Labor Day Food Ideas RV Style: How to Survive

Last Labor Day, the gang pulled off a weekend adventure at Inks Lake State Park, which checked every Texas bucket list box: RV camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, canoeing, and cooking some of the best Labor Day food ideas you could ask for.

Hambone and Hillary’s RV was home base. Mullethead and Millie rolled in with a cooler that looked suspiciously like it could double as an ice chest and a coffee table. The plan? Three nights, four days, and enough food to feed the Dallas Cowboys defensive line — twice.

Before the first chair was unfolded, the group paused for a quick word of thanks — grateful for the safe trip, the chance to spend time together, and the blessing of a Texas holiday weekend surrounded by God’s creation.

This wasn’t just a trip — it was a survival mission fueled by ribs, fajitas, fried catfish, and the occasional questionable canoe steering.

Day 1: Arrival, Setup, and Labor Day Food Ideas for Rib Lovers

The first night started slow — which in Eathenet terms means Hambone was still wrestling with the RV’s wind sensor, which insisted the awning retract every time a leaf fluttered.

Mullethead: “You want me to just hold it up for you, or you think you’ll get it before Christmas?”
Hambone: “It’s not the awning, it’s the wind sensor. And the wind sensor doesn’t appreciate your tone.”

Meanwhile, Millie and Hillary scouted for the perfect picnic table — one with shade, a breeze, and a safe distance from Hambone’s “experimental” smoke cloud.

By the time the chairs were unfolded and the fishing rods leaned against a tree, it was clear what the first Labor Day food idea of the trip would be: BBQ ribs with cornbread salad.

Dinner #1: BBQ Ribs with Cornbread Salad

BBQ Ribs

• 2 racks pork ribs (the kind that make you want to high-five the butcher)
• ½ cup BBQ rub (your favorite, or the one you “accidentally” dropped in your cart)
• 1 cup BBQ sauce (plus more for “quality control”)
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil (aka rib security blankets)

Instructions

1. Preheat grill to medium heat, or until your eyebrows start questioning your life choices.
2. Remove membrane from ribs — it’s that weird shiny layer that makes ribs chew like a rubber band.
3. Rub generously with BBQ rub; more rub = more flavor, don’t be shy.
4. Wrap in foil, place on indirect heat, and grill 2.5–3 hours.
5. Unwrap, brush with BBQ sauce, and grill 15–20 minutes more, until sticky and irresistible.

Cornbread Salad

• 1 pan baked cornbread, crumbled (try not to snack away half of it)
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers (colorful = healthy, right?)
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1 cup ranch dressing (blessings from the condiment gods)

Instructions

1. Layer cornbread, veggies, and cheese in a big bowl.
2. Drizzle with ranch and toss like you’re in a cooking competition.

Equipment Suggestions

• Weber Jumbo Joe portable charcoal grill – great for camping.
• Heavy-Duty Grill Gloves – because your fingers are not heatproof.

Hambone: “Think we made enough ribs?” (tongue firmly in cheek)
Mullethead: “For us? No. For the people who smelled us cooking? Maybe.”

Day 2 Morning – Hiking for Hunger (and More Labor Day Food Ideas)

The next morning, the gang decided to “walk off” the rib feast. Translation: hike until someone complained.

Millie had the park map, Mullethead pretended to know a shortcut, and Hambone carried the world’s smallest water bottle.

Hillary: “That’s not enough water for a hike.”
Hambone: “It’s portion control. Plus, I’m counting on finding a lemonade stand.”

Two miles in, they found a scenic overlook. Mullethead immediately declared it “snack break time,” despite having eaten breakfast an hour earlier.

They returned dusty, a little sunburned, and with just enough appetite for another Labor Day food idea. This time: grilled beef fajita tacos with Spanish rice and cowboy-style pinto beans.

Dinner #2: Grilled Beef Fajita Tacos with Cowboy Beans & Spanish Rice

Beef Fajitas

• 2 lbs skirt steak (marinated overnight, optional for that “I planned ahead” flavor)
• Salt & pepper (season like you mean it)
• Flour tortillas (the soft kind that make you forget portion control exists)
• Shredded iceberg lettuce (crunch factor: high)
• Diced tomatoes (for color and the illusion of health)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (because cheese is love)
• Salsa (heat level: how much do you like pain?)

Instructions

1. Grill steak over medium-high heat until your nose says “done.”
2. Let rest 5 minutes — use this time to sneak cheese.
3. Slice against the grain to avoid fajita floss.
4. Build tacos with all the fixins and devour until you run out of tortillas or self-control.

