to leave room for backyard activities! 

A note about campfires: We do not suggest building a campfire in your backyard. Instead, use your grill or camp stove to cook your meals and set up your camp chairs in a circle to mimic the campfire set-up without the fire danger.

 

Crowdpleaser Campfire Meals 

One of the best parts of camping are the meals! Everything tastes better outdoors and every meal can be a no-dishes kind of meal.

 

Summer Sausage S’Mores

You’ll need: 

• 1 package of Johnsonvilleâ„¢ Original Summer Sausage, sliced in ¼ inch slices
• Mozzarella or cheddar cheese, sliced to match the size of the sausage
• Round snack crackers
• Coarse-ground mustard, to taste

Place the sausages on a hot grill and cook until they start to brown and curl. Place the cheese into the cup side of the sausage slice and allow the cheese to melt. Spread some mustard on the crackers and then sandwich the “s’mores” between the crackers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brat Foil Packets 

You’ll need:

• 1 package Johnsonvilleâ„¢ Original Brats
• 3 ears of corn on the cob
• 1 lb of mini potatoes
• Optional: 1 red bell pepper, 2 poblano peppers, 1 medium onion
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup BBQ Sauce

Grab some heavy-duty aluminum foil and form pieces into packets. Divide mini potatoes, corn-on-the-cob, bell pepper, onion, and poblano peppers between each of the packets so that they’re evenly divided. Drizzle with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the packets on the grill for about 25 minutes until the vegetables are fully cooked. Grill the Brats on the other side of the grill, and serve. With this recipe, you don’t even have to use plates!

 

Banana Boats

For dessert, you can either go with classic s’mores (with marshmallows!) or something different like a banana boat. Warning: once you’ve had a banana boat, you may never go back to s’mores. 

You’ll need:

• Whole bananas
• Chocolate chips
• Marshmallows

To make banana boats, slice bananas lengthwise with the peel still intact and stuff the opening with chocolate chips and marshmallows. Wrap the bananas in foil and cook on the grill for about 10 minutes, turning them periodically to ensure they’re evenly heated. Open the packets carefully and then dig in when cooled!

 

Backyard Camping Activities

There are endless ways to play in your backyard, but some fun backyard camping activities include: 

1. A scavenger hunt where your family hunts for specific plants and animals in the yard 
2. A family cornhole tournament
3. Card and board games on the grass
4. A “campfire” sing-a-long with some of your favorite tunes
5. Spooky stories
6. Stargazing

 

However you decide to spend your time in your backyard this summer, Johnsonville is here to help you fire up the fun. Happy summer from all of us at TeamSnap and Johnsonville!