Cowboy Beans

• 2 cans pinto beans, drained
• ½ cup diced onion
• ½ cup cooked bacon pieces (or more, we’re not your doctor)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tbsp chili powder

Instructions

1. Combine in pot over medium heat.
2. Simmer until flavors mingle like old friends swapping tall tales.

Spanish Rice

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ cup chopped bell pepper

Instructions

1. Sauté peppers until soft.
2. Stir in rice, tomato sauce, and spices until everything’s warm and red like a Texas sunset.
3. Simmer until heated through.

Equipment Suggestions

• Cast Iron Reversible Griddle – perfect for RV campsite cooking.
• Firepit to Stovetop Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with Lid – for beans that taste like they’ve been simmering all day.

Mullethead: “That salsa’s got a kick.”
Hambone: “Yep. Woke me up faster than Millie’s coffee.”

Day 3 Morning – Canoe Chaos and Swimming Shenanigans

The plan was simple: rent canoes, explore the lake, enjoy nature. The execution? Less simple.

Millie: “Why are you going in circles?”
Hambone: “I’m steering. He’s rowing. We’re discovering the lake’s magnetic field.”
Mullethead: “It’s not a magnetic field. It’s you refusing to paddle on the left.”

After eventually finding shore (and a few giggling onlookers), they swapped paddles for swimsuits. The cool water below Lake Buchanan dam was irresistible.

Hillary floated on a flamingo-shaped tube she named Rhonda. Hambone teased her — until something brushed his leg.

Hambone: “Something touched me! I’m out!”
Mullethead: “Probably a fish saying hello.”
Hambone: “Well, tell it I’m busy.”

Laughing, they all took a moment to soak in the quiet view of the lake and the hills beyond, thanking the Lord for the simple joy of a cool swim and the beauty of His handiwork stretching out in every direction.

Dinner #3: Fried Catfish with Hush Puppies – The Labor Day Food Idea for Fish Lovers

The fishing had been good all weekend, but the highlight came when Hambone landed a fat channel catfish.

Mullethead: “That’s a beauty.”
Hambone: “That’s dinner.”

Fried Catfish

• 4 catfish fillets (freshly caught = bragging rights)
• 1 cup cornmeal (crispy magic dust)
• ½ cup flour
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning (don’t skimp)
• 1 cup buttermilk (Southern soul in a cup)
• Oil for frying (a crowd magnet) 350-375°F

Instructions

1. Heat oil in skillet until it’s shimmering like Texas asphalt in July.
2. Dip fillets in buttermilk, dredge in cornmeal, flour, and seasoning mix.
3. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until golden.

Hush Puppies

• 1 cup cornmeal
• ½ cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup diced onion (keeps mosquitoes at bay)

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients, stir in egg, buttermilk, and onion.
2. Drop spoonfuls into oil, fry until golden.

Equipment Suggestions

• Lodge Cast Iron Skillet with lid – for perfect crisping over camp stove or fire.
• Digital Fry Thermometer – because guessing oil temp is a rookie move.

Millie: “Where’s the tartar sauce?”
Hambone: “We’ve got hush puppies. And ribs. And fajitas. Just use Ranch; tartar sauce is on vacation.”
Mullethead: “So is your wind sensor.”

Surviving Labor Day in RV Style

By the time the RV was rolling back toward San Antonio, bellies were full, coolers were empty, and Hambone was already talking about next year’s return to Inks Lake. Mullethead just grinned and said, “As long as there’s catfish on the line and beans in the pot, I’m in.” The wives just shook their heads, knowing full well that Labor Day would forever mean good food, lots of laughs, and a few questionable dance moves around the campsite.

Four days, three epic dinners, and one catfish who never saw it coming — that’s how you survive Labor Day food ideas RV style. Between the cool swims, canoe chaos, and evenings around the grill, Inks Lake proved that sometimes the best vacations are the ones that taste like home… with a side of adventure.

The group also gave thanks to the Lord for blessing them with the chance to share this trip, the beauty of His creation, and the gift of good friends to enjoy it with.

So whether you’re RV camping, backyard grilling, or just on the hunt for new Labor Day food ideas, these recipes will keep you well-fed, laughing, and just a little bit sunburned.

Ready to Cook, Camp, and Catch Your Own Adventure?

If our little Labor Day Inks Lake escapade taught us anything, it’s that great food, bad jokes, and good friends make for the best memories — especially when fried catfish and fajita tacos are involved. So load up your RV, grab your fishing pole, and plan your own Labor Day food ideas weekend that’ll have your crew talking (and eating) for months. Don’t forget to share your own camping recipes and epic fishing tales with us in the comments — we might just “borrow” them for next year’s trip. And hey, if you’re feeling generous, bring the hush puppies. We’ll trade you for some pico de gallo.